Review
Kirkus Reviews
A deeply personal, well-researched history of a WWII medic’s experience.
Having lost his father in 1964, following the death of his mother almost three years prior, Lehman was resigned to the fact that he’d never know more than the basics of his dad’s service in the European theater as a surgical technician with the U.S. Army 80th Medical Battalion. This lack of knowledge changed when the author turned 60 and discovered the diaries of his grandmother, Beula, written between 1940 and 1945, in which he once more “got to meet my dad.”
The diaries offered the author not just a new perspective on his father (who is referred to as “Buddy” in the entries) but also vital information that allowed Lehman to “track” his father’s movements through secondary research. They also raised a new set of questions still left unanswered, such as Buddy’s unexplained decision to run away from home in 1940 and the reasons behind a six-week stint in jail in 1943.
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Review
Author Barry A. Lehman blends personal reflection with historical context and poignant revelations, creating a powerful evocation of the enduring power of family and the profound impact that war has on those who serve in it. What makes this book particularly poignant is its emphasis on the importance of preserving the memories of those who came before us as a reminder of the enduring themes of patriotism, heroism, and the power of collective memory.
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