Albert DeFazio somewhere in Italy, circa 1944-45. (Albert DeFazio) By Albert DeFazio World War II veteran Albert DeFazio, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, attended our storytelling programs faithfully up to his death in 2021 at age 95. Before Al passed, his daughter, Valerie DeFazio Vacula, published his memories in an
When Americans think of World War II in Europe, they usually picture Normandy hedgerows or the frozen forests of the Battle of the Bulge. Italy, where Allied armies fought for nearly two years and learned some of the hardest lessons of the war, often comes in as an afterthought. Though long treated as a
The United States in World War II had a big mail problem: there was too much of it. Old-fashioned hand-written letters flooded ship holds in staggering numbers, clogging sea lanes back and forth across the Atlantic and Pacific. Mail competed for cargo space with the ammunition, fuel, food, and equipment needed to win the
The VBC would like to honor WWII U.S. Navy veteran Burton Lieberman on his 100th birthday on February 9 by inviting people to send Burton birthday cards. A few kind words from across the country would mean a great deal. Please send cards to: Burton Lieberman, c/o Sharon Cudaback, 118 Riverside Dr, Canton, NC
We're grateful to Barb Smith for introducing us to Art and Rose Gelbart, Holocaust survivors who joined our livestream on December 1, 2025. Barb wrote an account of their World War II experiences in the DD214 Chronicle, a print newspaper serving northern Ohio. Thank you to publisher and USMC veteran Donald Stark for giving
By Todd DePastino VBC member Sue Watson has let us know that Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) has named its latest service dog after our own Julia Parsons! Sue is WCC Area Program Manager & Service Dog Training Instructor in Pittsburgh, and she was instrumental in honoring World War II Navy WAVE Lieutenant Julia Parsons
