As we pause to remember the men and women who have served in the Canadian or United States military, this gallery presents the names and photographs of veterans with roots in Great Lakes French-Canadian, Métis, and/or Native American/First Nations communities. This gallery is but a fraction of the thousands of our family members whose served during times of peace and war to keep our countries safe and strong.

Click on any image to enlarge and to begin a slide show. See the end of the gallery for more information on some of the veterans. Thank you to everyone who supplied photographs and memories of their family members and their own service. If you have an image you would like to add, please contact the editor of this journal through the contact page.

Oliver J. LaMere, Minneapolis, MN. b. 1912. 1st Lt. 85th Mtn. Infantry (HQ Div.), WWII, KIA near Bologna IT Friday April 20, 1945. Bronze Star for heroic action on Monte della Spe. Survived by wife Maxine. Courtesy of Dan Chouinard. Dennis Renaud Jr. US Navy. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Jerome (George) Wilson, WWII. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Roland Lawrence Eno, Cheboygan and Detroit, Michigan, US Navy WWII. Robert Jerome LaJoice, St. Ignace, Michigan, United States Army 1945 1948 Airborne Buck Sergeant, Post War Japan, Courtesy of Steve LaJoice. Medolph Paquette, Nadeau, Michigan, US Army, WWI. Courtesy of James Paquette. Medolph Paquette, Nadeau, Michigan, US Army, WWI. Courtesy of James Paquette. Medolph Paquette, Nadeau, Michigan, US Army, WWI. Courtesy of James Paquette. Robert Paquette, Quinnisec and Kingsford, Michigan, US Navy, WWII, Japan. Courtesy of James Paquette. Robert Paquette, Quinnisec and Kingsford, Michigan, US Navy, WWII, Japan. Courtesy of James Paquette. Robert Paquette, (center) Quinnisec and Kingsford, Michigan, US Navy, WWII, Japan. Courtesy of James Paquette. Joseph Bernia, Ida and Tower, Michigan, Spanish American War. Courtesy of James LaForest. Marc Bessette, Manitoba and Detroit, U.S. Army, World War II, Europe. Courtesy of Sue Pearson. Edward Bessette (Joseph Albanie Edward Bessette), Manitoba and Detroit, Sargeant, U.S. Army Armored Division (1st squad, E Company, 36th Infantry), World War II, Battle of the Bulge. Courtesy of Sue Pearson. Alphonse J. Garneau, WWI. Courtesy of Shelly Garno. Frederic Granville, Port Franks, Ontario and Detroit, MI. Coast Guard, WWII. Pascal Odette, Ecorse, Michigan, Civil War, KIA. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Veterans of the Battle of the River Raisin. Richard T. Renaud, Vietnam. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Joseph L. Derusha, WWII. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Robert Derusha Backie, USMC. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Henry/Hank Derusha. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud Lance Corporal Larry Renaud, USMC, WWII. Courtesy of Richard T. Renaud. Verne Delony, WWII, US Navy. Courtesy of James McPherson. Vernie Yax (left) Phillipines Insurrection. Courtesy of James McPherson. Arvid McPherson, US Air Force, WWII, POW Japan. Courtesy of James McPherson. James McPherson, US Marines, 1980s-90s. Courtesy of James McPherson. Elmer McPherson, US Army, WWII. Courtesy of James McPherson. James W McPherson, US Army Security Agency 1968 – 1970, Vietnam. Courtesy of James McPherson. Pte, Rheal Ducharme, 48th Highlanders Regiment, KIA Battle of Monte Cassino 1944. Courtesy of Denise Ducharme. Charles Peter Chene Sr., Spanish American War, Private, US Army. Courtesy of Judith Kukowski. Charles Peter Chene, Sr., Spanish American War, Private, US Army. Courtesy of Judith Kukowski. John Richard Gravelle, Two Harbors, Minnesota, US Army, Occupied Germany. Courtesy of Jeanne Gravelle Horn. Ovide Bastien, Anderon Twp/Auld, Ontario KIA 1945. Courtesy of Renard Roux. Private Roland Burdo Military Funeral, St. Francis Cemetery, Alverno, Michigan. Lyle Evoe, Battle of the Bulge, POW, with nephew Larry Evoe. Courtesy of Dawn Evoe-Danowski. Gerald LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Army. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Sgt Donald LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, Korea POW MIA KIA remains recovered in 2009 now buried on Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Raymond LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Army, Korea. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Joseph LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Army, WWII. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Jesse LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Army and Reserves. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Greg LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Army. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. Calvin LaForest, Bay City, Michigan, US Marines. Courtesy of Jesse LaForest. James LaForest, Tower, Michigan, USAF, Basic Training. Joseph Eugene LaForest, Tower, Michigan, US Army, WWII, Philippines, Japan. Courtesy of James LaForest. John LaForest, Tower, Michigan, US Coast Guard, Vietnam, with brother Jim and mother Beverly. Courtesy of James LaForest. Hector E. Poirier, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Army, WWII. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Walter L. Poirier, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Army, Vietnam. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. George L. Merchant, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Navy, WWII. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Gerald Bourdeau, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Navy. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Lawrence Lacross, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Navy, WWII. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Peter Gilmette, Onaway, Michigan, US Army, WWII. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. David B. Passeno, Cheboygan, Michigan, US Marine Corps, Korea. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Mitchell T Passeno, Clawson, Michigan, US Army. Courtesy of Marjorie Poirier Thibeault. Alphonse (Canadian Army), Maurice, Gerald, Francis, and Russell St. Pierre (RCAF), Windsor, Ontario WWII, Courtesy of Maureen Greff. Thomas Lozon Bushey, born 1897, WWI, Essex Highlanders. Courtesy of Denise Klarer. Bruce Reno of Detroit, 1922-2006. 65th Division, 565th Signal Corps, WWII. Served in France, Germany and Austria. Courtesy of Ruth Held. John Joseph Diotte, Wisconsin, Spanish American War. Courtesy of Jayne A. Hebert Achille Cadotte, Drummond Island, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Mackinac Island. US Army, 4th Minnesota and 17th Wisconsin Infantry, Civil War. Courtesy of Norm Powell http://www.normpowellphotography.com/ ©Norm Powell.

