Thanks, Joyce, I appreciate your comments. I've passed your message on to his daughter, Melodie, in Tampa. It seems that a trip to HArdwick would really be in order, if a person were in a position to do it. I feel I would have to GO there and start digging! Thanks, again. Appreciate your comments. Evan STROHL -----Original Message----- From: Joyce Bard <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, September 14, 1999 2:44 AM Subject: Re: [VTCALEDO] THURSTON surname > > >Evan R. Strohl wrote: > >> Dear List, >> I notice more traffic on this line in the last few weeks. >> >> If I can, I'd like to post my request once again. >> >> I'm looking for someone who might know the person or surname >> of Gerald E. THURSTON, of Hardwick, Vermont. >> He was born in 1924 (stories are conflicting as to where) >> but spent his childhood and adolescent years in Hardwick, >> living with either his parents or his grandparents. >> They eventually sent him to a military school for a few years. >> (Is there a military school around this part of the county?) >> One night, in the middle of the night, all the students were >> rousted out, told they had 1 hour to get their duffle bags packed, >> they were going to fight the war (WWII). Gerry was sent to Ft. >> Benning, in 1941, as soon as he finished a short boot camp, and >> he told me he became one of our county's FIRST paratroopers. >> He made his first jump over Italy, I think, and was shot almost >> immediately, sent to England to recouperate, then sent back >> to the front, where his patrol was wiped out, except for >> 3 men, who were all captured and were sent to one POW camp >> after another, tortured, and used as guinea pigs. The Russians >> were the first to free him in 1945, and he spent time in Tampa >> Florida. He and his wife, Carita, raised 9 kids, and Gerry became >> a Fire Captain around Zephyrhills, (Tampa) the 60's. >> >> The rest of the story is too sad, and in 1998, he died in >> Pensacola, FL, leaving a sad split with most of his 9 kids. >> One brave daughter is trying to "re-discover" her Dad, learning >> genealogy the hard way. >> He had once told me that his kids wanted nothing to do with him! >> Actually, it seems that HE just didnt want the kids worrying about >> HIM! >> >> Now, here we are in Florida some 55 years later, and I meet Gerry >> about 1982 or so---and he told me this story, above. >> >> Daughter Melanie wants desperately to "know more about her Dad >> and his family." All we remember is Hardwick was his home, and >> either his parents or grandparents raised him, until they put him in >> the military school, and he went off to war! >> >> Anyone have any ideas?? I know, I know, it would help if we came >> up there. I'm her Dad's brief friend, in Pensacola, and she lives >> another >> 500 miles away in Tampa---travel for her right now is impossible. >> We have written for Social Scty application---guess we should try for >> his military record. >> >> Thanks, if you have any ideas! He may have been born in Germany! >> Evan R. STROHL > >What about seeing if you can find school records from his early days in >VT, before being sent to the military school. Maybe in with those will >be some more hints as to where he was originally from. You could also >check into churches in the area to see if they have records of this >family. Have you done an online phone search for this surname in VT to >see if there is anyone still there with the name who may be related? >Hope these help to get you going! > >Joyce in MA >