The Amazing Story of the Civil War's Cushing Brothers.

[Brigid]

Alonzo Cushing died a hero at Gettysburg. His kid brother Will was arguably one of the first Navy SEALs -- after being kicked out of Annapolis.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/11/06/alonzo-cushing-will-medal-of-honor-civil-war-column/18460483/

[shenmue]

1. Memory eternal

[unblock]

2. wow, thanks! i served (all of 3 weeks) aboard the uss cushing.

never knew the story behind the naming of that destroyer.

this is really awesome, thanks!

[Brigid]

3. You were on "their" ship?

How cool is that?

[unblock]

4. yup! back in 1992 it think it was

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cushing_(DD-985)

(hmm link goes to the disambiguation page. click through to DD-985, not sure how to fix it.)

[carolinayellowdog]

5. Will is a hero to the Plymouth Unionists

Just today I had occasion to remember my ancestor Jonathan Williford who was a soldier in the NC 1st Infantry (Federal) and managed to escape the fall of Plymouth to the Confederacy in April 1864. Those who weren't killed and didn't escape were taken prisoner and ended up dying in Andersonville prison, except for one man who came home alive.

The re-taking of Plymouth from the rebels was a heroic moment and Will Cushing made it possible. Jonathan, like Will, died a few years later of TB, which the cold and damp conditions faced by the soldiers had fostered.