...in 1975 I wore my pickle suit for the last time and picked up my DD-214 which automatically bestowed American citizenship on me.
Thanks for having me.
Thanks for having me.
On this day...
- Thread starter Rustyt1953
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Rusty—Were you some sort of mercenary or indentured servant? Serve in the military, get citizenship? Or perhaps working off a penal colony sentence, like Devils Island or Australia? Serve and we let you back in if you behave?
OP
Hillbilly press gangs.
Rusty, we're glad you came. You're an asset to the nation.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Rusty:
Are you summarizing for the sake of brevity or were the rules simpler in the old days? While service establishes eligibilty for naturalization, people I’ve known who became citizens this way still had to apply and go through the process; nothing was automatic (but those cases all occurred much later than 1975).
Glad to have you.
OP
I just talked to me mum.
I was born at Burtonwood AFB. When mom got me home she was told to register me with the local magistrate in Warrington. They filled out a British birth certificate on me. Pre induction my Brit birth certificate was not an issue as the Air Force said "sign here".
My day of separation, a Major handed me my discharge papers and a small American flag that he personally bought for me. He said: " you are now an official US citizen. Thank you".
I have always held my citizenship a little tighter to my chest as I feel I earned it by serving.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
My first D-I-L is a German Citizen and has been here 16 years and doesn't plan on Naturalizing. But, when it came time to get a green card, The State Dept. went and interviewed her at their off base apartment (to be sure it wasn't a sham marriage). She had her Green Card two days later. (she is happy being a Resident Alien) I have a Brit friend that never was granted one. His M-I-L was our pastor's wife, she was so upset that Chrissy had one so fast. My response was that if he was willing to Enlist in the US Army for 8 years, serve in combat, and pay his bills on time, then I'm sure The State Dept. could work something out!
Personally, I love immigrants to this land, I greatly enjoy if they choose to become Citizens! Refugees on the other hand (most Cubans excepted), don't do what it takes to make this place home, many refuse to adjust, even after 3 generations!. The Australians have Greeks from WWI, from my Aussie friends point of view; they won't assimilate, and they won't leave! They are "Professional Refugees".
Back to our friend Rusty. I'm very glad you are here! I never ask this personal of question before, so please don't get mad at me:
How long did it take you to start drinking your beer chilled?
Ivan
Personally, I love immigrants to this land, I greatly enjoy if they choose to become Citizens! Refugees on the other hand (most Cubans excepted), don't do what it takes to make this place home, many refuse to adjust, even after 3 generations!. The Australians have Greeks from WWI, from my Aussie friends point of view; they won't assimilate, and they won't leave! They are "Professional Refugees".
Back to our friend Rusty. I'm very glad you are here! I never ask this personal of question before, so please don't get mad at me:
How long did it take you to start drinking your beer chilled?
Ivan
OP
My first summer in the Florida pan handle.
(I never really viewed temperature as an obstacle.)
My mom still has a green card and UK and Swiss citizenship. Asked her about that recently (she’s always been outspoken about American politics) and she said “well arjay,you can’t have three” It’s a mystery lol
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
The Brit's loss is our gain. Your definitely one of the crown's jewels. 
Wasn't familiar with your birthplace, RAF Burtonwood, before. Seems to have been a critical facility, and the largest and busiest airfield in Europe during the war, assembling and repairing aircraft.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rynguVjPB10[/ame]
Wasn't familiar with your birthplace, RAF Burtonwood, before. Seems to have been a critical facility, and the largest and busiest airfield in Europe during the war, assembling and repairing aircraft.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rynguVjPB10[/ame]
OP
Dad served from 1944 till 1966. He was most proud of his many missions as a Candy Bomber.
And with that declaration Rusty I must thank you for your service.
Many, I'll say it again Many haven't done as much for this nation that they call home.
God bless you!
terry
Doug M.
Member
My dad came here from Canada with his parents but was not naturalized until early in WW2. His unit was prepping to deploy and apparently at that time a non-citizen could not deploy. He was given the paperwork and an order; 3 weeks later he was a citizen. Oddly enough ... much of the war his unit was attached to a British unit with which he could have served directly without having become a US citizen.
It was a different time, with different needs. His whole unit was drafted together as technicians. His basic training was 4 weeks, after which he was a Corporal.
It was a different time, with different needs. His whole unit was drafted together as technicians. His basic training was 4 weeks, after which he was a Corporal.
The wife came here as a teenager with her parents. Her parents are naturalized citizens, but for some reason she has not chosen to become a citizen. She's very outspoken politically and very conservative. I told her she needs to become a citizen so she can vote, but so far she's happy just being a permanent resident.
Berlin airlift?
I had a Canadian cousin who somehow (I’m still researching) became part of an American aircrew. They were all lost in 41. The newspaper articles at the time had the plane going in off of the west coast of the US,but I’ve found other information of them going in off of the east coast of Africa. Baffling
OP
Yep. He spent a lot of time in the back of a C-47.
From wiki: "The C-47s and C-54s together flew over 92,000,000 miles (148,000,000 km) in the process, almost the distance from Earth to the Sun. At the height of the Airlift, one plane reached West Berlin every thirty seconds."
That was an amazing operation
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Since neither the UK nor Switzerland seem to have a problem with her dual, she probably could
The US does not care how many other citizenships you have.
If you hold more than one, the State Department does warn you that they will not be able to help you with things that fall under the other country’s jurisdiction, like a military draft.
The rules vary in different countries. Naturalizing from Germany, I had to file a petition beforehand to keep my German citizenship, which I did for various legal reasons relating to my family’s affairs. Otherwise I would have lost German citizenship automatically upon taking my American oath.
