Florida in the Spanish-American War
Part of the Military series
Florida began as a Spanish colony, with governing headquarters in Havana, Cuba. It is fitting, then, that the state played such a large role in the Spanish-American War. As a base of training and combat operations, Florida's involvement was crucial to the war effort. Join trusted historians Joe Knetsch and Nick Wynne as they log a fascinating chapter in Florida's history--a time when Roosevelt's Rough Riders prepared for battle at Tampa bases, when battleships departed from south Florida ports to avenge the sunken USS Maine and when a nation looked to the Sunshine State to help unite America around a common cause, even as the nation still struggled to come to terms with the Civil War and Reconstruction.
New Mexico in the Mexican-American War
Part of the Military series
Establishing New Mexico as a U.S. territory was anything but bloodless. The Mexican-American War brought ferocious battles, brutal sieges, guerrilla warfare and scorched earth tactics. More than three hundred Mexican and American forces were killed or wounded in a single battle near Santa Fe. During the Taos Revolt, Governor Charles Bent was scalped and murdered in his home, and American forces fired cannons into a church where Pueblos and Mexicans sought refuge. Soldiers destroyed entire villages like Los Valles, killing or forcing residents to flee. Author Ray John de Aragón recounts these and other dramatic stories behind the birth of the Land of Enchantment.
Paducah and the Civil War
Part of the Military series
Despite Kentucky's aim to keep a neutral position in the Civil War and Paducah's Confederate tendencies, the Union captured the town soon after Confederate troops occupied Columbus. As a result, the Tennessee River and the Cumberland River became permeable entry points for infiltrating farther south and maintaining supply lines deep into Confederate states. That strategic advantage was halted when Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest invaded the town during the Battle of Paducah. Ultimately, a combination of guerrilla warfare tactics and General Eleazer Paine's Reign of Terror contributed to the Union's final victory over Paducah. Historian John Cashon recounts the tumultuous struggle for Paducah during the War Between the States.
World War I Oklahoma
Part of the Military series
Oklahoma in the Great War. On April 6, 1917, the United States entered World War I. As the country prepared for war, the state of Oklahoma answered the call. Thousands of men, including Native Americans who did not have American citizenship, entered the service prepared to sacrifice their lives while men and women on the home-front dedicated themselves to supporting the war effort. Like many other states, Oklahoma was hampered by overzealous Councils of Defense and the devastating Flu Epidemic, overcame those challenges to provide a unified front. Author illuminates the fascinating history of the state by bringing together little-known stories from all over Oklahoma.
World War II Richmond, Virginia
Part of the Military series
The effects of the war raging across Europe were visible in Richmond as early as 1939, and Richmonders are always ready to fight for their cause. In that year, the city saw its first parking meters on the streets and began to collect aluminum scrap for use in war industries. In 1940, pursuant to the new draft law, Richmond's sons between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five registered for the draft. While bomb shelters were put up all over the town, dances were held to maintain local morale. Even as local German families faced discrimination, Richmonders strived for a sense of unity and solidarity. Author and historian Walter Griggs Jr. revives this conflicted spirit, memorializing the sorrow and celebrating the triumphs of a resilient southern city through world war.
Central Coast Aviators in World War II
Part of the Military series
During World War II, thousands of volunteer combat aviators trained at places like Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and Hancock Field in Santa Maria. Some air cadets and WASPs--young women pilots--lost their lives in training accidents. The graduates would go on to fight in both the Pacific and European theaters. They faced flak bursts and collisions that resulted in horrifying explosions and were sent on strafing runs that made them targets in a lethal shooting gallery. Downed airmen encountered both unexpected kindness and cruel deprivation as prisoners of war. Through interviews and official records, Jim Gregory tells the stories of heroic Central Coast veterans who fought a war that stretched from New Guinea to North Africa.
New Haven in World War I
by Laura A. Macaluso, Ph. D.
