| George E. Brosius, Jr. |
Yes, that picture you clicked on was me, held high with pride, by my
momma back in 1945. Little did anyone know back then how this life of
mine would unfold. As I write this today I am not sure I remember all the
details to just how I have come to still be here in 2011. I am either
fortunate or unfortunate not to remember a great deal of my years
between then and now. The past to me is fuzzy at best so as we travel
forward in time I will do my best to include the detail that I remember.
Throughout what follows will be links to other areas of writing and
pictures throughout this web-site that you can access to gather further
detail if desired and it will be easy to return to this page. Just click on
the link if you want more detail. Then X out to return.
momma back in 1945. Little did anyone know back then how this life of
mine would unfold. As I write this today I am not sure I remember all the
details to just how I have come to still be here in 2011. I am either
fortunate or unfortunate not to remember a great deal of my years
between then and now. The past to me is fuzzy at best so as we travel
forward in time I will do my best to include the detail that I remember.
Throughout what follows will be links to other areas of writing and
pictures throughout this web-site that you can access to gather further
detail if desired and it will be easy to return to this page. Just click on
the link if you want more detail. Then X out to return.
This ride through life's memories is to
be about me and so I will not dwell
much on those around me but I would
certainly be remiss if I did not speak a
bit about my mom and dad, after all
their marriage is why I exist in the first
place. Pictured below are a few
treasures I have from the 1940's era.
be about me and so I will not dwell
much on those around me but I would
certainly be remiss if I did not speak a
bit about my mom and dad, after all
their marriage is why I exist in the first
place. Pictured below are a few
treasures I have from the 1940's era.
P-38 Lightning
Lt.George E Brosius
Betty Lou Moellering and George E Brosius met under the most unusual of
circumstances. Betty from a small Iowa farming community (Garnavillo, IA),
and George from Rife Colorado statistically should have never met, but
WW I I was in full swing. My mom was attending a small College in Iowa and
my dad having completed some preparatory work toward becoming a pilot at
Mesa College in Grand Junction Colorado and already enlisted, had been
sent to this College in Iowa for some specialty course work, by the U. S.
Army. The Rest has been played out in many war related movies over the
years. Guys going off to War, Gals falling in love with a dapper man in
uniform, and after a brief courtship families from far across the country are
introduced to each other as their offspring are united in marriage.
circumstances. Betty from a small Iowa farming community (Garnavillo, IA),
and George from Rife Colorado statistically should have never met, but
WW I I was in full swing. My mom was attending a small College in Iowa and
my dad having completed some preparatory work toward becoming a pilot at
Mesa College in Grand Junction Colorado and already enlisted, had been
sent to this College in Iowa for some specialty course work, by the U. S.
Army. The Rest has been played out in many war related movies over the
years. Guys going off to War, Gals falling in love with a dapper man in
uniform, and after a brief courtship families from far across the country are
introduced to each other as their offspring are united in marriage.
"War is Hell", and lives are forever changed and that it was for my mom and me.
Lt. George E Brosius, (Ellery) as he was called by most, was declared missing on a
mission with his P-38 near the Sangihe Islands in the Pacific Theater on the 5th of June
1945. I was born March 16th 1945 and thus slightly less than 3 months old at the time of
his death. What follows is as I remember it from my mom telling me or sharing with me
documentation that she saved. I will include some of the pertinent documentation here
and one can get a sense of what it must have been like back in the day. Please note that
all pictures and documentation are thumbnails and can be increased in size simply by
clicking on them.
Lt. George E Brosius, (Ellery) as he was called by most, was declared missing on a
mission with his P-38 near the Sangihe Islands in the Pacific Theater on the 5th of June
1945. I was born March 16th 1945 and thus slightly less than 3 months old at the time of
his death. What follows is as I remember it from my mom telling me or sharing with me
documentation that she saved. I will include some of the pertinent documentation here
and one can get a sense of what it must have been like back in the day. Please note that
all pictures and documentation are thumbnails and can be increased in size simply by
clicking on them.
I do remember my mom talking about details of the knock on the
door and a man in uniform coming to inform her of my dads
demise, and a zillion other details over the years. There was his
military service trunk sent home with his personal effects stashed
inside that was kept for me and I am sure there was much
disappointment in my mom that I refused to open it or look inside.
(as a side note---I did look inside and inspect the contents very
late in life, in fact I believe I was in my late 50's.) There were
letters between my mom and dad saved for me and tons of scrap
book memorabelia that I have never had a desire to read or
research. I suppose some around me or my mom for that matter
were troubled by that but I just simply chose to accept things as
they were and not what others might have thought they should be.
