{"title":"Survivor Stories","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"402048","title":"All the Gallant Men: The First Memoir by a USS Arizona Survivor, Soft Cover","description":"\u003cp\u003eAt 8:06 a.m. on December 7, 1941, Seaman First Class Donald Stratton was consumed by an inferno. A million pounds of explosives had detonated beneath his battle station aboard the USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e, barely fifteen minutes into Japan’s surprise attack on American forces at Pearl Harbor. Near death and burned across two thirds of his body, Don, a nineteen-year-old Nebraskan who had been steeled by the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, summoned the will to haul himself hand over hand across a rope tethered to a neighboring vessel. Forty-five feet below, the harbor’s flaming, oil-slick water boiled with enemy bullets; all around him the world tore itself apart.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this extraordinary never-before-told eyewitness account of the Pearl Harbor attack — the only memoir ever written by a survivor of the USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e —  veteran Donald Stratton finally shares his unforgettable personal tale of bravery and survival on December 7, 1941, his harrowing recovery, and his inspiring determination to return to the fight.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDon and four other sailors made it safely across the same line that morning, a small miracle on a day that claimed the lives of 1,177 of their \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e shipmates — approximately half the American fatalaties at Pearl Harbor. Sent to military hospitals for a year, Don refused doctors’ advice to amputate his limbs and battled to relearn how to walk. The U.S. Navy gave him a medical discharge, believing he would never again be fit for service, but Don had unfinished business. In June 1944, he sailed back into the teeth of the Pacific War on a destroyer, destined for combat in the crucial battles of Leyte Gulf, Luzon, and Okinawa, thus earning the distinction of having been present for the opening shots and the final major battle of America’s Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAll the Gallant Men\u003c\/i\u003e is a book for the ages, one of the most remarkable — and remarkably inspiring — memoirs of any kind to appear in recent years.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoft cover. 308 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12626620743731,"sku":"402048","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/402048.jpg?v=1562037123"},{"product_id":"401072","title":"Counting My Blessings","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom his time in a Honolulu street gang to surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor to disarming bombs across Europe, native Hawaiian Herb Weatherwax's life story is full of mischief, adventure and travel. Counting his blessings along the way, Herb recalls what it was like to grow up in Hawaii, the trials and tribulations of his youth, his World War II experience, and his eventual transition to business owner, family man, and community leader and volunteer. Written in his own words, Uncle Herb, as he is affectionately known, reveals his humble heart, sense of humor, and endearing personality.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBest Seller: Top Ten Books at Pearl Harbor\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePaperback: 60 pages\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the National Park Service and Pacific Historic Parks\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12626644336691,"sku":"401072","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/401072.jpg?v=1562039158"},{"product_id":"402052","title":"Second to the last to leave USS Arizona 12.7.41","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Lauren F. Bruner story, Memoir of a Sailor, by Edward J. McGrath and Craig O. Thompson.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\"This is the best written and most detailed account of the Attack on Pearl Harbor that I have ever read. It is a true and exciting account, and pretty much exactly like it happened. I should know, since I was on USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e on the morning of 7 December 1941 and was also lucky to make it out alive. This book is so good I didn't want it to end.\" — Lou Conter, Quartermaster 3\/c, USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e crew member and survivor\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eSecond to the Last to Leave\u003c\/i\u003e is a really good story and I guess I should know, because I was on the \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e with Lauren all those years ago. The way the book is written tells it pretty much exactly the way it happened and the way I remember it. It's been a lot of years and I've read a lot of books all trying to tell the story without ever having been there. But I'll tell you, Lauren's book tells it like it really was.\" — Howard Kenton Potts, Coxswain, USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e crew member and survivor.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eSoft cover. 471 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12626756567091,"sku":"402052","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/402052.jpg?v=1562368524"},{"product_id":"60254","title":"Pearl Harbor Survivors: An Oral History of 24 Servicemen","description":"\u003cp\u003eOn December 7, 1941, Japan waged a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. It was a major victory for the Japanese Navy, which in less than two hours destroyed 188 American planes, damaged another 159, and sunk or seriously damaged 18 U.S. warships. The battleships \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eOklahoma\u003c\/i\u003e were sunk. The battleships \u003ci\u003eCalifornia\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWest Virginia\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eTennessee\u003c\/i\u003e were badly damaged and would not rejoin the United States fleet for months. Over 2,400 American military personnel were killed and 1,178 were wounded. The Japanese lost 29 planes and pilots and five midget submarines and one large sub with their crews.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHere are 24 personal accounts of servicemen who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. These accounts cover in detail the location of each of the men and his experience during and after the attack. Also included is general information about Pearl Harbor.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAbout the author: Harry Spiller served two tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps. He is an associate professor of criminal justice and the author of \u003ci\u003ePrisoners of Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e (1998) and \u003ci\u003eAmerican POWs in Korea: Sixteen Personal Accounts\u003c\/i\u003e (1998). He lives in Marion, Illinois.