The Fourth Infantry Division

One of the famous divisions of the United States Military is the 4th Infantry Division which was organized at Camp Greene, North Carolina on the 10th of December 1917 under the command of MG George H Cameron. The distinctive insignia of the 4th Infantry Division which is the four ivy leaves came from the Roman Numerals for four which is (IV) and signified their motto “Steadfast and Loyal”. It was because of the the Declaration of War in 1917 which became known as the Great War or World War One that the division was organized and consisted of two brigades the 7th and 8th, which in turn consisted of the 39th and 47th Infantry Regiment and the 58th and 59th Infantry Regiment. The total strenght of the division was about 32,000 a formidable size .

Training was very tough for the division initially during the harsh winters of North Carolina and were assisted by the French and British to prepare for war in Europe in 1918. They were moved from North Carolina to Camp Mills in New Jersey and Camp Merritt in New York for deployment to Europe to engage the enemy in France with their Britished issued Lee Enfield Rifles which they found not as good as their Springfields which they preferred and were reissued with. Throughtout 1918 they fought the Germans on the fields of France and Belgium where they sufferd severe casualties. The armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918 thus ending the war.

American troops were to relocate to the west of the Rhine river and the 4th Infantry Division sailed back to the United States on the 31th of July 1919 and was inactivated at Camp Lewis, Washington in 1921. World War Two broke out in 1940 and the and the Fourth Infantry Division was reactivated and foun itself training at Fort Benninng, Georgia with the 2nd Armored getting ready for mor involvement in Europe. They sailed to England in January 1944 and landed in Liverpool. From there the went to Tiverton and set up their headquarters while a lot of the division stayed around the villages of Devonshire.

The 4th Infantry Division was involved in the following operations;

Operation Tiger in April and May 1944 getting ready for D-Day landings at Normandy.

Operation Cobra from the 24th of July to the 18th of August 1944.

The Hurtgen Forest Campaign in November 1944.

The Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

Vietnam in 1966 to 1970.

Operation Iraqi Freedom from January 2003 and remains there as a Military Force at the time of this post.

Click HERE  to order your Customized Air Force Ring.

Anyone who has been using the internet even for a short time
no doubt knows just how much information is available online.

With thousands of new web pages and blogs
coming online every single day, the amount of information available online just continues to grow at an astounding pace.

There are of course a great many types of records available on the internet, including many Air Force records and other military records.

Many families who are tracing family trees and building family histories are using these Air Force records to establish a living history that they can share with their children and grandchildren. This kind of living history will become more and more important, as so many veterans from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam are lost forever. The Air Force Rings and Air Force Records records available on the internet are a great way for those with stories to tell to pass those stories on to later generations, so that they may develop an appreciation for the sacrifices they made in the name of freedom.

Air Force records are also of particular importance to historians, and these records have long been used by many museums to build interactive learning tools for young visitors. These Air Force records can help to bring history alive in a way that few other exhibits can, and along with authentic uniforms and artifacts, Air Force records have formed the centerpiece of many permanent and traveling exhibits.

Many people have also used these Air Force records as an aid to forming military reunions. Just as with high school and college reunions, these reunions of Air Force personnel can be a great chance to kick back, relax and talk about days gone by. Before all that can take place, however, someone needs to organize the reunion, and find all those veterans.

As anyone who has ever tried to plan a reunion can attest, this can be a daunting task to say the least. After all, it is likely to have been a long time since everyone was discharged, and everyone will of course have gone their own way. This of course means that everyone will have scattered across the country or even across the world. Tracking everyone down and finding current phone numbers and addresses can be quite a challenge for even the most devoted reunion organizer.

Fortunately Air Force records make the job of finding everyone and notifying them of the upcoming festivities a lot easier. Many reunion organizers have used these Air Force records to create invitation lists for very successful Air Force reunions.

Of course there are more serious uses for military records as well, including the verification of the many benefits to which Air Force and other military veterans are entitled. From schooling benefits to burial expenses, Air Force records are needed to verify eligibility for a number of different benefits.

Employers also routinely use Air Force records to verify the military service claims made by job applicants. Fortunately for those employers, it is much easier to verify those military service claims now that so many Air Force records have been placed online for easy access.

Click Here to order your Customized Military Ring.

Searching for Military Rings and Military Records on the Internet

There have been a great many innovations in the world in recent years, but perhaps none has been as important to the world of research and record searches as the internet.  Searches for birth certificates, marriage records and military records that used to take days or weeks can now often be accomplished in a matter of hours or even minutes.  The ready availability of so much data has made many aspects of our lives a lot easier, and the amount of information available on the internet is only expected to grow in the future.

