Carl M. Becker

Miamisburg in World War Ii: the Soldiers and Sailors of an American Community Carl M. Becker

Small American towns have earned a reputation for coming together in extraordinary ways in times of war, and at no time was this clearer than when the United States offered its support to the Allies in a time of worldwide crisis. In this poignant and nostalgic book, Carl M. Becker reflects on his small town in western Ohio during World War II, presenting the Greatest Generation of Miamisburg--lest they be forgotten--and setting their contribution to the war effort in the context of local, national and international affairs. Spurred by his historian?s awareness that a collection of letters printed in the town newspaper during the war years had become an unusual and striking documentary record, Dr. Becker collected the stories of hundreds of the ordinary ?boys? who had been sent to serve overseas as extraordinary soldiers and sailors. From the details of daily life in foreign lands to dramatic accounts of fighting at the front, Miamisburg in World War II offers an intimate and revealing portrait of strength of a community and character of its people. Working closely with the Miamisburg Historical Society, Dr. Becker has combined a moving selection of this rare collection of letters with insightful analysis to create a fascinating window into the history of a small American town that can, in many ways, be considered an exemplar of the experience and values of all American communities.