. . Alex Sopka grew up on the rough streets of Pittsburgh’s Northside, the son of Russian immigrants. His father’s path towards American citizenship was to fight in WW I, where gas destroyed his lungs. Like many young men, the news of Pearl Harbor inspired Al to action but the government
. . Bill Sommer entered the US Army in June 1941 and was a member of the 28th Infantry Division. He fought in the European theatre and finished his military service in October 1945.
. . After his University of Pittsburgh ROTC unit was activated in 1943, Lester Snyder of Dormont, PA, found himself at Ft. Bragg, NC, undergoing artillery training. But instead of being shipped overseas, Lester enrolled in the controversial Army Specialized Training Program, where he attended college classes six days a week.
. . Jack Snyder graduated at age 17 from Monessen High School in 1942, joined the Marines, and soon after became a machine gunner with the 4thMarine Division. He wouldn’t hesitate if you asked whom he thinks of on Memorial Day: Marine Sgt. George L. Barlow of Verbank, NY. Barlow was a
. . During World War II, Althea Skelton contributed to the war effort by building B-29 “Superfortress” bombers. Ms. Skelton’s interview is an enlightening and endearing account of her childhood years leading up to WWII, her career as a civilian defense worker at The Boeing Company in Seattle, and the post-war
. . She’s a living legend and an American hero, although she’s too humble to ever admit it. Whatever credit “Shutsy” Reynolds takes for her service during WW II, she insists on sharing it with others—namely, her fellow WASP comrades. A recent documentary about the Women Airforce Service Pilots explains the