One of the most powerful uses of the internet is that of a research tool, and the internet can be used to find military jewelry such as military rings and military records much more easily than in the past.  While in the past finding military records often required multiple phone calls and follow up letters, and days or weeks of waiting, these days much of those military records have been placed online, where they are available to researchers, reunion planners and others who need to access such information.

These military records are invaluable, of course, to those individuals whose job it is to plan military reunions.  Just like high school and college reunions, military reunions can be a lot of fun, and a great way for everyone to reminisce about days gone by.  Rounding up all those old service members, many of whom have been scattered around the country since they were first discharged, can be quite a difficult task, however.

That is where military records come in.  A careful search of military records can help reunion organizers find those old veterans much more easily.  This in turn can help the reunion be much more successful, as more of the original service members will be able to get together and remember the old days.

Military rings and records are often used to compile family histories as well.  As many of us decide to trace our roots and finally compile that family tree, these military records can be a huge help.  Some of us may remember an old uncle, for instance, who used to tell World War II stories, but with the passage of time the details are likely to have faded.  By searching military records, it is possible to find not only when each relative served his or her country but exactly where and when they saw action.  These military history stories can be fascinating, and they are a great way for people to keep the past alive for their children and grandchildren.

In addition to these uses, military records are often used to verify eligibility for the many benefits to which veterans are entitled.  From schooling and housing to health care benefits, military records are important in verifying the benefits to which a particular veteran may be entitled.  In addition, military records are often used to verify the military service claims made by job applicants, and many human resources directors have become quite good at locating even the most obscure and hard to find military records.

The family name Wallace can be found in Ireland, Scotland and England, and is of course local in origin. which means that the name was derived from the local area or native land of the original bearer.

In Ireland the name can be traced to the Old Norman term “Le Waleis” meaning “The Welshman” and when the Normans invaded Ireland in 1170 many of them settled in Ireland and adaptedto the Gaelic way of life, and their laguage was absorbed into Irish. They were very muched welcomed by the Irish for their inovative ideas and they developed the economy with emphasis on community life and self sufficiency.

People who emigrated from Wales  and other parts of the Empire and settled in Ireland were usually known as “Le Waleis”, as it was common practice in Medieval Ireland to identify a man with the area from which he hailed and to refer to him in this manner, this forms part of the history.

Early records of the name in the annals of Ulster a David Walleis is registered in there in 1435. John Wallace wed Elizabeth Moore on the 10th of November 1657 at the church of St John in Dublin, and the wedding of Robert Wallace and Janet McIlwain took place on the 24th of JUne 1769 at St Anne’s Churbh in Belfast. Michael Wallace and Anne Mangan, was born on 1 June 1864 in Lettermore, Co.Galway.

The Wallace Coat of Arms is: Gules, a Lion rampant argent, within a bordure azure. The colour gules(red) denotes Magnanimity and Military Fortitude. Argent(white) signifies Peace and Sincerity, the lion represents Strenght, Courage and Majesty. Azure(blue) represents Truth and Loyalty.

Crest: Out of a ducal coronet or, an Ostrich’s head and neck proper.

Family Motto: Sperandum Est. (It is to be hoped).

Click HERE to ORDER YOUR FAMILY NAME FAMILY CREST RING. 

Desc: Masonic swords makes a wonderful addition to your personal collection. Masonic swords includes a metal blade with a sculpted brass or bronze finished handle, hilt and pommel with Masonic symbols carved on it.  

Masonic swords makes a wonderful addition to your personal collection. Throughout the history, sword has become the symbol of truth, justice, equality. The beautiful Masonic swords of this age are patterned after the swords of 18-19^th century. General feature of a Masonic sword includes a metal blade with a sculpted brass or bronze finished handle, hilt and pommel with Masonic symbols carved on it. The cover of the sword is made up of brass having Masonic artworks on it.  

You will find a number of stores that are dealing with Masonic swords. The thing you need to make sure of while purchasing a Masonic sword of your choice is the authenticity. We are a noted International Gift Dealer of souvenirs including some items of fantasy like collectible swords.

