Jennifer Holik

McHenry County Genealogical Society Conference

April 8, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 2 Comments

Are you interested in a day full of World War II Education?

On Saturday, 9 July I am presenting four programs at the McHenry County Genealogical Society Conference.

Register for the conference.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

All the records burned! A fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, in 1973, destroyed approximately 80% of the Army, Air Corps, and National Guard records. This is not the end of the research possibilities for these soldiers. Many alternative record sources exist to reconstruct service history for these branches. Regardless of service branch, many records exist to tell your soldier, sailor, or Marine’s story. Learn how to research the records of World War II for any branch of the military in this informative program.

Navigating World War II Records on Fold3

Researching the service of a World War II soldier is more than the Official Military Personnel File we might locate. That file is helpful in creating a timeline of military service, but we must move beyond it to find more of the story. Looking beyond the individual records, we can find unit histories, battle reports, mission reports, war diaries, and other higher level materials, which provide context in which to put our soldier.

Many of the records you need to research your soldier’s service, are not online. However, Fold3.com has digitized many unit level records from the National Archives at College Park, MD, to help you with your research. As with any digitized collection, searching by your soldier’s name will not usually yield you enough of the materials available. There are many tips and tricks to locating the gold within the massive amount of paperwork available.

This new program, available Summer 2016, will teach you how to navigate the extensive records of Fold3.com. The tips you learn in this program will help you with any digitized record set.

Stories of the Lost

A continuation of “Finishing the Story,” we will explore the records available to tell the stories of those who died in service. We will also discuss those who took care of our Soldier Dead, the Graves Registration Service men. Learn about their job and the reasons it took so long to have our soldiers repatriated and what happened to the personal effects during the course of recovery and repatriation.

Beyond Pearl Harbor: Exploring Advanced World War II Records

The follow-up to The Day That Lived in Infamy. After briefly touching on the basics of getting started and obtaining the OMPF, attendees will learn about additional records to trace the service of their soldier, sailor, or Marine in World War II.

This conference will be held in Crystal Lake, IL.

The Day That Lived In Infamy Program 10 April 2016

April 7, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

Are you looking for WWII Education in the Chicago area?

This Sunday, 10 April at 2:00 p.m., I will present The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records at the Winnetka-Northfield Library District.

Hope to see you there!

WWII Education – Researching Your Adopted Soldier

April 1, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

Over the last few years I have met many people in Europe who adopted a grave or name on the Wall of the Missing at an American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) cemetery. Some of these researchers have a good grasp on how to do the research, beyond what limited information they can find online. Others need more assistance. To help anyone overseas who has officially or unofficially adopted a soldier’s grave at an ABMC cemetery, in early May I will launch a new book.

Faces of War: Researching Your Adopted Soldier will provide step-by-step guidance to help you research your adopted soldier.

Book Description:

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) operates and maintains 25 permanent American military cemeteries for World War I and World War II overseas. They also oversee 27 federal memorials, monuments, and markers worldwide. In many countries, primarily in Europe, men and women officially and unofficially, through non-ABMC Adoption Foundation programs, adopt the graves of American service men and women in the ABMC cemeteries. The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) does not offer a grave adoption program. These programs are set up by private groups.

Grave adopters participate in Memorial services, leave flowers at the grave throughout the year, take photographs for family members and researchers, conduct research on the soldier or battle in which he fought and died, and honor the soldier who helped free their country.

Researching the service and life of a soldier while living in Europe, has its challenges, primarily because the records they need are located in archives in the United States. There is also the challenge of the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The fire destroyed roughly 80% of the Army, Air Corps/Army Air Forces, and National Guard personnel files. This is not however, the end of the story where researchers are concerned.

All the tools researchers need to start exploring their World War I or World War II soldier, civilian, sailor, or Marine’s service, are included in this volume.

The tools include:

The basics of starting research and creating a timeline of service.
Resources and strategies for online and offline military research.
Resources for obtaining a wide range of information on a soldier’s death and burial.
Instructions for ordering and using military records to reconstruct service history for men and women.
And, tips for placing the soldier into historical context using higher level records.

Through examples, checklists, and document images, researchers are taught how to locate and analyze records for any branch of the military. This volume focuses more on World War II records, but the process for a World War I soldier and records created, are similar. Once you understand the research process, it can be applied to either war.

Want to learn more?

See all my World War II research books on my website.

Subscribe to my newsletter to learn about new book releases, programs, and receive discounts throughout the year.

