Military Appreciation: Louis Julius Gauquie - Ancestors in 52 Weeks

This year's challenge is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and is run by Amy Johnson Crow.

Topic information:
Who fought in the military? Who worked to stay out of the military? What discoveries have you made using military records?

When I started my family research, it was to find out more about my father's mother and my mother's cousin Jimmy, who was lost in World War 1.

Since then, I've found out more and more about my family on both sides and some days it was a proud feeling and other days was disbelief at the things I was finding and this includes things with the military. 

My mother told me nothing about my Uncle Louis, who this post is named after, other than his name and it was just Louis Gauquie. It wasn't until I started to look for him I started to get the sense like I knew him and what he did. 

Who was Louis Julius Gauquie? 

I guess this is the best way to start. Louis was the oldest son of Louis and Janet Gauquie. He was born in Cornwall, New York on March 5, 1936. He was their first child. The family currently lived in Newburgh, New York.

Louis Julius Gauquie in the 1950s. Credit: J. Gauquie

His father, Louis, was a bridge worker for the Erie Railway Company. In his father's file, his father was called a Bridgeman for the Structures department within the railway system. He worked on the railway bridges and as a painter, I would say, across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania as these are the areas Erie serviced. It was said by his son Jimmy, his father Louis loved heights and would spend all day up in the air if he could.

The Erie Railroad on a map showing New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas. Credit

Louis grew up around Newburgh. His sister who was born in 1939, joined him in growing up in the area. However, in his childhood, the family moved to Milford, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, back to  Newburgh, and in Matamoras, Pennsylvania, then back to Newburgh, New York.

By 1949, his father got out of being employed by the railway and was now a plumber in Newburgh. they stayed in the area now.

In 1953, he was in a school in Newburgh, New York as a junior. But his life was now going to change.

August 13, 1953
Louis enlists into the US military into the branch of Navy.

This shows when Louis was born, died and when he work within the military. Credit

1954
LJ Gauquie, which is who this post is about, is pictured with crew on USS Duncan. This means he has made it into the Navy.

Louis with his shipmates on the Duncan. Credit

Up-close picture of Louis from the picture above. Credit

Hi ships Classification is DDR-874.

The USS Duncan. Credit

"After the end of the Korean fighting in 1953, Duncan remained busy in the Pacific, alternating Far Eastern duty with training and maintenance on the west coast. She visited Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and many islands of the Pacific." (credit)

By December 1954, Louis was returning from his tour and was Fireman Machinist’s Mate (MMFN rating) in the Navy.

This gives Louis' position and links him with his parents and ship. Credit

In March 1955, Louis marries his wife Edith in Middletown, NY and is out of the Navy as I have him placed as working in New Jersey.

In January 1957, his son Louis is born.

By February 1957, less than a month after his son is born, he's back in the Navy again aboard the destroyer USS Rowan. However, it lists in in 1957 as Other on the VA files.

If you look at the above image, in 1957 he has other duties, so I think he must have been a contractor or something with the military. Credit

Lists Louis as a Machinist mate 3rd class on the USS Rowan. Credit

The USS Rowan in November 1957 in Sydney. Credit

However, the file from the Navy shows him as doing other duties in the military (above newspaper clipping).

From New York to Nebraska

In 1958, Louis, Edith and family have moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. Why? Because he is  now working for the United States Air Force located there. However, they've moved around the area a bit. I'm not sure why, but you can find these out through various business directories.

The question I still have is he with other duties in the military or is he has he applied to be in the air force?

From Newburgh, NY Business directory showing us they've moved to Lincoln Nebraska

From Lincoln, Nebraska's business directory showing where they are living and working including USAF.

"The Air Base was a city in its own right (actually becoming later the 5th largest town in Nebraska). Everything from a barber shop to a credit union to a dental clinic made the base largely self-sustaining. Swimming pools, a gym, tennis courts, baseball fields and clubs soon made their presence felt as well. Bowling Lake was constructed in 1958 using (what has been ironically gestured by veterans as) volunteer time of airmen and officers. The lake was dug on the Northwest side of the base and was known for its fishing qualities and boating events.

