Christmas at Arlington National Cemetery

Richar Rogala, former prisoner of the North Koreans as a captured member of the US Pueblo crew in January,1968, provided this entry for the blog. He and his father, Chester Rogala, who served in World War II, both contributed oral memoirs to the Veterans History Project.




Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.
Know the line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well.
Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.
Peace, peace, and farewell...
author unknown



Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

50th Interview Addded! - Mr. John M McCann

Rich Wozniczka of the library's Information Technology Services Department pointed out that the most recent interview was the 50th for the Niles VHP effort.

Mr. McCann served as a radarman aboard the USS Case in the Pacific during World War II. His interview can be read and heard at the library and will soon be similarly available over the internet through the Niles Public Library's homepage.

Book Sentry, November 2011

Spot the incoming new books on military history, particularly those providing context for the library's Veterans History Project.


If you see a book that looks good, click on "Check Our Catalog" and place a hold. We will let you know when it comes for you!

When We Walked Above the Clouds: A Memoir of VietnamBy Barnes, H. Lee
2011-09 - University of Nebraska Press

There is the mythology of the Green Berets, of their clandestine, special operations as celebrated in story and song. And then there is the reality of one soldier's experience, the day-to-day loss and drudgery of a Green Beret such as H. Lee Barnes, whose story conveys the daily grind and quiet desperation behind polished-for-public-consumption accounts of military heroics. In "When We Walked Above the Clouds, " Barnes tells what it was like to be a Green Beret, first in the Dominican Republic during the civil war of 1965, and then at A-107, Tra Bong, Vietnam. …More


The Sword of St. Michael: The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II
By Lofaro, Guy
2011-08 - Da Capo Press

We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People
By Van Buren, Peter
2011-09 - Metropolitan Books

In this shocking and darkly hilarious expose of the reconstruction of post-Saddam Iraq, former State Department team leader Van Buren describes the tragicomedy that has been American efforts at nation building, marked by bizarre decisions and wrongheaded priorities.

Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires: A New History of the Borderlands
By Isby, David
2010-04 - Pegasus Books

This illuminating history of modern Afghanistan, written by a veteran defenseanalyst, details the complex story of a country caught in a vortex of terror.448 pp.

Eden to Armageddon: World War I in the Middle East
By Ford, Roger
2010-05 - Pegasus Books
9781605980911 Check Our Catalog

In this epic account of World War I in the Middle East, Ford presents the complete story of the invasion of the Garden of Eden that ended with a momentous victory on the site of the biblical Armageddon and the creation of Iran and Iraq.

Carrier: A Century of First-Hand Accounts of Naval Operations in War and Peace
By Hood, Jean
2011-02 - Conway Maritime Press

The Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys: Courage, Tragedy, and Justice in World War II
By Freeman, Gregory A.
2011-05 - Palgrave MacMillan

Military historian Gregory A. Freeman brings to life for the first time the dramatic story of a young American bomber crew that was forced to bail out over Germany in August 1944. After landing, they were captured and lynched in a two-hour assault by local townspeople who had fallen prey to the worst impulses of the ravages of war. The families of these airmen were never told what actually happened to their loved ones and the few survivors had to carry this burden alone for years. After the war, a highly dramatic trial took place in the German town, forcing the locals to confront their wartime atrocity. Drawing from government archives, photos, trial records, interviews with family members, and letters home from the crew, Freeman creates a vivid narrative of the dramatic event and follows the survivors’ moving, sometimes heartrending, efforts to understand how good men could die in such a terrible way and how those left behind are supposed to go on.

Black Sheep: The Life of Pappy Boyington
By Wukovits, John F.
2011-06 - US Naval Institute Press

Library Board President's Remarks at 5th Annual VHP Breakfast

Barbara Nakashini, the President of the Board of the Niles Public Library District, speaks to the veterans and guests as she shares her family's participation in World War II. Her father, Harry Gembala, is a Veteran,who served in the Army with the Occupation Forces in Japan for a year just after World War II. Her Uncle Walter, who was in the audience, served with the Army in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded a Bronze Star.

