Capturing Military Stories One Veteran at a Time
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 →
Happy 4th of July! This day means so much to the American public. It is the day we celebrate our country’s freedoms – and they are many! I learn to appreciate them more each year. These photos came to me courtesy of World War II veteran Mark Flanagan. It always reminds me of how all... Continue Reading →
As part of my effort to recognize Flag Day in the USA, I’m posting photos I’ve taken or which veterans/ friends have provided me of the American flag. I hope these will cause you to post a flag around where you live and if you are an American, that you will feel proud to... Continue Reading →
People from my church have been sharing Bible verses to help them through this challenging time with the Corona Virus. A friend said Psalm 91 was especially helpful to her. That prompted me to pull out this story I wrote several years ago about that psalm after a medic from Desert Storm told me how... Continue Reading →
As a continuation of March as Women’s History Month today I’m featuring Marceil Saalfrank Harris. During World War II, Marceil enlisted as a member of the WAVES, which is an acronym for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. It was the women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. Of the 16 million people... Continue Reading →
As March is Women’s History Month, I’m delighted to present the story of a woman I met to interview for my latest book, It Was Our War Too: Youth in the Shadows of WWII. Shortly after graduating from college in Paris during World War II, Marie Vance volunteered to join the French Resistance fighters. She... Continue Reading →
We have reached 75 years since the last year of WWII in 1945. Several significant occurrences happened in 1945. I’ll talk about some of them, beginning with the battle of Iwo Jima, an island in the Pacific from Feb 19-March 26. This story is an excerpt from my book, They Did It for Honor: Stories... Continue Reading →
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today on the day that is celebrated for loving relationships, I will share examples of love that existed and thrived during World War II. All of these story excerpts are relayed in greater detail in my book, We Fought to Win: American World War II Veterans Share Their Stories. Buy it here... Continue Reading →
In honor of African American History Month this February, I pay tribute to the struggles and achievements of the people and events that have shaped our nation. Today I share the story of Vaughan Whitworth of Los Angeles, California. Whitworth fought as part of the 4th Marine Division, 7th fleet, 51st and 52nd Battalion in... Continue Reading →
This post honors the World War II veterans I’ve interviewed who were deceased in 2019. Each death is a great loss for our nation. For those included in books I’ve published the titles are included. Thanks to all of these men and women who served our country in its time of great need. Photos follow... Continue Reading →
