When I lecture in the U.S. and Europe, people always ask me, ‘Why did you start researching World War II?’
My business did not start out in WWII research, but genealogy. When I was finishing my history degree I took a class in 1996 which required a family history project. Once I started, I was hooked. Being Czech, as far as I had traced in 1998, I was determined to finish my degree, return to Chicago and become a great Chicago Czech researcher. Funny how we make plans and life happens……A year after I started my business in 2010, I began working with an Italian American in Chicago. Five years later I became a Chicago Italian researcher with an expertise on the people from Ricigliano, Italy and surrounding villages. Today I am still working with this client. His project went very quickly beyond a few generations. Each year I create several books for him documenting his entire family from past to present, with photographs, biographies, and stories. This client has written many pieces of what is becoming his memoir. I know my Italian client’s family better than my own Czech ancestors.
By the end of the the 2nd year of my business, I had published several books. One on my cousin, the Flying Tiger Robert Brouk, and several Genealogy teaching books for kids and adults. This laid the foundation for what was to come.
So how did I move from genealogy to WWII? Over the course of several years of personal research into my own family’s military history, my relatives who died in service pushed me to research their stories. So I did. I researched and wrote about my WWI great grand uncle Michael Kokoska, KIA in France 1918. My Flying Tiger cousin, killed during training pilots after his AVG service ended in 1942. My cousin Frank Winkler, KIA in France in 1944. My cousin and guide for many years, James Privoznik, KIA in Belgium during the Bulge in 1945. I wrote a lecture, Finishing the Story, to help educate genealogists on some of the records I was using. That led to a book called, Stories of the Lost, where I told the stories of all those men. Along with that book, I also released the second in that series called The Tiger’s Widow, which is about the widow of Robert Brouk, Virginia Brouk, who became a WAAC then WAC in 1943 and served in Egypt.
The more I researched and looked for resources to help the process along, I realized there really were not any. Anything that did exist was so out of date, the information was basically useless. Records access changes all the time. The only book I found focused on the Army and had one chapter dedicated to records. In my mind, this lack of educational materials was unacceptable.
I began researching service men and women across all branches of the military during WWII. With each individual, and each client who hired me, I learned more about how to research and how to write the stories. I was connected with researchers overseas who live in the Philippines and Europe, research adopted soldiers, specific units or battles, or doing Missing In Action research. These connections led to a lot of sharing of information between us and the ability to connect with other people on both sides of the ponds. I also read several “expert” websites to see what information was being shared. One expert in particular really irritates me every time I read his answers. There is a lot we can learn from those who irritate us – the question is, how do we take this and turn it into something positive to help others.
The more I read online, the more I see there is a lot of misinformation being given to people about WWII research and records access, even from genealogists doing research today. Researchers should stay on top of these issues and disseminate current information. The question was, how could I change all the misinformation being spread?
The answer came in the form of several more lectures which teach people how to research. No one else in the country is lecturing on this, as far as I have been able to tell. It also led to the creation of the only books on the market today, which teach people in the U.S. and Europe, HOW to research and write the stories of American service men or women across any branch.
My genealogy to WWII journey has taken me down many interesting roads and across the sea many times. It often led me down deep, dark, emotional trails to help me grow and change. WWII research is not all sunshine, unicorns, and rainbows. It causes us to examine things we prefer to avoid, and feel things we may have held apart from our hearts for a long time. James was a large part of that journey and in two months I’ll make my third journey to visit him as this chapter in our story ends.
It is also coming full circle this year as many endings happen. New ways to use genealo
gy to help European researchers has emerged. A major expansion to my business is also taking place which is exciting! My guide James has been by my side every step of the way, guiding my work, introducing me to people, and leading me to a life I could have never imagined for myself…….the publication of 14 books within the last 5 years. The creation of more than a dozen lectures. Travel to Europe multiple times. I met my amazing fiancé in the Netherlands and I’m now living on two continents. I had no idea Fairy Tales really do exist! I get to speak all over the U.S. and Europe. And, I’ve met so many incredible, passionate researchers and family members of WWII soldiers.