Housing was short in Lincoln proper, and between 1956 and 1958 1,000 units of Air Force duplex, apartment and standard houses were built West of Northwest 48th Street. A school, Arnold Elementary was also built, even then operated by Lincoln Public Schools. Older children tended to go to school at Whittier Junior High and then Lincoln High School. It should be said that airmen also found homes inside of Lincoln, especially the Belmont neighborhood of Northwestern Lincoln.

From 1955 through 1964, a considerable number of accidents occurred at the base (but also nationwide), primarily with the B-47 jet bomber. Fatal crashes occurred near Ceresco and near Raymond during 1955 and 1956. Bowling Lake was named for Captain Russell Bowling who commanded a B-47 that careened off the runway at RAF Lakenheath in England and into a nuclear weapons bunker, nearly causing a nuclear incident. The Major Meeks incident was also a well known event in 1964. A JATO (Jet-Assisted Take-Off) bottle burst and crippled his B-47, then known as Captain Meeks made sure his crew was out of the bomber. Unfortunately, his ejection seat failed and he was the only casualty on board, thanks to him there were no others.

Throughout the 1950's Lincoln became a major Strategic Air Command base and a very powerful asset to American nuclear forces. Its B-47 complement would number above 100 at times before 1965 and news of missile deployment assured the area in 1958 that the base would be there long into the future. KC-97 tankers meanwhile stood a less famous mission but nonetheless made the B-47 medium bomber into a strategic one. The 20 aircraft of each squadron provided  support with its dual transport/refueling role. By 1959 an "Alert Force" concept came to dominate SAC's bomber operations in the face of the 1957 Sputnik incident and the now shortened warning time of a Soviet attack. Also in 1959, 2nd Air Force assumed jurisdiction over the base and the naming of several units would change from 1958 into 1962. Strategic missiles coming into the mix would cause institutional changes themselves. Lincoln Air Force Base would move into the 1960's a very large and strong strategic American air base." (credit)

As you can see from the description (above) the base was a very active and important during this time.

In 1967, Louis and Edith welcome a daughter, Debra, to the family.

From Nebraska to California

In 1968, Louis, Edith and their children are now living in California according to another business directory. Again, it lists Louis as working for the Air Force, which still does not answer the questions I asked above.

I do believe he was working on the Travis Air Force Base due to its location to where they were living.

"Assigned to the wing on January 8, 1966, the C-141-equipped 75th Military Airlift Squadron transitioned to the C-5 "Galaxy," becoming the Military Air Command's first operational squadron to fly the new transport aircraft. On February 6, 1972, the wing added a second C-5 squadron, when the 22nd Military Airlift Squadron activated at Travis." (credit)

Even though the above is almost two years prior to his moving to California, I think either he or his command was waiting until things settled with the first groups coming over before sending him and the family.

In February 1970, it has he has signed up again and this time its with the Air Force a per his Veteran's file which lasted until August 31 1974. This was at the time of the Vietnam War.

As you can see by the above Enlistment date 2, he has now joined the military again. Credit

Towards the end of the war, the base was a major player in return of many of the soldiers from North Vietnam. (Credit) As he was stationed there, he might have helped bring the soldiers home.

"While 1965 to 1970 saw more than 5 million personnel go forward from Travis, the following five years saw only a fraction of this number." (credit) And I think it was due to this, he could file his papers to leave the military.

I'm not sure on what he did after this point, but I don't think it was with the United States Military.

In the coming years, his son blessed him with a grandson, Vincent, but died when he was very young.

His daughter graduated from high school and married in California.

From this date, I don't have any further military attachment until the date of his death on December 7, 1995.

The Social Security Death Index showing Louis' death in 1995. Credit

I believe his wife Edith, and daughter Debra, still live in California. Their son, Louis lives in Nevada.