. . Walter Reddy of Sewickley, Pennsylvania enlisted in the Army Air Corps during WWII, serving in Europe through the end of the war. Since childhood, Walter had been fascinated with airplanes. “I was in love with the sky,” Walt says fondly, “and I always wanted to fly.” When Walt was
. . John Rapp of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania loved the navy. He enlisted during WWII, serving aboard landing craft in the Pacific. After more than thirty years, John retired from the navy as a chief boatswain’s mate. “It was my job to keep the ship clean and orderly,” he says. “I showed the
. . Bernie Queneau was born in 1912; his earliest memories include the bombing of London during the infamous Zepplin Raids. As a boy, he learned several languages and lived through Europe until moving to the US in his teens. Prior to entering Columbia College, Bernie became an Eagle Scout; he
. . Blairsville’s Joseph (Guerrino) Prola, 95, was twice drafted during WW II. In medic training the young recruit was asked what he’d do if saw someone with their arm or leg blown off. “I don’t know what I’d do,” he stammered. “I’d be flabbergasted.” Just months later when the Germans
. . Guy Proie, a B-24 ball-turret gunner, describes his World War II tour of duty in Europe as a “survival story.” His story is more than a survival story. It is a fascinating and detailed narrative about a young man who volunteered to be a ball-turret gunner, a position on
. . George Priatko served with the Army’s 25th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater during WW II. Their well-known shoulder patch–the “electric strawberry” –is still recognizable today, although the unit is best known as “Tropic Lightning.” During liberation of the Philippines, the 25th fought for 165 days without rest–a fact
