[Stately military music]

Michael Hellquist: I knew I wanted to be military from a young age. I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Angela Fitzgerald: Michael Hellquist grew up in a military family, along with a sense of honor and tradition.

Michael Hellquist: My grandfather is probably my biggest inspiration.

How’s it going, Gramps?

George Swenson: Just wonderful.

Michael Hellquist: It actually started with the American Legion. I was a kid, and any time he’d have a Legion meeting to go to, a function, I’d go with.

George Swenson: What?

Michael Hellquist: You’re the longest-serving legionnaire in the state of Wisconsin.

George Swenson: You’re kidding. I didn’t know that.

[Gavel banging]

Angela Fitzgerald: Grandfather and grandson still share time together at the American Legion in Kenosha.

Michael Hellquist: So this is probably one of my favorite pictures of my grandpa. That was just this past Army Navy game.

Angela Fitzgerald: Michael is on a mission to piece together his family’s history in the armed forces.

Robert Hellquist: You know, I got that hat.

Michael Hellquist: Yeah, I’d like to put it on display at some point.

Robert Hellquist: Yeah.

Angela Fitzgerald: On this day, he shares the collection of military memorabilia with his dad.

Michael Hellquist: Grandpa’s original dog tag from Korea. Your dog tag and then my dog tag. You got my uncle, Les, and cousin, Verle. He was in Korea and Vietnam.

Angela Fitzgerald: During the pandemic, Michael started tracing his family’s story.

Robert Hellquist: I think on his mother’s side, how far back he got. ‘Cause he got back into the 1700s.

Michael Hellquist: There’s eight generations of military in my family that I’ve been able to trace from the Revolutionary War until Iraq and Afghanistan.

Angela Fitzgerald: This Iraq War veteran has made some fascinating discoveries that make his family unique.

Michael Hellquist: Every story is unbelievable. James Buchanan, the 15th president of the United States, is my fourth or fifth great-uncle. He’s not the greatest president in the world, considered the father of the American Civil War, but it’s exciting for me to be able to trace that lineage, that I am related to a U.S. president. To my knowledge, I have three relatives that fought in the Revolutionary War. Like General Samuel Sloan from the Massachusetts militia. He was also at the Battle of Ticonderoga. He’s my sixth great-grandfather, so that is great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather.

[Pause]

To England. I’m sure we have relatives that fought for the English. I don’t have links on them yet.

[Pause]

Key word is “yet.” I will find them.

Angela Fitzgerald: Now, it is Grandpa George who is finding inspiration from Michael.

Michael Hellquist: My tattoo. This is my grandfather’s Aunt Madeline. She was a nurse in the nurse corps for World War II.

George Swenson: That boy has done tremendous work in getting all this stuff together.

[Pause]

Angela Fitzgerald: So this is what I’ve been able to come up with for your dad, is his Certificate of Military Service. He served from March of 1918 until January of 1919.

George Swenson: And I’m very proud of what he’s put together, you know. I practically raised that boy.

[Voice breaks]

Can’t help it.

[Pause]

I’m proud of him with what he has turned out to be. He’s as good as gold. So I’m very proud of you.

Michael Hellquist: I’m proud of you too, Grandpa.

[Chuckles]

Well, there’s nobody like him.

[Michael laughs]

Angela Fitzgerald: One veteran sharing his story has resulted in nearly 1,000 new family stories.

Michael Hellquist: It was daunting, but I have 997 people on my ancestry family tree right now.

Robert Hellquist: Yeah, it’s amazing. I can’t believe some of the things he’s got over there. From his grandmother’s side, his mother’s side, and my side.

[Pause]

Proud of you, son.

Michael Hellquist: Thank you. So…

Robert Hellquist: Yeah.

Angela Fitzgerald: The quest to find more stories continues, and Michael’s military pride will be preserved for generations to come.

Michael Hellquist: I don’t know why, what drives me. I think it’s my passion because I’m a veteran, my grandfather’s a veteran, my father’s a veteran. I’m very proud of my family. What’s your serial number, Grandpa?

George Swenson: 1392117.

Michael Hellquist: It’s a humbling experience, it’s exciting. It’s cool to just be able to say I have all of this history in my family.

[Rousing music]