If you need assistance with research or writing your soldier’s story, please feel free to contact me. I am taking new clients at this time.

WWII Writing – The Legacy of Trauma

March 17, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 7 Comments

I am finishing the writing for Volume 3 of my Stories from the World War II Battlefield series on writing the stories of war. This book contains over 500 writing prompts to help you write the stories of war, from a U.S. or European perspective.

When I was creating the writing prompts, I spent an entire day thinking, writing, and crying, over a subject I was not sure if I should include. The trauma of war.

Today I am thinking about my grandfather, who was born this day, 17 March 1906 in Chicago.

My grandfather, Joseph Holik, served in the US Naval Armed Guard for almost two years, 1943 – 1945. In July 1945, he was removed from his ship and sent to a Naval Hospital in California for treatment. His mind was not what it should have been and Grandpa Joe ended up living the rest of his life in the VA Hospital. My grandmother essentially became a single mother when he went to war, with three boys under 12 at home. When I started researching and writing the stories of my family, this is one story I was not ready to touch. The last few years, being a single mother myself, really brought the story closer and I could see similarities between me and my grandmother.

My grandfather’s story has been too painful for me to really get close to until this year. I never knew my grandfather. I only heard whispered stories about his service and his life. Each story was different and even my grandma didn’t tell me much while she was alive and I was asking questions.

Have you every stopped to consider the words we speak, and those we do not, affect us, our families, descendants, and everyone else they might touch?

Have you ever thought how the trauma of war filters down through the generations and affects those of us who were not even alive during the war?

This is the first in a series of articles I will write about the Trauma of War and how it affected me, my family, possibly my kids, and how we can heal. The idea has been swimming in my head for a while, but it wasn’t until I started reading the book, Gated Grief by Leila Levinson, that it really pushed me to the edge of, ‘Now is the time to start really dealing with and sharing this.’

For now, I encourage you to think about the questions I posed in this article. Feel free to share how your family spoke of, or did not, the war and the effects on the soldier and family.

Purchase the book Stories from the WWII Battlefield: Writing the Stories of War and start writing your stories today. Then explore the research and writing courses on my course websites WWII Education and Finding the Answers Journey.

WWII Education – Spring 2016 WWII Programs

March 14, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

This spring I am presenting several programs in the Chicago area on researching and writing the stories of WWII service men and women. I hope to see you at one of my programs.

Tuesday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.

Finishing The Story

Tracing the life of a World War I or II soldier can be challenging. Researchers have been conditioned to believe “All the Records Burned!” Some did, but an abundance of other resources exist to reconstruct service history. Many researchers are unaware of the numerous military records and resources available.

In this program, explore the lives, service, and deaths of Michael Kokoska, Frank Winkler, and Robert Brouk. Genealogical, historical, and military records will be shown and discussed. Jennifer will demonstrate how to write the stories of your soldier through a brief reading from her books Stories of the Lost and The Tiger’s Widow. This program will be held at Ashton Place in Willowbrook for the West Lake Shore Unit of the Illinois Retire Teachers Association Membership Meeting.

Sunday, April 10, 2:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Friday, April 29, 2:00 p.m.

Stories of the Lost

Saturday, May 14, 1:00 p.m.

The Day That Lived in Infamy. Navigating World War II Military Records

Saturday, May 21, 2016, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Writing World War II Stories

Have you researched your World War II soldier and need tips on where to go next? Have you organized your materials – digital and paper records? Have you written the story? Are you unsure where to start? Through writing prompts, a writing formula, and time to write, attendees will work through the process of beginning a soldier’s story. Attendees are asked to bring a laptop or IPad, or paper and pencil, to work through writing prompts. A book will be available for purchase covering this topic in-depth, with workbook sections. This event will be held at the Orland Park Library.

WWII Education – Company Morning Reports

February 15, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 18 Comments

All the records burned and I cannot tell my soldier’s story!

How many times have you heard that phrase uttered by Army, Air Forces, and National Guard WWII researchers? I’ve heard it more times than I can count. What people do not realize is there is a hidden gem in the records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO. A record set that will provide the foundation researchers need to reconstruct service history from start to finish, especially if they are creative with their research. What is the gem?

Company Morning Reports

A Morning Report was created each day outlining events of the prior day for the events of a Company. To locate information in Morning Reports you must know the Company in which your soldier served. It is not enough to know in which division or regiment. The Company can be found on a discharge paper or IDPF or any other letter or document that has a unit listed on it. Morning Reports can be traced in any direction based on the information you have.

