Yesterday I shared a picture of one of the five paternal uncles that served in the U.S. Army during WWII. As well as my father in early 1950s service post WWII in West Germany.
They all followed a few of their own uncles that served during WWI.
Of all of the service on the Rettammel/Wendland side (10 Men) during those major conflicts of the 20th Century, only 1 did not come back. Theodore Rettammel, died as a result of wounds and being gassed in the trenches of France during the late summer of 1918.
For the rest and ones I knew from WWII, they came back but some had been wounded physically. I believe all of them had been affected mentally by the events, though they never mentioned.
So though we salute their service, let us not forget that War is hell and not without the scars for those returning and their families.
We honor but should also learn that for most Veteran’s in conflict, every living day is still a Veteran’s Day.
Rettammel Genealogy Service 
I agree, Bob, that all vets have mental scars, as well as the physical ones. A post-Veterans Day salute to all ten of the men in your families who served in the two greatest wars/calamities of the 20th century! Your dad, too, did tough duty in post-war Germany, lending his hand in whatever role he had to its reconstruction and staring down the Soviets in the early part of the Cold War…
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