There are many variations of Masonic swords differing in their style and price. We have a wide collection of Masonic swords that can adorn your house and add to your elegance. The sword has always been the symbol of status. The emblems created on the swords form different meanings. The square on a Masonic sword symbolizes earth and the people, honor, dignity. Similarly there are compasses, and other geometrical shapes inscribed on the sword to give meanings. The beautifully designed Masonic sword collections are appreciated for the details of the intricate designs.

Click here to purchase your Masonic Sword. 

To order any crest ring click on picture! 

The name was derived from the forename of the original bearer’s father and is patronymic in origin.

The noted scholar MacLysaght indicates that the history of the surname Crinnion and its variants Crinion, Crinian and Crinnin are all anglicizations of the Gaelic name “Mac Crionain”

which denotes the son of “Crionain” which is taken from an old Irish word “crion” meaning tired, worn out or old.

The surname Crinnion was originally applied to one who was getting on in years and possibly endured many military campaigns. From the Plantation Period of the seventeenth century, the officials of the English government and various landlords were unwilling to accept Irish forms of names, and this is the reason you will find many of the old Irish names translated into “English”.

Scotland the name Crinnion can be found where it shares the same etymology as its Irish counterpart.

In the

county ofMeath the “MacCrionain” sept can be found, and in the surrounding counties of  Kilkenny and Laois between Castlecomer and Abbeyleix the O’Crionain sept can be found.

Records:Records relating to the name arriving in the “new world” include a Thomas Crinnion who arrived in Philadelphia in 1834, while Martin Crinnion and Julia Crinnion booked passage to New York on board the “Peter-Hattrick” with their children James Crinnion, Catherine Crinnion, Julia Ann Crinnion and Martin Crinnion in July of 1948. 

Motto:“Subito” in  Latin  meaning “Suddenly” in English. 

A Heron’s head erased sable, guttee d’or, in the beak gules a fish argent.

Smith Family Motto: ‘Steadfast and Loyal’  Latin: Lenax et Fidelis

Smith Family History:

The ancient surname of Smith is originall from Europe and like many other European names was registered in medieval documents that mention noble names that migrated from Europe during the Norman invasion of 1066.

In 1086 William the Conqueror introduced the record of the great Inquistion known as the Domesday Book, and documented owenership of lands of England to their extent value and liabilities. Some of the other ancient documents that survived were the Assize Rolls, the Inquisitio and the Ragman Rolls.

The name Smith itself meas “Blacksmith” and the name was common to every village and townsland in Ireland (the shield and crest shown in the first picture), England (the shield shown in the second picture), Scotland and Wales as it was a popular tradition to use the name of their occupation of blacksmiths and armourers. The Smiths would make shoes for the horses and were fantastic and forging weapons the would also work with other metals such as gold and silver, hence the references to silver and goldsmiths.

In England a Phillip le Smithe, County of Huntingdonshire, was registered in the ‘Hundred Rolls’ in the year 1273 and in the year 1379 a Willemus Smyght was registered in the’Poll Tax’ of West Riding of Yorkshire. In Scotland, Smith is on record since 1199 when one Robert the Smith is listed as a witness to a charter by John, bishop of Dunkeld. In Ireland Faelan Mac an Ghabhann is mentioned as one of the scribes of the book Ui Maine in 1394. On further research we find a reference of this name in Germany in 1257 when a Herr Conrad Faber (Latin fo Smith) was living in Hemmingen.

Click Here to order your Smith Family Crest Ring

Gilligan Family Crest and Coat of Arms: Hand with Sword.

Gilligan Family Motto: Semper Fidelis meaning ” Always Faithful”

Gilligan Family History: The Ancient surname of Gilligan is of European origin and like many of the European family names in countries such as France and England were formed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Many of these European names were registered in medieval documents that mention noble families and also mention migration from the continent during and in the wake of the Norman Invasion of 1066.

This mighty family surname had its own territory in the 16th and 17th centuries and was known as MacGilligan’s Country and MaGilligan strand in the northern part of the Island of Ireland and these areas are still marked on the maps today.

In an important despatch in 1608 it was noted that the Macgilligans were one of the three septs of County Coleraine under the O’Cahans the others being O’Mullane and MacCluskey. Around the middle of the 17th century the prefix ‘Mac’ had mostly being dropped and in the 16th century the parish of Tamlaght Ard, in County Derry was known as Ard MacGilligan.

Modern History.

