Wordless Wednesday: Stormy Weather, Rattlesden, East Anglia, England

My uncle, Leland Keith Bergeron (fourth from the left, front row). WWII veteran serving in the 8th Air Force, 440th BG based out of Rattlesden Field in East Anglia. This B17 crew came together at Moses Lake, WA, for training. They then flew to England and went on to complete their required number of missions with everyone continuing to serve in the position that they were assigned with the same unit of men. Something that rarely  happened during WWII and a source of pride of all the crew members. This crew was regularly assigned to aircraft known as Stormy Weather and American Maid. Lee served as the crew's engineer (top turret gunner). Proudly remembering Uncle Lee and his crew this coming Memorial Day.

"Stormy Weather." Digital Image. Undated. Original photograph privately held by

Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski (c) 2011.

Treasure Thursday: Military Heros In My Life

This edition of Treasure Thursday is a chance to showcase some of the military treasures in my life. The photo shown above was the cover for a 2009 calendar I created as part of a fund raising effort for the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution State Regent's Project. The calendar, a salute to our veterans, was a chance for the then state regent and I to honor our family who have served in the military. My contributions included VFW caps worn by both of my grandfathers who served in WWI; the blue cap emblazoned with Wisconsin in the upper left hand corner belonged to Charles Bergeron and the olive drab cap worn with pride by Harley Space is visible to the right of the photograph and near the Rosie the Riveter photo. The ration card and stamps, part of my family artifacts, is seen to the left of the Army 'dress greens' worn by my husband during his military service, 1970-1972. The folded Flag of the USA in the foreground covered the casket of my uncle Earle Bergeron.

I am blessed to celebrate this Memorial Day with my husband any my dad as we salute all of our service personnel who made our gathering possible.

Alvin John Scherwinski

H. John Bergeron

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Wordless Wednesday: Henry Marton Bergeron

Henry Marton Bergeron (1889-1918), standing on right, son of Francis X. Bergeron and Mary Elizabeth Reinwand. Photographed during his time of service during WWI, Henry died during the influenza pandemic, his infant daughter having died of the same three weeks prior to Henry's death.

Fearless Females: March 6 - Heirloom

Whether or not the grandchildren were allowed to roam around in my grandmother's bedroom, it is one of my many memories of time spent at Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Bergeron's. We never called my grandma by her first name, Mildred, and to me she was always Gram.

Her bedroom was on the second floor of their two story home at 103 10th Avenue in Antigo Wisconsin. At the top of the stairs was a open area with a double bed, a buffet outside of Gram's room and a large radio/photograph where I recall listening to a scratchy 78 rpm record of Thumbelina (yes, I can still recite the story and sing the happy little tune). At the far end was a small storage area created when the staircase was closed off and relocated to the front of the house, and two bedrooms, one of which served as a guest room. Hanging on the wall in the guest room was a certificate, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt, expressing thanks on behalf of the country for the sacrifice made by my uncle, Earle Bergeron, in service to his country. Thinking about it now, I wonder why this token of appreciation was in the guest room and not in either of my grandparent's rooms.

Grams's room wasn't very big: a bed, a dresser, an overstuffed chair in a deep shade of indigo blue and a dressing table with a mirror. There were two windows that looked out the front of the house down Aurora Street and the other looking west over the alley. Other than the times when my cousins and I were playing hide-and-go-seek when we would steel ourselves to hide in Gram's closet (it was situated behind a wall and therefore very dark and scary), my memory of her room is that of quiet sadness. I have written about my uncle Earle on several occasions; his death at the age of 20, two months and one day short of his 21st birthday, had a profound affect on our family.

When Gram died in April 1968 and Grandpa Charlie decided to sell the house and move to Minneapolis, I was asked if there was anything special that I wanted of Gram's. Without hesitation I said I would like to have her jewelry box. When I was given a white covered jewelry box, I was crestfallen. What I wanted was the glass sided box that sat on her dressing table next to a photo of Uncle Earle dressed in his flight helmet and goggles. Inside was a photograph taken of Earle in the front yard of the home on 10th Ave. I thought the box was 'lost to me' until I discovered that my mother had the box. When I told her how glad I was it was still in the family, she presented it to me.

