Name: Guerrillas in Civil War Missouri
Brand: James W. Erwin
SKU: 9781609493882
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Guerrillas in Civil War Missouri

9781609493882

$21.99

Missouri ranks third in the number of Civil War battles fought on its soil. Although some sizable actions were fought in the state, most of the battles were the result of the intense guerrilla activity. These battles are only the actions reported by Federal troops against the guerrillas. The attacks on civilians were equally as numerous. Long before the Civil War began, Missouri was deeply divided over whether slavery should be extended to neighboring Kansas. This book takes an in-depth look at the guerrilla warfare grounded in this division.

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Michigan POW Camps in World War II

9781625858375

$21.99

During World War II, Michigan became a temporary home to six thousand German and Italian POWs.

At a time of homefront labor shortages, they picked fruit in Berrien County, harvested sugar beets in the Thumb, cut pulpwood in the Upper Peninsula and maintained parks and other public spaces in Detroit. The work programs were not flawless and not all of the prisoners were cooperative, but many of the men established enduring friendships with their captors. Author Gregory Sumner tells the story of these detainees and the ordinary Americans who embodied our highest ideals, even amid a global war.

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Willow Run

9781467117296

$24.99

A pictoral history of Willow Run - a relative unknown location that became the world's most famous bomber factory during World War II.

In May 1940, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 50,000 military airplanes. He then drafted the president of General Motors, William Knudsen, to mobilize industry in the United States. The automotive companies were called upon to produce a massive fleet of bombers, as well as tanks, trucks, guns, and engines. By the Willow Run, a sleepy little creek near Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ford Motor Company built the world's most famous bomber factory, which was the ultimate manifestation of the automotive industry's role in building armaments during World War II. By the spring of 1944, Willow Run was producing a four-engine B-24 bomber each hour on an assembly line.

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World War II POW Camps in Ohio

9781467141666

$21.99

During World War II, more than six thousand prisoners of war resided at Camp Perry near Port Clinton and its branch camps at Columbus, Rossford, Cambridge, Celina, Bowling Green, Defiance, Marion, Parma and Wilmington. From the start, the camps were a study in contradictions. The Italian prisoners who arrived first charmed locals with their affable, easygoing natures, while their German successors often put on a serious, intractable front. Some local residents fondly recall working alongside the prisoners and reuniting with them later in life. Others held the prisoners in disdain, feeling that they were coddled while natives struggled with day-to-day needs. Drawing on first-person accounts from soldiers, former POWs and residents, as well as archival research, Dr. Jim Van Keuren delves into the neglected history of Ohio's POW camps.

Ellsworth Air Force Base

9781467106948

$24.99

Rapid City Army Air Base was constructed in 1942 and used as a training location for B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber aircrews throughout the duration of World War II. After the war, the newly renamed Rapid City Air Force Base (AFB) led the nation’s strategic bombardment force, deploying B-29 Superfortresses to Britain during the Berlin Blockade and later flying the B-36 Peacemaker heavy bomber. In 1953, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower renamed the base for Brig. Gen. Richard E. Ellsworth, who was killed during a mission over Burgoyne’s Cove, Newfoundland. From 1960 to 1994, Ellsworth AFB was a Strategic Air Command superbase containing two legs of the American Strategic Nuclear Triad—heavy bomber aircraft (B-52 Stratofortresses and B-1B Lancers) and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (Titan and Minuteman). Today, the personnel at Ellsworth AFB continue to build upon the storied legacy of the South Dakota base, projecting American airpower around the world.

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World War II Shipbuilding in Duluth and Superior

9781467125819

$24.99

World War II hinged on the Allies having enough ships to both fight the enemy and to carry millions of tons of war goods across the world's oceans. Shipyards on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Coasts built thousands of vessels, but America's sometimes forgotten Fourth Coast, the Great Lakes, built hundreds of ships as well. From 1940 to 1945, warships, cargo haulers, Coast Guard tenders, and fleet service auxiliaries of many types were launched from the two cities of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, which lie at the far western end of Lake Superior. During the war, half a dozen shipyards in Duluth-Superior produced more than 200 vessels of 10 main types, up to 338 feet long and 5,000 tons, all having to make close to a 2,400-mile journey to the ocean. The shipyards grew from nearly nothing in 1939 to become industries employing thousands of men and women by 1945 and making a major contribution to the story of America in World War II.

Cover image for World War II Shipbuilding in Duluth and Superior, isbn: 9781467125819

Offutt Air Force Base

9781467112710

$24.99

The year is 1888, and Pres. Grover Cleveland has just signed into law a bill that will lead to the establishment of Fort Crook. In 1948, that Army post gained a new name: Offutt Air Force Base. The history of Offutt Air Force Base is truly unlike that of any other military installation. In the face of adversity, it has overcome challenges during the United States' rise to global prominence, was active during the golden age of flight, and served as a wartime bomber plant. The base remained ever vigilant during the Cold War and continues to do so as a combatant of 21st-century threats. Its remarkable existence of nearly 125 years can serve as a road map of US history. Today, the 55th Wing serves as the host unit for Offutt Air Force Base; its motto, Videmus Omnia (We See All), can also be applied to the saga of the base.

Cover image for Offutt Air Force Base, isbn: 9781467112710

Notre Dame and the Civil War

9781596298798

$21.99

While many institutions of higher education made great sacrifices during the Civil War, few can boast of the dedication and effort made by the University of Notre Dame.

For four years, Notre Dame gave freely of its faculty and students as soldiers, sent its Holy Cross priests to the camps and battlefields as chaplains and dispatched its sisters to the hospitals as nurses. Though far from the battlefields, the war was ever-present on campus, as Notre Dame witnessed fisticuffs among the student body, provided a home to the children of a famous general, responded to political harassment and tried to keep at least some of its community from the fray. At war's end, a proud Notre Dame welcomed back several bona fide war heroes and became home to a unique veterans' organization.

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Bunker Hill and Grissom Air Force Base

9781467115087

$24.99

As the US Navy recovered from the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, the aircraft carrier earned a place alongside the battleship, and the Navy grew its air force. Pilots were needed as fast as American industry could build airplanes, and Indiana became the home of a naval air-training center. After fascism's defeat with the end of World War II, a potentially more deadly Cold War brought the need for a deterrent force capable of surviving a nuclear attack and then completely destroying the enemy. A vital part of that force moved into the old Hoosier Navy Base in 1954. For more than three decades, Bunker Hill and Grissom airmen stood on the forward wall of America's freedom. Images of Aviation: Bunker Hill and Grissom Air Force Base tells their story through an amazing collection of declassified US Air Force photographs.

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The Civil War in Kansas: Ten Years of Turmoil

9781609495633

$19.99

In the 1850s, the eyes of the world were on Kansas. The Civil War in Kansas will be an overview of the years 1854-1865, since the war began in Kansas nearly seven years before it spread to the rest of the nation. From the repeal of the Missouri Compromise to its entry in the Union, Kansas played a small role in the war as a whole, but its effects on the state were nonetheless important. With regards to the Kansas citizens who played a part, it would be an understatement to call them "colorful." From John Brown to Jim Lane, Kansans made headlines throughout the nation and the world. Bisel presents the history of Kansas during the Civil War years in an accessible way that will satisfy history buffs as well as enlighten novices.

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Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers

9780738532080

$24.99

This is the story of the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, two Great Lakes excursion ships converted for aircraft carrier training during WWII.

Through the duration of the war, the United States Navy qualified 17,800 pilots for aircraft carrier operation. Training the pilots on either the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean would have exposed the training ships to the danger of submarine attack, while requiring the escort of fighting ships that were needed elsewhere. It would also have involved arming and armoring the ships used for training. Commander R.F. Whitehead came up with an idea that solved all of these problems. He suggested doing the training on the protected waters of the Great Lakes.