Part of the Military series
During World War I, New Haven was a hive of wartime activity. The city hummed with munition production from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, while food conservation campaigns, canning kitchens and book drives contributed to the war effort. Meanwhile, Walter Camp, father of American football, whipped recruits and city residents into shape with his fitness programs. The Knights of Columbus were also busy preparing their "Everyone Welcome! Everything Free!" huts. And one hero-a brown-and-white dog, Sergeant Stubby-first made his appearance at Camp Yale, home of the 102nd Regiment of the Yankee Division. Using library and museum collections, author Laura A. Macaluso demonstrates how the Elm City contributed its time and money, men and women and one special dog to the first global war of the twentieth century.
Denville in World War II
Part of the Military series
The bucolic small-town life of Denville in the 1940s would change forever with the outbreak of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the town mobilized, creating the Denville Local Defense Council, designating air wardens to watch the skies and establishing air raid sirens. Schoolchildren gathered around home radios to learn if there were enough supplies to heat the school, and families learned to live within the confines of a ration book. The Denville Salvage Committee proclaimed "Bomb 'em with Junk!" as it collected waste goods for the war effort. Hundreds of Denville men served valiantly in all theaters of the war, some earning prestigious military accolades and many tragically never returning. Author Peter Zablocki covers the history of World War II Denville, including interviews with members of the town's "Greatest Generation."
New Jersey and the Medal of Honor
A History
Part of the Military series
Awarded by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor commemorates those who have shaped our nation's history and continue to inspire its future with their acts of valor, humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice.
New Jersey has been credited with ninety-three honors in the state's military history. Robert Augustus Sweeney was the recipient of two non-combatant medals when he jumped into stormy waters to save a fellow sailor twice becoming one of only nineteen double Medal of Honor recipients of all time and the only African American to do so. On the infamous day of December 7, 1941, Peter Tomich, serving on the USS Utah, sprung to action when it became evident his ship would capsize from the two Japanese torpedoes, staying behind to man the fireroom to ensure the boilers were secured to prevent an internal fire and saving countless additional deaths.
Author Peter Zablocki reveals the harrowing stories of New Jersey's most valorous moments in the defense of our nation and freedom around the world.
New Haven in World War I
Part of the Military series
During World War I, New Haven was a hive of wartime activity. The city hummed with munition production from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, while food conservation campaigns, canning kitchens and book drives contributed to the war effort. Meanwhile, Walter Camp, father of American football, whipped recruits and city residents into shape with his fitness programs. The Knights of Columbus were also busy preparing their "Everyone Welcome! Everything Free!" huts. And one hero--a brown-and-white dog, Sergeant Stubby--first made his appearance at Camp Yale, home of the 102nd Regiment of the Yankee Division. Using library and museum collections, author Laura A. Macaluso demonstrates how the Elm City contributed its time and money, men and women and one special dog to the first global war of the twentieth century.
Denville in World War II
Part of the Military series
The bucolic small-town life of Denville in the 1940s would change forever with the outbreak of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the town mobilized, creating the Denville Local Defense Council, designating air wardens to watch the skies and establishing air raid sirens. Schoolchildren gathered around home radios to learn if there were enough supplies to heat the school, and families learned to live within the confines of a ration book. The Denville Salvage Committee proclaimed "Bomb 'em with Junk!" as it collected waste goods for the war effort. Hundreds of Denville men served valiantly in all theaters of the war, some earning prestigious military accolades and many tragically never returning. Author Peter Zablocki covers the history of World War II Denville, including interviews with members of the town's "Greatest Generation."
Maryland in the French & Indian War
Part of the Military series
It is true, Maryland did not... contribute its proportion, but it was, in my opinion, the fault of the Government, and not of the people. ~Benjamin Franklin During the French and Indian War the American colonies contributed to the imperial war effort like never before, Maryland included. Maryland's involvement in the war saw colonial governor Horatio Sharpe and the elected delegates of the Lower House in near constant struggle over Maryland's role. They battled over the deployment of Maryland's militia, over raising troops, and over wartime funding. Meanwhile, frontier settlements burned and Maryland's soldiers joined the effort to defend Great Britain's claims to lands west of the Appalachians. Britain's colonies in North America expanded substantially as a result. Local historian Tim Ware details the political as well as the military conflicts Maryland faced in this unique war.