Morning Reports listed many details about the company which include:

The location of the company for the date of the report.
Strength of the unit in numbers of men
Details of those entering and leaving the company
Names of those declared AWOL, Missing In Action, Killed In Action, or wounded.
The reports also provided information on the day’s events. Some clerks reported weather conditions, in addition to the usual information on where the unit was fighting, and other enemy encounters.

The companies were required to report numbers of men at each meal, which provided information to the Army, who then was able to provide food and appropriate supplies for the soldiers. These numbers also alerted headquarters when the ranks were depleted and replacements were needed.

Morning Reports are useful because they can help you track a soldier’s service from start to finish, as long as the company clerk included all the details of the entrance and exit of a soldier, showing where he came from, and where he was going. Not all company clerks did this or had the time to do this. If you cannot find detailed information within a Morning Report, consider the battle conditions under which the clerks were trying to compile reports.

Analyzing a Morning Report

The Morning Report shown in this post is for I Company 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) of the 82nd Infantry Division. What can we learn from this report?

Date of the report
Location (but be careful with Airborne reports because their station is reported as being in England, but if you keep looking at the reports, you will end up at month’s end learning the company is really in Holland and has been there several days.) Always check other records to ensure your soldier’s company was where you think it was.
We see Robert Wagner listed as going from duty to slighting injured in action. We have his serial number and rank. Knowing he was injured adds to his timeline of service we can create. Had he been removed from the company, that would have been noted.
We know how many men are in the company this date.
We have a record of events which helps us locate additional histories and records.

How do we access these records?

You can hire a researcher to pull the records or you can visit the National Personnel Records Center yourself and go through the microfilm.

To learn more about Morning Reports, see my books Stories from the World War II Battlefield, which provide a more in-depth look at these records. You can also see several examples at the 134th Infantry Regiment 35th Infantry Division website.

Can I help you with your research?

Are you ready to learn the bigger picture of your family member’s military service? Email us at info@wwiirwc.com to set up your free phone consultation today to discuss project options, fees, and time. You can also sign-up for our free newsletter.

Want More Resources?

Visit the WWII Education Website and explore my military research webinars. This pack comes with 14 pages of questions, checklists, and resources to help you start your military research (WWI – Vietnam).

Also explore my military research books.

Military Monday – Doughboy – MIA Website

February 8, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

On my first trip to Europe in April 2015, I spent a lot of time at WWI cemeteries with my parents. My research is focused on WWII, although I do a little WWI when needed. As we visited the many American and British cemeteries and looked at the walls of the names of the missing, the one thing I kept hearing was, ‘It was such a waste.’

Many people know we still have soldiers, sailors, and Marines, Missing In Action from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. What we often forget is the thousands of soldiers missing from WWI. Soldiers who will never be recovered by U.S. personnel because it is not in their mission. Soldiers who were likely blown to bits and there is nothing to recover, and therefore, have been forgotten.

World War I was a different kind of war than World War II. It was a stagnant boundary war for much of the time where small acres of land were fought over again and again. Bodies were buried, only to be hit by artillery and lost again. These are things we forget.

The United States World War I Centennial Commission has an extensive website of resources on the U.S. participation in WWI. This morning, another component was added to that, the Doughboy-MIA project.

This project strives to remember the names of the lost. Attempts to locate remains where possible and answer research requests. The website has a lot of information and research tips for you to help locate your missing soldier. While WWI research is similar to WWII, and we have the 1973 Fire to contend with, much of what you know about WWII research can be applied in the other war.

To learn more about WWII research, please check out my books Stories from the World War II Battlefield. Also, consider attending one of my lectures in the U.S. or Europe this year.

WWII Research Collective – Meet Yuri Beckers

January 14, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 2 Comments

When I launched my website, I started a World War II Research Collective. In this group are researchers around the world who specialize in WWII units, battles, theaters of war, or types of research. To help you get to know the researchers better, I’ll be doing some Q&A with them.

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Yuri Beckers, I am a 38 year old Dutch man living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ever since I was very young, I had an interest in World War II. It started with all the well-known battles and Divisions, and I have read many books about these subjects, visited a lot of former battlefields and museums, and watched a lot of documentaries.

