Capturing WWII Stories, One Veteran at a Time
Whew! The last couple of weeks have been fantastic with family home to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary. I’ve never regretted marrying John in 1980. He’s always been such a blessing to me and our children. ** Jay Wertz and I stand at our booth filled with WWII books we've authored. Another highlight was attending... Continue Reading →
Seaman Joseph Wojciechowski sits atop a military vehicle while at sea in S. Pacific. He wouldn't survive his mission. In tribute to the day on which we honor the sacrifices of 645,000 American men and women who have lost their lives in service to their country, I’m posting a story from my book, It Was... Continue Reading →
Joseph Wojciechowski sits atop a gun on a ship in WWII. April is designated as ‘The Month of the Military Child’. This is an important recognition for me, not because I’m a military child, but because it is one of the reasons I began writing World War II stories. When working as a reporter for... Continue Reading →
Dandi Daley Mackall's novel, With Love Wherever You Are, is based on her parents' love story. I first met Dandi Daley Mackall around 2003 at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in California. She taught a class on children’s writing. The thought of writing for children had never entered my mind, even though I had... Continue Reading →
Happy Father’s Day! Is it any wonder I love horses with this photo of me and Dad? It’s great to live in a country that honors its fathers. Here is one of my favorite photos of me with my dad as a little girl. I have always loved horses and I’m sure it was Dad’s... Continue Reading →
This is a story Mom, Joan Brewer, told me several years ago while sitting in my kitchen. I just about fell off my chair laughing. She and her friend Joyce were young girls when this all happened during the Great Depression. They stayed in contact for many years. Sadly, Joyce has since passed on. This past... Continue Reading →
Eileen McShane and her brother, William suffered hardships like most British people, during WWII. Today, in one of the Facebook groups I belong to that discusses the 1940s, people were asking what others were doing to show appreciation for VE Day. May 8, 1945 -- The date when the war in Europe was officially over... Continue Reading →
As a refugee, Johannes Klaffke was forced to leave many things behind, including the few childhood photos his family possessed. It's dreadful to experience war, but how much worse for children. Johannes Klaffke's entire story is told in It Was Our War Too: Youth in the Shadows of WWII While interviewing WWII vets over a... Continue Reading →
Upon being drafted into the U.S. Navy on August 5, 1943, Gareth Wiedekehr of Berne, Indiana, attended boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois. He received training for Morse code at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and graduated as a Radioman 3rd class, equivalent to a sergeant in the Army. At Naval Station... Continue Reading →
This story is part of the collection in my book, It Was Our War Too: Youth in the Shadows of WWII. It reminds us that war takes a toll on those left behind. Thanks to the vets and their families reading this. When 12-year-old Joan Wojciechowski arrived home from school in late October 1944, her... Continue Reading →
Writing of Kayleen Reusser 