) ( ) Good Morning Family! .-.,--^--. ( Come on in. . . \\|`----'| - The coffee pot's on. . . \| |// ...and we even have decaf, | |/ tea, and hot chocolate! \ / ------ Today's topics include: 1. Welcome to new cousins 2. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii ~ 7 December 1941 3. My heartfelt thanks TO OUR NEWEST COUSINS ~~ On behalf of the entire family, I'd like to extend a most hearty welcome to those cousins who came into the family fold this past week. We are very glad to have you with us and hope you'll stay and remain a part of our online family. As soon as you're comfortable with us and the list, please send in your Bower[s]/Bauer or Baur lines so we can all see how we're related to you. We do not have a fancy format for sending in records or queries to the list. Post as many as you wish! If the data has anything to do with Bower[s]/Bauer or Baur ancestors or any of the 81+ variant spellings we research that might help someone, please feel free to post it. Every scrap of information is appreciated. If you haven't visited the homesite of this list yet, you are encouraged to do so. Our home is Bower Community, located at <http://bowercommunity.com>. There, we currently have two sites: The Bower Family Homestead [a.k.a., the Homestead] is our primary homesite and the gathering place for much of our information. It waits to join us all in welcoming you into the family at <http://bowercommunity.com/homestead>. Smaller is our sister site, the Bower Cottage, which houses most of our projects including an online GEDCOM fed by quite a few cousins from our research groups. Find the Cottage is at <http://bowercommunity.com/cottage>. PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ~ 7 DECEMBER 1941 After watching Pearl Harbor, the movie on Friday night, I decided to do some investigating. I'm sorry to report that two of our own were casualties on that horrific day in American history. They are: RM3c Harold Walter BAUER, USN, killed on the USS Arizona Ensign Robert K. BOWERS, USNR, killed on the USS California I also found: PVT Rennie V. BROWER, Jr., USA, killed at Hickam Field S1c Clarence Edward Buhr, USN, killed on the USS Arizona Do we have any of their direct-line cousins in the family? If so, will you please tell us what you know about these heroes? MY HEARTFELT THANKS Memorial Day... this is one of the days in a year that touches my soul the deepest. On this day we remember our fallen military, and to those people who know why we celebrate this day, it brings a sense of somberness to an individual. I am the granddaughter of a World War I veteran, the daughter of a retired Navy/Army career man, and the wife of a career soldier. How lucky I feel every day to know that all three of these heroes lived full lives, though two have since passed on. I feel such gratitude for my heroes ~ for had they not done their part and made their impact on American life, I/you/we might not be living the lives we enjoy today. However, it isn't just the heroes in my own personal life I am in awe of, but all those military men and women who did their parts, too. And today, just like every year, I think also of our international cousins' heroes who fulfilled their roles that all we "youngsters" could live in free countries. So, today I say "thank you." Thank you to every one of you immortal souls who have passed on but are not forgotten. I also choose this moment to say "thank you" to every one of you old veterans and retirees who have stories that cause shivers; and thank you to our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen of today, because your being "there" ensures our tomorrows. I wish each of you and happy, safe and sunny Memorial Day. Thank you for allowing me to spend this time with you. I hope your week is filled with health, productivity, fun, and above all, filled with love. ) ( ) _.-~~-. (@\'--'/. Colleen ('``.__.'`) `..____.'