Each of the 73 men profiled here has their own story. These men came from different backgrounds. They were farmers, railroad workers or kids just out of school. They worked in local bakeries, or candy stores. Some were desperately poor, others from the middle class. A few went to college. Others had to leave school early to support their families. They all grew up during the Depression. They gave their lives in far away places like Saipan, Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Siegfried Line and at sea. They helped liberate concentration camps. One even survived the Bataan Death March only to die in a POW camp of dysentery. Sadly, some were never recovered. Their remains still among the unknown or missing. They left widows, children they never knew and grieving mothers. They saved the world.
It has been an honor to research and write about them. I learned much about Oneonta's history, about World War II and about them. Their photographs are priceless to me and I appreciate what they did for all of us. In the end, the best I could do was try and get their stories right. They deserve it. So, if you seen anything in these stories that you think may not be right, please contact me.
- Jim Greenberg, 2023.