In addition to the veterans above, we honor:

Francis Beauregard, Civil War

David Bourdeau, WWI

Earl Evoe, WWI

Rob Evoe, US Navy

Larry Evoe, National Guard

Dennis Evoe, National GuardRussell Navarre, US Coast Guard

Jayne A. Hebert, US Army

Lawrence Hebert, WWI

Robert LaVigne, WWII

Albert LaForest, WWI

Anthony Jay LaForest, USAF

Joseph S. LaForest, US Army Reserve, Afghanistan

Joseph R. LaForest, Michigan National Guard

Mark LaForest, US Navy

Ronald Lee LaValley, U.S. Army Spc., 1966-68

Roy Joseph Navarre, WWII

Colonel Francis Navarre, War of 1812, River Raisin Militia

Robert French Navarre, War of 1812, River Raisin Militia

Ray Peltier, WWII

George Peltier, WWII

Cyprien Racine, Civil War

Lloyd (Rocheleau) Van Slembrouck, WWII

On Thomas Bushey, by his grandniece Denise Klarer:

“My grandmother’s brother, Thomas Lozon Bushey. He was nineteen years old when he joined the Essex Highlanders. He signed his attestation papers on September 16, 1916. Although the Highlanders wore kilts, he was of French Canadian descent! He parents were Isadore Bushey (Boucher) and Philomena Brabaw (Brabant).”

On Medolph Paquette, by his grandson Jim Paquette:

He was from Nadeau, Michigan–born September 22, 1897 of parents Athanase (Metis) & Marie Lorraine who had emigrated to Menominee County from Quebec Province in the 1880’s. Medolph served in the U.S. Army during WWI as a Private in Battery A 67th Field Artillery, enlisting in May of 1918. Because of his horsemanship skills and farming background, he was assigned to take care of the unit’s horses. He said that he loved his duty with the horses! He was a proud Metis warrior–honoring his heritage, his family, and his ancestors. Grandpa Med passed away on November 12, 1967 while getting our hunting camp ready for deer season. He was one of the greatest human beings I have ever known.”

On Robert Paquette, by his son Jim Paquette:

“Immediately upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17 to serve his country as a Navy Hospital Corpsman. He once said, “When I was going off to war, I decided that I was going to save lives, not take them.”

After several weeks of training with the Marines Corp at Camp Pendleton, he was assigned to the Amphibious Assault ship APA199 USS Magoffin where he served out the remainder of the war in the Asiatic/Pacific Campaign. On Easter Sunday morning, April 1, 1945, he “hit the beach” at Okinawa as a Hospital Corpsman 1st/class with the Marine 2nd Division when the combined U.S Marine, Army and Naval forces invaded the island. While saving the lives of wounded Marines and Okinawa civilians on the battlefield, he narrowly survived enemy sniper fire.

On the 7th day of this terrible and heroic battle, his ship was ordered to “weigh anchor” and leave for San Francisco to load up with more Marines and equipment. Escorting the Magoffin from Okinawa was the famed battle cruiser USS Indianapolis, which had been hit and damaged during the kamikaze attacks.

At the conclusion of the war, he remained with his ship “Maggie” transporting thousands of troops back stateside from the Pacific theater. During that time, he continued his service to his country by assisting returning battle weary Marines, including the famed ferocious warriors “Carlson’s Raiders.”

In May of 1946, after traveling over 90,000 miles, he was Honorably Discharged from the Navy as a Pharmacists Mate 2nd/class. That same month, he returned home to his family in Kingsford, vowing never ever again to travel far from the nearest trout stream. He made good on that vow.

Throughout his life, he spoke very little of his war-time experiences, once saying, “It was something that thousands of us just did, and that was just the way it was.” In his later years, he opened up more often, at times crying when he thought back, with his unselfish and caring heart, about the young wounded Marines he worked so hard to save so many years ago on the island of Okinawa.

My Father, like his Father, was very proud of his French-Canadian/Metis heritage, and he served his country during WWII to honor his family and his ancestors. My Father paddled away in his canoe from Negaunee, Michigan to join his ancestors and to once again be with his mom and dad on January 19 of this year, just shy of his 88th birthday. Someday, we will join them and laugh loudly together as we all tell old stories of this life…a life for which will be eternally thankful for.”