Niagara Falls in World War II
Part of the Military series
Niagara Falls, both a natural wonder and a tourist destination, played a prominent role on the homefront during the Second World War. Many men and women worked diligently stateside in wartime industrial plants. One of the area's largest employers, Bell Aircraft, produced P-39 Airacobras and P-63 Kingcobra fighter planes. The company also contributed to more than thirty thousand aircraft for America and its Allies. Other residents, including Mayor Edward W. Mirrington Jr., were called to serve. Through numerous personal interviews, photos and wartime recipes, author and local historian Michelle Ann Kratts honors the World War II efforts of locals both at home and abroad.
Pittsburgh Remembers World War Ii
Part of the Military series
Enormous sacrifice on the battlefields and tireless effort on the homefront� Pittsburgh answered the call to duty after the news of Pearl Harbor hit local airwaves that infamous afternoon. With its high enlistment rates and booming war industries, the city was instrumental in the Allied victory. Duquesne University professor Joseph F. Rishel has compiled the memories of seventeen residents who lived through the war years, from GIs serving overseas to real-life Rosie the Riveters who kept the mills and factories in operation. From stories of daring in all theaters of combat and hardships at home to recollections of schoolchildren collecting scrap metal, USO dances and wartime sweethearts, Pittsburgh Remembers World War II celebrates the city�s perseverance and patriotism.
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.
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.
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."
Virginia in the American Revolution
Part of the Military series
Portraits of Valor
The stories of the passions and personalities that placed Virginia in the forefront of the Revolutionary War were replete with grief and sacrifice. The breakup of families over political differences was common. Bereavement spared few, as evidenced by the death of George Washington's stepson. But courageous characters persisted, from the "Paul Revere of Virginia" to the enslaved man turned American spy who helped ensure the Continental Army's final victory at Yorktown. Author and TV host Chuck Mills documents the human side of the Revolution in the Old Dominion, including chronicles of battles, leaders and the impact of war on ordinary men and women.
Connecticut Families Of The Revolution
American Forebears from Burr to Wolcott
Part of the Military series
Some of the most prominent families of the American Revolution proudly hailed from Connecticut. Committed to the pursuit of freedom, men like Major General David Wooster led troops into battle, while Samuel Huntington and others risked it all by signing the Declaration of Independence. Women might have stayed at home, but they played a vital part by producing goods for soldiers while also taking care of their property and children. In the wake of war, Sarah Pierce started the Litchfield Female Academy and taught proteges like Harriet Beecher Stowe. Family members often enlisted alongside one another. Elijah and David Humphreys were two such brothers who proudly served in the war together. From the Burrs to the Wolcotts, author Mark Allen Baker reveals what life was like for Connecticut families during the Revolutionary War.
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.
The Patriot Parson of Lexington, Massachusetts
Reverend Jonas Clarke and the American Revolution
Part of the Military series
On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere arrived at the parsonage of Reverend Jonas Clarke to deliver a warning to its occupants, including Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The following morning brought the first shots of the American Revolution to a community Clarke inspired to face such a harsh reality. He called on his parish to oppose imperial legislation for years leading up to the war. And as Lexington's minister for half a century, he was central to political, civic and social life there until his death in 1805. Historian Richard P. Kollen reveals the often overlooked story of the man who helped shape the spirit of the American Revolution.
Maritime Marauder of Revolutionary Maine
The Captain Henry Mowat
Part of the Military series
In 1775, Captain Henry Mowat infamously ordered the burning of Falmouth-now Portland. That act cast him as the arch-villain in the state's Revolutionary history, but Mowat's impact on Maine went far beyond a single order. The Scottish Mowat began his North American career by surveying the Maine coast, capturing and confiscating colonial merchant ships he suspected of smuggling. Already feared by Mainers when the war broke out, his legacy was further tarnished when he was blamed for dismantling Fort Pownall at the mouth of the Penobscot River. In this volume, local historian Harry Gratwick examines the life of Henry Mowat and whether he truly was the scoundrel of Revolutionary Maine.
New Hampshire And The Revolutionary War
by Dr. Bruce D. Heald, Ph. D.
Part of the Military series
New Hampshire was one of the first colonies to declare its independence from British rule. The patriotism and courage demonstrated in that act were by no means unprecedented--just before they began the Revolution, state residents attacked British-occupied Fort William and Mary in December 1774. While no battles were fought within the borders of the Granite State, these loyal sons of liberty contributed more men than any other state. Author Bruce D. Heald, PhD, celebrates the achievements and experiences of New Hampshire throughout the American Revolution. Learn how General John Stark gained battle experience in the French and Indian War that allowed him to successfully lead the First New Hampshire Regiment. Heald offers an in-depth description of the state's regiments, forts (including the Fort at Number 4 in Charlestown) and distinguished Patriots in addition to the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Charlotte And The American Revolution
Reverend Alexander Craighead, the Mecklenburg Declaration and the Foothills Fight for Independence
Part of the Military series
Charlotte was a hotbed of Revolutionary activity well before the fervency of revolt reached its boiling point in New England. Considered a wild frontier region at the time, Mecklenburg County welcomed the Reverend Alexander Craighead with ready hands for battle. Craighead's fiery rhetoric inspired the people of the region to action. What resulted was the creation of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, the first such document in the nation, and although the county had less than 3 percent of the colony's population, its Patriots accounted for over one-quarter of North Carolina's Revolutionary troops. Join author Richard P. Plumer as he reveals how the Queen City played an integral role in the formation of a proud and free America.
