It's Just Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Comments for a Cause
  • Tea and Teapots
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Writing
  • Recipes
  • Products
June 21, 2021

Memories Framed

12 Comments/ 203/ 0

I have shared many memories here on It’s Just Life over the years. One of the things that I have the great fortune of having possession of is a huge tote filled with pictures and documents from my parents. Actually it is two totes and some loose items but the one tote is filled with things that meant something to my parents.

A couple years ago I was looking through them and found a couple of letters that were addressed to my dad after he had served in the United States Navy. My brother, Mark, had mentioned that they would be neat to have framed with his discharge papers and although it took me a couple of years to get that done I finally did it. I sent it to Mark for his birthday and am so happy that he now has this wonderful piece of history.

While it is difficult to photograph the finished product you get the idea. Dragonfly Framing in Brevard did the most perfect job and did exactly as I wanted the items to be framed. He even included a pocket on the back to to put the letter that I chose to not include in the frame .

Since it is difficult to read the letter without enlarging this picture a great deal I thought I would include the text below written August 6, 1948:

My dear Mr. Brown,

I have addressed this letter to reach you after all the formalities of your separation from active service are completed. I have done so because, without formality but as clearly as I know how to say it, I want the Navy’s pride in you, which It is my privilege to express, to reach into your civil life and to remain with you always.

You have served in the greatest Navy in the world.

It crushed two enemy fleets at once, receiving their surrenders only four months apart.

It brought our land-based AirPower within bombing range of the enemy, and set our ground armies on the beachheads at final victory.

It performed the multitude of tasks necessary to support these military operations.

No other Navy at any time has done so much. For your part in these achievements you deserve to be proud as long as you live. The Nation which you served at a time of crisis with remember you with gratitude.

The best wishes of the Navy go with you into civilian life. Good luck!

Sincerely yours,

James Forrestal

The Secretary of the Navy

The other letter from Brooke Schumm, Captain, U.S. Navy from the Bureau of Naval Personnel thanks my dad for his service as Yeoman in Charge of Enlisted Classification Supplies in the Enlisted Classification Section from 19 November 1945 until 12 July 1946. Not a long time in the service but service nonetheless.

I am so happy that Daddy saved these documents and that they are now permanently framed and in a place where they can be viewed and honored. These old documents have a very special place in our lives and remind us of those who have gone before.

Share:
Tags:
Dragonfly Framing Brevard NC Honourable Discharge papers James Forrestal Navy documents old documents Secretary of the Navy Walter Paul Brown
← Previous Bag of Bags
Next → Mona Lisa on Teapot Tuesday

Related Articles

  • The Day I Found Jesus on My Driveway

  • Write The Story

  • Quilted with Love

  • Memories

  • Take A Break

12 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Darlene
    June 21, 2021 at 07:35 am

    That turned out very well. A wonderful momento to keep in the family.

    Reply
  2. Sandy Wall
    June 21, 2021 at 07:38 am

    That’s great! Our dad was in the Navy Reserves for about 18 months at the end of WW2. He never saw any fighting, mainly decommissioned the ships. Yesterday, he was able to come to our house for Father’s Day dinner with the family. First time since Covid.

    Reply
  3. jena c. henry
    June 21, 2021 at 08:05 am

    Beautiful! I’m glad that there are so many WWII-inspired books being published now. What a time and what a generation for us all to remember!
    I digitized many of the photos and documents I have from my parents and then packed things in archival boxes. Some I have displayed. But I’m not sure the younger generation will want any of it??

    Reply
  4. dawnkinster
    June 21, 2021 at 09:01 am

    This is beautiful! I actually enlarged the picture and read the letter before I got to your paragraphs in the blog! LOL. Great minds… Anyway, I’m so glad you have these documents too, and what a wonderful gift to your brother. My mom had her dad’s highschool diploma framed, it was quite large, much bigger than diplomas today. He graduated just after 1900, I can’t remember the year right now. She said he was so proud of that, because so many young men didn’t graduate highschool. She also has framed a picture of the class and teachers outside the high school that year. He’s in it, but sitting off to the side a bit, looking disgruntled. That’s kind of the way I remember him as an old man too. Anyway, they did a great job framing your documents! This will be a family heirloom.