The most important part of the journey is that my research, writing, and speaking has provided a lot of education and healing for myself, the soldiers I research, and their families. For this I am extremely grateful. I truly have the best job and am living my life’s purpose. I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
Where will the road or airplane lead next? I have some plans and ideas that are exciting. You’ll have to come back and keep reading to see what happens!
Why did you start researching World War II? Please share your story with us in the comments.
© 2016 World War II Research and Writing Center
Hi Jennifer,
Unfortinally we did not met each other last year but i ordered you book. This is my story why I adopted a soldier at Martgraten and started a investigation.
My I introduce myself my name is Roger Zoontjens and I life in the Netherlands “Kerkrade”.
I was always interested in WW2. My grandfather told me a lot about WW2. I read a lot of books about WW2. But after years (2013 & 2014) we decided to visit the Normandy landing beaches. I read a lot about D-day but by reading a book you cannot see in what for a dimension this operation is been carried out. We visited also the cemeteries along this beaches. This had such impact to us (me and my family) that we decided that we like to adopt a grave at the American Cemetery at Margraten.
I wrote a letter to adopt a grave program. After a while we get l letter back. There was written in that all graves are adopted and it could take at least a half year to adopt a grave. We were terrified to here this. Happily, after a few months we got a letter again and they told us there was a grave free for adoption. There begins the story of my investigation. On the 5 may 2015 we received our Adoption certificate from Sgt. Paul R. Scott. After we visited his grave at Margraten we like to now this soldier wo has given his ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
I checked the database of field of honor. But there was no information about him. We had alone the information serial number and date of death.
After searching throw internet and reading a lot about 453 BOMB SQ 323 BOMB GP/H? I found some information that he was member of the “Reese Crew”, and was flying in an B26C marauder named “Toid Boid”. I found also that he was crashed at Ijmuiden.
I while later I found a contact from an air war researcher. He sends me a mail with an original photograph of the “Toid Boid” and the MACR report from the airplane. He gives me also a lot of information about the original crew members of the “Toid Boid”.
Now we had a lot of information. I had a new goal, finding family or relatives from Paul R. Scott.
I searched throw internet but could not find anything. After I while e posted a message to veterans lost and found. After a few days I get a message back they give me the names from Paul parents and his brother Woodrow Scott.
I found also on the internet site “find a grave” the grave of the mother and father from Paul. I searched for Woodrow Scott but I could not find anything about him. I posted a lot of messages on several site. After a few weeks I had a message that Woodrow Scott also was enlisted in the air force as bombardier but for the rest they had no information. Again I was searching but I could not find anything. I had contact with Golden Arrow research, they searched at the archive about the military service report, but they could not find anything because in 1973 there was a huge fire and a lot of documentation was burned, also the documentation about Paul.
On my work I discussed with a colleague he is also interested in WW2 and like to adopt a grave also.
I told him that I do not know what to do because I could not find anything. He says try to send an email to the cemetery of his parents perhaps they can help you. I send a mail to the Greenlawn Cemetery located in Milford, OH. I told them that I was searching for relatives from our adopted soldier. I asked them that if there are relatives please give them my address and if they like they can contact me.
One day later we had a mail back from record Clerk Myrt Allen. She told is that they family like to have contact with us and she send us the contact address from the family. ( Kenneth & Elizabeth Scott).
I send all my information about Paul R. Scott to the family after that day everything was going like a rocket. They were really excited about it and they showed everyone. After a few weeks I had an email from the wife of Woodrow Scott, Mary Lee Scott. She was very excited and she like to send me a letter with a lot of information and pictures from Paul. I was thrilled to hear that because finally I had contact with the family and a picture from Paul. This was for me the ultimate goal to say thank you. Our soldier has finally a face. After receiving the letter, she told me that Woodrow Scott is actually Ivan Woodrow Scott (nickname Woody). There four I could not find any information. Unfortunately, he was also passed away at 23 May 2007.