New Jersey and the Medal of Honor
A History
Part of the Military series
Awarded by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor commemorates those who have shaped our nation's history and continue to inspire its future with their acts of valor, humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice.
New Jersey has been credited with ninety-three honors in the state's military history. Robert Augustus Sweeney was the recipient of two non-combatant medals when he jumped into stormy waters to save a fellow sailor twice becoming one of only nineteen double Medal of Honor recipients of all time and the only African American to do so. On the infamous day of December 7, 1941, Peter Tomich, serving on the USS Utah, sprung to action when it became evident his ship would capsize from the two Japanese torpedoes, staying behind to man the fireroom to ensure the boilers were secured to prevent an internal fire and saving countless additional deaths.
Author Peter Zablocki reveals the harrowing stories of New Jersey's most valorous moments in the defense of our nation and freedom around the world.
Untold Stories from World War II Rhode Island
Part of the Military series
Following the success of World War II Rhode Island, author Christian McBurney returns, with new coauthors Norman Desmarais and Varoujan Karentz, to present extraordinary personal stories of local contributions to the war effort. From John F. Kennedy's training as a PT boat commander at Melville to George H.W. Bush's training as a pilot at Charlestown, the smallest state played an oversized role preparing navy officers and sailors. Important innovations are credited here too. Radar used on night-flying aircraft was developed at Jamestown's Spraycliff Observatory and tested at Charlestown, and at Davisville, Seabees developed a pontoon aircraft landing field tested on Narragansett Bay. Scituate was home to the nation's most successful spy listening station. After these and more captivating stories are revealed, the final chapter details existing World War II sites across the state readers can visit.
Frontier Forts and Outposts of New Mexico
Part of the Military series
Life in early New Mexico was often perilous. Geographic isolation attracted outlaws and ruffians, and skirmishes often arose between the indigenous tribes and settlers. In response, the U.S. government set up military forts and outposts to protect its new citizens. These strongholds include Fort Craig, where logs were made to look like cannons to fool Confederate troops. Kit Carson, John Pershing and Billy the Kid all called Fort Stanton home, before it became the first federal tuberculosis sanatorium and later a detention center for German prisoners of war. Author Donna Blake Birchell relates little-known yet highly important Civil War battles, the tragedies of the Navajo and Mescalero Apache internments and other dramatic frontier stories.
Hoosier Aviator Paul Baer
America's First Combat Ace
Part of the Military series
Indiana native Paul Baer was an American pilot of many firsts. Born into a modest midwestern family in the late 1800s, Baer grew up short and shy in Fort Wayne. Not short on ambition, he volunteered to join a new breed of combatant: the fighter pilot. Dogfighting in the skies over France during World War I, Baer earned a giant reputation as the first-ever American to shoot down an enemy plane and the first to earn the title of "combat ace" for earning five victories-before being shot down himself. Author Tony Garel-Frantzen celebrates the 100th anniversary of Baer's aerial heroics with rarely seen images, a previously unpublished POW letter from Baer himself and a look at the restless raptor's life of roaming.
World War II Rhode Island
Part of the Military series
Rhode Island's contribution to World War II vastly exceeded its small size. Narragansett Bay was an armed camp dotted by army forts and navy facilities. They included the country's most important torpedo production and testing facilities at Newport and the Northeast's largest naval air station at Quonset Point. Three special, top-secret German POW camps were based in Narragansett and Jamestown. Meanwhile, Rhode Island workers from all over the state-including, for the first time, many women-manufactured military equipment and built warships, most notably the Liberty ships at Providence Shipyard. Authors from the Rhode Island history blog smallstatebighistory.com trace Rhode Island's outsized wartime role, from the scare of an enemy air raid after Pearl Harbor to the war's final German U-boat sunk off Point Judith.
