Hello, I'm glad to find these forums & read what's here. I've always felt "strangely" connected to the 1940s era even 'tho I'm one of those babies born from the boom. In fact, it was my parents era (he was Navy sailor in the Pacific, she worked in an aircraft defense plant), but it was a highly dysfunctional, estranged family and also like many, many people neither talked about the war time except a few things so no other connection there (only after my mom died a few years ago did I find she had saved newspaper clippings of servicemen friends who had died in WWII) and I can only wonder what my dad must've experienced being shot at on ships in the Pacific. But even 'tho I've always read WWII Homefront stories/movies and OSS spies/resistence autobios/bios, it's only been in the last year that I've really delved into other books and movies about WWII (the ones that always frightened me but I felt it was time now to read). I've now read stories/memoirs by fighter pilots, bombers pilots, soldiers, Holocaust survivors, POWs...so many incredible books that have made a deep and lasting impression & make me even more grateful for their sacrifices & for the freedoms we have today (and in this I am more appreciative of my parents for their contribution). So, mostly I am interested in the personal stories of those who were in it. Also, I'm fascinated by Post War life...coming home and what it was like and ushering in the era known as the Nifty Fifties but also the Cold War fears...I'm now curious to read any books about the Nazi Rocket Scientists (Von Braun?) who became our Space Program engineers & got us to the Moon...so, very strange to think about!
Welcome to the forum. I read "Operation Paperclip" a few months ago and that might be of interest to you. There's a clear anti-"Paperclip" bias and the author draws some dubious conclusions (painting Von Braun as a hardcore Nazi, for instance), but its an interesting and well-written book.
Welcome to the forum. Although you didn't specifically ask fr it, you should read Elinor Florence's blog about the first hand accounts of Canadians in WW2. Fascinating stuff. You can find it here http://elinorflorence.com/
Welcome aboard. You might also like a little post I put up in the Pacific section on the 348th FG. Written by the folks who were there and in their own words. Be sure to check out our book section on recommended reading.
Thank you for the warm welcome! Ha, after re-reading my post it sounded like one long sentence! I will definitely check out all the recommendations & posts. I did find Elinor's neat Canadian blog a few months ago and forgot about it! Thanks for reminding me. Right now I am reading "The Last Battle" Cornelius Ryan. I always find a lot of great books at the used book store at the library.
