Memorial Day - A day to remember.  Originally called Decoration Day - is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  For those interested in a detailed history of this day (pretty good read) click here. or follow this link http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Memorial Day - Whether they have served or fallen in national service this day is a day for many to visit the resting places of family members and loved ones.  My dear grandmothers may have never worn a uniform, or enlisted in national service.  however,  one worked in the factories that ran to support our military efforts in World War II and another raised my father, Douglas Weisler who  enlisted to become a helicopter pilot.  The young man in the cockpit, is me.  I think one could easily argue that the pictures that follow exist only because of these dear grandmothers and their influence.

 

Rangers in training… a treasured bit of down time while on a training mission somewhere in Panama.

While serving as US Army Ranger I was able to pin the airborne wings on my older brothers chest.  On that day we jumped out of a “perfectly good aircraft” together which has become a cherished memory.  Greg would go onto become a Ranger qualifed officer in the US Army Intelligence community.  Like so many of our great young men & women in service, Greg has been to the deserts of the middle east and continues to serve as a member of the 19th Special Forces Group.

A WEISLER ON THE WALL? On a visit to DC in 1995 - I made a deliberate visit to the Wall Memorial.  Like nearly all who have done so, I felt the reverance and gratitude for all it represents.  On a whim I thought to check the wall to see if there were any who shared my last name.  Our name is still relatively unique and less common and I knew of no stories of relatives who had fought and fallen.  I was surprised to find a “Weisler” on the wall.  I was even more surprised to find myself filled with feelings that came so strongly to my heart and mind.  Who was he?  Who was this man who shared my name…why had he fought, and how had he fallen?  Who misses him, who is honoring him today?  I don’t know the answers to those questions.   Nevertheless, I don’t have to know him, to remember him and to decorate his memory with my thoughts of gratitude for his sacrifice, his willingness to serve, and my current state of freedom.  

Thank you for your service…

Kirk Out

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Kirk,   Happy Memorial Day to you.   As a genealogist and Google fan, your comments about your visit to The Wall piqued my interest.  I thought I’d share this with you. Just so happens that the Sergeant was from my neck of the woods.       http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=55128  

JAMES ROBERT WEISLER

SGT - E4 - Air Force - Regular
Length of service 2 years
His tour began on Dec 4, 1968
Casualty was on Oct 2, 1969
In , THAILAND
Non-Hostile, died of illness/injury, GROUND CASUALTY
VEHICLE CRASH
Body was recovered
 
Panel 17W - Line 34

There’s a link on the bottom of the page for Personal Info and Photos.  I learned from there that he had a only brother Elliot and a sister Laurie, and that he had the nickname “weasel”.  Probably not the only Weisler to have had that nickname.  There’s an email address from the comrade in arms who left that greeting, if you really did want to learn more about the man who shared your name.

An even more personal page is found at  http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=110&Wall_Id_No=29146 complete with photo. 

http://www.vvmf.org/index.cfm?SectionID=110&Wall_Id_No=29146 reveals that he was married.

I also saw that he is buried at Ft. Snelling cemetery, which you’ve flown over when ever you fly into MSP.

All for now.  There are at least two of us who are remembering his name today.

Peace,

Tom Aguilar-Downing

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