Day 11

It is Veteran's Day so today I will thankful for my favorite Veteran, my Grandpa.

First, I don't have many digital pictures on my computer of my Grandpa.  He passed away in 1997.  He was quite a tough, stubborn one but we all thought the world of him.  I used to love going to visit the farm and see him and my Grandma.  It has been a crazy week but I will try to get some pictures on here of him later.

My Grandpa was a tough guy.  He built railroad track in the army through WWII.  In high school was so interested in learning about what he did when we were learning about World War II.  He went up through Africa, France, Italy and ended in Germany building track for the supplies to be shipped into the lines.  I have 2 favorite stories that are told about his time in the war.  First, he was able to take time off to go to mass at the vatican and be blessed by the Pope.  This Catholic thinks that is pretty cool.  Second story is he was in Ludswinkle, Germany.  The home of many of the Vogel relatives.  He stopped and asked someone in a yard if they knew a relative of his.  This was not allowed and  he would have been in a lot of trouble for meeting up with Germans.  They told him to come back in a little while so they drove around.  He was stopped once and when they asked what he was doing he said hunting and got by.  My Grandpa was one to do what he wanted not what he was suppose to.  (Hmmm..that's where I get that from!!)  He came back to the house he'd ask about his family in and the yard was filled with relatives.

My grandpa came back home to the farm in Iowa after WWII and always loved getting together with his army buddies to tell stories.  Many of those conversations my Grandma recorded.  My Grandpa was a heck of a guy.  He scared me a bit because he was pretty strict and I was scared of getting in trouble.   A few years back my Grandma gave us the best present for Christmas.  She split all the letters Grandpa had written home during WWII between the 5 of us (my 3 uncles and my sister and I).  It is amazing to read those letters and relive those times.  So, today I'm thankful for my favorite veteran, Henry Louis Vogel!

I'll come back and edit this with some pictures when I can.