An Early Military Photo of Uncle Jak!

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I haven't felt on top of the world the past week or so...so I thought I would post a picture of a favorite uncle and what I don't know about it!

Long after my mother died, I was going through an old photo album and found this picture.  I knew that it was my great uncle Jack Friddle...but I was surprised to see a photo that so obviously predated World War II.  Jack was born on 8 Oct 1909 in Mountain City, Johnson Co., TN to David Carl Friddle and Sophia Vestelle Friddle.  I think he probably graduated in about 1927 or so from Pomeroy High School.  My great grandparents homesteaded up on Grouse Flats, Wallowa Co., OR and while my grandmother and great uncle went to the small local school, my great grandmother insisted that her children have the opportunity to go to high school, so in 1924, David Carl Friddle and Sophia Dollar Friddle moved their family to Pomeroy, WA and a few years later they moved to Lewiston, ID where my grandmother graduated from high school.

So...here is what I find curious about this picture.  I know that Jack worked in a retail store after high school and I know he was a paratrooper in World War II - but when was this picture taken.  I asked his brother, Claude, who was still alive at the time about it...and he didn't really know anything.  There is a problem with finding military records from the World War I to II era because so many of the records burned up in a fire.

So, my best guess was that this photo was taken around 1930 to 1932.  I am sure it was taken before he and his wife Hilda Heitmann married in 1934 but other than that -  I can't be sure.  So, my theory is that Uncle Jak (which is the way he used sign letters and cards to me) was probably a member of the local militia and judging by his uniform most likely in the Army.  It is really too bad that I have no one left to ask.  Uncle Jack was definitely a favorite of mine...and I am sorry I don't know more!

D-Day + 70

Claude Friddle - 1924-2011

During the past few weeks, I have been taking the opportunity to watch the many D-Day documentaries that have been on TV.  Some of them are a few years old, but several have been made in the past year.  I can't help thinking how great it is that some of these stories from these veterans are being recorded.  The youngest of these veterans is either 90 or close to 90.   I think that I read that there are only about one million of these World War II veterans still alive.

While neither of my grandfathers fought in World War II because they were farmers.  Someone had to stay home and grow food.  I had three great uncles on my Dad's side of the family and two great uncles on my Mom's side of the family who also fought.  All but one of them fought in the South Pacific.  Only Claude fought in Europe...I really never heard him talk that much about World War II and his experiences.  I assume that it wasn't a topic he liked to talk about especially with his young great niece.  I heard him tell a few stories through the years and I think the thing that might have bothered him most was seeing all of his buddies flying on bombing runs to Germany...and the sad fact that so many never came back.

I have to wonder what he was thinking on the eve of D-Day 70 years ago.  I imagine he really didn't have an idea what he was going to face.  I think that this was his first major battle and there is something to be said about not knowing what he was about to face.  Claude was a 20 year old man.  He had graduated in 1942 from Lewiston High School in Lewiston, ID.  He signed up in 1943 and was worried enough about how his mother would react that he asked his father to tell her.  Claude was a member of the Tank Destroyers in the 1st Army.  I think his division later became part of the 9th Army and fought under General Patton through the Battle of the Bulge. But on that long ago day, Claude was waiting just like so many other soldiers.  His division was on the second wave at Omaha Beach  From what I have read, the biggest difference between the first and second wave was sheer numbers  By the time the second wave came along, they still hadn't put out the guns on the cliffs above Normandy

It isn't like I have heard a lot of direct information from my great uncle...and since he passed in 2011, there is no further opportunity.  I can't help it that when I am watching these documentaries about D-Day - I still wonder if I will ever see a glimpse of Uncle Claude's face in any of those films.  I doubt it.  This is a significant anniversary - I wonder how many more years we will have where we will have living veterans from D-Day. So, today I will spend some time thinking about as my mother called him - her Uncle Buddy...and marvel at what he and all those other young men faced and accomplished 70 years ago on Omaha beach on the Normandy coast!

Gallup Represents More Than Just A Poll

Today when you opened the paper, you probably saw some reference to some poll that told you how the one candidate was faring against another.  In this day and age there are polls from Rasmussen, Zogbe, Fox, NBC, CNN and various other news outlets…but when most of us think about a poll about one topic or another, we usually think of Gallup poll. 

George Horace Gallup was the founder of the Gallup poll and was the first man to scientifically measure   public views and opinions.  Today they call that market research.  George Horace Gallup was born in Jefferson, Greene Co., IA to George Henry Gallup and Nettie Quella Davenport on 18 Nov 1901 and died in 1984 in Switzerland.  He was married to Ophelia Smith Miller and had three children.  There is no doubt that George Horace Gallup has made more impact on our country and its business environment than most men ever do.  I’ve spent a great deal of time researching the Gallup family over the years and can tell you that there is a whole lot more to the family as a whole than just a poll.

George Horace Gallup’s ancestors were among the earliest settlers in this country.  John Gallop arrived in 1630 and when his family arrived some time later, the Gallup family has made an impact.  These early Gallups were mariners who helped map and explore the northeastern seaboard.  They helped trade with the early Native Americans and provided scout and interpretive skills for those who wished to do business.  They fought in the early wars and died for their new land proudly.  Many also participated in the Revolutionary war and the founding of this country including George Horace’s 3^rd great grandfather, Isaac Gallup who served in the Battle of Long Island and was Captain of the Groton Company. 

During my research, I’ve discovered many Gallups who participated in the some of the earliest battles in our country clear up to the Revolutionary War.  I made a list of some of these Gallups.