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.
Revolutionary Delaware
Independence in the First State
Part of the Military series
In 1776, Delaware declared independence from both England and Pennsylvania. Originally known as the Three Lower Counties of Pennsylvania, the First State was instrumental in the fight to form a new republic. The Marquis de Lafayette, Nathanael Greene and George Washington all made trips to the state. Caesar Rodney's ride and the Battle of Cooch's Bridge are legendary, but the state has many unsung heroes. Citizens from every village, town, crossroads, and marsh risked their lives to support their beliefs. Author Kim Burdick offers the carefully documented story of ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances.
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.
Braddock's Road
Mapping the British Expedition from Alexandria to the Monongahela
Part of the Military series
In 1755, Major General Edward Braddock and two army regiments set out from Alexandria with the objective of capturing Fort Duquesne, near present-day Pittsburgh. To transport their sizable train of artillery and wagons, they first had to build a road across the rugged Appalachian Mountains. It was almost 289 treacherous miles from Alexandria, Virginia, by way of Fort Cumberland in Maryland and on to the French fort; the road they built was one of the most impressive military engineering accomplishments of the eighteenth century. Historian Norman L. Baker chronicles the construction of the road and creates the definitive mapping of even those sections once thought lost. Join Baker as he charts the history of Braddock's Road until the ultimate catastrophic collision with the combined French and Indian forces.
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.
The Medal of Honor at Gettysburg
Part of the Military series
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
In early summer, 1863 Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia began moving northward. As Lee moved toward Maryland, the Union army followed, taking a parallel path on the opposite side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. From June 9 to the beginning of July the two armies skirmished at various locations along the route. Then, from July 1 through July 3, they clashed in the epic Battle of Gettysburg. Throughout the Gettysburg Campaign, seventy-two men earned the Medal of Honor, the highest honor in the American military. Discover the harrowing narratives of those who served to keep a nation united with the highest valor. Including the story of the unknown soldiers awarded the medal, these profiles showcase some of the most intense moments of the most important battle in the Civil War.
Author James Gindlesperger presents the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg.
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 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 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.
Long Island City in 1776
The Revolution Comes to Queens
Part of the Military series
1775 belonged to Boston but after April of 1776, the Revolutionary War's focus became New York City and the highly strategic Long Island, from Brooklyn's terminal moraine high ground to Queens's Hell Gate. 1776 was the year when revolution came to Long Island, and in particualr the future Long Island City. The failures, defeats and eventual occupation of the area at the hands of the British forged the resolve and strength of character that would later ensure Patriot victories on distant battlegrounds throughout the rest of the colonies. The British did not evacuate western Queens county until November of 1783, but the events of 1776 would not soon be forgotten during the seven long years of occupation afterword. Join author Richard Melnick as he charts the military, political and cultural history 1776 in Long Island City.
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.
World War II Aeronautical Research at Langley
Part of the Military series
The effort to win the war began at home-and for the researchers at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, enhancing America's military aviation arsenal was the key to victory.
Formed in 1915, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics established itself over the next 25 years as one of the world's finest research organizations. When World War II began in 1939, the NACA employed a mere 500 workers and maintained a budget slightly in excess of $4 million. To meet the demands of the war, a special partnership was quickly forged between NACA researchers, industry designers, and military planners. The Langley laboratory possessed world class aeronautical research facilities and flight research operations, making it ideally suited to help America win the war.
Military historian Mark Chambers tells the story of the monumental task of developing the planes that spurred Allied victory in World War II.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 POW Camps in Ohio
Part of the Military series
During World War II, more than six thousand prisoners of war resided at Camp Perry near Port Clinton and its branch camps at Columbus, Rossford, Cambridge, Celina, Bowling Green, Defiance, Marion, Parma and Wilmington. From the start, the camps were a study in contradictions. The Italian prisoners who arrived first charmed locals with their affable, easygoing natures, while their German successors often put on a serious, intractable front. Some local residents fondly recall working alongside the prisoners and reuniting with them later in life. Others held the prisoners in disdain, feeling that they were coddled while natives struggled with day-to-day needs. Drawing on first-person accounts from soldiers, former POWs and residents, as well as archival research, Dr. Jim Van Keuren delves into the neglected history of Ohio's POW camps.
The French & Indian War in Western Pennsylvania
Part of the Military series
War of Empires/ The colonial frontier of Western Pennsylvania set the stage for the fight over control of North America and the promise of the American West. The war began in the Commonwealth and the defenses, roads and skirmishes fought in the Western part of the state defined the war and the early career of George Washington. Join author Robert M. Dunkerly as he reveals the harrowing history of the French and Indian War in Western Pennsylvania.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.