Her father-in-law, Masahe Nakanishi, now deceased, was part of the Army’s 442nd Combat Regimental Team unit, which was comprised entirely of Japanese-Americans. He, along with thousands of Japanese-Americans, had been removed from their homes in California and placed in interment camps. He joined the Army and fought in Europe with the famed 442 whose famous motto was "Go for Broke."

She called attention to the ceremony held that very day in Washington when Congress would award its highest civilian honor to the Japanese-American soldiers who fought in World War II. Dozens of the veterans, known as Nisei, a Japanese term for children born with American citizenship, were at the Capitol to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for their service in the war. The medal is the highest civilian award given by Congress. Her husband Joe's two brothers represented the family at the ceremony.

Mrs. Nakanishi provided these two pictures of the hard-earned medal.

Fifth Annual Veterans History Project Breakfast Wednesday, November 2, 2011

34 veterans can be viewed in this year's official picture, taken by Sasha Vasilic, the Publicity and Graphic Design Coordinator of the Niles Library.

The veterans appearing in the picture are from left to right sitting in the first row: Gus Habighurst, Bernard Warchol, Bill Shipp, Martha Shipp, Donald Spitzer, Arthur Shapiro, Irv Blaszynski, and Mike Kozyra. In the second row from left to right are: Walter Gembala, Niels H.K. Larsen, Leonard DeFabio, Walter Tymczuk, John McCann, Matthew Wojtaszek, Max Kolpas, Judith Carlson (for Norman Berkman), Sam Schechter, and Irv Abramson. In the third row from left to right are: Robert Morris, Kenneth Radnitzer, David Shugan, Jack Weinberg, Charles Matz, Harry Webber, Jerry Levin, and Russell Zapel. In the fourth row standing from left to right are: Charles Borowsky, Robert Lavery, John Bugajsky, Chuck Jacobs, Matthew Potoczek, Mike McNulty, Rich Hyland, Marty O'Malley, Richard Vana, and Tom Vana. Present but not in the picture was Albert Dominick.

The delicious breakfast was arranged by the Library's Marketing Director, Sue Wilsey, who worked in concert with with the generous Regency Rehabilitation Center of Niles . Caryl Kiser, the Regency's Director of Marketing, and her assistant Grace Nowakowski pitched in to help serve the breakfast for the 35 veterans and their guests and 29 Niles Library patrons as 79 people in all attended the breakfast. The food and beverage service at the breakfast was coordinated by the library's Cyndi Rademacher.

Linda Weiss, the Director of the Niles Public Library, and Barbara Nakanishi, President of the Niles Library Board of Trustees, welcomed and congratulated the special guests. Mrs. Weiss announced a donation of $500 from the library and the Friends of the Library to the Honor Flight Chicago Program. Chris Hanusiak, the President of the Friends and a veterans sent his warm wishes to the day's honorees. Veterans Rich Hyland and Marty O'Malley of the Silver Helmet-winning AMVETS Post #18 spoke about the AMVETS work to establish the Honor Flight in Chicago. The Legacy Girls as the Andrews Sisters provided the knock-out entertainment to conclude the successful event.

Mr. Vasilic's post of the "5th Annual Veterans Breakfast" to TribLocal was selected to lead Niles's local coverage.

Preparing for 5th Annual Veterans History Project Breakfast

Banners which literally voice the memoirs of service contributed by local veterans have been affixed to the walls of the auditorium in preparation for the special event. The cover pages of the interview transcripts of the veterans appear across six of the colorful banners.

Honor Flight Chicago Display

The west display case at the Niles Public Library salutes the Honor Flight Chicago Program. The poster on display welcomed home World War II veteran, Chuck Jacobs, who is also a Niles resident and library employee. Library employee Adrienne Szulczynski served as captain of the library team which met Chuck at Midway Airport upon his return on Wednesday evening, August 10, 2011. Adrienne, who crafted the terrific poster on her own time, is also a Navy veteran. Chuck was the first veteran to be interviewed for the Veterans History Project at the library.



