Here are some photos of Dad's first cousins who were also WWII vets.

First photo Paul Howard to my left US Army and John Howard to my

right US Marine WWII. Clearly, we were having a great time!

(As usual, I was having a bad hair day. People ask me all the time if

my hair color is real and I say "Do you think I'd do this to my self on purpose?!"

My t shirt says: "If you value your freedom, thank a Vet!" and I'm wearing my

WWII Memorial pin.)

John Howard was one of the most fabulous human beings I've ever known.

Whenever I'd see him at family events, it was just like seeing a rock star.

I had to curb the tendency to follow him around, hanging on his every word

and making a terrible PEST out of myself. He was a GENIUS and truly one of

the most deeply spiritual people I've ever known. He passed away suddenly

about a month after this photo was taken. Oh how I miss him! He was such an

amazing multi-talented person, it was hard to keep up with him - but I really wish

that I'd talked with him more about his experiences as a marine on Iwo Jima.

The second photo is L-R: John Koumjian a WWII Marine who was also at Iwo Jima

and also had escaped the Armenian genocide, fleeing with his mother.

John is 95 and going strong (married to Dad's first cousin Mary Howard Koumjian

on the far right of the photo), Paul Howard, me, John Howard, my cousin Elaine

O'Connor Maynes (daughter of my great Aunt Ellen Howard) and Mary Howard Koumjian.

m2

Awesome. So you are the pretty young thing in the photo! I would have known by the great smile. It comes across in your words.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Yes I understand your regret. There's so many times you're left with the feeling of wanting to know more...

Thanks for posting their photos. We need to get all the vets we know ONLINE for all the world to see.

Awesome. So you are the pretty young thing in the photo! I would have known by the great smile. It comes across in your words.

Ha! I don't know about either "young" or "pretty" , THOSE days are gone!

Thank you for the smile compliment, if it comes across in my words, I DO hope so indeed!

I know you'll especially understand this: one of the last things my Dad ever said to me

was in "Dad shorthand". He said: "You are a good girl, you're a

smart girl, and you are a beautiful girl and no one can ever take those things away from you."

That was my father's way of saying: "You know right from wrong, you're wise enough to try to do right, I love you - and no one will ever have the power to rob you of any of those things."

I'd bet a million bucks (or a million beers which might be better ) that your Dad

would say EXACTLY that to you - M1. Think that's a VERY safe bet!

m2

Yup, and as we get older, they mean even more don't they?

Had a few beers with "my boys" the past few days. Am having a great time at the 48th Combat Engineer Reunion. What a fantastic group of men and family members!!