EXPERIENCES OF THE GREATEST GENERATION IN WORLD WAR II 1920 -1945

About the Book

Hitler and the Nazi Party built a modern military machine with millions of well-trained and disciplined soldiers, seamen, airmen and modern tanks, submarines, and aircraft to gain living room for the German people in the east. At the same time, the Japanese Empire led by the divine Emperor Hirohito used its well-trained and equipped army, navy and air forces to establish the Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere. The vast natural resources of the Asian- Pacific region would provide the Japanese industrial complex with the essential oil and raw materials to be a dominant world power. To oppose and defeat these massive military forces across the Atlantic Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean in World War II, the isolationist people of the United States threw the combined weight of a drug store clerk, a mail clerk and a college freshman in a two ocean war . This is the story of Three Young Men.

About the Author

Paul Kraman, with a BA in English from Marycrest University in Arlington, Virginia and an MA in History from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, had a long career in Urban and Water Quality Management Planning at the local government level in the Midwest and at the national and international government level in Washington DC. He grew up during World War II and closely followed the war with his father, Frank Kraman. His older brother Don’s service and experiences as a fighter pilot with the Ninth Air Force in Europe was a special concern and focus of the Kraman Family. He became acquainted with Jim and John Cosgrove through his wife, Julie, and learned of their World War II service and experiences over time. Jim Cosgrove kept a detailed diary of his wartime training and experiences and John Cosgrove was a family friend for many years and was active in the USS Feland veterans organization. With a life-long interest in family history, Paul has concentrated his retirement years on researching and writing about the Gallagher and Kraman families.