Vets, How many sets of 5 brothers in WWII ? Google fails me.

[gunsmith]

Everyone knows about the 5 Sullivan Brothers. Hollywood couldn't have made that up. If you haven't seen Saving Private Ryan it's a great film and loosely derived from that event.

My dad is from an Irish Catholic family of TEN, 2 girls, 6 boys, 2 died at birth.
Somehow 5 of the 6 Mulkahey brothers were in uniform during WW2 and fortunately all came back
without a scratch.

I'd like to know with some authority how many sets of 5 or more brothers from the same family served in WW2.

My ballpark guess is 20 maybe 30 families had 5 or more brothers serving at the same time but not more than that which
would make it a fairly rare situation. On my mom's side (also a family of 10 with 6 brothers and 2 stillborn) there were 3 in uniform, and she and another brother worked in
the Philly shipyards.

Google gives me the Borgstrom family from Utah with 5 (4 were KIA) and an Italian family in New Jersey.
Any vets here know of a VFW or American Legion or other database that would have that info?

I keep playing with the search terms and come up with bupkiss. Tried Google and Bing isn't any better.

I've been searching 5 sons in WW2 and some variants. Suggestions?

TIA

[gunsmith]

found this: 5 of the 6 fahlgren brothers all of whom survived the war.


and this the story of Dave Kinsley of Wyoming County, he and seven brothers went war — Vernon, Roy, Earl, Hunter, Jim, Harry and Jack Kinsley. 8 brothers plus DAD . Couldn't find a picture.
http://www.register-herald.com/features ... ng-bravery

[gunsmith]

The Sullivans:


Another set of 5



5 Brothers In Arms

by Raymond C. Heimbuch

Non-fiction, History, Memoir, World War II

List: $19.99

Special discount $15.00 plus $2.00 Shipping



This book starts with our becoming POW's, with a brief flash back telling how we got there, then goes on to tell about my POW life, and as each of my brothers who is not already mentioned joins the service, he gets a separate chapter telling his war experience, and goes on to tell what happens to each of them up until the present time. Essentially it tells what we did during the war and then what we did up until the present time.



REVIEWS:



"This is a true story about our ordeal as POWs. Ray’s sharp memory tells the story of our starvation and suffering as Japanese POWs. Our friendship is one reason we did survive by helping each other, especially on the “Hell Ships” from Mindanao to Japan, a horrific journey of ninety-two days. Ours was not to reason why – ours was to do or die." - Bob Dowding, Japanese POW, Author: A few Survived.

"I’ve known Ray and George Heimbuch since 1941, while assigned to the 5th Air Base Group. This relationship has lasted to today. It was interrupted in May 1942 when the unit was surrendered to Japanese forces in the Philippines. We shared similar experiences in POW camps until our liberation in 1945. Afterward we stayed in the Air Force, got married, and raised families. At Survivor Reunions we share experiences, good and bad. Memories fade, but the tales get better. May our memories of the footlocker fifth remain with us forever." -- Walt Regehr, another survivor!

PURCHASE INFO:

To purchase, send check, payable to Ray Heimbuch, (X No. books X $15.00, plus $2.00) to: Ray Heimbuch, 1314 Estates Drive, Fairfield, CA 94533.

also on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/5-Brothers-Arms-R ... 1436325242

[gunsmith]

Finally found the Italian brothers from Jersey.

The Del Rocco's: Yikes another family of TEN.



http://www.raritan-online.com/delrocco-brothers.htm

The first Del Rocco son to join the military was Frank who joined before the U.S. enlisted in World War II when he entered the Navy in December of 1939. His brother Steve signed up for the army a few months later in March of 1940. The U.S. would enter the war after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Joe Del Rocco entered the army soon after in February of 1942. One month later, his brother James would also join the army. Finally Michael was inducted into the Navy in October of 1943. That made it 5 Del Rocco brothers fighting for the country. This was the most that one family had in Raritan. The town all knew of them and was very proud of them. The local paper sometimes called them “The Wandering Del Roccos”.

