It's Memorial Day

It's one of the days on which we honor those who served our country, 

including two generations of the Smith and Bierbaum families. 

Alice's note on the back of this photo of Elwood G. and his nephew is 

"Raymond and his Uncle El." 

Taken in or around 1917

 A generation later, there was new war. 

Here is "Brother Joe."  

No date

Here is my old man as a very young one, in his uniform. Photo is circa 1942. 

After he died, we found the buttons from that coat in his dresser drawer. 

Elwood J. hated the army, but he saved the buttons.