Here is a little information about a few WWII veterans who are grandsons of
Nancy Cannon, daughter of Alvin Byers/Byars Cannon, grandson of James.
Nancy Cannon married Elijah Hoover, and their son Fred had five sons, as well
as four daughters. By the early 40s, the three eldest sons (Hal, Rex, and
Gail) were all in the armed forces. In 1942 my father, fourth son in line,
received his orders. This hit their mother very hard, and my aunt tells me that
she never knew what happened during the next couple of weeks, because she was
taken to a relative's house until their mother recovered. In 1945 the fifth
son (Paul) turned 18 and enlisted. My grandfather took him to the bus station
in Pittsfield, Illinois, and as he left, said to the local newspaper reporter,
"Well, they've got them all now."
All five returned.
My father, Donald Jean Hoover, wanted to be a bombadier but discovered during
the physical that he was colorblind. He served in India as a machinist. I
was two years old when he returned on the day after Christmas, 1945. It was
the kind of importance-filled moment that even a small child can sense. I knew
something very strange was happening because everyone was sitting in complete
stillness, and my mother's lipstick stood out starkly against her skin. The
the doorbell rang and she said, "There he is." My first impression of him was
that he had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.
Donna Hoover Olsen