NOTE: What began as an essay about Harry & Rose Wolfe’s five son’s military service written for 2009 Veteran’s Day has morphed into a tribute to our ancestors beginning with military service during the Revolutionary War to the war in Iraq. Our direct decendents who served in the American Revolution, The War of 1812 and the Civil War are included in the Genealogy page on the Wolfe-Clagett web Site.
Therefore this blog is a work in progress of more recent veterans!
A Very Short History of Veteran's Day
World War I, also known as the "Great War" was officially concluded on the 11th hour of the 11th Day of November, at 11 A.M. in 1918. On November 11th of the following year, President Woodrow Wilson declared that day as "Armistice Day" in honor of the peace. This day was marked with public celebrations and a two minute halt to business at 11 AM. In 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated in Arlington Cemetery with a ceremony in November 11th. After this dedication, Armistice Day was adopted in many states and at the federal level as a day to honor veterans. This was made official in 1938 when an act of Congress made Armistice Day a national holiday.
In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day. For several years in the 1970s, Veterans Day was observed in October by many states but in 1978 it was returned to November 11th. Today, Veterans Day is still observed on November 11th as a national holiday to honor all veterans of the United States Armed Forces. (If November 11th falls on a weekend day, the holiday is observed the following Monday.) Throughout the nation, Americans participate in parades, ceremonies, and observances to pay their respects to our servicemen and women, both past and present. From History.Com
Harry H. “Boy” Wolfe, III – served in the Philippines as a photographer, 1946, then as an equipment driver; deceased
Charles R. “Rick” Wolfe, served in Korea 1952 for 3rd Infantry Division - rose to a SFC rank
David B. Wolfe – served in post-armistice Korea as an MP, 1953; deceased
Clagett Anthony “Tony” Wolfe – served in Germany as driver for a Colonial, 1954; deceased
Walter James Wolfe – served in Vietnam 1st Lt. & CO of HQ Company, 48th Transportation Group in 1971
Photos on this page from oldest to youngest are Harry & Rose Wolfe’s five sons who all served in the military.
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Uncle Richard F. “Dick” Clagett - middle photo - and his brother Charles C. “Bill” Clagett - ed photo both served in the US Navy; both deceased. Source: Charles Richard "Rick" Wolfe
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Uncle Walter James Clagett - "D" Day Landing -2nd wave, Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944. He was a Technician, grade 5, serving in Company A, 115 Regiment, 28th Infantry Division - See more of his story below;
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Uncle John "Ed" Ligett Clagett served in the Navy with the Sea bees in the Pacific repairing battle damaged PT boats during WWII;
Uncle Lewis “Toby” Clagett Served in the Navy in the Pacific during WWII; deceased.
Uncle Thomas “Toots” Clagett transferred from the Maryland National Guard to served in the Navy during WWII; deceased
Uncle Robert “Bob” Jackson, husband of Aunt Cora “Tat” Clagett-Jackson was
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The photo on the right is my Uncle Dick (Charles Marion) Wolfe. Uncle Dick served first in Americal Division at Ft. Knox, KY. the home of U.S. Army Armor, then at Ft. Meade, MD. He attained the rank of buck sergeant. He did not leave the U.S. during his service in WWII - he died in 1965.
Hospital Corpsman (E-7) , James "Jim" Mancil, was a Naval Career Non- Commissioned Officer who for many years served at the Solomon's Island Naval Ordinance Lab He was the husband of Clara V. "Bubbles" Cosgrave-Mancil who was the granddaughter of my father's mother Clara Virginia Getzendanner-Wolfe who married Harry Howard Wolfe, Sr.; we affectionately called her Granny. Jim passed away early this year and Bubble's Mother Aunt Clara V. "Ginger" Wolfe-Cosgrave, and Father, Uncle Less Cosgrave, also are both deceased.
Carol James Clagett, who served in combat in Vietnam, was the oldest child of Walter James Clagett; deceased.
my Uncle Joseph Leo Clagett.
Post Vietnam War
Nephew, Anthony Wolfe, MD, served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps – Captain; now works for the VA. He is the oldest child of my late brother Tony Wolfe.
Joshua James Geselle, served on USS Enterprise from 1994 to 1998. He is the son of Theresa Dayhoff and the oldest grandson of my oldest late brother Harry H. Wolfe, III and his wife Mary.
Also included are photos and/or names of other my nephews and/or cousins, alive or deceased who served their country either during war or peacetime (I probably missed a few relatives).
Mason Johnson, Sherry Wolfe-Johnson’s son is now serving with the US Army, 16th Aviation Brigade as a helicopter aviation electronics specialist. He is the grandson of my oldest, late brother Harry Howard Wolfe, III and his wife Mary.
Christopher James Oswalt, who is currently a US Marine stationed in Okinawa, is the son of Karen Wolfe-Oswalt, my brother David's daughter.
My namesake, Uncle Walter James Clagett: D - Day & Beyond
WWI
Uncle Ernest Burgdorf (Aunt Kitty Clagett-Burgdorf’s husband) - served in the US Army in France; deceased.
Uncle Richard F. “Dick” Clagett - middle photo - and his brother Charles C. “Bill” Clagett - ed photo both served in the US Navy; both deceased. Source: Charles Richard "Rick" Wolfe
WWII
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Uncle John "Jack" Wolfe-killed in action in Italy 1943 during WWII; left behind his wife Margaret and infant son, John Richard AKA J. R.whom he never saw,
Margaret. She never remarried.
