Weston Veterans:
World War II
By Adolph and
Margaret Caso
 |
| Weston, Massachusetts, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
When I was asked to review this book, I had to pause and consider how...After all, this would be somewhat like individual biographies, but would also be an historical collection that would be valuable to researchers in general, as well as World War II in particular.
 |
| Weston, Massachusetts, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Then there were also individuals who had not represented America during that war. Rather they were in countries that were perhaps much more affected by what was happening where they were.
The one common thing for all of them was that they were now living in Weston, Massachusetts and this was certainly a tribute for the place where they all decided to call home. Was it a special town? Or did it just happen to be the home of Adolph and Margaret Caso, who represent Branden Publishing?!
It is their work and research that brought the book into existence, but the veterans are the stars of the book!
And that's what I found the most important for these individuals... This is indeed a fantastic tribute to America's Veterans, no matter where they now live, or where they now rest...
It was then I realized that the individual names of these individuals would only be known by their friends and
families, but that their stories would be meaningful to many. That's what I wanted to share and highlight in the review...
Here's something that I found important: I wondered why more individuals did not see this powerful truth...and choose not to follow tyrants...
"Realism and idealism seldom come together except to create utopias that exist only in thoughts wrapped in fiction and begotten with blood. Utopianism, as the ultimate goal for mankind, is always found in the inception stage of future tyrants. The number of human lives sacrificed on behalf of that attainment is beyond belief and comprehension. The numbers of incidents (from the one-man terrorist bomber who kills twenty innocent humans, to many-men organized attackers who kill by the hundreds and thousands) are conducted to achieve one goal: to capture power and confirm the authority of that power by the tyrants themselves.
The authors pointed out a quote from Roger Carpenter that is worthy of highlighting here: "Yes we succeeded, thanks in no small part to individuals like me--a simple driver who knew how to drive well, doing his job and shutting up about it."Indeed!
Herb Baron acknowledged that active duty turned him from a boy to a man...
 |
George Bulwinkle was thrown on a pile of dead bodies! While Austin Cribben, when discovering a a German soldier was begged to be spared as a father with children! (How many men never really want to be sent to war!?)
Clifford Harrington's hobby of training homing pigeons was later used during the war!
 |
While David Kingsburg lived simply because he chose to go get a candy bar while those who waited in the jeep were all killed... His question: How do you tell, let alone explain, something like this?"
Each of the Veterans living in Weston are introduced initially with a short paragraph. There follows are short biographies of each, which includes any material that they had, including pictures, letters, etc.
One story I particularly like was about John Saunders who was born in Poland, lived under a doomed country, then under Communism and Finally under Nazism. He believes he lucked out simply because he was Aryan-looking as any blonde, blue-eyed German...Of course, he also had forged papers... His own book is entitled the Memoirs of John R. Saunders: Prisoner, Officer, Winner...
 |
Hello Darling,
Tonight I can tell you I am in Nuremburg. This is the place which Hitler called the "Most German of all cities." It was the place of many great Nazi meetings. "Hitler's Temple." Here the people waves Nazi flags from the countless windows of the innumerable apartment houses as the haughty SS troopers stormed by on the cobblestone streets below.
It was a city chuck-full of tradition, but how things have changed. The once beautiful buildings are now nothing but piles of pulverized debris. The flags still hang from the windows but there are no swastikas because they have been all bleached white--the token of surrender. These countless windows will not have to be cleaned for some time because most of them are glassless. In short, all is "kaput."
Today, the guys went to a brewery and came back with 5 big kegs. Tonight, we'll all be drinking beer. In normal times, the Bavarian beer is supposedly the best obtainable, but because of the war, the beer is not its best--it tastes something like cider without the apples, very synthetic. One could drink several kegs without getting the least bit intoxicated. Once here, everyone drinks it, just like we drink Coke here in the states. Even and 9 and 10 year-old children.
How are the boys treating you? I know Steve must be still a baby, but Den--it's so hard to visualize him now--must be such a big boy, inquisitive and domineering. Is he just as sincere as ever? Does he still have that Harvard accent? You mentioned not being able to get the correct shoes for the boys; did they have them at Thompson's Factory?I'm going to have to close now dear. I have to go "on guard" over to the motor pool. I will be on duty from 20:15 to 23:30.
Tomorrow being Sunday, is a day of rest and no reveille at 6:30. Chow won't be served until 8 o'clock, so I can sleep a bit late for once. So, good night, darling and take good care of yourself and the boys.
I love you...
Austin...
 |
Frances O'Neil is the only female Weston Veteran. When her four brothers enlisted, she wasn't satisfied in not following their example and finally talked her mother into signing approval for active duty, when she was 20. She joined the Coast Guard, a new branch of the service at that time, and had many other young women.Aside from the routine duties she performed, she was also able to go dancing at the USO every night! When she came back home, she got a job at the Arthur Murray's Studio! Now that's what I call a story!
There are so many different memories, stories, pictures for enjoyment! I have to tell you my own story with the book...I noticed a picture of a handsome young man in his uniform...So I was interested in learning more about him! LOL... Wouldn't you know that Harry and Ann Baker have been married for 72 years! Wow, Lucky Woman...!!! But it was wonderful to see their pictures when first married and then one so many years later!
Highly recommended! Well done and a joy to explore...Keep it on your permanent library shelf to visit often!GABixlerReviews
 |
 |
 |
| Memorial for and graves of victims of aerial warfare in World War II at Karlsruhe (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
 |
| World War II Memorial Panoramic (Photo credit: un2814) |
 |
| A generic U.S. World War II tank, a derivate of Image:TM-9-374-T25E1-1.jpg, background removed (transparent), hue set to steel blue, reduced size and colors. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
 |
| World War II nurses (Photo credit: timefornurses) |
 |
No comments:
Post a Comment