Name	Military Service	Parents
John Gallup  b. 1615 d. 19 Dec 1675	Great Swamp Fight at Narragansett, RI	John Gallop & Christobel Bruschett
John Gallup b. 9/1646 d. 14 Apr 1735	King Philip's War, & Great Swamp Fight at Narragansett, RI	John Gallup & Hannah Lake
Liet. William Gallup b. 4/1658 d. 15 May 1731	Colonial Wars...Indian Wars	John Gallup & Hannah Lake
Samuel Gallop b. 1659 d. bef 1687	King Philip's War	John Gallup & Hannah Lake
John Gallup III  b. 1676 d. 29 Dec 1755	Served as Captain in first Connecticut Company, 1726	John Gallup III & Elizabeth Harris
Liet. Benadam Gallup, Jr.  b. 28 May 1693 d. 30 Sept 1755	French and Indian Wars	Benadam Gallup & Esther Prentice
Capt. Joseph Gallup  b. 27 Sept 1695 d. 22 Dec 1760	French and Indian Wars	Benadam Gallup & Esther Prentice
Col. Benadam Gallup b. 28 Apr 1717 d. 29 May 1800	French and Indian Wars, Revolutionary War	Liet. Bendam Gallup & Eunice Cobb
Capt. William Gallup b. 4 July 1723 d. 4 Apr 1803	Battle of Wyoming, French and Indian Wars	Liet. Bendam Gallup & Eunice Cobb
Col. Nathan Gallup b. 13 Nov 1727 d. 19 Jan 1799	Revolutionary War	Liet. Bendam Gallup & Eunice Cobb
Isaac Gallup b. 24 Feb 1712 d. 3 Aug 1799	Revolutionary War - Col. Parson's Regiment as Captain	John Gallup IV & Elizabeth Wheeler
John Gallup b. 9 Jun 1724 d. 6 Apr 1801	Revolutionary War	John Gallup IV & Elizabeth Wheeler
Capt. Joseph Gallup b. 27 Jun 1725 d. 21 Feb 1778	Revolutionary War Soldier	Capt. Joseph Gallup & Eunice Williams
Elisha Gallup b. 21 Apr 1727 d. 24 Aug 1800	Revolutionary War Soldier	Capt. Joseph Gallup & Eunice Williams
John Gallup b. 19 Jun 1720 d. 1 Nov 1801	Revolutionary War - Captain - Corp. Lexington Alarm	Nathaniel Gallup & Margaret Gallup
Thomas Gallup b. 26 Aug 1727 d. Oct 1777	Revolutionary War Soldier	Nathaniel Gallup & Margaret Gallup
Benadam Gallup  b. 29 Jun 1741 d. 12 Apr 1818	Revolutionary War Soldier	Col. Benadam Gallup & Hannah Avery
Isaac Gallup b. 22 Dec 1742 d. 3 Aug 1814	Revolutionary War Soldier	Col. Benadam Gallup & Hannah Avery
Jesse Gallup b. 2 Feb 1751 d. 15 Mar 1822	Revolutionary War Soldier	Col. Benadam Gallup & Hannah Avery
George Gallup b. 20 Mar 1751 d. 3 May 1781	Revolutionary War Soldier	Nathaniel Gallup & Hannah Gore
Nehemiah Gallup b. 19 Jun 1751 d. 27 Dec 1843	Revolutionary War Soldier	Henry Gallup & Hannah Mason
Amos Gallup b. 1 Aug 1755 d. 1 Dec 1843	Revolutionary War Soldier	Nathaniel Gallup & Hannah Gore
Hallett Gallup b. 1 Jan 1756 d. 5 Oct 1804	Revolutionary War Soldier	Capt. William Gallup & Judith Read
Ebenezer Gallup b. 8 Feb 1757 d. 12 Apr 1794	Revolutionary War Soldier	Col. Nathan Gallup & Sarah Giddings
Thomas Gallup b. 14 Jan 1758 d. 26 Apr 1778	Revolutionary War Soldier	Thomas P. Gallup & Prudence Allyn
Henry Gallup b. 17 Oct 1758 d. 22 Nov 1831	Revolutionary War Soldier	Henry Gallup & Hannah Mason
Prentice Gallup  b. 23 Apr 1759	Revolutionary War Soldier	Thomas P. Gallup & Prudence Allyn
Levi Gallup b. 26 Mar 1760 d. 18 Feb 1850	Revolutionary War Soldier	Nathaniel Gallup & Hannah Gore
Robert Gallup b.  30 Apr 1760 d. 20 Aug 1858	Revolutionary War Soldier	Thomas P. Gallup & Prudence Allyn
Andrew Gallup b. 26 Jan 1761 d. 16 Mar 1853	Revolutionary War Soldier	Henry Gallup & Hannah Mason
Ezra Gallup b. 13 Mar 1763 d. 5 Apr 1846	Revolutionary War Soldier	Nathaniel Gallup & Hannah Gore

As you can see, the Gallup name represents much more than just a poll.  It represents generations of men and women who fought and died for their countries through every war this nation has fought in.  Many no longer have the name of Gallup but have the family in their ancestry. The above list represents only a small portion of those who have served their country. While it is nice to have U. S. Presidents who share the same ancestry (Pres. George H.W. Bush and Pres. George W. Bush) or poets like Emily Dickinson or the famous founder of the Gallup poll - I think that the tradition of service is something to be very proud of.