Would it have made a difference in my life if I had read in detail all
the information that was there? I tend to think not. I am comforted
by the fact that my dad knew I had been born. There was enough
time for him to say OK to my mom wanting to name me after him
and in his wisdom his only request was that I not be called Jr. but
rather the nick name "Buddy" would be to his liking And so it was,
Buddy Brosius throughout my entire young life.
door and a man in uniform coming to inform her of my dads
demise, and a zillion other details over the years. There was his
military service trunk sent home with his personal effects stashed
inside that was kept for me and I am sure there was much
disappointment in my mom that I refused to open it or look inside.
(as a side note---I did look inside and inspect the contents very
late in life, in fact I believe I was in my late 50's.) There were
letters between my mom and dad saved for me and tons of scrap
book memorabelia that I have never had a desire to read or
research. I suppose some around me or my mom for that matter
were troubled by that but I just simply chose to accept things as
they were and not what others might have thought they should be.
Would it have made a difference in my life if I had read in detail all
the information that was there? I tend to think not. I am comforted
by the fact that my dad knew I had been born. There was enough
time for him to say OK to my mom wanting to name me after him
and in his wisdom his only request was that I not be called Jr. but
rather the nick name "Buddy" would be to his liking And so it was,
Buddy Brosius throughout my entire young life.
As mentioned earlier memory of my early years has virtually vanished and even in my mid life
years I had very little recollection of my early youth. I would guess that most of the toddler,
tween and early teen years were pretty normal. My mom re-married after a few years. I have
a wonderful sister and brother that I have always cared deeply about. There were some rough
years for me back then as that marriage was rocky from the start and went down hill from
there. Me being somewhat the outsider (not biological to all), caused some problems and I
spent a great deal of my early years being raised by my maternal grandparents, Arthur and
Lucy Moellering. I had a favorite uncle, my mothers brother, living in the community and over
the years he (Art Moellering, Jr.) had a great deal of influence on my life.
years I had very little recollection of my early youth. I would guess that most of the toddler,
tween and early teen years were pretty normal. My mom re-married after a few years. I have
a wonderful sister and brother that I have always cared deeply about. There were some rough
years for me back then as that marriage was rocky from the start and went down hill from
there. Me being somewhat the outsider (not biological to all), caused some problems and I
spent a great deal of my early years being raised by my maternal grandparents, Arthur and
Lucy Moellering. I had a favorite uncle, my mothers brother, living in the community and over
the years he (Art Moellering, Jr.) had a great deal of influence on my life.
Art Moellering, Jr. My Uncle and Friend
Lucy and Art Moellering at their 45th in
1969. My Grandma and Grandpa
1969. My Grandma and Grandpa
Sister Barb
Brother Bruce
High School was typical I suppose. My mom now divorced and raising three kids worked hard at her jobs to
support us. Her primary and only focus in life was to provide for us, give us anything and everything we
wanted. I did work odd jobs during my high school days and managed to buy myself a car. It was a 1956
Chev hardtop. I would wax and polish that thing until you would think the paint was going to come off it and
then cruise the streets hoping all the chics would check me out. Since I lived in a very small town I didn't
burn a lot of .28 cent per gallon gas, but then there weren't a lot of chics available either. I eventually
branched out to neighboring towns and the pickin's got better.
Basketball for me was the highlight of HS. I was a varsity starting forward and our team was pretty
respectable, making the sub-State tournaments and loosing out both junior and senior years to the big city
schools. My second interest at that time of course were the cheerleaders, and one in particular caught my
eye. More on that later.
support us. Her primary and only focus in life was to provide for us, give us anything and everything we
wanted. I did work odd jobs during my high school days and managed to buy myself a car. It was a 1956
Chev hardtop. I would wax and polish that thing until you would think the paint was going to come off it and
then cruise the streets hoping all the chics would check me out. Since I lived in a very small town I didn't
burn a lot of .28 cent per gallon gas, but then there weren't a lot of chics available either. I eventually
branched out to neighboring towns and the pickin's got better.
Basketball for me was the highlight of HS. I was a varsity starting forward and our team was pretty
respectable, making the sub-State tournaments and loosing out both junior and senior years to the big city
schools. My second interest at that time of course were the cheerleaders, and one in particular caught my
eye. More on that later.
I started smoking pretty regular at about age 15 and
participating in sports, especially basketball was for sure a
no---no. Our coach was a stickler for the rules and I know
he suspected me of smoking but could never prove it and I
tended to get away with it-----until.
