Happy Military Appreciation month! I am recognizing someone in my life associated with the military every day in May. Today, I am going to recognize my grandfather, Charles J. Vasseur. Grandpa Charlie served in the U.S. Navy during WWI. His birth was registered in Flambeau on Aug. 11, 1894. He entered the service at Eau Claire, May 28,1918. He trained at Puget Sound, Wash. He made 8 trips to Europe, first trip from Seattle, thru the Panama Canal to Holland, on the Eastern Light, a cargo transport. He then transferred to U. S. S. Minnesota. He mustered out Sept. 28, 1919.
My grandfather was a member of the Ojibwa nation, born in Chippewa, WI. He worked as a logger, riding logs down the Chippewa river, jumping log to log to keep them from jamming up. He drove a milk truck for the Volck Brothers earning an award for operating accident free from 1936 to 1938. He worked as a merchant seaman on the Great Lakes, sailing out of Duluth Minnesota. He was a Deck hand, certified by the US Dept. of Commerce as an Ordinary Seaman in March of 1940. My grandfather is a foggy memory for me. I was 7 years old when he died. When my grandmother was in her 60’s, she booked passage on a working freighter up through the great lakes into the St. Lawrence seaway to see what my grandfather would have seen when he worked the lakes. My grandfather used to call her a “go-go” girl because she was always “go- going.” My grandfather was 38 years old when he married my 17 yr. old grandmother. They buried two children together early in their marriage like many did in those days. My father was raised as an only child in a working boarding house because that is what you did to get through the depression years. Later, they moved to Waukegan to find work and my grandfather found a job at Fansteel. I remember stories of him painting the smokestacks at Fansteel because everyone else was afraid to climb them- lore had it Indians were surefooted. It was short lived, he was drafted in 1942 to serve during WWII. He was 47 years old. I have his draft card.
He had a wife and child. A job. He still went. My grandmother gave me three things when I married my sailor, an Irish lace handkerchief, a Cookbook and my grandfather’s cribbage board. He used to play cribbage when he was underway. Funny thing is- so did my husband, and then my daughter. I learned to do math in my head playing cribbage with my father- who also played while he sailed Korea. Some things never change.
He returned to Fansteel after the War and my father followed him after he returned from Korea. Every generation of my family has served in the US Navy as far back as I can find. My father was a Marine, but you know- their check are still signed by the Department of the Navy. Lol.
It is often like that- a proud family tradition. It is a tradition I take great pride in. I am thankful for each and every one.
marymargaretmaule.com 
Happy Military Appreciation month! I am recognizing someone in my life associated with the military every day in May. Today, I am going to recognize my grandfather, Charles J. Vasseur. Grandpa Charlie served in the U.S. Navy during WWI. His birth was registered in Flambeau on Aug. 11, 1894. He entered the service at Eau Claire, May 28,1918. He trained at Puget Sound, Wash. He made 8 trips to Europe, first trip from Seattle, thru the Panama Canal to Holland, on the Eastern Light, a cargo transport. He then transferred to U. S. S. Minnesota. He mustered out Sept. 28, 1919.
My grandfather was a member of the Ojibwa nation, born in Chippewa, WI. He worked as a logger, riding logs down the Chippewa river, jumping log to log to keep them from jamming up. He drove a milk truck for the Volck Brothers earning an award for operating accident free from 1936 to 1938. He worked as a merchant seaman on the Great Lakes, sailing out of Duluth Minnesota. He was a Deck hand, certified by the US Dept. of Commerce as an Ordinary Seaman in March of 1940. My grandfather is a foggy memory for me. I was 7 years old when he died. When my grandmother was in her 60’s, she booked passage on a working freighter up through the great lakes into the St. Lawrence seaway to see what my grandfather would have seen when he worked the lakes. My grandfather used to call her a “go-go” girl because she was always “go- going.” My grandfather was 38 years old when he married my 17 yr. old grandmother. They buried two children together early in their marriage like many did in those days. My father was raised as an only child in a working boarding house because that is what you did to get through the depression years. Later, they moved to Waukegan to find work and my grandfather found a job at Fansteel. I remember stories of him painting the smokestacks at Fansteel because everyone else was afraid to climb them- lore had it Indians were surefooted. It was short lived, he was drafted in 1942 to serve during WWII. He was 47 years old. I have his draft card.
He had a wife and child. A job. He still went. My grandmother gave me three things when I married my sailor, an Irish lace handkerchief, a Cookbook and my grandfather’s cribbage board. He used to play cribbage when he was underway. Funny thing is- so did my husband, and then my daughter. I learned to do math in my head playing cribbage with my father- who also played while he sailed Korea. Some things never change.
He returned to Fansteel after the War and my father followed him after he returned from Korea. Every generation of my family has served in the US Navy as far back as I can find. My father was a Marine, but you know- their check are still signed by the Department of the Navy. Lol.
It is often like that- a proud family tradition. It is a tradition I take great pride in. I am thankful for each and every one.