Dale Irvine was one of five brothers to serve

Irvine, who was drafted at 19, was one of five brothers who served in the military during World War II. Two went to Japan. Two went to Europe. One stayed stateside in California. He was the only one hurt, injuring his thumb in an accident.

Irvine went in the artillery with the 3rd Infantry Division. He contracted malaria in Italy and suffered bouts of it throughout the rest of the war, self-medicating himself with cognac or schnapps. He slept in foxholes and was shelled.

[gunsmith]

Bell that tolled for five military brothers in the 1940s returned to Bay City family

5 Revette brothers from Bay City Michigan 1 KIA, buried in Germany.

BAY CITY — The large brass bell hanging at Revette’s bar and restaurant on Bay City’s West Side didn’t ring often.

During World War II, Wilbur “Papa” Revette rang it to let city residents know that a shipment of beer — a scarcity at the time — had come in. And it tolled every New Years Eve five times for the five Revette boys in active military duty during the war.

On Dec. 31, 1944, Wilbur Revette went about the tradition as usual — a ring each for Frank, Darrell, Lyle, Jack and Ron. This time, though, the bell stopped after four rings, refusing to ring again, the often-told family story goes. Shortly after, the family learned that one son had died in battle.

The bell never rang in the bar again after that New Years Eve, and as the building at 1013 N. Henry St. changed ownership over the ensuing years, the bell was lost.

“We didn’t think we’d ever see that bell again,” said Ron Revette, the only brother still living.

But on Thanksgiving, 67 years after the last bell chime, Ron Revette was able to ring it again — the bell had been found during the summer of 2010 as the building was renovated in advance of the grand opening of Latitude 43 Grill & Bar.

Ron Revette, in front of dozens of family, let the bell toll four times, one ring for his fellow military brothers.

“That’s how we always rang it. To get to tip that bell a little bit and ring it …” he said, his voice trailing off as memories of his family seeped in.

A couple weeks before the last bell ringing in 1944, the family had learned that Frank, the eldest boy who was serving in the U.S. Army, was missing in action. The Battle of the Bulge had just begun and Frank was stationed in Germany.

“He knew then it wouldn’t be good,” remembers Bill Schultz, Wilbur Revette’s son-in-law, of the bell’s refusal to ring. Schultz is married to Wilbur Revette’s daughter Joan. “They found out in January that Frank had died.”

The other four Revette boys, all in various branches of the military, were away when Frank died and didn’t learn of his death until later in 1945 when they returned home on leave.

“It was awful,” said Ron Revette, now 84. Five blue stars had hung in the window of the family home for the five boys — Frank and Lyle in the Army, Darrell and Jack in the Air Force and Ron in the Navy. Youngest brother Michael eventually enlisted in the Army, but was too young to serve during the war.

When Frank died, one blue star was replaced with a gold star. Returning home, the brothers weren’t sure who had died.

“I came home on leave and that’s when I found out about Frank,” Ron Revette, the seventh in a line of 10 children, said. “We were very close.”

Check out the letter to Wilbur Revette from the War Department about Frank's burial in Germany:Revette_letter.pdf

Ron Revette keeps the bell in his home now, but said he plans to move it to one of the bars and restaurants in town still owned by family members — including Mulligan’s, Gatsby’s, Coonan’s Irish Hub or the Bier Garten — and bring back the New Year’s Eve tradition.

Ray VanMullekom, who owns Latitude 43 with his brother Joe VanMullekom, said the bell was found in the ceiling rafters, with the large 50-foot rope used to ring it still attached. VanMullekom, who is friends with Ron Revette’s grandson, Jason, said when the family asked if he had seen the bell, he knew it belonged with them.

“There is a lot more sentimental value to them than there is to us,” he said. “If I had an opportunity to get something from some of my family members from years and years ago, I would appreciate the same thing.”

Denise LaFray, Ron’s daughter, said the family is extremely grateful to have the bell back. On Thanksgiving Day, Ron Revette captivated his grandchildren and great-grandchildren with family tales that the bell had rekindled.

“We’re sad for the loss (that the bell reminds us of), but the memories are wonderful,” LaFray said.

