Honoring two World War II soldiers

I've been away from blogging for a year now and since my last post was Veteran's Day 2010, I think it is fitting that I continue on Veteran's Day 2011.

My Dad, James H. McManus, Jr.,  was  in the US Army during WWII. This is an unlabeled picture, aren't most of them, so I'm not sure where it was taken.  I remember my parents always looking older than other children's parents. Here he is under 25 years old which I find amazing. 

This is my uncle, John William Orr (1922-1973).  Uncle John never married and has no descendents and he was my mother's favorite brother.  There are lots of family stories about Uncle John.  John is a very common name in my family.  Uncle John was born and grew up in Montevallo, Shelby, Alabama, a very small town, at the time, outside Birmingham.  In the family he was known as Country John while his Uncle John who lived in Birmingham was City John.  My Uncle John lived most of his life after the war in New York City but remained Country John to the family.

See my last post to learn about my mother who also served in the war.