    Reply
  5. Tonya
    June 21, 2021 at 09:53 am

    What a great piece of memory you can share with your famy.

    Reply
  6. Susi
    June 21, 2021 at 10:41 am

    Wow. What a wonderful memento and something I’m sure your brother will absolutely cherish. ❤️

    Reply
  7. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    June 21, 2021 at 11:32 am

    What a wonderful gift you gave your brother. To have these personal items is such a gift, too.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      June 24, 2021 at 11:40 am

      Thanks, Audrey. I was so happy to get it finally done.

      Reply
  8. Shirley Matthews Dunn
    June 21, 2021 at 11:50 am

    It turned out beautifully. What a great family treasure. I am sure your brother is thrilled to have it.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      June 24, 2021 at 11:40 am

      Now it is up to him to find a place to hang it!

      Reply
  9. Mama's Empty Nest
    June 21, 2021 at 02:24 pm

    That is a thoughtful and lovely gift for your brother. It turned out beautifully.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      June 24, 2021 at 11:39 am

      I was so very happy with the way it turned out!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Subscribe To Rss Feed
  • 2,256 Followers
  • 2,272 Fans
  • Followers
  • Subscribers
  • Subscribers
  • Follow It's Just Life

Comments For A Cause

  • Comments for a Cause(s) a Splash

  • Comments for a Cause – More Than Words

  • Comments for a Cause – For the Lives of Millions

  • Comments for a Cause – Finding Balance

  • Comments for a Cause Keeps on Booking

  • Comments for a Cause – Reaching Out through El Centro

  • Comments for a Cause – It’s All About Women

  • Comments for a Cause – Weirdo Style

  • Ringing in 2023 with Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Conservation at Work

  • Comments for a Cause – A Hand Up. Not a Hand Out

  • Comments for a Cause- Operation KeepSafe® 

  • Comments for a Cause – September 2022

  • Comments for a Cause – More Literacy, Please!

  • Comments for a Cause – July 2022 Edition

Check Out My Past Posts

September 2023
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
« Aug    

Text

Follow

Pinterest

Visit Beth Ann's profile on Pinterest.

Beth's bookshelf: read

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
5 of 5 stars
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
by Guy Kawasaki
As always Guy Kawasaki has a great book with great information about all things social media. I highlighted tons of places in this book and it is definitely one that I will come back to time and time again to help me in all of the socia...
Old Girls in Low Cotton
3 of 5 stars
Old Girls in Low Cotton
by Helen Childress
This short book was one that looked like it would be a fun read. I honestly did not enjoy it all that much---it was a lot of characters bickering and while some of the writing was witty and funny it was not that kind of book that made m...
The Good Girl
5 of 5 stars
The Good Girl
by Mary Kubica
I loved this book! It had my interest from the very first page and was my "airplane" book on a recent trip. Author Mary Kubica created believable and interesting characters that the reader learned to identify with and care about. Mi...
All the Light We Cannot See
4 of 5 stars
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
This is quite a book! I had it recommended to me by several people and while I thought it might be a little dark and depressing it made me have a better understanding of what life in this time period was like. The strength of the huma...
An Abundance of Katherines
5 of 5 stars
An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green
Another great book by John Green. I have become a huge fan of John Green since my reading of A Fault in our Stars and this book was another that did not disappoint me at all. It was a story of a child prodigy, a lot of anagrams, and a b...

goodreads.com

Professional Reader
Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2015 It's Just Life, All Rights Reserved.

  • Media Kit, Advertising and Disclosure
 

Loading Comments...