Unknown Soidler from Long Ago. 4.4.16

Unidentified Soldier, early 1900s

From time to time I post photos from my family's photo boxes.  No one is left to tell me who they were.  The photos are unlabeled.  In some cases I process with Picassa, to improve contrast and crop to focus on the soldier.

I wonder if this was the last that family and friends saw this young man.

This soldier looks to me like early 1900s, either WWI or Philipine-American war.

Unknown Soldier

Unknown Soldier

Another Unknown Soldier

More Unknown Soldiers

More unknown soldiers. On the reverse, the caption "Ft. Benj Harrison 9-24-10. Getting ready for inspection. Frank." Postmarked 9/27/1910

This is about actual size as displayed on the blog. Clicking on the photo enlarges it. The preserved detail on these old photos can be impressive.

How many of these men went to their deaths in unknown battles?

Unknown Soldiers 1907

 

Unknown Soldier 1907

There is no identification on the photo. It was taken in San Francisco, probably 1907. Look into his eyes. It's haunting.

I don't know why I've been posting these photos. Some are at least 100 years old. I dont know the people in them, not even their names. They do something to me.

The soldiers, in some of the photos, may not have survived another year after their photos were taken. Or they may have lived 65 years more. No way to know. I like the photos of people with their favorite shrub, or in their garden, because they remind me of... me. Actually, the same with the soldiers, too, since I was one (over 30 years ago).

To some extent, I look at these and think, their lives were not so different from our lives today. Then I think, yes they were, it's a different world entirely now. Then I think, what about tomorrow? If we waste the gift of this green earth, who will be there to remember those who went before? Will it matter?

Nothing to do with gardening, maybe a little about being greener - a protest against the Iraq war is planned for downtown Portland tomorrow. I wonder if an old veteran like me should be there?