The USS Wolverine and the USS Sable were chosen and became the only fresh water, paddle-wheeled, coal-fired aircraft carriers in the history of the world. Author Paul M. Somers shares his collection of vintage photos and a lifetime of research to detail the history of these two great vessels-from their life as cruise ships to their contributions to the war effort and then to their eventual scrapping.

Cover image for Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers, isbn: 9780738532080

Michigan in World War II

9781467147330

$24.99

Detroit's role as the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II is well known, but the war effort in Michigan extended to all corners of the state. Schoolchildren showed their patriotism by raising money for war bonds to buy planes, tanks and jeeps. The locks in Sault Ste. Marie were considered a potential target of a German attack and were guarded accordingly. A spy ring in Detroit mobilized an unsuccessful attempt to help an escaped German POW flee the continent. A top-secret navy project, undisclosed until the 1990s, set aircraft carriers afloat on the Great Lakes. Compiling more than 180 images, including many never before seen, author Dan Mason unfolds the stories of Michigander grit and courage overseas and at home.

The Story of Camp Douglas

9781626199118

$24.99

If you were a Confederate prisoner during the Civil War, you might have ended up in this infamous military prison in Chicago.

More Confederate soldiers died in Chicago's Camp Douglas than on any Civil War battlefield. Originally constructed in 1861 to train forty thousand Union soldiers from the northern third of Illinois, it was converted to a prison camp in 1862. Nearly thirty thousand Confederate prisoners were housed there until it was shut down in 1865. Today, the history of the camp ranges from unknown to deeply misunderstood. David Keller offers a modern perspective of Camp Douglas and a key piece of scholarship in reckoning with the legacy of other military prisons.

Remembering Michigan's Civil War Soldiers

9781467113458

$24.99

When the 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry regiment arrived in Washington, DC, President Lincoln exclaimed: Thank God for Michigan! The state raised more than 90,000 men to serve during the Civil War, and 69 of them received the Medal of Honor. Notable Michiganders include Gens. Israel Richardson, Orlando Poe, Alpheus Williams, Orlando Willcox, and George Hartsuff, as well as The Boy General, George Armstrong Custer, and Officer Norman Hall, who was stationed at Fort Sumter when the war began. Featuring images of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, which captured Confederate president Jefferson Davis at the war's end, and never-before-published photographs of Wolverine soldiers, Images of America: Remembering Michigan's Civil War Soldiers highlights hundreds of Michiganians who were committed to preserving the Union.

Cover image for Remembering Michigan's Civil War Soldiers, isbn: 9781467113458

Minot Air Force Base

9781467102926

$24.99

The Strategic Air Command equipped the 4136th Strategic Wing at Minot Air Force Base with B-52Hs in 1961. The first landing of the first B-52H was part of a celebration on the base referred to as Peace Persuader Day. Over 10,000 area citizens came to the base to witness the historic landing. The wing was redesignated as the 450th Bomb Wing on February 1, 1963, and then again on July 25, 1968, as the 5th Bomb Wing—the name that it retains today. The base's location in the geographic center of North America made it perfect for a Minuteman missile wing complex to be built in 1961. This is the story of the Cold War–era construction of Minot Air Force Base and its continued operation as an Air Force Strike Command B-52H bomber and Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile base. With new nuclear threats arising from countries in Asia and the Middle East, Minot once again assumes an important role in the nation's defense.

Cover image for Minot Air Force Base, isbn: 9781467102926

Cincinnati in the Civil War

9781467139960

$26.99

During the Civil War, Cincinnati played a crucial role in preserving the United States. Not only was the city the North's most populous in the west, but it was also the nation's third-most productive manufacturing center. Instrumental in the Underground Railroad prior to the conflict, the city became a focal point for curbing Southern incursion into Union territory, and nearby Camp Dennison was Ohio's largest camp in the Civil War and one of the largest in the United States. Cincinnati historian David L. Mowery examines the many different facets of the Queen City during the war, from the enlistment of the city's area residents in more than 590 Federal regiments and artillery units to the city's production of seventy-eight U.S. Navy gunboats for the nation's rivers. As the Union's "Queen City," Cincinnati lived up to its name.

Great Lakes Naval Training Station

9780738551937

$24.99

The historic Great Lakes Naval Training Station was authorized as a "training ship on land" in 1904.

The base opened on July 1, 1911, and the first class of 300 U.S. sailors graduated four months later in a grand ceremony attended by Pres. William H. Taft as guest of honor. It has since sent to the fleet over four million sailors, serving the nation through all the conflicts of the 20th century. Today Great Lakes is the sole remaining navy boot camp in the United States. Anchored by the stately Building One, the entire 43-building complex was designated as Great Lakes Naval Training Station on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This book, with over 200 vintage images, explores its colorful and important history.

World War II Chicago

9780738532097

$24.99

Chicagoans united in their World War II effort against the Axis powers. They signed up for military service, rallied to the call for increased wartime production, and aided the war effort through the rationing of food and gasoline. From fast growing victory gardens to mini-monuments to local servicemen-Chicago, the "City of Neighborhoods," saw all of its geographic parts vie for recognition and honor in a ethnic mosaic of patriotism.

The war years ushered in changing times for Chicago. The city became an important military center as thousands of troops trained or passed through en route to the war fronts, while Chicago's civilian population engaged in manufacturing war materials. As defense plants sprang up all over Chicago, African-American tenant farmers, who migrated from the South, and women replaced the male labor force.

Camp Douglas

9780738551753

$24.99

Kelly Pucci explores the dark history of this historic prison, located only three miles from the Chicago Loop, that was used as a POW facility during the Civil War.

Thousands of Confederate soldiers died in Chicago during the Civil War, not from battle wounds, but from disease, starvation, and torture as POWs in a military prison three miles from the Chicago Loop. Initially treated as a curiosity, attitudes changed when newspapers reported the deaths of Union soldiers on southern battlefields. As the prison population swelled, deadly diseases--smallpox, dysentery, and pneumonia--quickly spread through Camp Douglas. Starving prisoners caught stealing from garbage dumps were tortured or shot. Fearing a prisoner revolt, a military official declared martial law in Chicago, and civilians, including a Chicago mayor and his family, were arrested, tried, and sentenced by a military court. At the end of the Civil War, Camp Douglas closed, its buildings were demolished, and records were lost or destroyed. The exact number of dead is unknown; however, 6,000 Confederate soldiers incarcerated at Camp Douglas are buried among mayors and gangsters in a South Side cemetery. Camp Douglas: Chicago's Civil War Prison explores a long-forgotten chapter of American history, clouded in mystery and largely forgotten.

Glenview Naval Air Station

9780738541228

$24.99

In 1923--just 20 years after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk--a Naval Reserve aviation training program was established at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Originally, sea planes and a few small land-based planes were used for primary flight instruction. With the development of heavier, faster military aircraft, the Great Lakes facility became inadequate. Under Rear Adm. John Downes, commandant of the 9th Naval District, the search for a suitable new location was undertaken. Curtiss-Reynolds-Wright Airfield was deemed ideal for relocation of the aviation training program. From humble beginnings as Naval Reserve Aviation Base Chicago, Naval Air Station Glenview (the official U.S. Navy designation) went on to play a vital and unique role during World War II. Until closure in 1995, the base was home to thousands of Navy and Marine Reserve pilots, aircrews, and support personnel--proudly known as weekend warriors."

