Capturing WWII Stories, One Veteran at a Time
Jim Wiegman witnessed the Japanese surrender aboard the USS New Mexico. On September 2, 1945, 19-year-old James Charles Wiegman was one of the few American sailors who had a bird’s eye view of the most important military events in world history. Wiegman of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was at sea aboard the battleship, USS New Mexico,... Continue Reading →
Leo Scheer served as a naval corpsman (medic) at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 Since interviewing 260 World War II veterans over the past 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with several who were part of that momentous military plan. Leo Scheer’s story has always fascinated me. I met Leo early in... Continue Reading →
I’m delighted to feature a guest host today. Joy Neal Kidney is the author of Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II. She is the oldest granddaughter of the book’s heroine, Leora Wilson. It is about a family who had five sons in the military during... Continue Reading →
'Journey to Royal' is a new, exciting docudrama that highlights the peril of flight crew members during WWII. Have you seen the new docudrama ‘Journey to Royal’ that was released on Amazon in February? It includes stories of World War II veterans involved in rescues (or their families in some cases). While the film highlights... Continue Reading →
This month is full of great reasons to honor people. First, it is Women’s History Month. Each week I’m posting about four interesting World War II females who volunteered to serve our country. Each branch of the American military recognizes Medal of Honor recipients. Coast Guard and Marines observe the Navy cross. Today is NATIONAL... Continue Reading →
Polly Smith volunteered for the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during WWII to help her country. This story is taken from my new book, We Defended Freedom: Adventures of WWII Veterans. Thanks to all of our vets for your service to our country. Pauline ‘Polly’ Babbitt was a student at Nevada High School... Continue Reading →
Bill Ingram was 17 years old when he survived the sinking of the USS Houston in the Java Sea on Feb. 28, 1942 -- only to be captured by Japanese forces. The following is an excerpt from my new book, Captured: Stories of American World War II Prisoners of War: On February 28, 1942, William... Continue Reading →
Sam Hayward served aboard the USS Yorktown during WWII. To provide role models of brave Americans I’m introducing weekly World War II Veteran Moments. Each week I’ll present one veteran who served this country during war and the book where his/her story is profiled. Thanks to every veteran reading this for your service! Name: Sam... Continue Reading →
Bill Sawyer, an Army medic in the Aleutians during WWII, and my husband, John -- Air Force vet -- bonded during #Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana in 2016. Each January I honor World War II veterans with stories in my books who lost their lives the previous year. This particular list is significant because these... Continue Reading →
This is the first of a 3-part series of excerpted stories about the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor that occurred on December 7, 1941. They are all stories from people I’ve interviewed. Their stories are published in the books listed. ** Charlotte Butterfield Schnieders lived in Honolulu as a preschooler when the Japanese bombed Pearl... Continue Reading →
