I've just finished reading a book I highly recommend. It's title is Voices of the Pacific, by Adam Makos. Here's a link to Amazon, where you can read more about it. Of course, I'm prejudiced because I know one of the men whose oral history was included in the book, Wayburn Hall.
Makos interviewed 15 men, still living in 2012, who served in the 1st Marine Division during WWII. The author said he didn't want to interfere with each man's story. He wanted to present them as if they were sitting around a kitchen table talking about their experiences, and the reader was merely eavesdropping in a dark corner. I think he achieved his goal.
Wayburn talks about being wounded in the invasion of Pelelieu and participating in the battle for Okinawa. I'm very grateful that he's left a record of that chapter in his life's story.
I had a chance recently to see a few WWII-vintage planes that had stopped at the Sugar Land Airport the day before the recent air show at Ellington Field. The centerpiece was a B-17, which was open to the public. I took a camera and made a short video of crawl through the plane.
Last but not least is a photo of Lawrence Elkins, graduate of Missouri City High School, Class of '42, and WWII veteran of the Army Air Corps. Thanks to his daughter Lee for letting me scan this photo.