[minnhawk]

To clarify, the fictional movie, Saving Private Ryan was loosely based on the Nyland brothers, not the Sullivans. Two of the Nyland brothers died at Utah Beach and one in Burma. The remaining Fritz Nyland was an NCO in the 101st. He was not "rescued" but was indeed sent home to his mother intact and alive after surviving the initial D-Day jump and subsequent combat.

[gunsmith]

To clarify, the fictional movie, Saving Private Ryan was loosely based on the Nyland brothers, not the Sullivans. Two of the Nyland brothers died at Utah Beach and one in Burma. The remaining Fritz Nyland was an NCO in the 101st. He was not "rescued" but was indeed sent home to his mother intact and alive after surviving the initial D-Day jump and subsequent combat.

Never heard that...the sullivans are always mentioned in connection w/ private ryan. I did hear about a law that exempted other family members from service after one had been killed in action.

[xd ED]

To clarify, the fictional movie, Saving Private Ryan was loosely based on the Nyland brothers, not the Sullivans. Two of the Nyland brothers died at Utah Beach and one in Burma. The remaining Fritz Nyland was an NCO in the 101st. He was not "rescued" but was indeed sent home to his mother intact and alive after surviving the initial D-Day jump and subsequent combat.

Never heard that...the sullivans are always mentioned in connection w/ private ryan. I did hear about a law that exempted other family members from service after one had been killed in action.

I never saw the Pvt Ryan movie, but from what I know of the movie, and recall of the Fighting Sullivans, they're very different stories. I believe the Sullivan Brothers were all serving on the same ship, or so I recall. It's been several decades since I watched the movie.

[gunsmith]

Hey, here's the whole movie on YouTube.

Saving Private Ryan even though made by Spielberg and acted by Tom Hanks is excellent.

[xd ED]

Hey, here's the whole movie on YouTube.

Saving Private Ryan even though made by Spielberg and acted by Tom Hanks is excellent.

Nice Find!
Be advised that if you watch it there won't be a dry eye in the room...I think it was about 1984, Veterans' Day, PBS showed it.

I had a chance to discuss PVT Ryan with a friend's father who went in at Normandy. He said the carnage in real life was far worse than the movie portrayed.

[gunsmith]

In my opinion the photos of Normandy taken by Robert Capa were intentionally destroyed by a General in the Intelligence area.

He took 106 pictures and only 11 survived. They allegedly were burned in the film dryer. Baloney. I think they didn't want exploded inside out bodies on the front page of Life Magazine. It really would have hurt morale. And I think destroying those pictures was good for all. They're probably next to the Arc of the Covenant in a warehouse in Area 51.

[xd ED]

In my opinion the photos of Normandy taken by Robert Capa were intentionally destroyed by a General in the Intelligence area.

He took 106 pictures and only 11 survived. They allegedly were burned in the film dryer. Baloney. I think they didn't want exploded inside out bodies on the front page of Life Magazine. It really would have hurt morale. And I think destroying those pictures was good for all. They're probably next to the Arc of the Covenant in a warehouse in Area 51.

Probably true regarding the destroyed photos. From the stories I've heard and read, and the number of families affected that day. It was likely the right thing to do.
My mother lost a fiancé at Normandy. I can't imagine any of those photos would have helped her.

[gunsmith]

The photographer who took my parents wedding photos was Japanese-American, spent the war in a camp in New Mexico with his family. My family was very distressed by this but it was a different time. The racial prejudice against the Japs was white hot.

Google Rape of Nanking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre

Any of the images are not for the faint hearted. Uncle Dick was in the Phillipines and they were more concerned for him than the 4 in Europe.

Baby on a Stick
[img]removed%20as%20inappropriate[/img]
Actual moment of beheading.
[img]removed%20as%20inappropriate[/img]

[xd ED]

The racial prejudice against the Japs was white hot.

The racial component of that enemy made them easier to hate,
In contrast,
I've heard from several WWII vets of German heritage about the anxiety of fighting against soldiers to whom they could have been related. Some of these guys fought through the areas where they knew their ancestors originated.

[tman]

DId you REALLY just post those here?


Please remove them immediately.