Category Archives: World War II

What’s It Like Now for the Greatest Generation?

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

Our lives appear to be a procession of dates marching ever forward, but in reality, Life is a huge collection of moments, each one a little life-cycle unto itself. Each one has a beginning and an end; thus, the arrival … Continue reading →

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Here’s a Treat with a Boogie Beat

Posted on October 30, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

As with most holidays during World War II, Halloween was a subdued affair compared with what came before and after. Not only were the treats in short supply because of sugar rationing, but so were the tricks. Soaping windows had … Continue reading →

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The Brian Sisters

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

One of the most famous musical acts of the WW II era, if not the most famous act, was the Andrews Sisters. There were, however, actually a multitude of sister acts in the late 30s, the premier one being the … Continue reading →

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We Can’t Reenact the Uncertainty

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

Several members of my dance family and I will be attending a USO Dance in Edinburg, Virginia this coming Saturday (October 12). Most of us have a real affinity for the music of World War II, and we can enjoy … Continue reading →

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The Bedford Boys Tribute Center

Posted on June 13, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

It is really Green’s Drug Store, and not Omaha Beach that is the epicenter of the Bedford Boys story. Green’s was not just the main hang-out in town, which meant that every one of the Bedford Boys had been there … Continue reading →

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One Can Only Imagine

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

The National D-Day Memorial and the town of Bedford are places that force the imagination to engage. This was especially true on Thursday, during the Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. The first plane to fly over was a … Continue reading →

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D-Day Arrives in Marsh Point

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

Seventy-five years ago tomorrow morning, Americans up and down the East Coast awoke–or were awakened by–the news that the Allies had begun the invasion of Fortress Europe by landing troops on the beaches of Normandy. (Of course, folks on the … Continue reading →

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Bob Hope and D-Day

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

It is easy to imagine the excitement that Americans felt on the morning of June 6, 1944, rising as they did to news that the Allied Expeditionary Force had landed on the Normandy beaches. It was a quiet excitement, however; … Continue reading →

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D-Day: Remembered and Re-lived

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Austin Gisriel

The 75th Anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy–D-Day–will occur three weeks from today. D-Day was the turning point in the war in Europe; some have gone so far as to say that June 6, 1944 was the most crucial … Continue reading →

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The War Was Not Destined to End in 1944

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Austin Gisriel

As the summer of 1944 drew to a close, the expectation for Victory in Europe grew. After all, the Allies, who had stormed the Normandy beaches on June 6th, liberated Paris in a mere 80 days, accepting the surrender of … Continue reading →

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