Military Power

I'm quite curious as to families who seem to be drawn into military service. I know the Patton's have for generations and I recall that the Custer family have someone in the Army. Can anyone else offer famous families that have continued in military service to the present?

The Hood family had admirals in the RN every generation for 150 years or so.

The McCains maybe?

Maximus the Destroyer wrote:The McCains maybe?

I doubt if two people constitute a dynasty, and I am unaware of any serviceman preceding ADM McCain of WW2 (the candidates' dad).

CrazyCatman wrote:

Maximus the Destroyer wrote:The McCains maybe?

I doubt if two people constitute a dynasty, and I am unaware of any serviceman preceding ADM McCain of WW2 (the candidates' dad).

Actually, Admiral McCain of WWII was his Grandfather. Here is the Dynasty from what I can find...

William Alexander McCain (Private, Company I, 5th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry, Confederate States Army) (KIA)
John S. McCain, Sr. (US Navy Admiral) (grandson of the William Alexander McCain listed above)
Henry Pickney McCain (U.S. Army Major General) (Uncle of John S. McCain, Sr.)
William Alexander McCain (U.S. Army Brigadier General) (Brother of John S. McCain, Sr.)
John S. McCain, Jr. (US Navy Admiral) (Son of John S. McCain, Sr.)
John Sidney McCain III (US Navy captain) (POW) (Son of John S. McCain, Jr.)
John Sidney McCain IV (US Navy) (Son of John Sidney McCain III)
James Hensley McCain (USMC) (Son of John Sidney McCain III)

Now that is a dynasty. Another one would be the family of General Patton. I know that several relatives (directly descended) were soldiers, but I don't know the direct connection, just that they are listed as direct ancestors.

George Smith Patton, Jr. (Old Blood and Guts)
Hugh Mercer (ancestor) (General - American Revolution)
Waller T. Patton (Great Uncle of George Smith Patton, Jr.) (Died of wounds suffered from Pickett's Charge)
Hugh Weedon Mercer (ancestor) (General - CSA)
George Smith Patton (Brother of Waller T. Patton, grandfather of George Smith Patton, Jr.) (killed at the Third Battle of Winchester during the Valley Campaigns of 1864)
George William Patton (name changed to George Smith Patton) (Father of George Smith Patton, Jr.) (Graduate of Virginia Military Institute)
George Patton IV (son of George Smith Patton, Jr.) (Major General)

Not a big one from what I can tell, but here we go.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander Europe)
John Sheldon David Doud Eisenhower (son of Dwight D. Eisenhower) (brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve) (graduated from West Point on D-Day)
Dwight David Eisenhower II (son of John Sheldon David Doud Eisenhower) (Officer - US Navy - Vietnam)

I wonder if any of these dynasties intersect.

Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (United States Army General who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War)
Creighton Williams Abrams III (United States Army Brigadier General) (Son of Creighton Williams Abrams Jr.)
John Nelson Abrams (United States Army General) (Son of Creighton Williams Abrams Jr.)
Robert Bruce Abrams (United States Army Brigadier General) (Son of Creighton Williams Abrams Jr.)

Most US military dynasties peter out after two or three generations because the objective of most military fathers is that their sons not be required by circumstances to go into the family business.