world war II

John Boitnott got his first taste of war on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Serving as a Marine onboard the Northampton-class cruiser USS Chicago, he was wounded during the Japanese aerial attack.

It was the threat of the battleship and her fearsome guns that kept combat fleets bottled up and gave invasion planners pause. 

Jack Churchill opted for an English longbow and a Scottish broadsword. Additionally, where normal people might wield such stuff for show, Jack Churchill did not. He used these antiquated weapons to get medieval on the Germans.

When she came of age, Jo enrolled in law school intending to become a human rights lawyer. While studying law she developed friendships with several Jewish students. In the late 1930’s with persecution of the Jews on the rise across Europe, Jo felt energized to support them.  

It is difficult to appreciate the scope of World War 2. We modern folk simply have no frame of reference. It was death, tragedy, and destruction on a scale beyond our imagining.

American flyers came home after a certain number of missions to either sell war bonds or pass on their hard-earned secrets to the next generation. By contrast, the German experten (fighter pilots) typically flew until they died.

After the war, like so many millions of American veterans, Sterling Hayden came home. His wartime service overseas left him with a deep love and appreciation for his country. During one press conference, he said, “I feel a real obligation to make this a better country – and I believe the movies are the place to do it.”

Major Richard Bong – fighter pilot, national hero, and crocodile hunter – was indeed a proper legend.

Violette Szabo was indeed a rare patriot. Her story of selfless sacrifice for the cause of freedom should inspire all of us today.