World War II Chronicles – Archives
World War II Chronicles takes its name from the popular radio series featuring Edward J. Herlihy. From overviews of battles to intimate stories of veterans, World War II Chronicles sought to keep the legacy of the “Greatest Generation†alive. This publication was discontinued when American Valor Quarterly was debuted.
Summer 2007
Our Other Mission
Letter from the Editor
Sinking the Rising Sun: Dog Fighting and Dive Bombing in World War II
by William E. Davis
The man who helped deliver the final blow to the last Japanese aircraft carrier to take part in the attack on Pearl Harbor remembers his experience.
Baseball Goes to War
by James C. Roberts
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the stars of America’s pastime knew there was only one team they wanted to play for: the United States military.
Okinawa: The Typhoon of Steel
with Donald Dencker, John Ensor, Leonard Lazarick, & Renwyn Triplett
The Japanese Empire makes its last stand in the final major battle of history’s greatest war.
Currahee!
with Donald Burgett
The veteran of the 101st Airborne Division and legendary author shares his story. An excerpt from the radio documentary series Veterans Chronicles.
Spring 2007
Thank You
Letter from the Editor
Omaha Beach and Beyond
by John Robert Slaughter
The invasion of “Bloody Omaha†as told by one of the thousands who experienced it first-hand..
The Battle of Attu
by Major William S. Jones, USA-Ret
For the first time in 130 years, American soil is occupied by a foreign army. Here, one man recalls his experience in taking it back.
WWII: A Legacy of Letters
by Clinton Frederick
Caring for the Fallen: A Personal Story
by George Ciampa
Beyond Courage: A Musical Tribute to the Survivors of the Bataan Death March
A new orchestral work honors the bravery of those who suffered through one of history’s great tragedies.
Winter 2006/07
Remembering Admiral and Mrs. Thomas Moorer
Letter from the Editor
A Conversation with Lt. General Harry W.O. Kinnard
The man responsible for Gen. McAuliffe’s famed response to the German demand for surrender at Bastogne – “NUTS!†– recalls his experience.
The Doolittle Raiders
Five veterans of the legendary Doolittle Raid on Japan remember their mission – and their leader.
E Company, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division: The Band of Brothers
Veterans of one of the most celebrated units of World War II share their stories, from Currahee to the Eagle’s Nest.
Fallujah: Two Years Later
In what was the toughest battle of Operation Iraqi Freedom, four veterans recount their experiences, and remind us that the tradition of valor continues among this new generation of heroes.
Fall 2006
Giving a Voice to Our Veterans
Letter from the Editor
A Reflection
By Hunter Scott, World War II Veterans Committee National Youth Representative
Last Man Out
by H. Robert Charles
The story of one of the few survivors of the infamous Burma-Thailand Death Railway, the ordeal which inspired the film, The Bridge on the River Kwai
Bloody Tarawa
by Leon Cooper
A Navy landing officer remembers the first great amphibious assault of the Pacific War
The Sinking of the S.S. Henry Bacon
The last Allied ship to be sunk by the Germans.
An excerpt from the radio documentary series Veterans Chronicles
The Island Experience
by Major Bruce Gudmundsson
Okinawa – World War II’s final, brutal battle
One 11-Millionth of a War
by Frank Maleckas
The co-pilot of an American bomber survives being shot down over the Pacific Ocean
Summer 2006
Preserving Their Legacy
Letter from the Editor
The Invasion of France Behind Enemy Lines
by Laura Ymker
As Allied troops stormed ashore in Normandy, a crucial mission was unfolding throughout German-occupied France
The Story of Two Men on Iwo As Told Through Their Letters
by Mary Beth Kennedy Voda
A Japanese general and an American Marine think of home while preparing for battle
Return to Pisa
by William Kaufman
An American soldier returns to the battlefield, and recalls a choice that haunts him to this day
AWOL in Alaska
by Dr. Walter E. Howard
A story from the often-overlooked Aleutian campaign – the first time foreign forces occupied American soil since the War of 1812
Conspicuous Gallantry on Guadalcanal
An excerpt from the radio documentary series Veterans Chronicles, featuring an interview with legendary Marine Mitch Paige
Spring 2006
From the Greatest to the Latest
Letter from the Editor
A Lone-Wolf Marine
by Guy Gabaldon
The story of how one man, dubbed the “Pied Piper of Saipan,†single-handedly captured 1,500 Japanese