In 2000, I became very interested in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest, and have been mainly interested in this battle and the penetrations into Germany ever since. Through this research I started to focus on the U.S. 9th Infantry Division’s history, and this Division has been my main focus of research for many years now. I am currently writing a book about the involvement of the 9th Infantry Division during the Battle in the Hurtgen Forest. I also have adopted the graves of two men who served with the 9^th Infantry Division, and I am working on a Missing In Action project with a small dedicated team.

Yuri and his daughter Nora at one of the graves he adopted.

When and how did you become interested in World War II?
I vaguely remember visiting the US cemetery at Margraten, in the Netherlands, at a very young age, as my parents live only a few minutes away from it. My first real impression came when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My parents took my sister and me to Normandy and I remember standing in the middle of all those white crosses at the US Cemetery at St. Laurent-sur-Mer. After asking about all the white crosses, I heard that these were all men that fought for my freedom. This made a huge impression on me. Ever since that moment I have always been fascinated by certain World War II events.

As I grew older I started to read all the books I could find on D-Day, the battle for Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Market Garden. I watched hours and hours of documentaries about these battles as well and visited many of the former battlefields over the years. All of this was before the well-known movies and TV shows that put World War II into the picture again. I became more and more interested in knowing more about the soldiers as well. I met the first veterans during Liberation commemorations of my hometown of Maastricht. Their stories always impressed me and I never forgot these men. I knew at an early age that I wanted to do something that would make sure these men and their actions will never for forgotten, and always remembered.

What is your main focus of research?
For over 10 years now, I have been focusing on the World War II history of the American 9th Infantry Division. The Division participated in eight battle campaigns, and has an interesting story to tell. During World War II, this Division was held out of the press many times, and did not make a lot of headlines. However, they were one of the first American Divisions to participate in battle during World War II. I have now learned much about the history and the men of the 9th Infantry Division by now, and have collected a huge amount of documentation.

At the moment my main research is about their time in the Hurtgen Forest battle during September 1944 and February 1945, as this is also the subject of the book I am working on. I am also working on a great project where we, a small group of very passionate researchers who have personal connections to all of this and myself, try to find out more about the 9^th Infantry Division men who went Missing In Action. After locating information ourselves or through family members of these men, we then piece together the history of each man, and where possible, add a picture. This gives a face and a story to all those names on the Wall of Missing. The project is running along pretty well now.

Why is this area of research important to you?
I feel there is a lack of books and websites about the 9th Infantry Division. Their battle experiences during World War II have been overlooked for far too long. Some of the veterans self-published memoirs and these are often out of print, hard to find, and very expensive. Few books that mention the Division often use the same source materials, and often provide the same stories about the Division. Also, it is difficult to find a general history on the Division. I felt the same about the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest. This battle has been overlooked for so long, and not many books have been written about it that are easily available. There are some really good books about it though, but most of these are in German, and only a handful of English books. This battle affected the lives of so many men of the 9th Infantry Division and their families, I just feel that their stories need to be told.

For future projects I am gathering information about their complete World War II history, but right now I am focusing mainly on the involvement of the 9^th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest.

Yuri with 9th Infantry Division veteran Jack Dauner

Have you met family members of soldiers you have researched? Do you have a story you can share about that?
I have met several veterans in person, and have talked to and written with about 30 of them. Most of them have passed away by now sadly. Besides this, I have been in touch with over 200 family members as well, and have been able to provide information to many of them. In return, I also received some unique information through the veterans and the families. I now have a large collection of never before published photographs and histories, personal notebooks and journals. I also have some artifacts donated to me by veterans or the family members. I recently traveled to the U.S .to talk to veterans and do more research, which was very special. I was interviewed about my research as well for a local newspaper.

Do you have a story about a great discovery or closure to a project?
I have a few. One of them was that I found a jacket of a veteran on Ebay. I got in touch with his family, and they returned the jacket to the veteran after all those years! The story made the newspaper!

Then, one of my favourite discoveries was when I got in touch with the daughter of a Sergeant. She shared some amazing pictures with me of her father’s time with this Division. There were a couple of pictures where her dad was playing in the snow with some of his war buddies. They were actually going around in the snow on a sledge. Somehow, I recognized this scene, and went through my archives. I then noticed that one of the men in the pictures was holding a film camera! I checked my archive of video footage as well, and sure enough… I found the video footage of her father playing around on the sleigh! It does not happen often that you get to find a picture of a scene, see a soldier filming the scene on there as well, and find the actual footage that is being filmed in that picture! It was simply amazing to share this with the soldier’s family. Imagine that, after 70 years you get to see moving video images of your dad playing around in the snow during World War 2. You can see the pictures and video here.

