We commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day sharing the deeply moving story of Second Lieutenant William Joseph McGowan. The life of this young pilot ended on D-Day. In 2019, his remains were located in a field in France by a team from Nova Scotia and then delivered to a lab in Omaha where he was finally identified after 75 years, missing in action.

Emily Paulson, a former family history intern at Ancestry, now contributes her expertise as a contractor with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). The mission of the DPAA is to “provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing military personnel to their families and the nation.” There are more than 81,000 military personnel from World War II through the Gulf War still missing - nearly 72,000 of those from World War II alone. Emily shares details about the massive, ongoing efforts to bring closure to families and honor the memories of those who paid the ultimate price.

There is a heavy toll for the enduring hope for peace.

DPAA Service Casualty Office

_______________________________________________

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

When an unexpected email unearthed irreplaceable family heirlooms, it reminded me that people—including our own relatives—are often not quite what they seem.

My grandpa’s youngest sister, Aunt Madeleine, was always a bit of an enigma within our family—emotionally distant and reserved. More than once she said things that left us all a little stunned. Yet, certain discoveries suggest that perhaps family mattered to her more than I ever realized.

Family treasures not only tell stories; sometimes, the paths these treasures take are stories in themselves. Do you have a silent treasure keeper in your family? Join me as we explore the hidden depths and unexpected legacies that shape our family narratives.

_______________________________________________

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.

Serena never spoke of her life before she married into the Hochhauser family. They knew she was from Eastern Europe and based on her age and the timing of her immigration, they knew she had suffered through the events of the Holocaust and survived. But, how she did so was a story that was never told.

Nearly two decades after Serena’s death a set of historical records from the Red Cross International Tracing Service became more widely available and by piecing together several records from that collection and connecting them to immigration and citizenship records on Ancestry, a story emerged that shocked her family.

My guest, Howard Hochhauser, has been the Chief Financial Officer at Ancestry since 2009. Join me as we explore his journey into his grandmother’s past and how knowing her story has changed their family narrative.

_______________________________________________

Please rate and review this podcast and then share it with your family and friends.

For ideas on how to connect more deeply with your family through family stories, follow Crista on Instagram @CristaCowan.