William R. Ablan's 3 favorite reads in 2025

One of the reasons History is one of teh least popular classes in schools is because it becomes about the famous and dates. Oddly, while the Famous might be given the credit, something that's often ignored is those people stood on the shoulders of Giants.

So, it is with this book. What's it about in a nutshell:

Five brothers went to war.
Two came back.
One is buried her in the states.
Another is buried in Europe
The last one who didn't come back remains missing and unaccounted for.

It sounds more like a work of fiction, but it's not. Joy took a suitcase full of old letters and telegrams from and regarding the Wilson brothers and welded them into a first-rate book that opens a window on a chapter in American History. While it talks about the battles and campaigns, it's told through the written letters from her Uncles. Many of the letters were heavily censored.

But not only the battles are there. But homefront stuff such as living under the thumb of rationing.

And just picking up the pieces and going on when the family experiences lose.

It's a great book to give more insight into the haunting days of WWII.

Until the Raid on Entebbe, this was the most successful military hostage rescue mission of all times. And it's all about an event that in most cases, didn't even become a sub note in most military histories. It explores in vivid detail the fall of the Philippines and the day fight to survive under the brutal conditions of a Japanese POW camp.

An awesome read for any serious student of World War II.

Not many years I found this book and read it. I was working at a school at the time and I shared about it with a lady who worked there. As I told her about the harrowing sea battle, a match between US Navy destroyers and Imperial Japanese battleships. it was a true David vs, Goliath battle we should never have won.

Anyway, she gets this look on her face, her eyes widen and she said, "My father was on the Johnston."

The Johnston was one of the American destroyers that held the line against overwhelming odds. It didn't survive the battle.

Some of the crew did.

And so do their stories.