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Rock Island Arsenal

9781467112703

$24.99

In July 1862, Pres. Abraham Lincoln signed legislation to create Rock Island Arsenal, envisioning a supply and maintenance facility. After the Civil War, Rock Island became home to a great national arsenal. It made everything soldiers needed and supplied saddles, rifles, canteens, haversacks, artillery, tanks, and ammunition to the Army on the frontier and around the world. Rock Island Arsenal, located on an island in the Mississippi River, has long been the center of the local Illinois-Iowa community and the largest employer in the area. Beginning as a modest wooden fort, the arsenal grew to become the largest public-works project of the 19th century, the home of a National Historic Landmark, and the host of numerous historical events. Rock Island Arsenal still bustles as a center of Army logistics and is critical to sustaining the nation's armed forces in peace and war.

United States Disciplinary Barracks

9780738560199

$24.99

On May 21, 1874, Congress approved the establishment of the United States Disciplinary Barracks (USDB), formerly the United States Military Prison at Fort Leavenworth. The original prison was once a quartermaster depot, supplying all military posts, camps, and stations in the Indian Territory to the West. It has been the "center of correctional excellence" in the military for over 130 years, housing the most notorious service members in the armed forces, including maximum-custody inmates and those with death sentences. On October 5, 2002, retreat was played for the last time in front of the eight-story castle inside the old USDB, and another era started with the occupation of a new modern correctional facility.

Detroit in World War II

9781467119474

$21.99

When President Roosevelt called for the country to be the great Arsenal of Democracy, Detroit helped turn the tide against fascism with its industrial might. Locals were committed to the cause, putting careers and personal ambitions on hold. Factories were retooled from the ground up. Industrialist Henry Ford, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, aviator Charles Lindbergh, legendary boxer Joe Louis, future baseball Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg and the real-life Rosie the Riveters all helped drive the city that was forging thunderbolts for the front lines. With a panoramic narrative, author Gregory D. Sumner chronicles the wartime sacrifices, contributions and everyday life of the Motor City.

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Fort Leavenworth

9780738560823

$24.99

On March 17, 1827, Col. Henry Leavenworth received orders from Washington. Along with four companies of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, he departed from the Jefferson Barracks at St. Louis, traveled up the Missouri River, and selected a site for a permanent settlement. Cantonment Leavenworth was established on May 8, 1827, and renamed Fort Leavenworth on February 8, 1832. Since then, it has grown and met the demands of the U.S. Army. From the protection of pioneers along the Santa Fe Trail to peacekeeping missions among the Native Americans, the fort's role in the nation's expansion westward is second to none. Fort Leavenworth has continually reinvented itself to meet the challenges facing the nation. From training units during the Civil War to army education during Operation Enduring Freedom, the fort's many schools have stood true to their motto: Ad bellum pace parati (prepared in peace for war).

Fort Davidson and the Battle of Pilot Knob

9781609490232

$21.99

Local civilians and Civil War veterans felt a special connection to Fort Davidson long after the war. The survivors formed the Pilot Knob Memorial Association to ensure that the focal point of their battle, their glory and their Civil War would never be forgotten. Historian Walter Busch presents the association's records, along with Iron County court records, newspaper accounts and surviving photographs, to relate the history of the Battle of Pilot Knob and chronicle the diligent work to preserve Fort Davidson, now a state historic site.

Fort Davidson and the Battle of Pilot Knob

Wright Field

9781467116299

$24.99

Wright Field features scores of photographs that show the airfield from its founding in 1927 through World War II, the Cold War, and beyond.

From its founding in 1927 until the establishment of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1948, Wright Field played a vital role keeping the Army Air Force positioned as the world's leader in aircraft design and development. The Second World War catapulted it into the forefront of America's war effort, as virtually every new aircraft produced for the Army Air Force was developed and tested in Dayton. Wright Field's testing program also had the fascinating task of studying captured enemy aircraft, including some powered by jet engines, which engineers at the installation were also developing. Images of Aviation: Wright Field features scores of amazing photographs that tell the story of the airfield from its founding in 1927 through World War II, the Cold War, and beyond. Readers will also see the impact the base has played in the local community by providing thousands of jobs, as well as some of the greatest air shows ever held in the United States. Finally, a collection of crash photographs reveals the often tragic consequences that inevitably come with the testing of advanced experimental aircraft.

Cover image for Wright Field, isbn: 9781467116299

Morgan's Great Raid

9781609494360

$21.99

One of the nation's most colorful leaders, Confederate general John Hunt Morgan, took his cavalry through enemy-occupied territory in three states in one of the longest offensives of the Civil War.

A military operation unlike any other on American soil, Morgan's Raid was characterized by incredible speed, superhuman endurance and innovative tactics.The effort produced the only battles fought north of the Ohio River and reached farther north than any other regular Confederate force. With twenty-five maps and more than forty illustrations, Morgan's Raid historian David L. Mowery takes a new look at this unprecedented event in American history, one historians rank among the world's greatest land-based raids since Elizabethan times.

Fort Meade

9781467128018

$24.99

The gold rush of 1876 brought many miners to the Black Hills. After the defeat of Lt. Col. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in June 1876, miners, concerned about attacks from the Lakota, requested protection from the US Army. However, it was not until 1878 that a military fort, Fort Meade, was established in the area for the protection of the settlers in the Black Hills. Fort Meade is located near Bear Butte and present-day Sturgis, South Dakota. From the home of the 7th Cavalry to hosting Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Depression to housing German prisoners of war during World War II, Fort Meade kept the peace on the Northern Great Plains for 66 years. Fort Meade then transitioned into a Veterans Administration hospital and a regional training institute for the South Dakota National Guard.

History of the 33rd Iowa Infantry Volunteer Regiment, 1863-6

9780738594637

$21.99

In presenting this history of our Regiment to my fellow-soldiers of the 33d Iowa Infantry, I hope their memories while reading, may be as warm and pleasant as have been mine while writing it. For whatever of omission or error it contains, I have only to say, that the whole was written amidst the very press of editorial and many other duties, and a very great part of it after nine o'clock at night. The work is as well as I could make it under the circumstances.

History of the 33rd Iowa Infantry Volunteer Regiment, 1863-6

The Wreck of the Naval Airship USS Shenandoah

9781467126625

$24.99

The USS Shenandoah was the pride of the American Navy in 1925 and America's first rigid dirigible. Her name is a Native American word often said to mean Daughter of the Stars. While performing a publicity tour in the Midwest, the ship was ripped to pieces by a violent storm. Fourteen men died, including Lt. Comdr. Zachary Lansdowne, who remained at his post to the very end. The citizens of Noble County, Ohio, were alarmed and amazed when this high-tech, state-of-the-art marvel came tumbling out of the sky into their rural and isolated community. While lavishing care and support on the wounded, the locals also looted the wreckage and made souvenirs of valuable equipment that remained family treasures for years. Tales of daring heroism and sacrifice by those brave sailors on that stormy night soon became the thing of legend to the residents of the valley. For nearly 100 years, people there have maintained the legacy of Shenandoah with monuments, songs, and commemorations that continue to this day.

The Wreck of the Naval Airship USS Shenandoah

Evansville in World War II

9781626196759

$21.99

During World War II, the city of Evansville manufactured vast amounts of armaments that were vital to the Allied victory.

The Evansville Ordnance Plant made 96 percent of all .45-caliber ammunition used in the war, while the Republic Aviation Plant produced more than 6,500 P-47 Thunderbolts - almost half of all P-47s built during the war. At its peak, the local shipyard employed upward of eighteen thousand men and women who forged 167 of the iconic Landing Ship Tank vessels. In this captivating and fast-paced account, University of Evansville historian James Lachlan MacLeod reveals the enormous influence these wartime industries had on the social, economic and cultural life of the city.