What are your websites? How can we reach you?

My main website is the 9th Infantry Division.

9th Infantry Division Missing In Action Project

9th Infantry Division Facebook Page

Then I have a Twitter Page, but I am not very active on there yet.

Is there anything else you would like people to know before they contact you?

People sometimes feel protective of the information about their loved one. I understand this, and respect this. My goal and passion is to gather as much information as possible about the 9^th Infantry Division. There are many families contacting me, thinking that all those old documents and pictures they still have laying around is not really worth anything. For my research, they are worth a lot! They are very valuable to connect many dots together in order to tell the complete story of the 9^th Infantry Division.

Also, when people contact me for information, it would be good to get as much information as possible before requesting information. Small details such as name, rank, army serial number, regiment, possibly the company, and any pictures and documents would be really useful to start with, and will save me some time as well.

I can be contacted through my website.

WWII Education – Tips for Starting Your WWII Research

January 13, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 1 Comment

I’ve observed a lot of conversations on Facebook in various WWII groups the last couple of months, in which people ask how to proceed with WWII research. The information in these groups is often helpful but often, the members do not have a firm grasp on how to proceed without wasting a lot of time and money.

Many people have a general idea of which battles their relative participated in and often a Division or Unit. Rarely do they have a timeline of service created or know specifically when the soldier was in each unit and where he was. Too often, people assume their soldier was with a particular unit the entire war. Unfortunately this is usually not the case. Soldiers were often transferred within a Division to different companies. In many cases, they were transferred from their Division into a replacement depot and into an entirely new Division. Soldiers who were wounded and did not return to their original unit within 30 days were often sent to a replacement depot to await a new assignment.

Heading straight into unit records based on limited knowledge may cause you a lot of wasted time and potentially money if you request records or hire a researcher, without first knowing for sure where your soldier was and in which unit. I’ve heard of many people just pulling unit records and later discovering their soldier was not with that unit except for a few days or weeks.

When I comment in these groups I try to stress there is a process by which we do this research. I also stress the importance of hiring a researcher to help you obtain some or all of the records. WWII research is not free no matter how you do it. When you follow the process, you will often end up saving yourself a lot of time and money. To help you understand a bit about the process, I have several tips for you. To learn more about the full research process, please pick up a copy of my book Stories from the World War II Battlefield Volume 1 – Army, Air Corps, National Guard or Volume 2 – Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Merchant Marines. If you need additional help, please contact me about how I work with clients.

1. Create a Timeline of Service

The first thing you should do is create a timeline of service based on what you know about your soldier’s service history. A timeline should list the date (either full or a year) and the event which happened. Noting where you found that information, even if it was a family story, is important. A timeline of service may look like the following:

January 1942 – Adam Jones joins the 1^st Infantry Division

November 1942 – North Africa Campaign

July 1943 – Sicily Campaign

30 July 1943 – Wounded in the Sicily Campaign

February 1944 – Hospitalized in England

June 1944 – Normandy – D-Day Campaign

2. Do your homework

After you create a general timeline, search your home and ask your family to look for documents and photographs that provide clues. EVERY clue you find may help, even if it conflicts with another piece of information you have. Write it all down and cite the source.

3. Obtain the OMPF and Company Reports

Next, order the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO. You need several pieces of information, if possible, when submitting a request.

Soldier’s full name
Date and place of birth
Service Number (this is not the individual’s Social Security Number)
Branch of service
Dates of service (enlistment, discharge or death)
Theater(s) of war
Unit(s) in which he or she served

The least expensive way to begin a search is to fill out Form 180 on the NPRC website (http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf) and see if the file survived. If records are discovered, NPRC will send you a letter indicating such, as well as your fee for copies. Form 180 will ONLY search personnel records.

National Personnel Records Center
1 Archives Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63138

You can visit the NPRC in-person, but there is a procedure for doing so. Visit their website for current rules regarding making an appointment, what is allowed in the research room, and how to request files and microfilm.

Another option is to hire a researcher, such as myself, who is able to obtain and analyze the records available. There are many more valuable records at the NPRC besides the service files, such as Morning Reports, that Form 180 will not search for you.

4. Analyze the Information & Start Writing the Story

One of the most important parts of the research process is writing the story. Writing does not necessarily mean you need to publish a book. Writing the story allows you to see where there are errors or gaps in your research. It allows you to formulate new research questions and therefore search for new materials.

