Last June I read about a Challenge, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, and I was intrigued. I decided to take up the challenge. Some Ancestors may take more than one week, but I still intend to write about 52 Ancestors. I hope you enjoy reading about My Ancestors as much as I am looking forward to researching and writing about them. 

Governor William Bradford; (2) Joseph Bradford; (3)Elisha Bradford; (4)Laurana Bradford; (5) Hannah McFarland; (6) Jennings Rider; (8)Dickerman Allen Rider; (9) Dickamon Allen Rider; (10) Marian Edith Rider; (11) Marian Dunlap Irwin; (12)Judith Anne Guion

Two weeks ago, as I was going through the Lewis, Rider, Irwin folder where I started collecting information on these families in 1975, I came across a piece of paper that I had either forgotten about or did not notice.  It was sent to me by my mother’s sister, Margaret (Irwin) Mitchell Sedberry.  Her note…

Marines in China

On September 2, 1945, Japanese representatives boarded the battleship USS Missouri. World War II had been brought to a swift conclusion. To the men of the III Marine Amphibious Corps (IIIAC), already training for the proposed invasion of Japan, this was welcome news indeed.

The leathernecks knew that an invasion of the Japanese home islands would have been bloody.  Now the nightmare seemed over, and the Marines looked forward to returning to the States.

But instead of going home, the IIIAC Marines found that they were going to be sent to China instead. This was a bitter disappointment for many, but some actually looked forward to an adventure in the Far East. Private Harold Stevens of the 29th Marines was thrilled that he was not going back to his family’s farm in Pennsylvania. He was only 19 but was already a veteran of the bloody battles…