The box now sits on my dresser; the photograph of Earle that once was inside the box is now framed. My Dad shared that this photograph of Earle was on his last day of his leave before heading to North Carolina to begin the long trip overseas. The photo that is now inside the box is one of Earle at Fort Kelly, TX, when he was attending flight training as part of the federal program that created the "Flying Sergeants."

Thank you to Lisa Alzo for Day #6 for today's blogging prompt.

Copyright (c) Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: John P. Little

Today's edition of Tombstone Tuesday In My Life, highlights my great-grand uncle, John P. Little. The fifth of Andrew Little (1800-1888) and Mary Ann Gallagher (1812-1984) 11 children, John P. was born about 1847 in probably New York State.


Family lore is that John ran away from the family home in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada, and enlisted in the Union Army. Documentation proves John's enlistment in the Union Army on February 28, 1863, in Rochester, NY, where he was assigned to Co. E, 19th Regiment of the U.S. Infantry; whether he ran away or not will always be up for debate.


John's military career was short-lived; seven months after his enlistment, John was captured by the Confederate Army on September 29, 1863, during the Battle of Chickamauga on the final day of the battle. He was confined in Richmond, VA, from September 29th to December 12th when he was transferred to Andersonville Prison. On June 30, 1864 John was admitted to the prison hospital where he died on July 2nd of Dysentery.

Found among the treasures that make up the Little Family Papers, were letters written by John Little to his family prior to his capture and imprisionment. Letters written to his parents told of life on the march through Tennessee, mentioning the beauty of the area, the comradarie of being with his fellow soldiers and how well he was doing. During this same period of time, letters to his brother told of the desolation: trees riddled with grapeshot and the soldiers having to forage for anything they could find to eat and the distrust the men had for their superiors. All that is left of these letters are less than desireable photocopies. The letters were in the possession of my aunt who thought she was keeping them safe between the pages of a Montgomery Ward catalog. It wasn't until my mother and I invested in archival safe storage and brought them to my aunt's home that we discovered she had disposed of the catalogs, not realizing they held John's letters along with several other Little and Facer family papers.

Included in these papers was a handwritten note from the commanding officer of John's company that read: Upon reference to our records, I find the following sad record regarding John Little Co. E 19th, U.S. Regulars. The record is ' J. Little Private Co E. 19th Regulars died in Prison Hospital at Andersonville, Ga. on the 2nd day of July 1864 of Dysentery, and was buried in grave No. 2774.' The above is all we know of him. (sign) H. Holbrook

My grandmother, Mildred Eileen Little, recalled her father Cyrus Austin Little's memory of Mary Ann Gallagher Little's final months in which she was consumed with memories of her son's imprisionment, repeating how she wished she could have given John a crust to bread.

Copyright (c) 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Military Monday: Al Scherwinski

Alvin John Scherwinski

Military Service: Inducted 3 Dec 1970, Minneapolis, MN; Honorably Discharged 1 Dec 1972, Fort Carson Colorado. Basic Training, Fort Campbell Kentucky; AIT, Fort Benning Georgia; Advanced AIT, Fort Gordon Georgia. Overseas: Vietnam, 27 Sep 1971 - 21 May 1972. National Defense Service Medal; 1 Overseas Bar; Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device; Sharpshooter Badge with M16 Rifle Bar; Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star. 31 E20 Radio Repair.

Copyright 2010 Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

A proud wife in debt to her husband for service to his country

Wordless Wednesday

On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire was reached to halt the Korean War/Conflict and establish a demilitarized zone. However, no peace treaty has ever been signed, technically leaving North and South Korea at war.


