World War II Stories

Quarry Stockade, A Play by Herman Arsham Introduction Herman Arsham, our father, was the third of four children born to Russian Jewish immigrants in the Bronx, New York. He was born with very limited eye-sight and wore “bottle bottom” glasses from the time he was about two years old. When he was thinking about marrying our mother he…

Remember Pearl Harbor My father, Joseph E Bendeck Sr., served on the battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55) from 1941-1946. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was the only fully functioning battleship remaining in the United State Navy. Built in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,…

St. William School in Cincinnati Ohio is in need of your help to find a listing of young soldiers who were students and served in the war. This year the St. William Bid and Buy Booth received a framed listing of Soldiers who we believe to be from WWII. There are 754 names we would like to find the families and their survivors. To celebrate the Re-Dedication of this Memorial…

A World War II Veteran’s Story by Samuel Hoseit This is a funny story told by my late father who served in the 13 AAF (Jungle) USAAF, 5th Bomb Group (H). In 1945, the “Bomber Barons” were camped in the jungle near the Australians. My father and some other flyboys were invited for dinner at the Australian Camp. They were being fed a steady diet of Spam and were sick of…

Article by Fiddle Viracola Amazing happened. As the Riverside California, Navy Veteran ceremony for my brother Joseph Rocco Viracola was beginning, Marines learned he was a nephew of Marine MOH Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone. (Aunt Lena, the hero’s Marine wife is buried there). IMMEDIATEDLY Marines flooded forth and joined in…

When Ralph Nutter finished his initial combat tour–25 B-17 bombing missions over France, Belgium, and Germany–he knew he was lucky too. But it’s the sort of luck that would give some people nightmares. Nutter had been quickly promoted to group navigator, flying with Colonel Curtis LeMay, a man he greatly admired. He had been awarded commendations and a flying cross and congratulated by U.S. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. from…

Budd Wentz and the great big whump: A World at War   Dr. William “Bud” Wentz in his Shaker…

Personal Stories WW II Veterans Party March 18, 2013 (Thomas J. Krebs died in November 2012, after attending our special WW II Veterans party September 7, 2012. After arriving in France on December 9, 1944 at age 19 years, Tom was bivouacked December 11 in Yvetot, France.) “We were totally unaware of a surprise German Army offensive on Dec. 16th.  They launched a massive breakthrough into the Ardennes Forest in Eastern…

Three Stories in the Battle of the Bulge (Arriving in France on December 9, 1944 at age 19 years, Thomas Krebs was bivouacked December 11 in Yvetot, France.)  We were totally unaware of a surprise German Army offensive on Dec. 16th.  They launched a massive breakthrough into the Ardennes Forest in Eastern Belgium, driving for Antwerp and hoping to split the Allied Forces. The 75th Division originally planned to join…

Sgt. Thomas J. Kreps Military History Dec. 14, 1943 – Jan. 21, 1946 The year was 1943 and I was graduated from Holy Name High School in Cleveland, Ohio, in June of that year.   I was only 17 years old and not yet ready to be drafted until I turned 18 that September.  In preparation for the draft, I took the Army specialized training test which I passed with flying colors. …