A Dramatic Rescue in the South China Sea
by Rear Admiral Robert W. McNitt
An act of heroism aboard one of the most legendary submarines of World War II
What I’ve Learned
by Hunter Scott
Reflections on the World War II generation from a member of the latest generation
In Their Own Words
Highlighting Soldiering For Freedom: A GI’s Account of World War II by Herman J. Obermayer
A Dangerous and Hazardous Mission
An excerpt from the radio documentary series Veterans Chronicles, featuring an interview with Yank correspondent Dave Richardson
Winter 2005/06
From the Greatest to the Latest
Letter from the Editor
Winston Churchill & His Leadership in World War II
by The Honorable Celia Sandys
The character of the 20th Century’s greatest leader as explained by his granddaughter
The Siege of Bastogne
by Colonel Edward Shames
In the darkest days of the Battle of the Bulge, the 101st Airborne finds its greatest glory
We Needed to Step Up
by Bob Feller
The first professional athlete to enlist in the military following the attack on Pearl Harbor remembers his service
Hiroshima and the Enola Gay
by Major Theodore “Dutch†Van Kirk
The navigator of the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb dispels myths surrounding the event
Okinawa: The Last Battle
by Donald Dencker
The final land assault against the Japanese proves to be the bloodiest
Witnessing the Holocaust
by Henry Greenbaum
A reminder of why we fought World War II
Setting the Record Straight
Honoring a woman to whom citizenship meant everything
Fall 2005
The Men and Women who Won World War II
Letter from the Editor
The Class of 1945
by Ambassador John E. Dolibois
Following the surrender of Germany, an American intelligence officer is given his toughest assignment: the interrogation of the Nazi leadership
The Mars Task Force: A Personal Memoir
by Captain Richard Hale, USAR (Ret)
The story behind the most forgotten unit in the most forgotten theater of World War II
The Way to Hiroshima
by Major Theodore “Dutch†Van Kirk
The flight of the Enola Gay as remembered by its navigator
No Regrets
On the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, a statement from the surviving crew of the Enola Gay
In Their Own Words
Highlighting A Tanker’s View of World War II by C. Windsor Miller
Summer 2005
The Greatest Generation and the Latest Generation
Letter from the Editor
Over the River and Into the Reich
by Ben McCarty
The Allied armies strike into the heart of Hitler’s Germany
A Victory in Perspective
by Geraldine Genzardi
The story behind the atomic bomb and the final bloody battles in the Pacific that necessitated its use
The Flying WASPs
by Adriel Sanders
The first female pilots in American military history take to the skies
The Last Days of World War II
by Wolfgang Nitsch
The fall of Germany as told from a different perspective
A Farewell to Two Friends
Remembering General Andrew J. Goodpaster and Captain Lillian K. Keil
Spring 2005
Iwo Jima: Storming Sulfur Island
by Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC-Ret
The armed forces of the United States seize one of the most heavily defended islands in the world
Raising the Flag on Mt. Suribachi
by G. Greeley Wells
The story behind the most memorable moment of World War II and an image that would live forever
Our Brother
by Jean Miller, Josephine Ross, Meri Cox, and Susan Haney
Four sisters remember a brother who made the ultimate sacrifice on Iwo Jima
In Their Own Words
by Donald O. Dencker
Highlighting Love Company
The Face of a Young Pilot
by Justin R. Taylan
A Japanese Zero pilot at Iwo Jima fulfills a lifelong wish
Uncommon Valor
by Steven Mosley
A story of the often-overlooked soldiers without whom victory at Iwo Jima would have never been possible
Okinawa: A Bloody Prelude to Victory
by Hunter Scott
The costly final push toward the Japanese homeland
Winter 2004/05
Convicting a Myth
by Tim Holbert
The true story behind the legend of Tokyo Rose
Remembering ‘Beverly’
A tribute to Jean Hay, host of “Reveille with Beverlyâ€
Brothers at Bastogne
by Tim Holbert
The men of Easy Company meet their toughest test and their defining moment
The Jersey Essex Troop
by Lt. Col. Alfred H.M. Shehab, USA (Ret)
The 38th Cavalry Squadron’s gallant stand during the Battle of the Bulge
War Stories II: Heroism in the Pacific
by Lt. Col. Oliver North, USMC (Ret)
The End of Illusions: Religious Leaders
by Joseph Loconte
Confront Hitler’s Gathering Storm
The Hidden Campaign: FDR’s Health and the Election of 1944
by Hugh E. Evans, M.D.
