The Saint Vincent College Center for Northern Appalachian Studies announced the publication of They Say There Was A War, a collection of personal accounts of veterans of World War II. The book, the first sequel to the Center’s The Long Road, includes the stories of veterans from all theatres and all services, including the Merchant Marine. Included also are two accounts of men who were victims of the Bataan Death March that followed the fall of Singapore and the Philippines to the Japanese in 1941.

The book, to appear May 1, is hardbound, with glossy paper, and is 568 pages in length. It is filled with original drawings, cartoons, and vintage photographs and maps. The book is priced at $30 and will be sold through the Saint Vincent College bookstore, Barnes and Noble, and Penelope’s in Greensburg.

The drama, tragedy, brutality and macabre humor of total warfare during World War II is nowhere more apparent than in the personal experiences of those who were there.  In They Say There Was a War, readers will get to know men like:

American GI Clarence Kindl  

A nineteen-year-old soldier serving in the pre-war peacetime army at Hawaii’s Wheeler Field, Kindl’s tranquil life was interrupted when the Japanese attacked his base and others along with Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  

Army Medic Harry McCracken

After fighting with the 99th Infantry Division across Europe into Germany, McCracken accompanied tanks which broke through the gates of Stalag VII-A at Moosburg, Germany to liberate the camp.  Once inside, Mr. McCracken -- amazingly --  found his older brother Milton, still alive after a year of captivity.
  
Marine Corps Rifleman Lewis Steck

Wading ashore during the invasion of Tarawa, Steck saw bullets hitting the water all around him; heard others snapping past to his right and left, and wondered aloud, "Which one is gonna hit me?"

Navy Pharmacist’s Mate Dale Bullock

Aboard the USS Rotanin in the South Pacific, Bullock served for twenty-two months with Tom Heggen, the ship’s Communications Officer. Based on experiences shared with Bullock and the crew aboard the Rotanin, Heggen wrote Mr. Roberts, a best-selling novel that chronicled the ennui of life in the backwater Navy.

RAF Pilot John Slaney

A member of that unique fraternity of aviators in their magnificent Spitfires, Hurricanes and Typhoons, Slaney participated in air combat over England and in ground support operations in Normandy where he was shot down by ground fire.  His account of life as a POW is enlightening.

Sailor James Takitch

Aboard the Destroyer USS Kidd off the island of Okinawa, Takitch was on lookout duty when he spotted a Kamikaze boring in on the Kidd, guns blazing and seemingly coming straight at him. He was severely wounded by the plane’s gunfire seconds before the Kamikaze exploded into the ship’s hull.    

These stories, along with fifty others included in this book, represent the recollections of men who provide detailed accounts of their wartime exploits.  More than 200 photos, drawings, posters and vintage maps compliment the narrative.  Readers who venture into these pages will be richly rewarded with insight into experiences of a kind that altered the lives of a generation of young men.

For information contact Professor Richard Wissolik at rwissolik@stvincent.edu

To visit the Saint Vincent College Center for Northern Appalachian Studies web site connect to: www.stvincent.edu  
Select "Academics;" select Center for Northern Appalachian Studies.

To access the Saint Vincent College Bookstore’s web site connect to:

www.stvincent.edu

Select "Quick Links;" select "Bookstore"

The direct dial for the Saint Vincent College Bookstore is: 724-537-4557

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