Veteran's Stories > WWII

In 2014 while the author was preparing a monograph about his father-in-law’s farming experience, the family mentioned that he had been held briefly as a POW in the weeks shortly after crossing Omaha Beach in June 1944. Regretfully that information – a brief, but significant, detail of his lengthy military service – was not shared until long after his death in 1986, so first-hand details were unavailable. If there was to be a more detailed story, the author was determined to pursue the details. In November 2019, while researching S/SGT John Edgar Scott’s unconfirmed appearance in the iconic June 1944 photo of soldiers climbing through the E-1 draw in Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach, the au ...

The 400th Bomb Squadron known as "The Black Pirates" of the famed 90th Heavy Bombardment Group, entered WWII in the Southwest Pacific in 1942. They were initially stationed at the infamous Iron Range in Australia from where they launched unescorted missions against the Imperial Japanese Military flying the B-24 Liberator Bomber. By March of 1943 the 400th Heavy Bomb Squadron relocated to New Guinea where they went on to make their mark in places like Wewak, Lae, Gasmata, and Rabaul. They decimated Japanese shipping and airdromes, eliminating large numbers of enemy aircraft, naval vessels, personnel and supplies. Beginning in mid 1944 the 400th Bomb Squadron along with the 319th, 320th an ...

During the 2nd World War thousands of postmen volunteered to help on the western front. From a small village in Vermont, one postmen sign ups together to do his bit for the country. Whilst delivering correspondence to his brothers in arms they witness firsthand the brutal condition of trench warfare. An attack on the Germans lines is imminent, Steve tries his hardest to make one last ditch effort to bond with his future father in law, Mills. Not only does Steve have to battle the grief of trench warfare but also battle for Mills’ approval for marriage. As front line prepares to attack. Final letters are given to the Postman to be delivered home. Can these letters from the trenches offer ...

The 319th Bomb Squadron of the 90th Bombardment Group known as The Jolly Rogers was a member of the 5th Army Air Force in WWII.They fought the Imperial Japanese military throughout the South West Pacific. The 90th Bombardment Group Heavy, was commanded by Lt. General George C. Kenney. The 319th Bombardment Squadron, nicknamed; Asterperious, is one of four bomb squadrons of the 90th Bombardment Group. This squadron made history in New Guinea from 1943 Through 1944 in many critical battle campaigns including Wewak, Biak Island, Rabaul and many more. This picture book originally published in 1944 provides readers with a snap shot of life on the front lines during those dangerous times in 19 ...

Orphaned by the age of 10, Jim Turner was left without a permanent home, bouncing between living with family members in Upstate SC and Transylvania County, NC until he was drafted into the US Army in 1943. He originally volunteered to be a paratrooper but instead found himself on the way to Walker Air Field after graduating parachute rigging school - to join the “Battle of Kansas” in preparation for the new untested B-29 Superfortress. There he became a Hellbird. Then it was off to India, where Jim did triple duty as a parachute rigger, runway inspector and volunteer tail gunner. After surviving a crash in Burma during a mission and almost starving to death, Jim and the rest of the Hellb ...

The story of Ervin F. Wangrow and his Thompson submachine gun clip loading device.

The Klickitat County War Memorial is located 12 miles south of Goldendale, WA overlooking the Columbia River. It is near Stonehenge. The names of Klickitat County men who died during World War II, and subsequent wars, are inscribed on the memorial. This book has brief historical comments of each war and a few words about each man.

A visual transcript taken from letters a soldier wrote during World War II. It charts his journey from Mondamin, Iowa to Europe and back. He goes from basic training to paragliding into the Battle of the Bulge. A first hand look at what it was like to be a soldier during WWII.

This is the true story of the military career of Andrew J. Adams Jr. who served in WWII, Korean War and Vietnam.

William F. Birdsall fought in WWII as part of Task Force Mars in central Asia. Born in rural Powell, PA he entered basic training a country boy ready to serve his country. This collection of his letters to and from home during WWII give us insight into his thoughts and experiences as he journeys through basic training, to war, and back.