Written by Walter James De Mamiel (1920-2022) as told to Susan De Mamiel March 22, 2022We recently received a memorial donation for Walter James De Mamiel, who passed away on November 24, 2022, at age 102. Walter was a Gunner's Mate, Petty Officer First Class, aboard the light carrier USS Cabot (CVL-28), which saw combat throughout the
By Todd DePastino Japanese glass net floats Before he died in 2013, WWII veteran Jack Purcell attended VBC events and shared his remarkable story of serving as a Navy officer in the invasion of Okinawa. Before Pearl Harbor, Jack was already well known as leader of what would become the Jack Purcell
Written by Beth Reuschel In Part 1, military records researcher Beth Reuschel explained how to use wartime letters to create a timeline of your veteran's service in World War II. Below, Beth focuses on the next step: delving into military records. Learn more at reuschelresearch.com. In Part 1, I covered how to read your veteran’s wartime
Written by Todd DePastino In 1942, the nation's most popular entertainer took an obscure song from the year before and made it the best-selling record of all time. “I’ll be home for Christmas” is the optimistic refrain of soldiers and sailors heading off to war. When war begins, few can imagine it being anything but
Written by Beth Reuschel Beth Reuschel is a professional military records researcher who helps families discover their legacies of service. The VBC is partnering with Beth to guide family history seekers through their own research journeys. She’ll offer tips and tricks for those who want to plunge into the archives and retrace the footsteps
On October 1, the US Naval Institute tweeted this story of Seaman Apprentice John Urtchok who, in 1943, was swept off the deck of his destroyer. He flailed in rough seas for 40 minutes before another huge wave lifted him onto the deck of a different destroyer. Where did this story originate? It's a