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Cincinnati

9780738533452

$24.99

Cincinnati: The World War II Years explores a significant chapter in the history of greater Cincinnati: the time before, during, and immediately after World War II. The book, spanning from 1937 to 1955, examines trends in the social, political, and cultural history of the city and surrounding communities. Events transpiring in Cincinnati mirrored changes that the United States experienced during this pivotal period--the Great Depression, isolationist impulses, the mobilization for war, and the postwar economic boom. Because Cincinnati's war years so closely reflect larger national trends of the time, the story of this city's home front experience serves as an insightful case study of the national war experience.

Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne

9780738551128

$24.99

Michigan's historic Fort Wayne, located on the narrowest point of the Detroit River, is named for Revolutionary War hero Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The fort was built in the 1840s to protect Detroit from British invasion following the strife of the 1838 Patriot War in Canada. Originally constructed of earth and wood, the fortifications were rebuilt in masonry during the Civil War, but the fort has never mounted cannons, as peace came to the international border and remains to this day. Fort Wayne has served the military as a training center, home to infantry regiments, supply depot, prisoner of war camp, and major induction center. It was a source of work for the unemployed during the Great Depression, a place of confinement during the Red Scare of 1920, and home for those displaced by civil unrest in Detroit during the 1960s. The fort continues to invite people to its riverfront view, not as soldiers but as guests, to enjoy community events on its broad parade fields and to learn about those who lived, drilled, and worked there.

Cover image for Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne, isbn: 9780738551128

Kansas City B-25 Factory

9781467111973

$24.99

An industrial miracle took place at the Fairfax Airport, on the shores of the Missouri River, between 1941 and 1945. A massive factory was quickly built and a large modification center was soon added. At its peak, over 24,000 greater Kansas City–area residents were employed by North American Aviation, Inc. Their goal was to build as many twin-engine B-25 Mitchell medium bombers for wartime service as possible. Their success was the construction of an unprecedented 6,608 aircraft. The B-25 Mitchell served with distinction in every theater of World War II, and significant numbers of them were provided to Allied nations. Many B-25s have been preserved, and some of them remain airworthy today. They can be seen on static display or in flight at air shows all across America.

Cover image for Kansas City B-25 Factory, isbn: 9781467111973

Camp Clark

9781467109383

$23.99

In 1908, Camp Clark came into existence when it was established as the State Rifle Range in Nevada, Missouri, and quickly progressed into the primary marksmanship training and encampment site for the Missouri National Guard. On August 5, 1917, when the entire National Guard of the United States was drafted into federal service for World War I, the camp became a mobilization and early training site for more than 10,000 Missouri National Guard soldiers. With the passing of Brig. Gen. Harvey C. Clark, a beloved adjutant general, the location was officially renamed Camp Clark in his honor. Aviator Charles Lindbergh, who acquired worldwide fame for his transatlantic flight in 1927, spent time training at Camp Clark in the 1920s. During World War II, the camp fell under federal control and became an internment site for Italian and German prisoners of war. In the years after the war, the camp underwent various expansions but continues to serve as a training location for various Missouri National Guard units and, in recent years, has even been utilized for pre-mobilization training.

Rantoul and Chanute Air Force Base

9780738583082

$24.99

Join Mark D. Hanson as he chronicles the long-standing and cohesive relationship between the farming town of Rantoul and the Chanute Air Force base.

Rantoul and the former Chanute Air Force Base are inseparably intertwined as primary players in a single historical narrative. Rantoul was first founded as an agriculturally based community in 1848 near an area known as Mink Grove. The settlement boomed with the coming of the Illinois Central Railroad in 1854; a railroad championed by the town's namesake, Robert Rantoul Jr. Disaster followed in 1899 and again in 1901 with devastating fires. Then, in 1917, a U.S. Army flying field was built on the outskirts of Rantoul. Named after the aviation pioneer Octave Chanute, Chanute Field, later Chanute Air Force Base, became a premier technical training facility. A mutually beneficial relationship quickly developed between these civilian and military establishments that would last for over 75 years. Chanute Air Force Base closed in 1993, ushering in yet another new era for the village of Rantoul.

Cover image for Rantoul and Chanute Air Force Base, isbn: 9780738583082

Fort Custer in the World Wars

9781467162647

$24.99

The April 1917 declaration of war on Germany hastened the need for US training camps. Camp Custer, named for Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, was established on July 18, 1917. Thousands of soldiers were inducted at Camp Custer, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers would start their military training at Camp and later Fort Custer, which became a permanent base in 1940. Images from Camp and Fort Custer gives the reader insight into camp life during both world wars, including the German prisoners of war experience. Images of America: Fort Custer in the World Wars features the influence Camp and Fort Custer had on military training. The young soldiers trained here served their country honorably and are deserving of gratitude.

Brenda Glover Leyndyke, board member and volunteer librarian for the Fort Custer Historical Society, is the daughter of a Fort Custer veteran. Leyndyke updated the Research in Michigan book published by the National Genealogical Society. Along with her volunteer work, Leyndyke writes an award-winning blog. She works closely with the Fort Custer Historical Society board and draws on the society’s collection of over 2,000 photographs.

Cover image for Fort Custer in the World Wars, isbn: 9781467162647

Nebraska Ordnance Plant, The

9781467161497

$24.99

The entrance of the United States into World War II in 1941 completely transformed the nation. During this time, the small Nebraska towns of Mead and Wahoo in Saunders County were chosen to be the site of the Nebraska Ordnance Plant, one of three such plants in the state. The plant operated for 20 years—from 1942 to 1962. It served as an ordnance plant during World War II and the Korean War, then as an Atlas missile site from 1960 to 1962. Since then, the land has been sold to various interests, including the University of Nebraska and the Nebraska National Guard. The Nebraska Ordnance Plant uses over 150 photographs and their accompanying captions to tell the story of the profound effect the plant had on the social, economic, and environmental life of the county.

Jennifer Garza is the assistant at the Saunders County Historical Society and a lecturer in the history department at the University of Nebraska. Erin Hauser is the curator at the Saunders County Historical Society.

Cover image for Nebraska Ordnance Plant, The, isbn: 9781467161497

Wayne's Trace

9780738532127

$24.99

Wayne's Trace: Fort Deposit to Fort Industry is the first pictorial history to document the culmination of General Mad Anthony Wayne's campaign against the Indian Confederacy in 1794. The retrospective draws on a wealth of archival material and popular culture-including unique vintage engravings, photographs, postcards, and philatelic souvenirs-in tracing the U.S. Legion's march down the Maumee River Valley to Maumee Bay. A highlight is Turkey Foot Rock, an epic of defeat landmark the author likens to Custer's Last Stand Hill in Montana. More recent images illustrate archaeological initiatives and the evolution of the Fallen Timbers Battlefield and the site of Fort Miamis as National Park Service affiliates. Together, the local history and lore of Waterville, Maumee, and Toledo, Ohio, amplify a great watershed in our national history, the dislocation of Native American peoples, and the first opportunity for colonization by the young United States.

Cover image for Wayne's Trace, isbn: 9780738532127

Camp Grant

9780738532196

$24.99

"Good old Camp Grant, right close to home." Those words, true at the time they were written during World War II, applied to Camp Grant from the beginning. Tracks were laid in what was a farm field in northwest Illinois, and within the span of 90 days a small city was built. During its use as a post, thousands of soldiers were trained at what became Camp Grant. Local businesses showed loyal support for the troops and those working at the station hospital did their best for the returning wounded.

The story of Camp Grant cannot be told simply through the forming of the camp, the training that took place, or the camp's eventual demise. Each part is a story unto itself, retold through the memories and photographs from the World War I troops, Illinois National Guardsmen, World War II draftees, medical personnel, and German POWs that passed through. Those photographs are gathered together here, narrating and preserving the story of Camp Grant.

