December 8, 2021 marked the 80th anniversary of the United States' formal entry into World War II. Remarkably, in 1941, there were veterans of the Civil War still living in Seattle. One of the last that remained was Daniel A. Reams, a veteran of the 75th Illinois Infantry, who had been wounded 4 times in combat during the Civil War. By the time of his death in October 1943, just days shy of his 97th birthday, he proudly had 12 great-grandchildren serving in the United States military in second World War. Among Reams’ descendants who enlisted were great-grandsons Kenneth and James Finney, West Seattle High School graduates and Boeing employees who served in the Navy and great-granddaughter Catherine Henry, who was an officer in the Womens' Army Corps. The Finneys and pictured below along with the wonderful photo of Miss Henry giving her medal-wearing great-grandfather a kiss on the cheek at a joint birthday celebration for the two of them just prior to her departure for training.
Miss Catherine Henry gives her great-grandfather, Civil War veteran Daniel Reams, a kiss as they celebrated their birthdays together in 1942. Just days after this image was taken, she left for WAC training in Des Moines IA.
Daniel Reams' great-grandsons, Ken and James Finney served in the Navy in World War II