The National AMVETS Silver Helmet is also on display. This "Oscar" of awards to veteran organizations was won by Chicago AMVETS Post #18 for their significant donations to such programs as the Honor Flight. The display of the helmet was made possible by Post Officers William J. Haiman and Richard Hyland.

Book Sentry, September 2011

Identify the library's new books on military history, particularly those providing context for the library's Veterans History Project.

If you see a book that looks good, click on "Check Our Catalog" and place a hold.

Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires: A New History of the Borderlands
By Isby, David
2010-04 - Pegasus Books
9781605980829 Check Our Catalog
This illuminating history of modern Afghanistan, written by a veteran defenseanalyst, details the complex story of a country caught in a vortex of terror.448 pp.

Black Sheep: The Life of Pappy Boyington By Wukovits, John F.
2011-06 - US Naval Institute Press
9781591149774 Check Our Catalog

Carrier: A Century of First-Hand Accounts of Naval Operations in War and Peace By Hood, Jean
2011-02 - Conway Maritime Press
9781844861118 Check Our Catalog
Examines the history of the aircraft carrier

Eden to Armageddon: World War I in the Middle East By Ford, Roger
2010-05 - Pegasus Books
9781605980911 Check Our Catalog In this epic account of World War I in the Middle East, Ford presents the complete story of the invasion of the Garden of Eden that ended with a momentous victory on the site of the biblical Armageddon and the creation of Iran and Iraq.

A Glorious Army: Robert E. Lee's Triumph, 1862-1863
By Wert, Jeffry D.
2011-04 - Simon & Schuster
9781416593348 Check Our Catalog
"A Glorious Army" explains why Lee succeeded in the context of a narrative history of the 13 months when it seemed the Confederates might prevail.

The Last Mission of the Wham Bam Boys: Courage, Tragedy, and Justice in World War II By Freeman, Gregory A.2011-05 - Palgrave MacMillan9780230108547
Check Our Catalog Military historian Gregory A. Freeman brings to life for the first time the dramatic story of a young American bomber crew that was forced to bail out over Germany in August 1944. After landing, they were captured and lynched in a two-hour assault by local townspeople who had fallen prey to the worst impulses of the ravages of war. The families of these airmen were never told what actually happened to their loved ones and the few survivors had to carry this burden alone for years. After the war, a highly dramatic trial took place in the German town, forcing the locals to confront their wartime atrocity. Drawing from government archives, photos, trial records, interviews with family members, and letters home from the crew, Freeman creates a vivid narrative of the dramatic event and follows the survivors’ moving, sometimes heartrending, efforts to understand how good men could die in such a terrible way and how those left behind are supposed to go on.

Charles Jacobs and His Honor Flight

Chuck made his Honor Flight on Wednesday, August 10, catching a dawn flight aboard Southwest Airlines. Upon his 9 p.m. return to Midway Airport, he is pictured with his wife Margaret and sons, Tim, Mark and Chris from left to right. Chuck served as a Pharmacist's Mate, 2nd Class, aboard the USS Sims (DE 154/APD 50) during its service in support of the Okinawa invasion.




Chuck was the first veteran to be interviewed at the Niles Public Library for the Veterans History Project.


Adrienne Szulczynski, pictured on the left, organized the library's welcoming team and crafted the engaging, colorful, tri-fold poster. A Navy veteran herself, she had her picture taken later in the evening with an Officer Zumwalt, a grand nephew of the famous Admiral.

Access to Military Records by the General Public

The National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis can provide access to the general public, including genealogists who are not next-of-kin. Limited information from Official Military Personnel Files is releasable to the general public without the consent of the veteran or the next-of-kin.