In honor of all veterans of the Korean War, I will break the silence of Wordless Wednesday and express my thanks for their service to our country. A special thanks from a proud and grateful daughter to my Dad for his service.


These photographs feature the Korean War Memorial located at Lake Pacawa Park outside of Plover, WI.

Copyright © 2009 by Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Cluster Genealogy

During a recent session, assisting someone with their family history has served to remind me of why I love using cluster, or 'whole family' genealogy to help solve those problems we've all run into at one time or another.


Our ancestors did not live in isolation, although we often research them as if they did. They were part of a family, most often with siblings, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and other relatives. They were also part of a community with friends, neighbors and co-workers. This 'cluster' of family, friends and neighbors can provide valuable clues to the lives of our ancestors.


Cluster genealogy or 'whole family' or 'extended family genealogy' is the practice of extending our research on one individual to include the individuals and families to which he/she is connected - these range from the ancestors brother or spouse to the neighbor who appeared as a witness on a land deed.


This type of research leads to a more complete and more accurate picture of our ancestor's life.


On its surface you may think you are not interested in your ancestor's siblings, cousins or neighbors but consider the following:


The records of siblings, cousins and other family members may provide clues to the next generation that you have not been able to find in the records left by your direct ancestor.


Neighbors may actually turn out to be relatives. Family groups often migrated to the same town, lived near each other, attended the same church or school and were buried in the same cemetery.


Since a single record is often not enough to prove an ancestral connection, cluster genealogy offers additional documents to support accurate research.


Knowing and recognizing the names of other family members can sometimes help you locate your ancestor when he has been mis-indexed or had his name mangled on a record where you expect to find him.


Tracking ancestors as they move from place to place can often be a daunting task. Knowing the names of relatives who may have moved with him can make it easier to identify him in a new location.


Cluster genealogy involves expanding your search beyond your direct line ancestors to include their brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors and friends. Check for as many of these individuals as time and finances will allow - collect information on them just as you do for your direct ancestors and record it in your notes or software.


Don't neglect the spouses of these 'cluster' individuals!


Census records and estate records are especially useful for identifying additional family members - land deeds, newspapers and church records can prove useful for pinpointing neighbors and friends.


By increasing the pool of individuals whom you are researching, cluster genealogy improves your chances of locating records and details on your ancestors. In the process you'll learn more about the places and times in which your family lived.

Photograph of Earle C, Bergeron, Army Air Corps training at Kelly Field, TX; Bay '7', March 22, 1942. Bergeron Family Papers; photograph in possession of Cindy Bergeron Scherwinski

Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Scherwinski

Remembering Earle Bergeron

If you have worked on your family history for any length of time and have/are subscribed to any genealogy discussion lists, you've probably been asked the question, "If you could spend the day/invite to dinner, anyone from history, who would you invite?" While I might be tempted to ask Amelia Earhart where she and Fred Noonan set down the Lockheed Electra, without hesitation, I would want to spend the day with my Uncle Earle.

Earle Clare Bergeron was born in Wausau, Marathon Co., WI, on 25 June 1922, the eldest son of Charles Edward Bergeron (1887-1969) and Mildred Eileen Little (1899-1968). The marriage of my grandparents on 1 June 1921 was the second for my grandfather; he and his first wife, Ida Servant, had a son, Melvin Charles Bergeron. When they divorced, I'm told it touched off quite the firestorm in our devoutely French Candian Catholic family. At the time of their marriage, my grandfather was 33-years old and my grandmother was 21 and only ten years older than her step-son. I can imagine that made for some interesting family dynamics. Earle Clare was named for my grandfather's brother, Earl Stanley Bergeron; my research leads me to believe that Clare is from my grandmother's father's side of the family as there are a number of children who carried the name Clare, who died during the diptheria epidemic in the mid to late 1800s.