World War I and Jefferson County, West Virginia
Part of the Military series
Fifty years after Jefferson County found itself wedged between the Union and the Confederacy, President Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany and the Central Powers. Suddenly towns like Shepherdstown, Charles Town and Harpers Ferry once again prepared for war, this time an ocean away. Civilians supported the cause by donating to the Red Cross, and the county's large agricultural community produced food during rationing. More than five hundred Jefferson County natives enlisted, while more than three hundred additional soldiers came from college institutions within the county. Historian James Francis Horn recounts the struggles and triumphs of local communities during the Great War.
World War II in North State California
Part of the Military series
On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 the world changed for the North State-and the nation.
A national call to arms by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor spurred local residents to action, and the normal rhythm of life immediately and dramatically changed. By Christmas of that year, everyone understood their roles. Those who could enlist served in Army and Navy operations in the Pacific and Europe. The rest gave their all to support the war from the home front. Residents volunteered their time and skills, served as Red Cross workers, airplane spotters and scrap metal collectors. Local factories and canneries ramped up production. And building the Shasta Dam to provide power became a crucial part of the war effort.
Author Al M. Rocca recounts the determination and tribulations of North State citizens during World War II.
World War Ii Richmond, Virginia
Part of the Military series
The effects of the war raging across Europe were visible in Richmond as early as 1939, and Richmonders are always ready to fight for their cause. In that year, the city saw its first parking meters on the streets and began to collect aluminum scrap for use in war industries. In 1940, pursuant to the new draft law, Richmond's sons between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five registered for the draft. While bomb shelters were put up all over the town, dances were held to maintain local morale. Even as local German families faced discrimination, Richmonders strived for a sense of unity and solidarity. Author and historian Walter Griggs Jr. revives this conflicted spirit, memorializing the sorrow and celebrating the triumphs of a resilient southern city through world war.
St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812
Folly And Mischief
Part of the Military series
The fledgling United States struggled to keep its freedom from Great Britain during the War of 1812, but St. Lawrence County in upstate New York played a divided role. The region shared a border--as well as close personal and business associations--with British Canada and opposed the American embargo that disrupted these relationships. While some St. Lawrence men fought bravely for America, smuggling was a common way of life. Several small battles and skirmishes took place along the river, and a local merchant even influenced President Madison's decision-making. Local historian John Austin recounts these and other events, as well as the fascinating North Country characters who influenced them, in this book on St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812.
World War Ii Sacramento
Part of the Military series
Spurred into action by the attack on Pearl Harbor, Sacramento dragged itself out of the morass of the Great Depression and joined the war effort. Local citizens trained for Japanese attacks through Civilian Defense, cultivated thousands of acres of victory gardens and harnessed the agricultural riches of the region. Tens of thousands engaged in war work at local bases like the new McClellan Field, while Sacramento's diverse servicemen distinguished themselves in combat overseas. They would later return and transform the city into the modern Sacramento of today. Exclusive images and stories from the Special Collections of the Sacramento Public Library bring this story to life.
A History of Fort Campbell
Part of the Military series
The mission at Fort Campbell has changed over the past seventy-five years, and the city has grown and adapted to meet new challenges. It was conceived before Pearl Harbor as the Tennessee-Kentucky Armor Camp and has progressed in recent years to meet changing national security needs and the transformation of the U.S. Army. The fort is home to the army's most elite air assault and airborne units. It is also the largest employer in Tennessee and Kentucky and puts $2.6 billion into the local economy each year. Author and post historian John O'Brien details the historic ride that took Fort Campbell from a "Giant Bachelor City" to a "World-Class Army Home."