"Hundred Years of Boot Camp" Great Lakes Naval Station

In the Friday, July 1st, issue of the Chicago Tribune writer Robet McCoppin recounts the proud and consequential history of the Naval Station Great Lakes, founded 100 years ago. On page 10 and 11 the reader can view a timeline, and pictures of such famous graduates as Michael Monsoor, the Fighting Sulivan Brothers, Carl Brashear, George Halas, and the Golden Thirteen.

Located about 30 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan, the training center has graduated 3.5 million recruits at a current rate of 35,000/year. The performance of sailors from the Midwest during the Spanish-American War is reported to have led military officials to chose a Great Lakes training site for the ocean-going navy.

A helpful timeline accompanied the articles in the newspaper on page 10.

Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial

"The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC honors those who died in the Vietnam War. Their relatives and friends leave letters, poems, and photographs at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and on this web site. We bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to your home to help remember the sacrifices of the fallen and their families."

The Memorial Pages allow for searching by Last Name and by State & City


The pages also include
Wall Panels by Date
Faces of Freedom (photos)
Send us a photo
Height of Valor (medals)
By Military Unit
MIA Status
About The Wall
Background
Links
FAQs

65th Anniversary of VFW Post 7712 in Niles

The Niles Patch carried an excellent treatment of the above event on Friday evening, June 10. Pam DeFiglio is the editor of the Niles Patch

Niles Annual Memorial Day Observance

The local ejournal, the Niles Patch, provided a descriptive paragraph and video link in its coverage by Meryl Williams of the yearly event at the Veterans Memorial at the Waterfall at the southwest corner of the Touhy and Milwaukee intersection.

Wonderful B-17 Story with Gary Sinise

"Uncle Jack"

Niles resident and Veterans History Project Participant, Martin O'Grady, commends this 16 minute tribute and writes:

"The story and videography are inspiring...as we approach Memorial Day, let's remember these WWII vets in our prayers...were it not for them, none of us would have the wonderful lives we have today. As you may know, Gary Sinise is a Chicago-area boy and very supportive of U.S. veterans."

Charles Matz and the Honor Flight

The US Marine and Niles Resident made his Honor Flight on May 11. His granddaughter Carol wrote: "I was fortunate enough to be able to go with him and we had a jam-packed day touring D.C. including the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial and the Air and Space Museum. He was just amazed throughout the entire day with the outpouring of support from complete strangers just wanting to shake his hand and tell him 'thank you for your service.' It was fantastic to witness!"


He kept telling me, “I knew this was going to be good, but I never expected anything like this!”

A Gunnery Sergeant who saw much combat, Mr Matz is a participant in the Veterans History Project at the Niles Public Library.

Annual May Remembering Our Veterans Display

The military artifacts on display in the east and west exhibit cases have been loaned for exhibit during May.

The exhibit coordinator is Al Aronson, a World War II Army veteran of the ‘Bloody Bucket” Keystone Division in Europe and a participant in the Veterans History Project* at Niles. The VHP interview transcripts have been posted on the library’s website and are available in the Reference Department for reading.

VHP participants Gus Habighurst* (WWII-CBI), Niels Larsen(Korean War)*, Jerry Levin*(WWII-Pacific), and Matthew Wojtaszek (WWII-Europe)* as well as Mike McNulty (Viet Nam), Ralph Ponfil (Korean War), and Chris Reuscher have all loaned items for this year’s exhibit which for the first time takes up two windows and includes items from the Viet Nam War.

Niles Public Library District - Book Sentry

Book Sentry

Spot the interesting new books on military history, particularly those providing context for the library's Veterans History Project.

If you see a book that looks good, click on "Check Our Catalog" and place a hold. We will let you know when it comes for you!