In modern Ireland the name is very popular in the midlands where it is recorded that a Martin Gilligan along with his wife Catherine (nee Catherine Grehan) farms the “GreenHills” farm in Mountrath, County Laois , Ireland.  Here they raised their family of fifteen children: Matin P. Gilligan, Daniel Anthony Gilligan, Aidan Gilligan, John Gilligan, Francis Gilligan, Margaret Gilligan, Anne Gilligan, Claire Gilligan, Joan Gilligan, Majella Gilligan, Gabrielle Gilligan, Angela Gilligan, Carmel Gilligan, Frances Gilligan, Mary Gilligan.

His son Martin P.Gilligan is a businessman who, along with his son Ian Gilligan (b.20th Feb 1983) maufactures kitchens through his company Leinster Woodcraft Limited also in County Laois . His daughter Jenna Gilligan (b.2nd May 1984) is a Qualified Financial Adviser in her native County of Laois, Ireland.

Daniel Anthony Gilligan ( aka Tony Gilligan) from County Laois, Ireland, is the founder of the global online shopping business “Society Gifts” based in Ireland and Chicago. He has three sons Daniel, Jason , Jack, and two daughters  Aine, and Sarah. Click HERE to go to Society Gifts for great value in Car Rentals, Travel Deals, Hotel Bookings and Online Shopping.

Caroline Gilligan owns and operates Gilligan’s Isle Travel in Toronto, Canada.

Aidan Gilligan manages and runs A.Gilligan Builders based in Ireland. Click HERE to go to A.Gilligan Builders obtain a competetive quotation on any of your building requirments.

Pauric and Sean Gilligan are recorded as two of the finest butchers in the County of Laois, Ireland.

The late John Gilligan who resided in Toronto, Canada was one of the pioneers of the travel business between Canada and Europe and also was born in County Laois, Ireland, the same John Gilligan ran the famous Maple Leaf Ballroom on St Clair Avenue, Toronto, Canada (and also founded Gilligan’s Isle Travel now run by his daughter Caroline).

Oliver Gilligan, born in County Laois, where he resided until he moved to London, England.  Upon arrival in England, Oliver tried his hand in Construction and even joined his brothers for a short while at the Ford Motor Company.  He returned to Laois, albeit for a brief stay, when he was called upon by his brother John to join him in Toronto, Ontario.  There he remained for the next few years furthering a career in construction and pursuing his athletic interests in both Hurling and Gaelic Football.  It was these pursuits that permitted him to travel further, across the provinces, down to the United States and ultimately around the world. 
 
On one particular trip to Detroit, MI, he met and corresponded with Bernadette, who would later become his wife.  Together they relocated to start their new life in New York, NY, where they would grow their family with six children: Martin; Francis; Erin; Kevin; Sean; and Patrick.  All (for Patrick) are married and have produced 11 grandchildren.  They remained in New York, moving throughout the Bronx to the suburbs of Westchester, including New Rochelle and Somers; until they decided to retire to Wilmington, NC.
 
Both Oliver and Bernadette remain devoted to each other, their family and their community.  Each are involved with St. Mark’s Parish, the Knights of Columbus & Columbettes, and the Senior Center of Wilmington.  Both remain active in the Senior Games, bringing home several medals each year; while Oliver plays, captains and coaches several Tennis teams, Bernadette remains active in Bowling and Water Aerobics.
Variants of the name are: O’Gilligan, O’Gillan, Gilla

To order your Family Crest Ring click HERE

Click on picture for more information

Windsor Family Crest is a: Unicorn’s Head erased or charged with an annulet between four crosses crosslet azure.

Windsor Family Coat of Arms is: Per saltire, azure and or, two cinquefoils in fess and three cross crosslets in chief and as many in base counterchanged.

Windsor Family Motto: I change only when I die. Je ne change qu’en mourant.

Windsor Family Name History: The earliest records of the surname of Windsor dates as far back as the eleventh century. Around 1066 a Godfrey de Windelsor is to be found in the Liber Wintoniensis and it shows he reside in Hampshire. Griffith Evan and Ann Winsor in 1605 got married in ST. Mary Aldermary and also in 1794 Joseph Winsor bethrothed Mary Miller. Variants of the above name are of course Windser, Winser and Winsor. Justin Winsor who lived from 1831 to 1897 the American Librarian and Historian was a notable bearer of the name Winsor.

The name itself is to be found in many records in England in the counties of Devon, Hampshire and Dorset. and it indicates that the name possibly originated from people who lived near a riverbank or from a village. The famous castle along the Thames belonging to the Royal Family is called Windsor Castle and a must for any tourist visiting the United Kingdom.

Click for more information on Family Crests!