Southwest

Texas man tracks down grandfather's WWII military jacket riddled with shrapnel holes

Published

15 seconds ago

August 9, 2024

A paramedic with the Houston Fire Department eager to learn more about his late grandfather’s military service had a stroke of luck after he began his research.

Mark Holmes of Pearland, Texas, told Fox News Digital that a simple Google search not only taught him about his paternal grandfather, William Watson Holmes, and his service to America, but it led him to a physical piece of history.

William Watson Holmes served as a Marine during World War II and was a Purple Heart recipient.

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“I had always kind of wondered what my grandpa did in the war. I talked to my dad about it a few times, and my dad, all he knew was one of the islands he went to, was called Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands. Beyond that, I didn’t know anything other than he got a Purple Heart,” Mark Holmes said, adding that when he was 3 months old, his grandfather died.

Mark Holmes, a Texas resident, was 3 months old when his grandfather, World War II veteran William Watson Holmes, died. (Mark Holmes)

As luck would have it, Mark Holmes came across a collector’s website, U.S. Militaria Forum. He signed up and shared his grandfather’s story on the page to connect with other users, and it appeared one collector had an interesting discovery to offer.

The collector, Austin Wideman, spent years collecting World War II memorabilia, having close to 40 named pieces in his Marine collection.

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Texas man finds grandfather's WWII uniform

Mark Holmes, a Texas resident, located his grandfather’s military jacket on a collector’s website. ( U.S. Militaria Forum)

Wideman posted photos of William Watson Holmes’ uniform jacket after purchasing the coat from a seller in Gloucester, Virginia.

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The tattered green jacket dons a “UNIS” mark on the back reading “322.”

Texas man finds grandfather's military uniform

Mark Holmes (left) stands beside Austin Wideman (right) displaying William Holmes’ military jacket. (Austin Wideman)

“UNIS marked items are my main focus with Marines. Marines would put these numbers on equipment so other Marines could tell which unit they were a part of. The number 322 tells me that William Holmes was [part] of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Division. By knowing that I was able to positively identify the uniform to William [Watson Holmes],” Wideman told Fox News Digital via email.

Mark Holmes and Wideman began conversing online, and the two men eventually met up in person.

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“William was wounded when a Japanese land mine blew up riddling him with shrapnel in the back. This is why the jacket has burn holes all throughout the back. William Holmes was taken back to [the] states where he underwent emergency surgery on his spine to remove the shrapnel,” Wideman said.

William Watson Holmes served in World War II as a Marine with Company E. Seen here is Holmes’ Marine identification card and the jacket he wore during combat. (Austin Wideman)

By chance, the hospital where William Watson Holmes was sent in Lee Hall, Virginia, was 30 minutes from where Wideman purchased the uniform.

Mark Holmes and his father, Randall Holmes, son of William Watson Holmes, flew to Missouri to meet up with Wideman to see the historic family piece himself.

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Mark Holmes tried on his grandfather’s jacket, which fit him well.

Mark Holmes of Texas was surprised to find that his grandfather’s military jacket fit him. (Austin Wideman)

Wideman said meeting Mark Holmes and his father, Randall Holmes, was a true honor.

“Watching Randall [Holmes] touch the jacket his dad was wounded in was extremely rewarding for me as a collector. We spoke about the jacket for hours and really enjoyed each other’s company. I’m already looking forward to seeing them again,” Wideman said.

Randall Holmes of Texas also joined the visit to Missouri to see his own father’s military jacket. (Austin Wideman)

Wideman shared the history of the jacket with the Holmes family while they revealed personal stories of what it was like growing up with the veteran and hearing his stories about the war.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

The Holmes family donated additional wartime pieces to Wideman so he could add them to his collection.

The Holmes family donated additional pieces to go along with the jacket to Wideman’s collection. (Austin Wideman)

In return, Wideman had a replica of William Watson Holmes’ jacket made for the family.

“My goal has always been to share history and to keep these stories alive. If anything were to happen, everything including the jacket will go back to family,” Wideman side.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Disney's D23 expo kicks off with high expectations, high stakes

Published

50 mins ago

August 9, 2024

Press Room

Disney's D23 expo kicks off with high expectations, high stakes

Disney fans and journalists from around the world this weekend will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland Resort, for D23, billed as “The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.”

The biennial event features the company’s biggest announcements of the year across its all divisions, including its theme parks and movie production, along with panels and other presentations.

KTLA consumer reporter David Lazarus says this D23 comes at a pivotal moment for the House of Mouse.

”First of all, it needs to rekindle heat for the Disney brand, which has been tarnished by box-office misses and rising theme-park prices,” says Lazarus. “The company needs to demonstrate to its most loyal customers that the magic is still there.”

After a series of box office misfires, including “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “The Marvels” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Disney’s film division has roared back with summer blockbusters “Inside Out 2” ($1.6 billion globally) and “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($900 million and counting).

This image released by 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios shows Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson, left, and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in a scene from “Deadpool & Wolverine.” (20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios via AP)

Upcoming releases include “Moana 2,” “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Captain America: Brave New World,” as well as a long-delayed “Snow White” reboot starring Rachel Zegler in the title role.

Disney, Lazarus believes, needs to demonstrate to both fans and shareholders that it can keep the momentum.

“It’s not enough to once again pin hopes on Robert Downey Jr., who is switching from hero to villain as he takes on the Doctor Doom character,” Lazarus says. “It’s an open question whether there’s a significant market for a live-action ‘Snow White’ or yet another ‘Avatar’ movie. And shareholders will be watching closely to see how Disney’s theatrical plans dovetail with the company’s Disney+ streaming service, which is finally profitable.”

