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shikano53

Lifer
May 26, 2015
2,060
8,084
Hello there Jiujitsubowl, Good to hear from you as well. Beard growing is going good. Second week in. I had forgotten how scratchy the initial stage is. I practiced, Traditional Japanese Shotokan karate. Got to first purple before I damaged my left rotator cuff and had to have it surgically repaired and had to make the call to continue and maybe hurt it again or stop. I decided to stop.

My uncle (who raised me) had a black belt (is that correct?) in Jiujitsu. Unbelievably he joined the US army when he was 15 in March, 1944 because the Canadian army wouldn't take him and he served with the 91 Chemical Mortar Battalion and served and fought all the way into Germany. When my grandparents discovered that he was shipping overseas they appealed to the Canadian Government to have him sent home. What is doubly amazing is that he survived. Back then it took time for these things to be processed and he was honorably discharged and sent home when he was 17 only to re-enlist when he turned 18. He served in Korea and wanted to make a career out of the army but when my grandfather passed away suddenly from a heart attack, he decided to come home and take care of my grandmother. He was once again honorably discharged and remained a bachelor living in the same house he grew up in until his death in 2013. For some reason that no one understand, he began destroying all his army uniforms and papers. My mother found him one day burning his discharge papers. The only piece she was able to rescue was his second discharge document, or a portion that I now have in my possession. It says, "Romeo Blanchette Specialist Third Class was honorably discharged from the United States Army 21st day of December 1956. This certificate is awarded as a testimony of Honest and Faithful Service.

He willed to me a book that was written by his Battalion commander
He has two sets of serial numbers and two discharge dates. This is where it gets confusing because the documents my mom was able to save are torn and burnt. I have tried unsuccessfully for over 20 years to find information about his service. He has always been very reluctant to talk about his time. He developed Alzheimer in his last years which made it even more difficult.

Compounding this the DOD National Personnel Records Center in Overland Missouri suffered a catastrophic fire on July 12, 1973 destroying critical and irreplaceable military records for numerous historical periods including 1912-1959.

Anyway, my apologies for going on at length. I hope I haven't stolen or overwhelmed your thread.

I can request that an administrator delete my post.

Kindly

Chris



I think these are his first enlistment dog tags?



His name in the Battalion roster



 

michiganlover

Can't Leave
May 10, 2014
336
3
Finished my last pipeful of Middletons Cherry Blend in my MM Country Gentleman today. My blends open now are Carter Hall, and Arrowhead from Paul's Pipe Shop.
I've been smoking the Country Gent for 3-4 days might have to switch it up later today.

 

jiujitsubowl

Can't Leave
May 19, 2015
434
0
Muskegon Michigan
Shikano that post is fine. This thread is about enjoying open conversation with the kind of friendship Americas high five has to offer! Thank you for sharing and thank you to your family for serving our country so long ago!
@michiganlover awesome man. I just ordered some Petersons Connoisseurs Blend. I typically do aros in the morning and english/vaper/non aro in the evenings. I am about to get back to my country gentleman in rotation. I was breaking in my peterson st paddys 408 all last week. Time for a cob full of frog morton!

 

michiganlover

Can't Leave
May 10, 2014
336
3
Smoking Arrowhead from Paul's Pipe Shop in a Dr Grabow (blue) Color Viscount. The Viscount doesn't take a filter and minus the stinger smokes great!! Arrowhead is the best vanilla flavored aro I've smoked, although there's quite a bit more going on, than just Vanilla. There's perique and latkia in it, although I've never tasted either one in the blend.

 

framitz

Can't Leave
Oct 25, 2013
314
0
Paul's pipe shop flint Michigan worth a visit to second floor museum. Also have own pipe line. Shel

 

michiganlover

Can't Leave
May 10, 2014
336
3
You can place phone orders for tobacco from Paul's Pipe Shop, but he doesn't do internet ordering of tobacco.
Paul's is an amazing place that you must go to. It's literally wall to wall pipes, including many new old stock vintage items. It feels like stepping back in time 40 years!!
They blend in house, and have a wide selection of unique blends. Tons of tins (even some vintage ones too), and they make their own brand of pipes which are quite stellar.
There can't be more than a small handful of places like it in the U.S.

 

jiujitsubowl

Can't Leave
May 19, 2015
434
0
Muskegon Michigan
20150806_073936-1-543x600.jpg

Another beauty of a morning here in West Michigan. Smoking East India Cellar Reserve in my MM Kolonel.

 

framitz

Can't Leave
Oct 25, 2013
314
0
There are a whole bunch of michiganians not responding from the se part thumb area. Come on write. Shel

 

michiganlover

Can't Leave
May 10, 2014
336
3
Today I'm smoking Carter Hall in my Grabow blue viscount. Carter Hall is a beautiful no fuss blend. Just a simple pleasurable smoke, as is Prince Albert.

 

jtpipe

Lurker
Dec 22, 2014
11
0
Ya know I have never really been a fan of the poet, I love oatmeal stouts, or stouts in general, but that just isnt it for me. Also wanted to say hi from grand rapids.

 
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