Veterans Day 2005

Family Veterans

There are, by most estimates, some 25 million living Americans who have served in our Armed Forces. Today, we honor their service and remember those who are no longer with us. We especially remember those who never returned.

Of course, every family has its veterans, and my families are no different. Hundreds of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have borne the names Bowie, Birdsong, Brayboy, Gines, Manson, and our other related surnames. I'm a veteran, as are my brothers and father.

Today I've chosen two family veterans to represent us and all veterans.

Charles T. Bowie (1915-1945)

Charles T. Bowie was born in Longview, Texas, in 1915. His parents were Eugene James Bowie (1882-1946) and Mary Lola Elizabeth White. He had two brothers, Rufus Dwayne Bowie (1906-1977) and Sam Bowie (1912-1989). Charley's grandparents were John Wesley Bowie (1845-1926) and Amanda McCray (1848-1924). That makes him my first cousin twice removed. Charley was also a first cousin of Catherine Bowie, whose story has been featured here.

On August 3, 1942, Charley enlisted in the Army at Tyler, Texas. He served with the 637th Ordnance Ammunition Company which participated in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944.

Charley was wounded in some type of post-surrender action [details I don't know] in the summer of 1945. He died on September 16, 1945, and is buried at the American cemetery at Epinal, France.

Richard Edward Gines (1926-1996)

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, to William Edward Gines (1898-1955) and Annie Florida Corrine Long (1902-1986), Richard Gines was my uncle. His grandparents were Richard William Gines (born about 1860) and Sylvia LeJay (1863-1940). By all accounts a brilliant man, he had completed one year of college when he enlisted at Camp Lee, Virginia. He never wennt overseas. At the end of his enlistment, he resumed his college career, as did millions of other veterans, thanks to the GI Bill. He graduated from New York University and began a long and successful career in joutnalism. In New York, he met and married Bernadine Coles. Richard Gines died in 1996 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.