About this item
Small towns. Big heroes!During World War II, men from Minnesota's smallest towns gave their lives for our country. Several were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, or Bronze Star. All received the award no one wanted: the Purple Heart. Little Minnesota in World War II, by Jill A. Johnson and Deane L. Johnson, honors 140 brave men from the smallest rural towns. From John Emery (who died December 7, 1941, on board the USS Arizona) to Herman Thelander (who was lost in the Bermuda Triangle, a mystery unsolved to this day) , this unique book allows you to experience the war through personal accounts of the men and their families. Photos from the war, scans of actual letters, journal excerpts, and family memories create a one-of-a-kind book that brings history to life with stories from Pearl Harbor, the Pacific, the Invasion of Normandy, and beyond, and that combines local history with World War II nostalgia.
About the Author
Jill wrote Little Minnesota: 100 Towns Around 100 to celebrate her passion for life in Minnesota's smallest towns. On their roadside tour, she and her husband Deane, the photographer, discovered beautiful churches and fascinating art and sculpture in communities rich in culture and history. Jill and Deane co-authored Little Minnesota in World War II, released in September 2017, to honor the men who died in war from the smallest towns. In August 2019, Jill published A Tale of Two Basketball Towns and Their Coach Jim Musburger: Strandquist and Karlstad, Minnesota 1956-1979, the stories of small town sports written by athletes, coaches and fans. Jill, a retired physical therapist, and her husband, a retired physician, founded Beagle Books in Park Rapids, Minnesota in 2001. Today they enjoy music and outdoor life in lovely northern Minnesota. Follow Jill on Facebook/LittleMinnesotaBook and littleminnesota.org.