A few weeks’ later Garry Knepp contacted me he had spoken with Myrt Allen and she relayed the information about Paul Scott. He is teaching history and political science and history at the University of Cincinnati and lives just outside of Milford. And he has a great interest in local military history. He would like to write about “adopt a grave” program for a Veterans Day story for his column in the local newspaper.
He researched also the family and he send me the newspaper with the article about Paul and mine family. Also he sends me a link I could look the presentation he made for the board of education. About Paul, Ivan, adopted a grave program and my Family. Also what was new for me was that Ivan, Paul and Marry lee where visiting this school. Now the circle is round all these brave soldiers and especially the family who had given their ultimate sacrifice will be honored.
The family was there and they are honored by the school they visited. We are really proud the that we had a contribution to this.
But my story dos not end here. After I while I thought I would like to give more to the family and I investigated Ivan Woodrow Scott. Also I have now contact with the grandchildren from Ivan and Marry. It is a big family with eleven grandchildren. This is really great. We have a lot of contact with Facebook/email. I found a lot of thinks about our two brave soldiers. And I think my investigation will never be end. But it is a starting. Also I trying to update the databases from both soldiers so that they never will be forgotten.
It is nice investigated this but it should be also accessible for the future generation. I update the fields of honor database, the database from the faces of Margraten and the data base from the American air museum in Britain.
After i while i had some contact with people at Ijmuiden. They found the airplane and we are now working for salvage the plane.
Also this month the city of IJmuiden/Velsen is gonna place a information board about this crew and aircraft at the crashsite.
I working also together with Jodi Champagne she is also working on a book about the adoption of these brave soldiers.
She asked me? did you shose your soldier. I said no i did not he shosed me. I have a lott in common with this guy. He was sergeant in the army i am also. He was radiooperator i was to and he was in the airforce my hobby was aicrafts. This is no coincidense.
Finally, I like to say thank you to all people wo have helped me with my investigation especially Family Scott, Kenneth & Elizabeth Scott, Mary Lee Scott, Rachel Scott, Myrt Allen, all Grandchildren from Ivan and Marry, Garry Knepp and Hans Nauta.
I hope we have a positive contribution to honor ore liberators.
Sincerely,
Roger, Patricia & Joep Zoontjens
I had always been interested in learning about my uncle who was killed in WWII and by chance came across the clue that would help me find information. It was almost 18 years ago I started my research and I have enjoyed the work and have learned more than I thought possible. I still enjoy the thrill of finding new information. It has been particularly educational learning about events that led to the United States entering the war. My uncle was a member of the VP-74 Naval Aviation Squadron that was formed on July 1, 1941 and he died on July 4, 1943 in the coastal waters off Rio de Janeiro while flying anti-submarine patrol. The entire crew of eleven men died while attacking a U-boat. I was born on July 18, 1943 and I am named after him thus the deep interest. The information I have learned and the people I have met along the way are beyond my dreams. I encourage everyone to start research today. What might seem like an insignificant piece of information is part of the story of the soldiers and sailors who served in WWII. If you know the name of someone who is buried in one of the overseas cemeteries look up the information provided by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The link to the website is: http://abmc.gov/database-search One last thing, if you visit New York City and take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty take a few minutes and walk a few steps to visit the East Coast Memorial. The men who lost their lives in the western Atlantic are memorialized at this ABMC memorial.
I started looking for information on my deceased grandfather’s WWII unit — and eventually tracked down all his war buddies. I then went to Holland, France and Germany and interviewed people who knew them in 1944/1945. I did it out of personal curiosity, but eventually wrote a book about it, here. Of the 36 men I tracked down, only one is still alive. I hope to see him this fall. These things have a way of getting addicting!
Thanks for commenting Jeffrey. Your book is one I picked up a few years ago and have in my collection. It was one of the few that talked about how you did the research. I was at that time, looking to see what had been written about the “how” of it all, as I prepared to write my “how-to” books for all the branches.
Glad it was useful. If you haven’t already, you may want to read Part I. The veterans stories are super interesting. 🙂 // Jeff