Arsenal of History
The Powder Magazine Of South Carolina
Part of the Military series
The Powder Magazine was completed circa 1713 as an arsenal to safely store munitions in the South Carolina colonial capital of Charles Town, serving continuously in defense through the 1740s and periodically until the 1820s. Rescued from destruction in 1902, the building has served as a museum for more than a century, inspiring countless other historic conservation efforts. Museum Director Alan Stello presents the story of the state's oldest public building by establishing connections between the arsenal and the significant episodes it has witnessed. Readers will enjoy an introductory look at South Carolina colonial military history while gaining an appreciation for this icon of history and preservation.
Pittsylvania County and the War of 1812
Part of the Military series
Rural Pittsylvania County and Danville, Virginia, remained far from the fields of conflict during the War of 1812. Yet its sons served valiantly along the Canadian frontier and in the defense of Richmond, Norfolk and Baltimore as British forces plundered villages up and down the Chesapeake Bay. General Andrew Jackson's wife, Rachel, a county native, celebrated the victory at the Battle of New Orleans with him. The homefront endured economic tribulations yet stood faithfully by its soldiers. Author and historian Larry G. Aaron reveals how Pittsylvania County served, suffered and sacrificed during the nation's second war of independence.
Kentucky and the War of 1812
The Governor, the Farmers and the Pig
Part of the Military series
How the Bluegrass State Helped Win a War
While not a single battle of the War of 1812 was fought on Kentucky soil, Kentuckians were involved to the very end. Henry Clay and his War Hawks convinced Congress and President Madison to declare war, and helped negotiate the Treaty of Ghent that ended it. After two massacres of Kentucky militia on the Northwestern front, Governor Isaac Shelby, still the only sitting governor to lead troops into battle, more than 4,000 locals and a pig marched to Canada to defeat the British and kill Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames. Author Doris Dearen Settles explains how Kentuckians won the war of 1812 and why it is far more significant than textbooks record.
World War II Massachusetts
Part of the Military series
Over 500,000 Massachusetts residents answered the call to military duty in the Second World War, while the rest of the state's citizens fought the war on the home front. Everyone in the family, including pets, found creative and essential ways to contribute.
Thousands worked in factories, volunteered for Civil Defense, watched for enemy aircraft, and took part in salvage collections and bond drives, all while dealing with rationing, blackouts, rumors and a host of other wartime inconveniences. And while thousands of service members left to fight overseas, the Bay State also welcomed thousands more to serve on its military bases that were such an important part of our nation's defense.
Author James Parr reveals the stories of these brave and dedicated citizens--from the famous to the ordinary--as they faced wartime challenges.
Chippewa Falls World War Ii Hero Harry W. Kramer
Part of the Military series
Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.
Captain Charles Rawn and the Frontier Infantry in Montana
by Robert M. Brown Ph. D.
Part of the Military series
Stationed in Montana during the height of the Indian Wars, Captain Charles Rawn proved an unlikely hero and an indispensable leader in numerous battles. He took command from a drunken Major Baker at the Battle of Pryor's Creek, saving the 400 soldiers from possible annihilation at the hands of 1,000 Sioux. As commander of Fort Missoula, he led 35 soldiers and 200 volunteers in an attempt to halt 850 Nez Perce warriors. When Colonel Gibbon suffered an injury at the Battle of the Big Hole, Rawn's experience and leadership of the 7th Infantry helped prevent another Custer debacle. Author Robert M. Brown catalogues the career of this outstanding officer and the transformation of the frontier army from a Civil War legacy into an elite fighting force.
Pittsburgh in World War I
Arsenal Of The Allies
Part of the Military series
When the whole of Europe went to war in 1914, Pittsburgh watched the storm clouds gather at home. Yet Pittsburgh was a city of immigrants--the large Polish community urged leaders to join the side of the Allies, while German immigrants supported the Central powers. By the time the country entered World War I in 1917, Pittsburghers threw their support into the war effort united as Americans. With over 250 mills and factories, the Steel City and Allegheny County produced half of the steel and much of the munitions used by the Allies. Pittsburgh gave more than steel--sixty thousand men went to war, and women flocked to the front lines as nurses. One of the first gas masks on the western front was developed at the Mellon Institute, while the city's large Red Cross provided tireless support on the homefront. Historian Elizabeth Williams traces the remarkable story of Pittsburgh during the Great War.
