A Few Who Went the Other Way

[M-61]

An opposite move that is not mentioned.
We all have read about the statements of individuals wanting to leave the United States and move to Canada.
Here is the move done in reverse and I will not let it be forgotten and it was not just talk. This was real.

James Paton Nicholson left Canada and joined the USMC. KIA 1968 north of Danang. Buried in his home province of PEI Canada.
Either rocket, artillery or mortar ended his tour and life about 3 weeks in country. May 1968

Charlie Freeman Sauler (aka SAWLER...family members spell it both ways). Left the Canadian army and joined the US Army.
Charlie's awards say it all. Silver Star........Bronze Star with "V" and oak leaf cluster....Purple Heart.....etc.
He is buried near his home town of Martin's Point, Nova Scotia, Canada. KIA October 1967 just short of one year.

John J W Roden left his home in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada to join the US Army. He became a member of the Special Forces. He drowned October 1969 in Quang Nam Viet Nam after just more than 5 months in country. He is buried in Halifax N.S.

Michael F Campbell from Sydney Nova Scotia left and joined the US Army in and then the 101st Airborne. Just over 3 months in country he died while in a fire fight from fragmentation wounds. He is buried in British Columbia, Canada.

I wish this were all there was to list. It's not.
The first 3 listed get an American flag placed by their tombstones each year by my brother and/or me.
Some years the flags are torn and frayed. Some years there is little left. Sawler's flag really takes a beating from the North Atlantic. But the staffs are always there which I find satisfaction in because it means no one has removed them. Being buried in a foreign land can evoke some strange emotions in people seeing a foreign flag flying.

When I drive along the country road to Sawler's grave I wonder if anyone there realizes what all those 'letters' mean on the headstone.
"SS - BSM & OLC - AR COM - PH"
Then I realize it does not matter. All that does matters is that WE remember them and the 58,000+ others. And all of those other wars and cemeteries.......my prayers and thoughts are with them all.
Forever.

 

[LitLBoy]

Thanks for Posting!

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thanks for Posting!

Same here,
Thanks.

 

[ClassCat]

All gave some,, Some gave ALL !

 

[outasite`08]

Amen.

 

[ireload2]

My father was a WW2 veteran of Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan.
When he was buried in 2000 one of the Marines in his honor detail was a black sergeant from the UK.

 

[blairf]

Awesome.......thank you.

 

[gambleone]

Very well written. Thank you.

 

[hogpatrol]

The Greatest Generation also lived in Canada.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Milo 2.0]

The Greatest Generation also lived in Canada.
Thanks for posting.

If going that route, don't leave out the UK and Australia.

 

[hogpatrol]

If going that route, don't leave out the UK and Australia.

Not singling them out. The same can be said for those from all countries that fought.

 

[Ray B]

It was not uncommon to have an emigrant from Canada in the USMC. I recall the press, while sold-out to the anti-war movement was still supportive of traditional American values, which were also quite similar to Canadian values - as the Peace Arch says Children of a Common Mother.

And for that "Greatest" generation stuff pushed off on us by the media and that Bozo talkshower, They picked the most apparent evil to fight and let the next generation address the real menace. Which was the menace that the above noted Canadians as well as the un-named others fought and in some cases died, to establish a real Red-Line and history has shown, a HighWater mark for Communism.

 

[hogpatrol]

Communism wasn't defeated. It imploded and is still imploding.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I was the only Canadian turned American in my unit in RVN in 1966. I was also lucky enough to come home, unlike those 58K others. They ALL deserve our thoughts and honor.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Jeff]

Thank you Rick and many others !

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I have two nephews, who are brothers, serving in the USMC and the U.S. Army at this time. They both hale from Wheatley, Ontario. They are the Ribble Boys. The most decorated soldier in the Canadian Army in World War II was also a young man from Wheatley. That would be Bill Lamb. Bill was also an uncle to the Ribbles. Bill never talked much of his medals and honors. When I mentioned that at his funeral one guy said,"He'll no, his brother Jim has just as many." I grew up with those guys and this was never mentioned. I harassed those guy no matter end as a kid, never knowing what they could do if they ever caught me. It's a damned good thing I was younger and faster than they were. When I came back after my stint in 1965 both Jim and Bill were more welcoming than most of my friends and relatives in the US. I will never forget that.