North Dakota Air National Guard

9781467109437

$23.99

The North Dakota Air National Guard's (NDANG) 119th Wing boasts an illustrious 60-year history of flying fighters. The NDANG can trace its roots back to the 392nd Fighter Squadron, which fell under the 367th Fighter Group. Many of its charter members began their careers in the Army Air Corps during World War II and brought their expertise and experience to their home station unit in Fargo, North Dakota. People like Alexander Macdonald had a hand in nearly every success from 1950 through the F-16 years as a pilot, commander, adjutant general, and then as a civilian advocate. Duane "Pappy" Larson is credited with being the namesake for the unit nickname "The Happy Hooligans." The 119th unit's history is a story about the people who achieved unprecedented accomplishments within the Air National Guard and, sometimes, even among the active duty US Air Force.

Michigan and the Civil War

9781609491734

$21.99

Michigan undertook a rapid and robust response to Lincoln's call to arms during the Civil War and in many of its great battles. Read the much overlooked history in this volume.

With lively narration, telling anecdotes, and vivid battlefield accounts, Michigan and the Civil War tells the story as never before of Michigan's heroic contributions to saving the Union. Beginning with Michigan's antebellum period and anti-slavery heritage, the book proceeds through Michigan's rapid response to President Lincoln's call to arms, its participation in each of the War's greatest battles, portrayal of its most interesting personalities, and the concluding triumph as Custer corners Lee at Appomattox and the 4th Michigan Cavalry apprehends the fleeing Jeff Davis. Based on thorough and up-to-date research, the result is surprising in its breadth, sometimes awe-inspiring, and always a revelation given how contributions by the Great Lake State in the Civil War are too often overlooked, even by its own citizens.

Cover image for Michigan and the Civil War, isbn: 9781609491734

Fort McCoy

9780738551708

$24.99

From the days of the horse-drawn caisson to today's Humvee, Fort McCoy has played a vital role in the military readiness of America's armed forces. The only federal military installation within the state of Wisconsin, Fort McCoy has seen more than five million military personnel from throughout the United States pass through its gates since its founding in 1909. Fort McCoy exists today primarily because its founder, Maj. Gen. Robert B. McCoy, foresaw that the U.S. Army would need a regional site at which to train and maneuver and then dedicated himself to making that vision a reality. Fort McCoy's mission of supporting training and mobilization has remained constant from those early days on the McCoy ranch to the current global War on Terror. This book chronicles the illustrious history of Fort McCoy from the doughboys of World War I to today's soldiers supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

James Garfield and the Civil War

9781626199088

$24.99

When the United States was divided by war, future president James Abram Garfield was one of many who stepped forward to defend the Union. While his presidency was tragically cut short by his assassination, Garfield's historic life covered some of the most consequential years of American history. From humble beginnings in Ohio, he rose to become a major general in the Union army. Garfield's military career took him to the backwoods of Kentucky, the fields of Shiloh and Chickamauga and ultimately to the halls of Congress. His service during the war helped to save the Union he would go on to lead as president. Join historian Daniel J. Vermilya to discover the little-known story of James Garfield's role in the Civil War.

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McConnell Air Force Base

9780738561837

$24.99

Beginning from its earliest days as an empty parcel of pasture that became a major hub airport for transcontinental air travel to its present use as the busiest refueling operation in the U.S. Air Force, the slice of land known as McConnell Air Force Base is inextricably connected to aviation to nearly the dawn of manned flight. Its military history began in 1941 with the arrival of the Air National Guard, and the base grew to a multifaceted operation that extends air power globally through intelligence and air refueling missions performed by its three partner units: the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, the 184th Intelligence Wing, and the 931st Air Refueling Group. This book offers a glimpse into the military history of McConnell Air Force Base through many rarely seen or previously unpublished images drawn primarily from the repository of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing Office of History and the Kansas Aviation Museum.

World War I Minnesota

9781467117920

$21.99

When the United States made a formal declaration of war on April 6, 1917, Minnesotans answered the call to arms. Duluth, with its strategic location at the head of the Great Lakes, emerged as a major shipbuilding center. Over forty thousand men registered for the draft in Minneapolis alone. Yet many members of the state's large German American population struggled with divided loyalties. A xenophobic fervor swept through the state at an alarming rate, forcing the government to establish a Commission on Public Safety to stifle wartime dissent. With more than fifty period photos and illustrations, author Iric Nathanson brings to life the daily struggles and triumphs of Minnesotans in the Great War.

Cover image for World War I Minnesota, isbn: 9781467117920

World War II Milwaukee

9781467117623

$21.99

Long before Japanese bombs rained down on Pearl Harbor, Milwaukee was the "Machine Shop to the World." Thanks to the city's large industrial base, factories quickly retooled and mobilized for wartime production. Harley-Davidson produced thousands of military motorbikes, and Falk Corporation churned out gears that turned the propellers on hundreds of ships. Locals sacrificed their lives for the cause--Mayor Carl Zeidler went missing at sea, USS Arizona captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh refused to leave the bridge of his burning battleship and Mildred Harnack joined the Nazi resistance movement and was executed on direct orders from Hitler. Embedded with German and American troops, Milwaukee journalists H.V. Kaltenborn, Louis Lochner and Dickey Chapelle sent dispatches from the front lines. Through past interviews and archival materials, author Meg Jones reveals these and other patriotic stories.

Lenawee County and the Civil War

9781467135528

$21.99

Lenawee County was a hotbed for antislavery activities in the 1830s that translated into strong Union support in April 1861. Adrian, Tecumseh and Hudson sent hundreds of soldiers to fight and die in the Civil War. The Emancipation Proclamation propelled nearly fifty of the county's African American residents to take up arms to preserve the nation and end slavery once and for all. Captain Samuel DeGolyer, creator of the Lenawee Guard, escaped Confederate prison in Richmond. On the homefront, residents like Laura and Charles Haviland sheltered fugitive slaves and even donated land to help families start anew. Join author Ray Lennard as he explores the events of the war that changed Lenawee County and the nation forever.

Fort Riley

9780738531694

$24.99

Founded in 1853, Fort Riley was established to protect merchants and settlers on the Santa Fe and Oregon-California Trails. Fort Riley kept the peace during the Civil War and in 1893, a cavalry school began operation there. Fort Riley continued to train mounted troops during the Golden Age of Cavalry after World War I, but also served as a training site for more than 150,000 troops during the first and second World Wars. This collection of vintage images commemorating the sesquicentennial of Fort Riley is a colorful, patriotic reminder of the military post that has served the nation continuously since its founding 150 years ago.

Fort Missoula

9780738599557

$24.99

Born of perceived military necessity and local economic boosterism, "the beautiful little post on the Bitterroot" provided a home for the US Army in Montana from 1877 onward. Called into service almost by accident for the 1877 Nez Perce War, Fort Missoula hosted African American Buffalo Soldiers, aviation pioneers, early military automobile mechanics, Civilian Conservation Corps workers, World War II Italian and Japanese national internees, US military prisoners, and a variety of US Army and Navy units. The base bequeathed to its community a level of sophistication and a connection to the national story unique to the American West. Fort Missoula's architectural legacy also reflects the nation's journey from frontier settlement to world power as an assortment of log structures evolved into "the Million Dollar Post."

