Forgotten Heroes of World War II: Personal Accounts of Ordinary Soldiers--Land, Sea, and Air

by Thomas E. Simmons

World War II was the defining event of the twentieth century. For everyone it was a time of confusion, fear, destruction, and death on a scale never before seen. Much has been written of the generals, campaigns, and battles of the war, but it was young, ordinary American kids who held our freedom in their hands as they fought for liberty across the globe. Forgotten Heroes of World War II offers a personal understanding of what was demanded of these young heroes through the stories of rank-and-file individuals who served in the navy, marines, army, air corps, and merchant marine in all theaters of the war. Their tales are told without pretense or apology. At the time, each thought himself no different from those around him, for they were all young, scared, and miserable. They were the ordinary, the extraordinary--the forgotten.

326 pages, ebook

Published November 6, 2014

Reviews

[Jeanie Loiacono · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor and privilege to meet three of the men in this book: Oscar Russell, Harry Bell and Jerry O'Keefe at the book launch in Biloxi, Mississippi in November. I felt like I was hugging my dad. He, too, was a WWII vet, William H. Collins, but he died at age 69. Reading this book, I realized how much time I wasted and how I should have listened to him more. Harry Bell was a POW in a Nazi camp and swore to keep his men alive until they were rescued. He did just that, saluting the commander as they rolled in with the tanks, "All men here and accounted for, sir." Brings tears to my eyes. Oscar Russell served in both the European and Pacific theaters. Amazing man! Jerry O'Keefe is a living legend in Biloxi. What an incredible pilot and honorable man.

All the men and women who ever served are heroes, and so are their families. I salute them all.
— Jeanie Loiacono