World War II Veterans : Stories Just Waiting to be Told

Stories From the World War II Battlefield series, by Jennifer Holik
as featured on www.ancestorstuff.com

Do you know a veteran that just might have some stories to share?  I bet you do. But some might think that no one is interested in their war stories.  It could be a good project for you to sit and talk with that veteran.  Ensure that person that you are indeed interested in their experiences.  It could be very hard to put into words just what they may have experienced.  It might bring back memories that they had tried so hard to put away.   Need some advice or guidance on just how to help this veteran to tell their story?

Jennifer Holik, researcher, educator, speaker and publisher, has put together a series of books to help with telling the story of your veteran, whether they are still living, or have past away.  She walks you through the necessary steps to take in retrieval of information to finally put that veteran's story on paper.

The Stories of the World War II Battlefield series focuses on each of the U.S. Armed Forces.  Records can be found in various places.  If your veteran has a DD214, otherwise know as paper of separation, that is a good place to start.  It gives a nice synopsis of the veteran's time in service, serial service number, places of draft or enlistment, metals and honors awarded, training, ranks, and, of course, date and place of their release from the military.  If the veteran died while in service, they will have a whole file listing most of what the DD214 has, but includes date, time and place of death, including the causes and circumstances of the death.  

There are so many other places to find more information about your veteran or deceased service member.  The U.S. Army had morning reports....the U.S. Navy had ship logs....and there are so many more records to comb through to get the most complete story.

If you are interested in getting further involved with this type of project, I highly recommend Jennifer's books.  She will be a featured speaker at the FGS 2016 Conference in Springfield, Illinois from August 31- September 3.

Additionally, Jennifer will be the featured writer at the AncestorStuff.com exhibit table number 516 at the FGS Conference in Springfield, IL. She will be available to market her books and answer any research questions. See more conference information here www.fgsconference.org

Can't be at the conference?  You can purchase Jennifer's books from the AncestorStuff.com website at a discount, and enjoy her expertise on this most important subject. www.ancestorstuff.com/jennifer-holik/

Interested in a family project?  How about leaning to research the military service of a family member  that has passed away.  Make copies of it for family members.  Those who might never have met their grandparent, great grandparent, or other relative might enjoy having such a memorial book about their relative.  Learning about family that have passed on gives  some a window to the past, and a sense of pride in who they are descended from.  What a nice gift for someone.  

To learn more about Jennifer Holik and her experiences, educational programs, speaking logs and other information, visit her website http://wwiiresearchandwritingcenter.com/

The Names of the Gray Granite Marker

Every year, the month of June marks the anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Europe during World War II.  An epic day, indeed.  But, there were so many other battles and skirmishes in other parts of the world during that war.  Soldiers lost their lives serving in the armed forces of many countries.

I found a book that fits in with my blog topic of "Fallen Acorns".

A Grassroots History of World War II: Eight Men in Granite - Richard J. Staats, 2008.

www.heritagebooks.com, available for sale through www.ancestorstuff.com

In front of the Randolph, Ohio town hall, the names of eight men are engraved on a gray granite marker.  These men paid the ultimate price...the supreme sacrifice....they gave their lives while serving our nation during World War II.

Robert E. Francisco, Henry B. Wise, George Reisinger, Robert H. Hillard, Elmer L. Leech, William H. Bettes, George M. Buzek, and Donald A. Dibble.

The author, Richard J. Statts, decided it was time to find out who these men were and what were their circumstances that ended their lives during the lifetimes of the greatest generation. Through a somewhat lengthy search of service records, unit roles and other records mentioned in this book, many photos, v mails and letters were donated to help with the gathering of each man's story.  Mr. Statts uncovers the personal stories of these men.  Two were lost at sea.  Only one of the soldier's remains were returned home. These were not close buddies, but all came from the same rural community that held deep and close family bonds.  

In a time when we so often forget about why we have this nation of freedoms and opportunities, we truly have a need to read and learn about those who gave their lives so that we can continue to live in our nation with every right to pursue a wonderful life for ourselves.

I highly suggest that if you don't have a person in your life who can tell you about their life in the military service, at least read about how one person researched the lives of these eight servicemen. Learn about what they were asked to do during a time in their lives when, I am sure, they would have rather stayed home and continued their lives in their hometown.