Kane County

9781467125703

$24.99

The declaration of war in 1917 and the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, stirred the men and women of Kane County, Illinois, to action and service. In World War I, many in Kane County joined the Illinois National Guard 3rd Regiment, 65th and 66th Brigades, and 129th and 131st Infantries of the 33rd Infantry Division. Many of the men also served in the infantry regiments of the 1st Division, known also as the "Big Red One." They trained for war in places like Camp Deneen in Elgin, Camp Grant in Rockford, and Camp Logan in Houston, Texas. In World War II, Kane County's men performed on the war's biggest stages, aiding in Operation Torch, Operation Husky, and the invasion of Normandy. The women of Kane County also served overseas in both world wars as Red Cross nurses and WAVES, and domestically, they worked in factories, supporting in many vital ways.

Cleveland in World War I

9781467116930

$24.99

This photographic history documents Cleveland's substantial contributions to the war effort at home and abroad during World War I.

Cleveland's contribution to the war front began on May 25, 1917, with the Lakeside Hospital Unit becoming the first American detachment to land in Europe. On the home front, the war accelerated the growth of Cleveland, which became the fifth-largest city in the nation by the end of the decade. When war broke out, Cleveland's growing industries could no longer depend on the labor emigrating from Europe. At the same time, 40,000 Clevelanders would eventually leave the workforce and serve in the military. Women replaced them in jobs that were not available in the past. Scores of African Americans left the South, and this Great Migration led to significant economic, social, and political developments in the coming years. Cleveland's ethnic neighborhoods included many who had come from the nations and regions of the Central Powers. Americanization programs taught immigrants English and patriotism.

Cover image for Cleveland in World War I, isbn: 9781467116930

Evansville

9780738534428

$24.99

World War II changed the face of Evansville, Indiana. In December 1941, the city was still recovering from the Great Depression, yet within three months, a series of blockbuster
announcements transformed the region. Several corporations received major defense contracts to manufacture parts and ammunitions, while two new installations were launched: a shipyard to construct Landing Ship Tanks and a factory to manufacture P-47 airplanes. Industrial employment rose dramatically, producing social, economic, and racial tensions as thousands of newcomers poured into a city that lacked adequate housing and public
facilities. The citizens of Evansville persevered, and most workers stayed following the end of the war. One federal official commented that the city--not just its many defense plants--deserved the coveted Army-Navy "E" (for excellence) award.

Cover image for Evansville, isbn: 9780738534428

Fort Robinson

9780738551180

$24.99

Established in northwestern Nebraska in 1874, Fort Robinson served as a military post for nearly 75 years, playing a critical role in the settlement of the West. From here, soldiers marched out to participate in the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877. The famous Oglala leader Crazy Horse was killed at the post. In 1878, Dull Knife's band of Northern Cheyenne attempted to escape the post, resulting in more than 64 deaths. Troops from Fort Robinson were also sent to the Pine Ridge Agency during the Ghost Dance fervor in 1890, the last of the armed conflicts with the Lakota. The arrival of the railroad at Fort Robinson initiated a new role for the post in the 20th century. Between 1885 and 1907, Fort Robinson was home to the 9th and 10th Cavalry, the famous buffalo soldiers. In 1919, Fort Robinson became a remount depot where horses and mules were purchased and conditioned for issue to the army. During World War II, Fort Robinson included a German POW internment camp and the site of the army's largest war dog reception and training center. The fort closed in 1948 and was made a state park in 1972.

World War II Cincinnati

9781626194557

$21.99

World War II transformed Cincinnati from a relatively important but parochial midwestern city into a teeming bastion of military might. While thousands served in the nation's armed forces, others contributed to rationing programs, salvage drives, blackouts and war bond rallies. Scores of community-based programs blossomed as Cincinnatians on the home front threw themselves wholeheartedly into the total war that Washington believed necessary for victory. After answering the call to treat domestic duty as seriously as any battleground assignment, the Queen City emerged from the war as utterly changed as the nation itself. Author Robert Miller brings to life this dramatic, patriotic period in Cincinnati's history.

Cover image for World War II Cincinnati, isbn: 9781626194557

Nebraska POW Camps

9781626194199

$21.99

During World War II, thousands of Axis prisoners of war were held throughout Nebraska in base camps that included Fort Robinson, Camp Scottsbluff and Camp Atlanta. Many Nebraskans did not view the POWs as evil Nazis. To them, they were ordinary men and very human. And while their stay was not entirely free from conflict, many former captives returned to the Cornhusker State to begin new lives after the cessation of hostilities. Drawing on first-person accounts from soldiers, former POWs and Nebraska residents, as well as archival research, Melissa Marsh delves into the neglected history of Nebraska's POW camps.

Cover image for Nebraska POW Camps, isbn: 9781626194199

Hoosier Aviator Paul Baer

9781467138499

$21.99

Indiana native Paul Baer was an American pilot of many firsts. Born into a modest midwestern family in the late 1800s, Baer grew up short and shy in Fort Wayne. Not short on ambition, he volunteered to join a new breed of combatant: the fighter pilot. Dogfighting in the skies over France during World War I, Baer earned a giant reputation as the first-ever American to shoot down an enemy plane and the first to earn the title of combat ace for earning five victories—before being shot down himself. Author Tony Garel-Frantzen celebrates the 100th anniversary of Baer's aerial heroics with rarely seen images, a previously unpublished POW letter from Baer himself and a look at the restless raptor's life of roaming.

Cover image for Hoosier Aviator Paul Baer, isbn: 9781467138499

Wisconsin's Flying Trees in World War II

9781626193505

$24.99

Wisconsin's trees heard Timber during World War II, as the forest products industry of the Badger State played a key role in the Allied aerial campaign. It was Wisconsin that provided the material for the De Havilland Mosquito, known as the Timber Terror, while the CG-4A battle-ready gliders, cloaked in stealthy silence, carried the 82nd and 101st Airborne into fierce fighting throughout Europe and the Pacific. Sara Witter Connor follows a forgotten thread of the American war effort, celebrating the factory workers, lumberjacks, pilots and innovative thinkers of the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory who helped win a world war with paper, wood and glue.

Cover image for Wisconsin's Flying Trees in World War II, isbn: 9781626193505

Wisconsin Army National Guard

9781467112673

$24.99

Images of America: Wisconsin Army National Guard is a photographic history containing more than 200 images paired with a descriptive narrative that follows the illustrious story of more than 150 years of wartime service. The book highlights little-known facts about the leaders, soldiers, and units that shaped Wisconsin's military history. It begins with the Civil War legends of Old Abe and the Iron Brigade and continues through the transformational years of the National Guard during the Spanish-American War and Mexican border crisis of the 1910s. It chronicles the unbelievable sacrifices of the 32nd Red Arrow Division during both world wars and recounts the role played by Wisconsin units in the more recent War on Terror. Both historians and general readers of history will value this guide as an enjoyable and enlightening resource.

Cover image for Wisconsin Army National Guard, isbn: 9781467112673

I Grew Up in War Housing

9781641120050

$24.99

At the start of WWII, two government defense housing projects were built in East Alton, Illinois. These projects became known as the "defense area," where author Phillip Walkington lived from birth through high school. Although intimately familiar with his surroundings, he never perceived their unique place in history as the unintended results of a plan to offset issues created by World War II. In I Grew Up in War Housing, a never-before-documented piece of history comes to light. War workers came to these defense areas in a steady stream seeking employment, and though jobs were to be had, there was nowhere for the influx of workers to call home. Multiple tiers of government worked together to build the defense housing projects under the Lanham Act, which provided federal funds to defense-impacted communities where the population had soared and local facilities were overwhelmed. Written to praise the war workers who in-migrated throughout America to support the war effort--and for his father, who was one of those workers--Walkington's I Grew Up in War Housing is a firsthand account of an exceptional place created during an unparalleled time in history.