On Friday, Disney (NYSE: DIS) was trading at $86 per share, less than half its all-time high of $200 in March 2021, when viewers flocked to the fledgling Disney+ platform during the height of the pandemic.

DisneylandForward

Fans anticipate big announcements about DisneylandForward, the $1.9 billion 10-year plan to bring new rides and lands to Disneyland Resort. The Anaheim City Council greenlit the project earlier this year.

One project revolves around a new area based on the Avatar film franchise. A similar Pandora-themed area opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida in May 2017.

“This is an announcement I am very confident will be made during the presentation,” says Gavin Doyle, Mickey Visit founder and bestselling author of “Disneyland Secrets.” “It is clear that [Iger] personally believes in that intellectual property and wants to have it featured prominently in the expansion, especially as they prepare to release even more Avatar movies.”

Fans await updates on a new ride in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure centered around Marvel Comics villain King Thanos. With Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary next year, additional announcements will potentially include how the resort plans to draw big crowds.

Details about the DisneylandForward expansion are expected to be revealed during D23’s Disney Experiences Showcase on Saturday evening.

Carly Neil with Wealth of Geeks via AP contributed to this report.

Los Angeles, Ca

This July was California's hottest month ever recorded

Published

8 hours ago

August 9, 2024

Press Room

This July was California's hottest month ever recorded

California residents don’t need math and data to tell them that this July was scorching hot, but the latest numbers may help paint a picture.

According to new figures from the National Centers for Environmental Information, this July was the hottest month ever recorded in the state of California by average temperature.

The average temperature in California was 81.7 degrees last month, marking the first time an entire month averaged a temperature that was more than 80 degrees. The average was seven degrees more than the typical July, according to the NCEI.

The NCEI data tracks back as far as 1895.

The new record surpassed the previous high of 79.8 degrees from July 2023. Each of the other top five hottest months in the history of the state was also in July — 2018, 1931 and 2006.

July was a month in which several California cities also set records for their heat. Palm Springs, tucked away in Riverside County’s desert, had its hottest all-time day on July 5 when it reached a scorching 124 degrees.

Needles, the Route 66 town nestled adjacent to the Arizona-California border, was the warmest city in the U.S. last month, surpassing Phoenix for the crown.

Southwest

Illegal immigrants on voter rolls spurs watchdog group to sue Maricopa County

Published

15 hours ago

August 9, 2024

Press Room

Illegal immigrants on voter rolls spurs watchdog group to sue Maricopa County

Conservative watchdog group America First Legal is suing an Arizona county for allegedly refusing to remove thousands of illegal immigrants from its voter rolls.

“America First Legal is leading the charge to keep illegal aliens from voting in 2024,” AFL president Stephen Miller said in a statement. “Maricopa County, in direct violation of state law, is refusing to remove illegal alien voters from the rolls. We are taking decisive action: suing Maricopa County for unlawfully permitting illegal aliens and foreign citizens to interfere in the 2024 election.”

The lawsuit, filed Monday night, which was on behalf of the nonprofit group Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona and Yvonne Cahill, a registered voter and naturalized citizen in Maricopa County, comes as AFL gave Maricopa County one week to address the alleged illegal immigrants on the voter roll.

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A voter casts a ballot at a secure ballot drop box at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix, Nov. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

In response, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, through his attorney, stated that he would not take any action and claimed his offfice is already complying with the law.

The lawsuit claims that, as of April 2024, over 35,000 registered voters in Arizona had not provided proof of citizenship, limiting them to voting only in federal races, according to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

The lawsuit alleges that Arizona’s voter registration system creates a split between those who provide proof of citizenship (DPOC) and those who do not. Under Arizona law, DPOC is required for state and local elections, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the federal voter registration form does not mandate this requirement. Consequently, Arizona has a bifurcated system where voters who use the federal form – known as Federal-Only Voters – are restricted to voting only in federal elections.

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election worker seen tampering with machine on surveillance camera

A temporary election worker was caught on footage allegedly taking security equipment from the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Arizona on June 20, 2024. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)

“The number of Federal-Only Voters in Maricopa County increases each month,” the lawsuit alleges.

In 2022, Arizona enacted two laws imposing stricter voter list maintenance requirements for Federal-Only Voters. These laws mandate that county recorders conduct monthly maintenance to verify citizenship and check newly registered Federal-Only Voters within ten days.

“Recorder Richer has failed to perform this required list maintenance,” the lawsuit claimed.

“The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office prioritizes and prides itself on maintaining accurate, up-to-date voter rolls,” a spokesperson for the county registrar told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“Under Recorder Stephen Richer, voter list maintenance has remained a top priority, removing more than 400,000 voters from the rolls since January 2021. As an administrative office, we will continue to follow the letter of the law,” the spokesperson said.

Since the 2020 election, Maricopa County has been at the center of controversies over election integrity and procedures. The county, a key battleground, has faced claims of widespread voter fraud, including allegations of improper ballot handling and voting machine malfunctions. However, most of these claims have been dismissed by courts and election officials.

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Maricopa voting machine on display at news conference

Bill Gates, chairman of the Maricopa Board of Supervisors, speaks about voting machine malfunctions at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center on Nov. 8, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. (John Moore/Getty Images)

In June, a temporary election worker in Maricopa County was captured on surveillance video allegedly stealing a “digital magnetic key” from a tabulation center, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. He had been arrested previously for allegedly removing a total of $1,800 in cash from the register while working as a cashier at a nearby grocery store, according to the documents.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

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