Found our 299th Radio Hero on Memorial Day Weekend!

What timing! Some shortwave listening friends reached out to me today to ensure I read this article: http://www.ithaca.com/news/he-got-news-to-families-of-pows/article_81d31dac-2295-11e6-939e-c31809e0b803.html?TNNoMobile

I had not, until they wrote to me. And, when I did my eyes lit up and I was once again in awe. In awe of the story that I've become so familiar with, yet delighted beyond compare to see another person write about it and celebrate with us. Be sure to read the article friends.

And, so it is, Meredith "Bub" Brill is our 299th World War II Radio Hero identified that took place in POW message relay. He was a child who bought his radio with a few dollars down and monthly payments. He wrote to all parts of the country to let families know that their loved one, who was serving in the war, was alive and being held as a prisoner. He lived in Caroline New York.

An excellent article. A familiar and great story. Please share it.

Celebrating Pauline Holtzclaw of Charlotte NC - another World War II Radio Hero identified!

Hello friends. The story repeats itself yet again. I find myself the recipient of another wonderful communication that goes like this:

"A few years ago I stumbled across an old 5X7 3-ring binder that belonged to my mother.  In it are neatly and almost perfectly typed words of hymns, songs, poems, quips and little sayings.  Strategically placed in the middle of them is a poem entitled “A Soldier Speaks” from the Office of War Information.  The 15 pages that follow that poem are typed and handwritten addresses, service numbers and short memos from a POW to a family member here in the US or Canada that my mother notated.  Up to now, I have made an assumption that because she was a Red Cross volunteer during WWII, in Charlotte, NC, that she may have jotted these messages to relay them to families stateside.   Unfortunately, my mom passed in 2003, so this all comes as a bit of a mystery to me.  Then I come across your video and hear how many people, all over the country would write the names, addresses and notes from POW’s that they heard on the radio and would relay those messages to those families.  I’m wondering now, if that was what my mom was doing, instead of it coming through her volunteering with the Red Cross..."

That was the beginning of my communication with Rick Bartlett of Georgia. He shared with me the beautiful contents of that ring binder he found after her passing. Like myself, Rick couldn't put the materials down. He read and reread each note and then began searching for the POWs that his mother wrote about. He has become far more of a researcher than I, in fact. His work is impressive. I'm including a few documents that he was kind enough to share, and grant permission to share.

Rick and I are friends on my World War II Radio Heroes Facebook Page. Please friend him and thank him for his efforts and preservation of this piece of the story. We continue to seek Congressional Recognition for those like Pauline, who supported our POWs and their families with these precious notes. Please continue to reach out to your legislatures and ask for their help. I have materials you can use to that end- simply email me.

Sanford Lowe to Southerton Family

Hello friends.

I was recently contacted by Michael Southerton of the Philadelphia area. He shared this penny postcard he found from our own dear Sanford Lowe to Michael's great-grandmother alerting her of his father's capture. Thank you Michael for sharing this- and for being as excited about this as we are. Sanford was in deed a very special person to us for his 10,000+ letters to POW families like ours.

Transcript:

December 12th, 1944.

Dear Mrs. Southerton,

Tonight at 8.13 P.M.,  E.W.T. Berlin short wave radio announced the following:

"Bernard G. Southerton, A.S.N. 33355234, born in Honesdale, PA.. was captured while fighting on the Western European Front on a recent date and he is now in a prison camp in Germany, safe and well."

No address was given but I hope this card reaches you and the above information will be a source of help and encouragement to you. 

Very truly yours,

Sanford Lowe

This is the 13,070th notice forwarded by me from Tokyo and Berlin.

 

 

World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion SECOND EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Hello dear friends.

The time has finally come. The second edition of World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion (2013) has been published! As of yesterday, Ingram, my distributor released the title (book speak for "It's available") to book sellers (like Amazon). Now, each book seller is independent and will go at their own pace at listing it and making it directly available to you. So, that said, ask your book seller to look for it by title, author and ISBN:

 

World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion SECOND EDITION (2013), Lisa Spahr & Austin Camacho,  ISBN  978-0-9891914-0-1

 

Make sure it is not the first edition, which my publisher will take out of print/availability in the coming week. And, don't worry if they say they can't find it... that may be the case for a few weeks. Just keep asking, politely of course. :) Rest assured it is listed with Ingram and your book seller will have access to it, double-check the ISBN and ask again in a week.

 

The list price is $19.95 and it's more than 200 pages! I sure hope you love it. And, please help us spread the word and by all means, post a review on Amazon or elsewhere.

 

Thank you for your support. This wouldn't have been possible without such positive feedback from the first edition and your encouragement over the years. Thank you.

 

Lisa (and the entire cast of characters that made this happen)

Messages from a Prisoner of War by Craig Henderson

I am so excited to share this link, photo and bit of news with you! I was approached by Craig Henderson some time ago, for a radio documentary he was doing with Mona Thornton. (Both Craig and Mona are pictured above.) He was featuring Mona's father's letters and records that he kept from WWII, which alerted her mother that he was a POW. His documentary is complete and can be found at: http://www.peachcityradio.org/programs/community/messagesFromAPOW.php

I will include this information in the second edition of World War II Radio Heroes, which will debut by Memorial Day 2013 at the latest!

I'm honored to have been a part of this. I'm thrilled that it will help us keep sharing this wonderful message with audiences around the globe. And, I'm thankful to Craig and Mona for their work and dedication.

Let me know what you think of the documentary.

Will You Give Radio Heroes a Minute of Your Time?

Friends, may I shamelessly ask you to post a review of World War II Radio Heroes on Amazon? We only have 16 reviews and I'd love to have more. Most are wildly favorable, and for that I am very thankful. One person called our book "boring". However gutted I am about that, I suppose I am grateful they gave it a chance. I am optimistic that no one else feels that way and that they get the clear picture of the heroes I try so hard to speak of- and publicly thank.

Frederick W.C. Dannemann- A Radio Hero

Every few months I receive a letter or email that really moves me. This weekend I received one just like that. Thomas Dannemann wrote:

Dear Ms. Spahr:

I was happy to come across you website that recognizes the contribution of HAM radio operators during WWII. It is a story that my family knows well. My father’s father, Frederick W.C. Dannemann, was one of those HAM operators and is listed in your blog. There is also a unique aspect in that my mother’s brother was a P.O.W. The family received numerous letters and postcards form HAM operators letting them know that he was safe. According to family stories one of the postcards was from F.W.C. Dannemann, my mother’s future father-in-law.

 

Thank you for telling this great American story.

Tom Dannemann

Thank you Mr. Dannemann for reaching out to me and sharing your unique connection to this story. I am so honored to make connection with yet another of the radio heroes (via their relative) that I feature in the book. It has been an honor to salute your grandfather.

Printed with Mr. Dannemann's permission.