World War I Army Training by San Francisco Bay
The Story Of Camp Fremont
Part of the Military series
In 1917, Stanford University leased a portion of its land to allow the creation of Camp Fremont, headquartered in present-day Menlo Park. That brought the war into the Bay Area's backyard. Soldiers received a welcome reception, and locals embraced the potential economic opportunities. However, the military presence also revealed the conflict Americans felt over the war. Residents threatened conscientious objectors within their community, while the government mollified fears of the vice that often followed troops in training. Armistice came earlier than expected, and many soldiers trained for combat they never saw. But all contributed to the growth and change that arrived with the modern era. Author Barbara Wilcox tells Camp Fremont's story of adaptability, bravery and extraordinary accomplishment during the Great War.
Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer
Part of the Military series
Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.
World War II Indiana Landmarks
Part of the Military series
World War II Indiana Landmarks features places throughout the state that played significant roles during World War II. Many of these locations memorialize those who fought as well as those who contributed to the war effort. These places of remembrance include historical sites, monuments, markers, museums, surviving buildings, a surviving Navy ship, a surviving plane, and more. Author Ronald P. May explores the rich historical backgrounds surrounding each location and tells the personal stories of veterans and civilians related to many of these locations.
The Secret Genesis of Area 51
Part of the Military series
The man "who has done more than anyone to lift the veil of secrecy ... about what's unfolded out there in the desert" reveals the origins of Area 51 (KLAS 8 News Now).
In 1955, the Central Intelligence Agency established a clandestine base of operations in the Nevada desert with a mission to protect the United States from a growing communist threat. Special projects at Area 51 were shrouded in mystery, and the first was one of the world's most famous spy planes, the U-2. It fueled half-truths, rumors and legends for more than half a century. Now with many details of that endeavor declassified, the real story can finally be told. Author and Area 51 veteran TD Barnes sifts fact from fiction in one of America's most protected origin stories.
The American Revolution on Long Island
Part of the Military series
A history of the Revolutionary War and British occupation in this part of New York, from the Culper spy ring to the prison ships where thousands died.
The American Revolution sharply divided families and towns on New York's Long Island. Washington's defeat at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 started seven years of British occupation-and Patriot sympathizers were subject to loyalty oaths, theft of property, and the quartering of soldiers in their homes.
Those who crossed the British were jailed on prison ships in Wallabout Bay in Brooklyn, where an estimated eleven thousand people died of disease and starvation. Some fought back with acts of sabotage and espionage-and Washington's famed Culper spy ring in Oyster Bay, Setauket, and other areas successfully tracked British movements. In this book, historian Joanne S. Grasso explores the story of an island at war.
Cold War Montana
Part of the Military series
Home to some of the most powerful nuclear missile systems in the world, Montana played an indispensable role in the war against Communism. Utilizing the Lend-Lease pipeline, Soviet spies ferried stolen nuclear and industrial secrets, loaded in diplomatic pouches, from Great Falls to the Soviet Union. Army nurse Lieutenant Diane Carlson served as "an angel of mercy" at the Pleiku Evacuation Hospital in the Central Highlands in Vietnam. Young Montana smokejumper "Hog" Daniels joined the CIA's secret war in Southeast Asia, becoming the principal advisor to General Vang Pao in his desperate fight against Communists. Captain Ken Robison (U.S. Navy, Ret.), award-winning author and Cold Warrior, reveals tales of Montanans who made their mark on this titanic struggle.