Margaret. She never remarried.
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Deceased.
Uncle Lewis “Toby” Clagett Served in the Navy in the Pacific during WWII; deceased.
Uncle Vincent “Reds”Clagett served in the Army during WWII;
deceased
deceased
Uncle Robert “Bob” Jackson, husband of Aunt Cora “Tat” Clagett-Jackson was
Severely wounded by German machine gun fire during WWII; deceased
The photo on the right is my Uncle Dick (Charles Marion) Wolfe. Uncle Dick served first in Americal Division at Ft. Knox, KY. the home of U.S. Army Armor, then at Ft. Meade, MD. He attained the rank of buck sergeant. He did not leave the U.S. during his service in WWII - he died in 1965.
Post WWII
Hospital Corpsman (E-7) , James "Jim" Mancil, was a Naval Career Non- Commissioned Officer who for many years served at the Solomon's Island Naval Ordinance Lab He was the husband of Clara V. "Bubbles" Cosgrave-Mancil who was the granddaughter of my father's mother Clara Virginia Getzendanner-Wolfe who married Harry Howard Wolfe, Sr.; we affectionately called her Granny. Jim passed away early this year and Bubble's Mother Aunt Clara V. "Ginger" Wolfe-Cosgrave, and Father, Uncle Less Cosgrave, also are both deceased.
Langdon Woods served a Navy a junior officer – married Roseanne Burgdorf daughter of Ernest & Katherine Clagett-Burgdorf; deceased. We called Katherine Clagett-Burgdorf, Aunt Kitty. Her Husband, Uncle served in WWI - see above
Vietnam Conflict
Carol James Clagett, who served in combat in Vietnam, was the oldest child of Walter James Clagett; deceased.
Leo Clagett III served in the US Navy
aboard the USS John F Kennedy; grandson ofmy Uncle Joseph Leo Clagett.
Nephew, Anthony Wolfe, MD, served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps – Captain; now works for the VA. He is the oldest child of my late brother Tony Wolfe.
Joshua James Geselle, served on USS Enterprise from 1994 to 1998. He is the son of Theresa Dayhoff and the oldest grandson of my oldest late brother Harry H. Wolfe, III and his wife Mary.
Also included are photos and/or names of other my nephews and/or cousins, alive or deceased who served their country either during war or peacetime (I probably missed a few relatives).
Nephew William “Will” Eugene Dayhoff served in Iraq & Afghanistan and still on active duty. He is the son of Teresa Wolfe-Dayhoff, the daughter of my oldest, late Brother, Harry H. Wolfe, III and his wife Mary.
Mason Johnson, Sherry Wolfe-Johnson’s son is now serving with the US Army, 16th Aviation Brigade as a helicopter aviation electronics specialist. He is the grandson of my oldest, late brother Harry Howard Wolfe, III and his wife Mary.
NOTE: Mason is a brand new daddy.
Christopher James Oswalt, who is currently a US Marine stationed in Okinawa, is the son of Karen Wolfe-Oswalt, my brother David's daughter.
Submitted by Walter James Wolfe; February 08, 2011: annotated by Kathleen Clagett 2011
Below is the Shadow-Box memorial I made to honor my namesake, Uncle Walter James Clagett, second youngest of 13 children of my maternal grandparents, Charles A. & Cora-Allison-Clagett. Walter Clagett hit Omaha Beach in the second wave around 10:30 PM on D-day, June 6, 1944 with his fellow soldiers of the 115th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Mother related to me that Uncle Walter told her the enemy shelling was so intense that at one time that he hid under his truck (which as full of ammo.) Of his Anti-tank Company, Uncle Walter was one of the few to return home physically unscratched. I say physically, because, he had horrific nightmares including screaming in his tormented sleep. And he died before his 55th birthday.
Uncle Walter gave mother the pair of the 29th Division
celebratory wooden shoes seen in this Shadow-Box depicting the cities that they liberated throughout France, Belgium and into Germany. Mother gave me the shoes about 25-years ago. My on-line research and resulting contacts helped me reconstruct Uncle Walter's war ribbons, unit crest, etc; after she passed away in June, 1993, my sister Rosemary saved this WWII letter Uncle Walter sent to mother. By the way, Uncle Walter’s daughter, Dottie, contacted me in February of this year – I did not know about her – and she and her husband stayed with us a few months later. I gave all of the items of her late father’s ward medals and patches, plus the shoes so she could enjoy them and then pass these precious artifacts to Uncle Walter’s grandchildren.
Addendum from Kathleen Clagett to Walter Wolfe; I wanted to share some of Walter's story with you. He truly did have an awful "war life." Grandpa asked my Dad and Mom if they would let him come and live with us and work with my Dad. He spent many horrible nights and my Mom sat up with him and held him while he cried. During the day, he was full of his usual jokes and laughter. He talked very little about his war experiences. Most guys who have had awful experiences seemed not to discuss it. However, he did relate one story that apparently haunted him. You see, he was a truck driver hauling troops and whatever. During one very long day and night, he had been driving constantly. The Lieutenant who was riding with him in the front suggested that he would drive for a while Walter got a bit of rest. They switched places and started moving again. A bullet came through the window and killed the lieutenant at once. Walter survived physically but that incident haunted him. It is doubtful he ever got over the psychological shock!!
Just thought you'd like to know about our hero!! Kathleen Clagett
