Every day we hear about another WWII veteran who has died. Some go silently and almost no one notices. Other more “famous” veterans are given a big fanfare after they depart this world. There is another group of individuals who are aging and passing away each day that no one is talking about.
The children of veterans and soldiers who were Killed In Action.
With those veterans and their children also go their stories.
Last year the World War II Research and Writing Center released a book to help families and researchers, put on paper, the stories they heard or know about WWII. Stories from the World War II Battlefield: Volume 3 Writing the Stories of War.
This book contains organizational tips to help you organize your research and over 500 writing prompts to help you get the stories on paper. There is even a section for the Children and Grandchildren of War, to help you record your stories. Here are a few of the prompts to get you thinking about your stories. Want more, order the book today.
Growing up I heard stories about my Grandma T. being a Rosie the Riveter. I heard about my Grandma Libbie raising three children on her own while my Grandpa Joe was in the Naval Armed Guard. When he returned home, he was changed forever. The entire family’s life changed and that change carried through the generations in our DNA. These are things I think most family historians/genealogists and military researchers do not touch because it will bring up painful memories for someone or cause pain within ourselves. Yet, we must explore these stories so we learn the lessons of the past and create a better future.
Sample Writing Prompts for Children of War
- What lessons (positive and negative) were passed down through the family because of the war?
- What habits remained in the family after the war? Which habits were started because of the war or even earlier, during the Great Depression? Consider food storage, recycling, using everything until it had no use for anything.
- What kind of fear did you experience during the war?
- If you were born prior to the war, how was life different when the soldier was at war?
- How did family life change when the soldier returned after the war? Did your parents remain married?
Sample Writing Prompts for Grandchildren of War
- What lessons were passed down through the family because of the war?
- What habits remained in the family after the war? Which habits were started because of the war or even earlier, during the Great Depression? Consider food storage, recycling, using everything until it had no use for anything.
- What stories did you hear about your grandfather or grandmother who served in the war?
- What was your perception of that individual?
- How did your perception change after you started researching his or her service?
Are you writing the stories of your family and digging deeper than the basic facts? Please share your experiences with our readers.
© 2017 World War II Research and Writing Center
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