When you obtain new information, add it to your timeline of service. Analyze the information and go through all your previously obtained records with a fine tooth comb. Make sure you understand what information is presented, especially if any of it conflicts. People made mistakes in records then just as we do today. No one is perfect.

5. Look for Unit Records

Finally, once you have a firm understanding of which units your soldier was in and when, you can begin looking for unit records. These records will provide a greater context of battles and additional training your soldier received. You may not locate your soldier’s name in many of these records but you will understand the battles and overall context of the war.

These are the basic steps in starting WWII research. If you need assistance with your research, I do take clients. Please contact me for details.

Want More Resources?

Visit the WWII Education Website and grab your military research worksheet pack. This pack comes with 14 pages of questions, checklists, and resources to help you start your military research (WWI – Vietnam).

Also explore my military research books.

Military Monday – Remembering Jimmy

January 11, 2016 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

StoriesofLostimage — James Privoznik standing front right.

71 years ago today, 11 January, my cousin James Privoznik, affectionately referred to by the family as Jimmy, was Killed In Action during the Battle of the Bulge. If you have read my October European trip articles, you know a little about James.

To me, he is James, not Jimmy. My friend, and guide in life, love, and work the last three and a half years. Some say the dead do not speak. I believe they do. And as I sit here on 9 January and write this post, it is snowing, just as it was during James’ last days on earth.

James taught me a lot about WWII research, writing, believing in myself, collaborating with others, letting go, and healing. He helped me become a better writer on 14 March 2013 when he whispered in my ear to go write a new introduction to one of my WWII programs I was to give that night. I went home and within 45 minutes had a new introduction that had my audience in tears and held their complete attention. I was set on a path to write about WWII in a much deeper way than most. My writing changed dramatically that day and I will forever be grateful.

I have been able to count on James to show up when I lectured, was writing, needed some inspiration, needed to laugh at myself, or in those moments I felt very lonely……that I was very much loved. He not only helped save our country and freedoms so long ago, but he also helped save me. Sometimes we all just need a little help.

My journey with James began in late 2012 just after I moved out and started a new life. I had his Individual Deceased Personnel File and filed it away. I had not intended to write the books I did about my military family members and therefore had not investigated James’ service. Until within a weekend, four different encounters with people asking about him happened. Then the work began. I was shown a path to take with many detours and a lot of emotional stops and starts. This path allowed me to create things which would help a lot of people remember our soldiers and civilians and what they experienced during the war years.

I wrote James’ story in my book Stories of the Lost. He is also featured in my WWII lecture of the same name. In May 2015 I visited his grave in Luxembourg Cemetery. James wanted to be buried where he fell and not brought home to Chicago. On a rainy day my parents and I flew his burial flag at the cemetery and I visited his grave for the first time. It was a sad morning which led to a lot of healing for both of us.

The next day, 2 May, I was able to meet friends in Luxembourg who took us where James was killed. I walked in the woods among all those who were there that day. That was a very moving experience for me because you could almost see the soldiers in the woods and I definitely felt their presence.

In October 2015 I returned to Europe and once again visited James’ grave in Luxembourg. This was not a stop I originally intended to make, but due to other circumstances, the opportunity was there. It was a gloomy morning as I drove to meet a couple of researchers in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg to embark on a day of Sauer River Crossing sites. Yet, when we drove to the cemetery and after meeting with the Superintendent, the skies began to clear and rays of sunshine fell upon the cemetery as we walked to James’ grave. No longer was visiting the cemetery sad, but a more joyous occasion because I could feel the love there and how much it was appreciated that we visited.

Talking to James. Photo by Doug Mitchell. Used with permission.

James and I had a long talk when I visited him this time and only a few tears were shed. There was great peace.

It has been my experience that our family members show up to help us when we need them most. I believe they have some unfinished business and are also here to make sure we do what we are supposed to. Whether that is fulfill our life’s purpose on this earth or forgive someone or let go of something we no longer need so we can be happier. James has helped me do all of that.

And, just as he made sure I visited his grave twice and had two different experiences – sad and unsettled, to happy and peaceful – I have a feeling he is also rescripting the day he died, so for me, it moves from one of sad reflection to one of joy. Something will take place today that may be the final thing he was to do before he moved on. While I will miss him if this is the case, I will tell him once again I love him and let him go. I know who and what is coming is a long held wish granted and there is no reason to be sad.

Thank you James for everything.

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