It was in my junior year, practice was always after school
every night and one particular evening after practice let
out I headed for my car. We were in the midst of a blizzard
type snow storm and after scraping the windows clean I
jumped in and the first order of business was to retrieve
that pack of cigs from under the seat and light up. I went
about a half block and pulled up to a stop sign. Suddenly
my passenger door opened and in jumped the
coach----wanting a ride home. Now caught in the act I
really payed the price. I remember being kicked off the
team but was forced to attend practice. As my former
team mates worked out getting ready for games I was
made to run zillions of laps around that gym. This went on
for some time before I finally got back on the team. Even
back then I defied the rules and continued to smoke.
participating in sports, especially basketball was for sure a
no---no. Our coach was a stickler for the rules and I know
he suspected me of smoking but could never prove it and I
tended to get away with it-----until.
It was in my junior year, practice was always after school
every night and one particular evening after practice let
out I headed for my car. We were in the midst of a blizzard
type snow storm and after scraping the windows clean I
jumped in and the first order of business was to retrieve
that pack of cigs from under the seat and light up. I went
about a half block and pulled up to a stop sign. Suddenly
my passenger door opened and in jumped the
coach----wanting a ride home. Now caught in the act I
really payed the price. I remember being kicked off the
team but was forced to attend practice. As my former
team mates worked out getting ready for games I was
made to run zillions of laps around that gym. This went on
for some time before I finally got back on the team. Even
back then I defied the rules and continued to smoke.
cheerleaders---guess who?
Kathleen and I (Seniors)
Senior Prom
After graduating from HS I was fortunate to be able to use my deceased dads GI benefits for continued learning and off I
went to Minneapolis to enroll in a Medical Technology Program. The program was 18 months in length and on graduation it
would allow you enough expertise to work in a small town hospital doing urine tests and a few simple blood tests. Upon
graduating one soon learned that most hospitals of any size wanted nothing to do with you or your qualifications. While at
this school however I got a little exposure to X-ray Technology and began to explore its possibilities. A room mate of mine
and I enrolled in the X-ray Technology program at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. This would be a two year
program and upon completion one would have a pretty good career. I did graduate and just before the graduation day that
cheer leader and I got married and with anticipation of a good job for me and Kathleen getting a job as a teller in a
Minneapolis Bank we were on our way to make a life for ourselves.
went to Minneapolis to enroll in a Medical Technology Program. The program was 18 months in length and on graduation it
would allow you enough expertise to work in a small town hospital doing urine tests and a few simple blood tests. Upon
graduating one soon learned that most hospitals of any size wanted nothing to do with you or your qualifications. While at
this school however I got a little exposure to X-ray Technology and began to explore its possibilities. A room mate of mine
and I enrolled in the X-ray Technology program at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. This would be a two year
program and upon completion one would have a pretty good career. I did graduate and just before the graduation day that
cheer leader and I got married and with anticipation of a good job for me and Kathleen getting a job as a teller in a
Minneapolis Bank we were on our way to make a life for ourselves.
I grew quickly as a Technologist in
demand for these new programs and
wanting to start a family Kathleen and I
accepted a position at Gundersen
Clinic in La Crosse Wisc. Where I
would be in charge of the X-ray portion
of the Cardiac Cath Program there. I
also rose quickly through the political
ranks of the professional society and
since I have a page already devoted to
some of my accomplishments I invite
you to click on the link below if
interested.
demand for these new programs and
wanting to start a family Kathleen and I
accepted a position at Gundersen
Clinic in La Crosse Wisc. Where I
would be in charge of the X-ray portion
of the Cardiac Cath Program there. I
also rose quickly through the political
ranks of the professional society and
since I have a page already devoted to
some of my accomplishments I invite
you to click on the link below if
interested.
| Buddy Brosius Graduate X-Ray Technologist from University of Minnesota Hospitals, Minneapolis, Minnesota. |
click here
Mr and Mrs George E Brosius, Sr.
I went on to have a pretty unique
career in X-ray. Cardiac Catheter
Studies to rule out artery blockage in
the heart was being pioneered by the
likes of Dr. Amplatz at the University
and during my training I requested and
was granted special training by him to
add as somewhat of a sub-specialty to
my degree. Upon graduation I was
being sought by several hospitals to
help form their programs. He when
asked by Dr's visiting and watching his
technique if he knew anyone who
could help set up their program, would
always refer them to me. Back in that
time I could pretty much write my ticket
for what job I wanted and I did.
career in X-ray. Cardiac Catheter
Studies to rule out artery blockage in
the heart was being pioneered by the
likes of Dr. Amplatz at the University
and during my training I requested and
was granted special training by him to
add as somewhat of a sub-specialty to
my degree. Upon graduation I was
being sought by several hospitals to
help form their programs. He when
asked by Dr's visiting and watching his
technique if he knew anyone who
could help set up their program, would
always refer them to me. Back in that
time I could pretty much write my ticket
for what job I wanted and I did.