Fall 2004
In Desperate Times: The Liberation of Nazi Death Camps
By Jordan Michael Smith
Tragedy in the Pacific: A Personal Reflection on the Bataan Death March
By Joel DiGrado
Summer 2004
China-Burma-India: The Forgotten Theater
By Becky Appledorn
Merrill’s Marauders: Heroes of the Burma Jungle
By Scott Wentland
General Claire Chennault: Leader of the Flying Tigers
By Aleea Slappy
Speak Out
By Hunter Scott, World War II Veterans Committee National Youth Representative
Questioning the Questioners: Interrogation Tactics of World War II
By Jordan Michael Smith
World War II: Sixty Years Later
Remembering Liberation, 60 Years of Paris’ Freedom
By Scott Wentland
In Their Own Words
Ready or Not: Into the Wild Blue
by J. Francis Angier
1944 October 25, The Longest Mission
Spring 2004
D-Day: 60th Anniversary Special Edition
The Story of a Screaming Eagle in Normandy
The D-Day Memories of Donald Burgett
Army Paratrooper, 101st Airborne Div., 506 Parachute Regiment, Company A
Flight Nurse
by Captain Lillian Kinkela Keil
R.N., United States Air Force (Ret.)
The Guns of Pointe du Hoc
As Remembered By Leonard G. Lomell
Army Ranger, 2nd Ranger Battalion
D-Day: I Was There
The D-Day Account of Maj. Gen. J. Milnor Roberts
Aide de Camp to General Gerow of the 29th Infantry Division
Omaha Beach: Easy Red Sector
by Lt. Commander Joseph P. Vaghi
Beachmaster, United States Navy, Omaha Beach
“The Boys of Pointe du Hocâ€
Twenty Years Passed
The D-Day Address by President Ronald W. Reagan: June 6, 1984
Speak Out
By Hunter Scott
National Youth Representative, World War II Veterans Committee
A Letter Home
From SPC Ryan Swensen, 1487th Transportation Company
Father Found
The story of a son’s quest to reconnect with a father lost sixty years ago
by Duane Heisinger
Farewell to a True American Hero
Admiral Thomas Moorer (1913-2004)
by James C. Roberts
Annual Review 2003
Assisting the Victors
The Story of Robert Balfour, Staffer to Admiral Halsey and General Eisenhower
by Tim Holbert
Vernon Wendorff, Petty Officer, 1st Class, United States Navy
Stories From The Vets Line
In Their Own Words
Marauder Man
by Kenneth T. Brown
from Chapter 17: The Ordeal of Flak by Flight 4
General Ray Davis, Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 88
Fall 2003
Unparalelled Patriotism: Japanese-Americans in World War II
by William Bigham
In Their Own Words: Books Authored by World War II Veterans
On Celestial Wings
by Col. Edgar Whitcomb
Chapter 4: Attack on Clark Field
Speak Out
by Hunter Scott, National Youth Representative, World War II Veterans Committee
Stories From The Vets Line
Commander Robert F. Turney, United States Navy (Ret)
Lou Rosenberg, 448th Medical Battalion
Summer 2003
A Tradition of Sacrifice: African-American Service in World War II
By Tim Holbert
Speak Out
by Hunter Scott, National Youth Representative, World War II Veterans Committee
In Their Own Words: Books Authored by World War II Veterans
Wings and Barbed Wire
By Gerald A. Duval
Chapter 28: The Mission
Stories From The Vets Line
Edward M. Goldman, Technician 5th Class in the 16th General Hospital located a few miles from Liège, Belgium
Melvin F. Thomason; CW-4 retired. At the time was a PFC in Company G-335th Regiment, 84th Division
Memorial Address-Fifth Marine Division Cemetery, Iwo Jima
As recited by Chaplain Roland B. Oittelsohn
Spring 2003
World War II Veterans Remember 1942: The Year the Tide Began to Turn
By James C. Roberts
Ghost Wings: Honoring the Sacrifices of American Veterans
Interview by Tim Holbert
Speak Out
by Hunter Scott, National Youth Representative, World War II Veterans Committee
A Tribute to Two Heroes
By James C. Roberts
