Happy Memorial Day to everyone in the United States!
I'd like to thank everyone who has served our country in any capacity, but especially those in the armed services. It takes a special person to stand in harms way to defend our country and our values, and I am grateful for their service.
I am especially proud of my Dad, Martin Hill, who is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and served his country for 30 years as an officer in the United States Navy.
I am also very proud of my father-in-law, Henry Tesluk, who served in World War II as an army doctor attached to the 1777th Construction Engineers in France, the Philippines, and in occupied Japan after the war.
To help tell the story of Henry's war-time experiences, I've created an interactive Google map, which is built around the travelogue that his unit produced. Each icon on the map links to a place on their journey and contains Henry's personal photos, notes from the travelogue, as well as vintage WWII films from youtube. I put this together so his grandchildren could understand what he went through during the war in a more personal way.
View Henry Tesluk's WWII adventures in a larger map
It's always a good idea to examine your data through different lenses, and Google maps are a good tool to help you see your ancestors geographically. Another great resource is Treelines, which provides an elegant way of presenting the stories that may be revealed within our research.
