Thank You for Your Service

This book has grown out of a query from my grandson, Mark T. Holden, who was asked to bring a veteran to his elementary school to honor Veterans Day in November 2012. He asked his mother if he had a veteran that he could bring to school. His mother explained that there were many veterans on both sides of his family. His grandfather, Robert Poteete lived in Georgia, too far away to come to school in Rhode Island. His great grandfather, Edward L. Caughey, who had died, served in the Navy. Mark was very disappointed and felt left out. I asked if he could take photos of his great grandfather or grandfather or some memento such as a medal from the Spanish American War to school and would that count? The answer was: No. That answer started me on this project of researching and writing about the veterans in the Caughey family. This project also led me to ask my Caughey cousins to write about their fathers, daughters and sons who have served as sailors and soldiers over the years. What began as "my" project to help my grandson has become "our" project for the edification of all our grandchildren and perhaps, someday, their grandchildren.