World War II Nebraska
Part of the Military series
The fight against the Axis required sacrifice and dedication, and Nebraskans proudly answered the call. Three ordnance plants and two naval munitions depots brought employment and economic opportunities but also housing shortages and racial disturbances. The U.S. Army Air Corps established eleven air bases here, leading to community engagement through USOs and war bond drives. In central Nebraska, the North Platte Canteen welcomed thousands of service members en route to war on troop trains. Henry Doorly's successful scrap campaign became a model for a nationwide operation. Local farmers fed the nation, K-9 war dogs trained at Fort Robinson and native sons Ben Kuroki and Andrew Higgins affected the war in very different ways. Through detailed archival research, author Melissa Amateis tells the remarkable story of the Cornhusker State's homefront.
The Manhattan Project Trinity Test
Witnessing the Bomb in New Mexico
Part of the Military series
At 5:29 a.m. on July 16, 1945, the Trinity Test explosion of the first atomic bomb changed the world forever. The dropping of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan followed soon after, but it was the first blast in what is now known as White Sands Missile Range that marked the beginning of the end of World War II. In southern New Mexico, although the Manhattan Project was still top secret, everyday people witnessed the test, experienced its light and power, felt the earth move and knew the world had changed. Author Elva K. Österreich shares the stories of their experience and how their lives were transformed.
World War II in Medina County, Ohio
At Home & Overseas
Part of the Military series
For the first time in the lives of many Medina County residents, places across the world became real, not just dots on a map. With the outbreak of World War II, men and women who had never left their corner of Ohio were encircling the globe. They were at Pearl Harbor and the Canal, Anzio and the Bulge. They built atomic bombs and bought millions in war bonds. Discover not one great hero but an entire generation of heroism. Eli R. Beachy traces the sublime story of one small community in a great, united effort-those most remarkable people of Medina County, Ohio.
World War II Buffalo
Part of the Military series
When President Roosevelt visited Buffalo in November 1940, he found a hardworking city with a large immigrant population manufacturing aircraft for the Allies. Nearby Fort Niagara inducted over 100,000 young men, resulting in an acute labor shortage. American Brass, Bell Aircraft, Chevrolet, Curtiss-Wright, Houde Engineering and Republic Steel reluctantly, then gladly, hired women. More than 300,000 defense workers toiled in hot factories for high wages despite transportation, housing and food shortages. The aircraft plants alone employed 85,000 on forty-eight-hour workweeks. Buffalonians watched the flag raising at Iwo Jima, participated in the Manhattan Project and observed the formal surrender of Japan in Tokyo Bay. Author Gretchen Knapp brings to life the challenges and contributions of daily life during wartime.
Military History Of New Jersey
Part of the Military series
War came to Garden State soil early. The Dutch fought the Indians in Kieft's War, while the English fought the Spanish in the War of Jenkins' Ear and the French, Swedes and native nations in dozens of other conflicts. New Jersey played an integral role as the "Crossroads of the American Revolution." The Battle of Trenton, the crossing of the Delaware and battles at Monmouth and Springfield helped the colonies break free from Britain. During both world wars, German submarines lurked along the coastline. Historian David Petriello presents a comprehensive military history of New Jersey, highlighting the state's major and lesser-known engagements and contributions to the defense of the nation.
Arsenal of History
The Powder Magazine of South Carolina
Part of the Military series
The Powder Magazine was completed circa 1713 as an arsenal to safely store munitions in the South Carolina colonial capital of Charles Town, serving continuously in defense through the 1740s and periodically until the 1820s. Rescued from destruction in 1902, the building has served as a museum for more than a century, inspiring countless other historic conservation efforts. Museum Director Alan Stello presents the story of the state's oldest public building by establishing connections between the arsenal and the significant episodes it has witnessed. Readers will enjoy an introductory look at South Carolina colonial military history while gaining an appreciation for this icon of history and preservation.