St. Louis in the Civil War

9781467111263

$24.99

On May 10, 1861, Union troops surrounded Camp Jackson, a military encampment where Confederate leaders were accused of conspiring to seize the St. Louis Arsenal, the largest store of munitions west of the Mississippi. The state militia, which numbered more than 600 men, answered the call of Missouri's pro-Southern governor Claiborne Fox Jackson to assemble but found themselves outnumbered 10 to 1 and were forced to surrender. As federal forces marched them through St. Louis, an angry crowd gathered. Gunfire crackled, leaving more than 24 people dead. St. Louis epitomized the growing tensions between the North and South. The city's strategic position enabled James Eads's shipyards to build ironclads, Jefferson Barracks to muster troops, and Gratiot Street Prison to hold POWs. The list of notables with ties to St. Louis reads like a who's who of the Civil War: Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, William T. Sherman, Nathaniel Lyon, James Longstreet, George Pickett, and others.

Cover image for St. Louis in the Civil War, isbn: 9781467111263

Detroit in World War I

9781467114691

$24.99

World War I was the catalyst that ushered in themes that would define the 20th century: industrialization, urbanization, and the struggle for equality between social classes, gender, and race. During this time, from 1914 to 1918, Detroit was a city rapidly on the rise, with spectacular economic, industrial, and population growth. These were years when some of the city's most beautiful structures were built, when its industry practices became the international standard, and when its population exploded with new, hopeful emigrants from across the globe. The war provided a unifying theme to a city struggling to define itself and caused its people to come together in new and unexpected ways to support the war effort at home and abroad, often stepping into unfamiliar roles outside of societal norms. Detroit in World War I offers a visual exploration of a city and a people caught in a time of dynamic change—from the men who served the cause to the communities they left behind—who rose to the challenge splendidly and helped create one of the 20th century's most remarkable and vibrant cities.

Cold War Wisconsin

9781467140300

$23.99

As the Cold War gripped the world with fear of espionage and nuclear winter, everyday Wisconsinites found themselves embroiled in the struggle. For decades, the state's nuclear missiles pointed to the skies, awaiting Soviet bombers. Joseph Stalin's daughter sought refuge in the small town of Richland Center. With violence in Vietnam about to peak, a cargo ship from Kewaunee sparked a new international incident with North Korea. Manitowoc was ground zero for a Sputnik satellite crash, and four ordinary Madison youths landed on the FBI's most wanted list after the Sterling Hall Bombing. Local author and chairman of the Midwest Chapter of the Cold War Museum Chris Sturdevant shares the tales of the Badger State's role in this titanic showdown between East and West.

World War II Akron

9781467139731

$21.99

When World War II engulfed the nation, the men and women of Akron dutifully played their part in the epic struggle. Keyes Beech ducked grenades as marines raised the American flag at on Iwo Jima. Newspaper magnate John S. Knight watched the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri just five months after his son was killed in Germany. On the homefront, Goodyear manufactured blimps used to hunt down Nazi submarines, and noted Beacon Journal cartoonist Web Brown pledged his talent and his pen to boosting morale at home and abroad. Replete with more than one hundred images, including many of Brown’s wartime drawings, this thrilling account by local author Tim Carroll recalls all that Akron gave for freedom.

Cover image for World War II Akron, isbn: 9781467139731

World War II Dispatches to Akron

9780738503592

$24.99

On his twenty-sixth horrifying mission over the hostile skies of Nazi Europe, a charismatic bombardier, seated at the nose of a B-17, strapped on his parachute as his disintegrating bomber dropped uncontrollably to the ground. What got him to this point, the ensuing months behind barbed wire and his daily letters written to his family in Akron, Ohio, makes for an emotionally intense memoir. This is the true account of a single unknown individual who stands in for the unsung warriors of the greatest generation during World War II.

Cover image for World War II Dispatches to Akron, isbn: 9780738503592

World War II Dispatches to Madison

9781467157186

$24.99

Amidst the chaos and uncertainty of World War II, one soldier found solace and strength in letters from home.

An Army Air Corps serviceman from a prominent Madison family, Bob Gay paints a vivid picture of a young man's journey through a tumultuous era, revealing the profound love he held for his family. As Gay fulfills his duty on the frontlines, his mother's unwavering support shines through her involvement with the Red Cross, while his father's dedication as a ration board member and air raid warden mirrors a nation's collective sacrifice.

World War II Dispatches to Madison is a tribute to a humble and kind soul who never sought the spotlight. In honor of her ancestor Robert Gay, Dannelle’s book will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Cover image for World War II Dispatches to Madison, isbn: 9781467157186

Camp Ripley

9780738550787

$24.99

Camp Ripley is the successor to Minnesota's first formally established National Guard training facility, Camp Lakeview, which was located on the shores of Lake Pepin and south of the town of Lake City. The new post took its name from Fort Ripley, a U.S. Army frontier fort that opened in 1849. The fort's original site with its remaining ruins are encompassed within the current boundaries of the
Camp Ripley Military Reservation. Since the camp was expanding its facilities during the Great Depression, numerous individuals employed by federal New Deal programs participated in the building of Camp Ripley. In words and images, Camp Ripley: 1930-1960 documents the history of the camp during the first three decades of its existence. The images in this book have been selected from the archives of the Minnesota Military Museum as well as the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs and private collections.

Cover image for Camp Ripley, isbn: 9780738550787

Wartime Decatur

9780738539973

$24.99

Decatur has a long history of patriotic service, both on and off the field of battle. Decatur volunteers participated in six major campaigns including the Black Hawk War (1832), the Mexican War (1846-1848), the Civil War (1861-1865), the Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1917-1918), and World War II (1941-1945). Their record of distinguished service includes the presence of five generals and six Congressional Medal of Honor winners in the Civil War. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the first national veterans' organization, was founded in Decatur immediately after the Civil War. In World War II, soldiers from Decatur served in North Africa, Italy, the Philippines, and Germany. Equally impressive, however, is the tradition of the Decatur Canteen, which served food to transient soldiers from the time of the Civil War onward. Local volunteers rolled bandages, collected food, and recycled bales of paper and heaps of scrap metal. Citizens planted victory gardens and bought war bonds and savings stamps. Wartime Decatur: 1832-1945 documents the vigorous wartime culture based on community involvement and a strong sense of patriotism.

Hamtramck

9780738551418

$24.99

With a population made up overwhelmingly of Polish immigrants and descendents of Poles, Hamtramck was especially hardhit by the impact of World War II. Most of the city's residents had family contacts with the old country. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Hamtramckans reacted with shock and anger—and with a determination to see fascism defeated and Poland freed. Thousands of Hamtramckans fought in the war, hundreds died. And those who remained at home dealt with the wartime life as best they could. Hamtramck: The World War II Years presents a portrait of the city at war. It tells and shows how Hamtramckans—of all ages, races, and backgrounds—coped with shortages, the threat of attack, and the everpresent dread that the next telegram may bring news of a soldier's death. It was a challenging time that demanded strength, dedication, and sacrifice. Hamtramckans stood up and delivered all that was required—and more.

Cover image for Hamtramck, isbn: 9780738551418

Missouri at War

9781467126564

$24.99

The Show-Me State possesses an enduring military heritage that unfolded several decades before it became a state in 1821 and stretches forth to the present day. Missouri has molded many notable military leaders, such as Gen. John J. Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. It has been the site of a Spanish fort, built in the area that is now downtown St. Louis, and serves as the home of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. These people and memorials continue to generate reminders to its citizens of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have fought on behalf of the state and nation.

