Veterans Day is a day we salute our Veterans and offer a “Thank You” for your service, but in all honesty – that should be Every Day!
It is now a public holiday dedicated to honoring anyone who served in the U. S. military, but it first began as a day of remembrance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, at the end of World War I. It was originally known as Armistice Day, but in 1954 it was changed to be known as Veterans Day.
Veterans Day always falls on the chosen day of November 11th in reference to when Germany signed an armistice with the Allies that signaled the end of the wars on 11 a.m., on 11, November 1918.
Many observe the day by attending local ceremonies dedicated to honoring Veterans for their service.
Veterans in my family
Steve Insalaco (USAF) My Husband
Stefano Insalaco (Army-Air Corp) My Father-in-Law
Fred Cambino (USN) My husband’s uncle
Mike DeTulio (U. S. Army) My husband’s uncle
Frank Cambino (U. S. Army) My husband’s uncle
Johnny Cambino (US Army) My husband’s uncle
Andrew DeTulio (USN) My husband’s uncle
Gene Cavallaro (my husbands uncle)
(US Army 102nd Infantry
Clayton Bryan (USN) My Father – I just love this picture of him – so young and handsome!
Floyd Bryan (USN) My Uncle with my father – his brother
LeRoy McKinley (U.S. Army) My Uncle
Regina Bryan (USN) my cousin – granddaughter of Floyd Bryan, my uncle.
Chloe Bryan (great-granddaughter of Floyd Bryan) – my 3rd cousin. Chloe serves in the US Navy and stationed at Pensacola Naval Air Station and currently in flight school.
Jewell H. Bryan (US Army) My great uncle and father of Cindy (Bryan) Moore – my cousin
Charlie Wilbur Bryan (USN) and wife Polly – Parents of Skipper (Robert) Bryan – My Great Uncle
Douglas “Doug” Bryan (my 2nd cousin) Army – Father of April Bryan
Edgar T. McKinley (WWI Army) My Grandfather – I feel so fortunate to have such an early WWI photo of him.
Richard E. McKinley, Jr. (USAF) My great uncle and father of Cynthia (McKinley) Thrower, Beverly (McKinley) Smoak & Billy McKinley – my cousins
Giuseppe Cambino (US Army WWI) My husband’s Grandfather
Awarded To Giuseppe Cambino for Wounded in Action in WWI
James (Jimmy) Donahue – (US Army) Jimmy is my husband’s uncle and father to cousin Diane Donahue Taylor. This photo was taken abt. 1944/45, – he is holding a Japanese Sword. Uncle Jimmy helped to build the Burma Road.
Johnny Carbone (US Army) My husband’s cousin. Father of Lizzie Carbone Genovese
Javan Smallwood Jr. (USN) – Father of my cousin Evelyn Smallwood Smith.
Raymond Gene McKinley (USN) My cousin and uncle to Evelyn Smallwood Smith.
Stephen McKinley (USN) My cousin and brother to Evelyn Smallwood Smith
Richard E. McKinley, Jr. (USAF) My great uncle and father of Cynthia (McKinley) Thrower, Beverly (McKinley) Smoak & Billy McKinley – my cousins
© 2015, copyright Jeanne Bryan Insalaco; all rights reserved
Everyone Has a Story 
Very well done, Jeanne. One exception, Raymond Gene McKinley was my uncle, brother to my mother, cousin to your mother, nephew to your grandfather. I believe that would make him your uncle. Mother was your aunt?
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I stand corrected: Edgar Thomas and Charlie Erle were brothers, therefore Helen (your mother) and Raymond Gene (my Mother’s brother, my uncle) were cousins, making you and I cousins. Mother was your mothers cousin, so Raymond Gene is your cousin. Sorry for the confusion. I knew I was wrong the minute I read my post.
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Wonderful post. Your family answered the call to serve and protect our country. Thank you to all of them and their families for their service.
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