World War II Milwaukee
Part of the Military series
Long before Japanese bombs rained down on Pearl Harbor, Milwaukee was the "Machine Shop to the World." Thanks to the city's large industrial base, factories quickly retooled and mobilized for wartime production. Harley-Davidson produced thousands of military motorbikes, and Falk Corporation churned out gears that turned the propellers on hundreds of ships. Locals sacrificed their lives for the cause--Mayor Carl Zeidler went missing at sea, USS Arizona captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh refused to leave the bridge of his burning battleship and Mildred Harnack joined the Nazi resistance movement and was executed on direct orders from Hitler. Embedded with German and American troops, Milwaukee journalists H.V. Kaltenborn, Louis Lochner and Dickey Chapelle sent dispatches from the front lines. Through past interviews and archival materials, author Meg Jones reveals these and other patriotic stories.
Marblehead in World War I
At Home and Overseas
Part of the Military series
The small seacoast town of Marblehead, in eastern Massachusetts, was the first to answer the call to arms during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Throughout World War I, Marblehead was affected, and the town influenced the outcome. Boasting of the fifth and final naval militia in history, the Tenth Deck Division, Marblehead's men stood on the front line as the first shots rang out, aimed at the Germans in 1917. It was a town that pulled together, rallied behind their own family and friends while they fought in the trenches of war and stood shoulder to shoulder in their diligent commitment. Historian Margery A. Armstrong delves into the past through articles and letters from those overseas that were first published in the Marblehead Messenger.
Revolution in the Lymes
From The New Lights To The Sons Of Liberty
Part of the Military series
The Revolutionary War in the Lymes started as a rebellion of ideas. From its origins in the Cromwellian Saybrook Colony, Lyme (today's Lyme, Old Lyme, East Lyme and Salem) prospered under the free hand of self-governance and spurned King George III's efforts to rein in the wayward colonies. In 1765, Reverend Stephen Johnson wrote incendiary missives against the Stamp Act. A few years later, the town hosted its own Tea Party, burning one hundred pounds of British tea near the town green. When the alarm came from Lexington in 1775, Lyme's citizens were among the first to answer. Historians Jim Lampos and Michaelle Pearson explore how local Patriots shaped an epic revolt.
Midcoast Maine in World War II
by Margaret Shiels Konitzky
Part of the Military series
While World War II raged overseas, the people of midcoast Maine responded with remarkable achievements on the homefront. The shipyard at Bath Iron Works launched a new destroyer every seventeen days. Bowdoin College had more military than civilian students and held three commencements per year. Boothbay Harbor, Bailey Island and Damariscotta all had military bases, and anyone who owned or sailed a boat was recruited for coastal defense. Women worked at machine shops, registered their neighbors for rationing and volunteered for the Civil Defense and Red Cross. Author Margaret Shiels Konitzky reveals the stories of local heroes and the relentless spirit of midcoast Maine.
Buffalo Soldiers on the Colorado Frontier
Part of the Military series
The legendary Buffalo Soldiers, four army regiments of former slaves, were vital in taming the American frontier. The Tenth Cavalry of African American troopers rode across the Colorado plains to battle the Cheyennes and rescue wounded, starving soldiers at Beecher Island on the Arikaree River. Under the cover of darkness, the Ninth Cavalry aided besieged troops pinned down by Ute sharpshooters at Milk Creek. They drove off Cheyenne Dog Soldiers attacking a stagecoach of nervous travelers on the Smokey Hill Trail to Denver. And they braved howling blizzards and deep snowdrifts to protect lonely homesteads and wandering prospectors. Author Nancy K. Williams details the bravery and valor of these historic servicemen who served proudly defending America's Wild West.
Northern Vermont in the War of 1812
Part of the Military series
Vermont played a critical role in the War of 1812. Burlington was a significant military base and harbor for American vessels, but history isn't just about the larger hubs of activity. From Swanton to Isle La Motte, many smaller communities in northern Vermont played a key role in the war. Local militia--composed of farmers, blacksmiths and merchants--came from all over the northern border communities of the state to contribute to the war effort. When towns got the statewide order to muster, timing depended on the occupations of those called to duty, the distance they needed to march or sail, the unpredictable weather conditions and the condition of the roads. Local historian Jason Barney uncovers the unique stories of border smuggling, daring raids and everyday struggle.