Received a very Special Gift

dwna1a

dwna1a

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Apr 23, 2012
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James River
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88 Weekender 300 "Seahorse"
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Ive received a very special gift today from my fathers side of the family. As some of you know I am very proud to be a true Virginian, just as my father and his before him. The Williams family started along the banks of the bay, built boats and ships for any that paid. Built a seafood packing and shipping company at the mouth of the York River that still survives. Then moved to Portsmouth to build ships for the CSA. Then the USN.

My Great Uncle lived near my father and was a great help sorting out my fathers things when he passed. Tomorrow is my 60th trip around the sun. He sent me my, many generations back Dogtags along with a button and shot. He served the CSA in the 1st VA In. Company E.

The tag was made from a silver dollar that was hammered out then stamped. Tags back then weren't meant for the Army but for families to locate their kin.
He survived until the Battle of Petersburg, his company was killed when they tried to tunnel under the lines and blow it up, The Crater.
 
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dwna1a said:
Ive received a very special gift today from my fathers side of the family. As some of you know I am very proud to be a true Virginian, just as my father and his before him. The Williams family started along the banks of the bay, built boats and ships for any that paid. Built a seafood packing and shipping company at the mouth of the York River that still survives. Then moved to Portsmouth to build ships for the CSA. Then the USN.

My Great Uncle lived near my father and was a great help sorting out my fathers things when he passed. Tomorrow is my 60th trip around the sun. He sent me my, many generations back Dogtags along with a button and shot. He served the CSA in the 1st VA In. Company E.

The tag was made from a silver dollar that was hammered out then stamped. Tags back then weren't meant for the Army but for families to locate their kin.
He survived until the Battle of Petersburg, his company was killed when they tried to tunnel under the lines and blow it up, The Crater.
Click to expand...

That's quite a storied history! Enjoy.
 
Great story! What a Family memory to be the caretaker of.
 
Man how cool is that! Hopefully you will display it somewhere special and have someone you can pass that on to in the future. What a family history.
 
That is a true family heirloom from a family with a long history in Virginia. You are rightfully very proud of your family's history.

I'd consider getting one of these to display it in and also keep the silver dollar from being handled.

81QtVZDMM%2BL._SX679_.jpg
 
Those are awesome stories and a priceless heirloom.
My great uncle was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He was an Army staff sgt and was in a Jeep when the attack happened. They were blown over a hillside and my uncle had a crushed chest. His friend had a broken leg that was bleeding badly so my uncle applied a tourniquet and helped him back up the hill. My uncle then gave up his hospital bed for those that were injured worse than him (didn't know this until a local news story ran Dec 7th, a few weeks ago). He turned 100 earlier this year.

Anyway, he has a display case full of medals that his descendants will inherit that they should be very proud of.

His name is Joseph Gasper https://www.post-gazette.com/life/l...seph-Gasper-Ellwood-City/stories/201805220038
 
Boatman, my namesake my mothers father. Philip Mairr was on many USN ships. That's how my dad and mom met in school. He was stationed on the Arizona which came into Norflok Navel for a refit. I have crew shots of him under the number 2 turret. He was injured at San Diego and sent back to Portsmouth. The ship went on.

I have found a cabinet maker that's willing to make me a shadow box out of some heart pine that we rescued from our old barn. My brothers tags, my fathers, and now these tags as well as my fathers 1911 and service revolver will go in this box.
 
dwna1a said:
Boatman, my namesake my mothers father. Philip Mairr was on many USN ships. That's how my dad and mom met in school. He was stationed on the Arizona which came into Norflok Navel for a refit. I have crew shots of him under the number 2 turret. He was injured at San Diego and sent back to Portsmouth. The ship went on.

I have found a cabinet maker that's willing to make me a shadow box out of some heart pine that we rescued from our old barn. My brothers tags, my fathers, and now these tags as well as my fathers 1911 and service revolver will go in this box.
Click to expand...
That is cool. I don't know what the medals are that my uncle has but he has a shadow box with them inside. Either way, they are great heirlooms and you are lucky to have them along with the story behind them!
 
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