World War II Indiana Landmarks

9781467154116

$23.99

World War II Indiana Landmarks features places throughout the state that played significant roles during World War II. Many of these locations memorialize those who fought as well as those who contributed to the war effort. These places of remembrance include historical sites, monuments, markers, museums, surviving buildings, a surviving Navy ship, a surviving plane, and more. Author Ronald P. May explores the rich historical backgrounds surrounding each location and tells the personal stories of veterans and civilians related to many of these locations.

Kansas Forts & Bases

9781609498269

$21.99

The relationship between Kansas and the science of war is ingrained, consistent and evident, yet it seems antithetical to the quiet, conservative farmer who is the quintessential image of the state. It is not. The same values created both, and both created Kansas. From early exploration of America, Bleeding Kansas, the Civil War and the Plains Indian wars to the world wars and the modern era, the forts and bases of the Sunflower State have been central to America's defense. Beginning with Fort de Cavagnial in 1744 through to the defunct fields of Cold War missile silos, historians Debra Goodrich Bisel and Michelle M. Martin provide a guide to the forts and posts throughout Kansas.

Cover image for Kansas Forts & Bases, isbn: 9781609498269

World War II in Medina County, Ohio:

9781626192980

$21.99

For the first time in the lives of many Medina County residents, places across the world became real, not just dots on a map. With the outbreak of World War II, men and women who had never left their corner of Ohio were encircling the globe. They were at Pearl Harbor and the Canal, Anzio and the Bulge. They built atomic bombs and bought millions in war bonds. Discover not one great hero but an entire generation of heroism. Eli R. Beachy traces the sublime story of one small community in a great, united effort--those most remarkable people of Medina County, Ohio.

Rockford

9780738523415

$24.99

During the early decades of the 20th century, communication by postcard was an inexpensive and popular means of exchanging travel stories, news, and gossip across the United States. For just a few cents each, postcards connected friends and family separated by hundreds of miles. Rockford: 1900-World War I, with a collection of nearly 240 vintage postcard images, captures the details of this dynamic era and documents the Forest City's coming of age.

Inside are views of Rockford's bustling downtown, including rare glimpses of long-gone landmarks like the Grand Opera House and Orpheum Theater. Witness history in the making with Rockford's first recorded airplane flights in 1911 and experience U.S. Army doughboy life at Rockford's Camp Grant. Be there for Teddy Roosevelt's historic visits to Rockford, and marvel at the intrepid companies that turned Rockford into a national manufacturing power.

Cover image for Rockford, isbn: 9780738523415

Fort Atkinson

9780738583532

$24.99

Fort Atkinson has been called the "top historical spot in Nebraska," the "SAC of 1820," and "America's most important Western outpost." Once the country's largest fortress beyond the Missouri River, its garrison protected America's interests in the burgeoning fur trade, provided a base camp for explorations, played host to famous frontiersmen, and was the site where numerous treaties were signed. But by 1961, Fort Atkinson was endangered. The fort's buildings had vanished over 100 years before. Decades of farming on the land had nearly erased its footprint. A housing development threatened to obliterate the site forever. There was only a marker with a flagpole raised in 1927 by the Daughters of the American Revolution--a lonely object in the midst of an empty plain. This book tells the story of how that lost fortress was restored to become the major state historical park it is today.

Cleveland in World War II

9781626198821

$24.99

Berthed on the Cleveland lakefront, the battle-hardened submarine USS Cod serves as a proud reminder of the wartime contributions from the Greater Cleveland community. Clevelanders did their duty and more, from round-the-clock work on the factory assembly lines to the four Medal of Honor recipients on the front lines. The Cleveland Bomber Plant churned out thousands of B-29 parts, while Auto-Ordnance Co. developed the design for the Thompson submachine guns used by GIs on nearly every battlefield. Indians pitcher Bob Feller left the game to go into the service, and Clarence Jamison flew with the famed Tuskegee Airmen. Through interviews and archival material, authors Brian Albrecht and James Banks honor a time when Clevelanders of all stripes answered the call to arms.

Cover image for Cleveland in World War II, isbn: 9781626198821

South Dakota Air National Guard's 114th Fighter Wing

9781467107297

$23.99

The South Dakota Air National Guard's 114th Fighter Wing's history began during World War II with the 356th Fighter Group. It became a post-World War II Air Guard unit, initially flying the North American F-51D Mustang removed from storage as the active duty Air Force began transitioning to turbojet fighters. It was slowly upgraded to turbojet aircraft, first with the T-33 trainer to assist pilots into to the F-94 Starfighter. One of the most dramatic upgrades was with the F-89D Norhtrop Scorpion, which had onboard radar for all-weather interception, and the F-89J, armed with the nuclear warhead Genie rockets to shoot down Russian bombers. Its first supersonic fighter was the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, a delta-wing fighter. The wing continued to transition through various turbojet fighters to the current General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon from 1992 to the present. The unit is fully integrated into the US Air Force's aerial defense of the United States and the Global War on Terrorism.

Jefferson City at War

9781467111591

$24.99

Jefferson City has a unique and enduring legacy of brave individuals banding together to answer the nation's call to arms. The Missouri National Guard's Company L, 2nd Infantry mobilized in support of the Mexican Border War in 1916 and later federalized for deployment during the Great War. Local youth scrambled to recruiting stations for a chance to join in the fray against Germany and Japan during World War II. Later, brave residents found themselves in the Korea peninsula or the jungles of Vietnam. It is clear that the Jefferson City community has a history of embracing the groundswell of patriotic pride that emerges in support of those who chose to fight--and sometimes lay down their lives--for a cause they view as greater than themselves.

Jefferson Barracks

9780738584072

$24.99

Since it was founded in 1826, Jefferson Barracks has stood for nearly two centuries as a symbol for many aspects of America's history. Many explorative expeditions in the 19th century launched from Jefferson Barracks, an iconic gateway to the West during the country's expansion. A training ground for new programs, Jefferson Barracks was the home of America's first permanent Dragoons (later the United States Cavalry), first School of Infantry, and first regiment of buffalo soldiers. The largest induction and mustering-out center during both the First and Second World Wars, it housed and trained a myriad of soldiers before and after their deployments. Now the home of the Missouri Air National Guard, a Veterans Administration hospital, Jefferson Barracks Historic Park, a national cemetery, and a growing museum district, Jefferson Barracks is preserving its place in history as well as serving toward America's future. The historic images in this book illustrate a rich history of Jefferson Barracks through some of its citizen soldiers--famous and not--and through the incidents that made it an American icon.

Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer

9781467152495

$23.99

Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.

Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer

The Lafayettes

9781467128483

$24.99

The Lafayettes, as indicated in the title of this book, refer to Lafayette and West Lafayette in Northwest Indiana. Postcards of that area emerged in the late 1800s as the population began to grow. Since those early days, the number of residents in Lafayette has grown to more than 70,000, and West Lafayette has increased to almost 45,000. These figures exclude Purdue University students, who number more than 40,000 enrolled each year. Postcards from Columbia Park in Lafayette, the Indiana Veterans' Home in West Lafayette, Fort Ouiatenon, and the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe in Battle Ground round out this diverse collection detailing the area's unique history.

Cover image for The Lafayettes, isbn: 9781467128483

Fort Dodge

9780738591919

$24.99

In November 1850, at the juncture of the Des Moines River and the Lizard River, the US Territorial Army established a post named Fort Clarke. The following year, it was renamed Fort Dodge in honor of US senator Henry Dodge of Wisconsin. After the troops were disbanded in 1854, Maj. William Williams purchased the existing buildings and infrastructure from the US government and platted the city. Over the course of the 19th century, Fort Dodge developed into a booming city known as the leading industrial and cultural center of northern Iowa. The images in this book illustrate the world of 19th and 20th century Fort Dodge, presenting the strange and astonishing beauty of a bygone era and the incredible progress we have inherited.