My grandfather worked for a hardware company in Aniwa, Shawano, Co, WI, all though Earle and his brother, Leland Keith (1924-1966), were both born in Wausau, WI, their sister, Carol Arleen (1927-1992), was born in Aniwa. My father, John, born in nearby Mattoon, WI, in 1929. The family briefly left central Wisconsin when my grandfather was employed by a company in Rush City, Chisago Co., MN; during this period of time my aunt, Marian Jean (1931- 2004) was born. Within a few years time, the family returned to northeastern Wisconsin and settled into life in Antigo, Langlade County.

Earle graduated from Antigo High School, Class of 1940, and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 7 July 1940. He was sent to Chanute Air Base near Rantoul, IL, where he is listed as a mechanic then shipped to Kelly Air Base in Texas. The opportunity for an enlisted man to be accepted into pilot training was non-existant. It was the belief of military 'brass' that a pilot needed to possess a college education; something my grandparents could not afford. Yet, the military promised a better life once the war came to an end and most young men wanted to go off to war. In 1941 a window of opportunity opened for Earle. Due to a drastic shortage of qualified pilot candidates during WWII, the Army reduced the education requirement allowing enlisted airmen to earn their wings as pilots. Earle applied and was accepted into this program. Known as Flying Sergeants the men endured harsh treatment and prejudice. The cadets trained six days a week in the classroom and in the air. The competition among the cadets was fiercely competitive and the atrition rate was incrediably high. As if the classes weren't difficult enough, the instructors did their best to 'wash out' the Enlisted Pilots. My dad recalls that Earle, who was an average student, struggled with his meterology class but finally, in August 1942, he received his wings at Ellington Air Base in Texas, the class of 42-G.

You get a sense of the sentiment within the military for the Enlisted Pilots looking at this photograph, taken shortly before earning their wings. On the left, the cadets jumpsuits in stark contrast to the enlisted officers uniform.

Earle's first assignment was to fly C-47 for paratrooper training at Fort Bragg, NC. Finding the assignment far too mundane, he volunteered for duty overseas. He was assigned to Sixth Ferry Group, First Ferrying Command; in early February 1943 he arrived at Mohanbari Air Base, India. The China Burma India theater during WWII is one that has been overshadowed and yet, played an important role not only because it helped insure a victory for the Allies, but laid the foundation for transporting and evacuations in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

While piloting a food dropping mission on 23 April 1943, the C-47, with Flight Officer Earle C. Bergeron at the controls, crashed on take-off. At a critical point during take-off, the right engine failed, immediately causing the right wing to drop, hitting another C-47. Earle did not have sufficient flying speed or altitude to allow him to get the required air speed for 'single engine performance'. The plane turned up vertical and the right wing cut through the fuselage of a B-24 parked near the runway. The C-47 struck the ground, nose first, and within 20 seconds began to burn. Co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Alfred R. Rossman, perished in the fire; Uncle Earle was pulled from the plane but died in route to the hospital. Listed as having sustained "major injuries" was radio operator Pvt. Robert W. Bowles. The three remaining crew members, Pvt. John Street, Pvt. Scicolone and Pvt. Tanner all were reported no injuries.

As a child, I never understood the sadness that was part of my Grandma Bergeron. I can't imagine the grief she experienced and how her life changed from the moment the Western Union telegram was delivered announcing the death of her eldest son. On her dressing table, next to a glass trinket box, my grandmother kept a photo of Uncle Earle. He's wearing a leather flight jacket and helmet with the coveted white, silk scarf, signifying he was a pilot, casually draped around his neck. The trinket box and photo now sit on my dresser to carry on the tribute to this mother and son.

I wish I could explain why I feel so close to this man who died ten years before I was born. When our youngest son was born we gave him the middle name, Earle. It seemed fitting to carry on the name I'm sure my parents would have given to one of their children had they had a son.

This past June 25th would have been Earle's 89th birthday. My children have all lived longer than Earle and with the death of my Aunt Marian, my father is the remaining children of Charles and Mildred.

But that does not mean that Earle's spirit, his life and legacy will be forgotten.

Copyright © 2008 by Cindy Scherwinski