Kamikaze Attacks of World War II: A Complete History of Japanese Suicide Strikes on American Ships, by Aircraft and Other Means By Rielly, Robin L.
2010-08 - McFarland & Company
0786446544 Check Our Catalog
Drawing on U.S. government reports, interrogation reports of Japanese officers, ship action reports and secondary sources, this book details more than 400 kamikaze attacks performed by Japanese aircraft, manned torpedoes, suicide boats and suicide swimmers against U.S. ships during World War II. Part One focuses on the traditions, development and history of the kamikazes, including the origins of the samurai class and its ethos, the development of kamikaze aircraft and watercraft, and the indoctrination of children in the Japanese school system. Part Two details the kamikaze attacks on ships in the waters around the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Taiwan, Okinawa and Japan. Appendices list all of the U.S. ships suffering kamikaze attacks along with casualty figures, outlines and silhouettes of various U.S. ships involved in kamikaze attacks, and silhouettes of Japanese kamikaze aircraft. …More

Perilous Fight: America's Intrepid War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815
By Budiansky, Stephen
2011-01 - Knopf Publishing Group
0307270696 Check Our Catalog
Budiansky relates the rousing story of a scrappy band of seamen and a visionary secretary of the navy who defeated the legendary British Royal Navy that had dominated the seas for more than two centuries. …More

The Most Dangerous Enemy: An Illustrated History of the Battle of Britain
By Bungay, Stephen
2010-07 - Zenith Press
0760339368 Check Our Catalog
Following its original publication in narrative form in ten years ago Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy" has been acclaimed as the definitive history of the Battle of Britain, a book whose authority and comprehensiveness far exceeded all previous accounts. To commemorate 70th Anniversary of the Battle this classic work has been reconceived in a large-format, fully illustrated version. With over 150 photographs, maps, and diagrams, a lively design, and numerous sidebar features, the book brings the story to life in a new and exciting way. Archival photographs of the planes, pilots, and key military leaders, many of which have never been published, are accompanied by fascinating three-dimensional diagrams illustrating dogfights and battle tactics on both sides. This new edition of "The Most Dangerous Enemy" is a fitting way to mark the Battle of Britain's anniversary and will bring this most remarkable of stories to a whole new group of readers. …More

Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage By Waller, Douglas
2011-02 - Free Press
1416567445 Check Our Catalog
An exhaustive but never dull account of the founder of America's original intelligence agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). …More

Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany's Eastern Front 1944-45 By Buttar, Prit
2010-09 - Osprey Publishing (UK)
1849081905 Check Our Catalog
The terrible months between the arrival of the Red Army on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime were like no other in the Second World War. The Soviet Army's intent to take revenge for the horror that the Nazis had wreaked on their people produced a conflict of implacable brutality in which millions perished.
From the great battles that marked the Soviet conquest of East and West Prussia to the final surrender in the Vistula estuary, this handsome volume from Osprey recounts in chilling detail the desperate struggle of soldiers and civilians alike. These brutal campaigns are brought vividly to life by a combination of previously unseen testimony and astute strategic analysis recognizing a conflict of unprecedented horror and suffering. Author Prit Buttar spins a mesmerizing tale accompanied by rare photographs and informative maps. …More

Hellcats: The Epic Story of World War II's Most Daring Submarine Raid
By Sasgen, Peter
2010-11 - New American Library
0451231368 Check Our Catalog
Drawing on original documents and the personal letters of one brave commander, Sasgen crafts a classic naval tale of the heroic submariners and one of World War II's most ambitious and dangerous missions. …More

George Washington's America: A Biography Through His Maps By Schecter, Barnet
2010-11 - Walker & Company
0802717489 Check Our Catalog
Inspired by the remarkable maps George Washington drew and purchased, historian Schecter has crafted a unique portrait of the first Founding Father, placing the reader at the scenes of his early career as a surveyor, and his dramatic exploits in the French and Indian War through his shaping of the new republic. …More

With Fire and Sword By Nelson, James L.
2011-03 - Thomas Dunne Books
0312576447 Check Our Catalog
If Lexington and Concord was the shot heard around the world, then Bunker Hill was the volley that rocked Parliament and the ministry of George III. "With Fire and Sword" reveals the dramatic

Jerry C. Levin Interview