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eSoft cover. 216 pages. 6 inches by 9 inches.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12627560431667,"sku":"60254","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/60254.jpg?v=1562130635"},{"product_id":"401325","title":"A True American","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom a farm in Illinois to Hawaii, Guadalcanal, Korea and Vietnam, Pearl Harbor Survivor Sterling Cale's military career has taken him around the world and back again. With a front row view of the attack, Cale bravely rescued men from the burning water of Pearl Harbor and collected bodies from the wreckage of the USS \u003ci\u003eArizona\u003c\/i\u003e. His story is one of service, sacrifice and what it means to be a true American.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBest Seller: Top Ten Books at Pearl Harbor\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePaperback: 56 pages\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by Pacific Historic Parks\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReviews\u003c\/b\u003e\r\nPaige Walker, Goodreads.com\r\nMet this gentleman while visiting the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites on a recent visit to Oahu, Hawaii. Very nice, interesting man and we were honored to learn more about his story.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":12632031625267,"sku":"401325","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/2jElAjO0.jpg?v=1562036873"},{"product_id":"200401","title":"The Ragdoll And The Marine: A Memoir","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Ragdoll and the Marine: A Memoir – Written by author Nicole Calvo, this memoir shares her mother’s personal account of life on Guam during World War II. Through a simple act of kindness between a young girl and a U.S. Marine, the story highlights the lasting impact of war on generations and the enduring power of compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook Details: By Nicole Calvo, \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoft Cover. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReading Level: Teens, Adults. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages: 180.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":18355405815859,"sku":"200401","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/files\/The_Ragdoll_And_The_Marine_A_Memoir_2.jpg?v=1746065273"},{"product_id":"400367","title":"Diary of a Pearl Harbor Survivor","description":"\u003cp\u003eA native son of Hawaii, Alfred Benjamin Kameeiamoku Rodrigues was on duty at Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7, 1941. From his early days as a young Navy sailor through his Pacific War days, he relates his eyewitness account of events during that Day of Infamy and shares the personal diary he kept during the War in the Pacific while serving onboard the battleship USS \u003ci\u003eWashington\u003c\/i\u003e as a Chief Petty Officer. After serving 24 years in the U.S. Navy, he is one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor Survivors and regularly volunteers his time at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center--sharing his eyewitness accounts with visitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cul\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003eBest Seller: Top Ten Books at Pearl Harbor\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePaperback: 56 pages\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the National Park Service and Pacific Historic Parks\u003c\/li\u003e\r\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42285687406773,"sku":"400367","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/products\/400367_b919096e-f3a9-4e61-996e-ce8d70a283ff.jpg?v=1682027082"},{"product_id":"402798","title":"The Lou Conter Story : From USS AZ Survivor to Uns","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Lou Conter Story: From USS Arizona Survivor to Unsung American Hero\u003c\/em\u003e tells the incredible story of one of the last remaining survivors of the USS\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eArizona\u003c\/em\u003e. More than just a recollection of the events that transpired in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, this book also records the author's memorable experiences before and after the Day of Infamy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConter was on the USS \u003cem\u003eArizona\u003c\/em\u003e deck when a Japanese armor-piercing bomb hit one million pounds of gunpowder stored in the ship's hull. He helped rescue crewmen following the explosion and dove into the wreckage to recover bodies in the days after. In 1942, Conter went to flight school where he earned his wings and became a VP-11 Black Cat pilot. He helped rescue over two hundred Australian Coastwatchers stranded in northern New Guinea and was shot down twice -- once swimming with his crew while sharks circled. Conter also helped rescue over two hundred Australian shore watchers up the Sepik River in New Guinea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAfter World War II, he became an intelligence officer, flew combat in Korea, created the Navy's first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape), and served as a military advisor to presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLou Conter shares his Pearl Harbor experiences with high school students throughout Northern California, and he returns to the USS\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eArizona\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eevery December to take part in National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day activities to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In 2019, Conter was one of only three remaining crew members out of the 335 who had survived the attack on the USS Arizona. He was the only survivor able to attend the memorial event.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCopyright © 2021 Louis A. Conter, Annette C. Hull, and Warren R. Hull\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublished by Wheatmark®\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42741270806709,"sku":"402798","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/files\/402798_d96b90c6-eaa9-4347-895a-30f3df5a654a.jpg?v=1701731546"},{"product_id":"70039","title":"We Drank Our Tears","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe Drank Our Tears: Memories of the Battles for Saipan and Tinian as Told by Our Elders - This is a book compiled from oral histories of Chamorro and Refaluwasch civilians who lived through the WWII Battles of Saipan and Tinian. Young people interviewed their grandparents, collecting stories of the hardships and horrors faced by civilians caught in the conflict.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e(Summary provided by WordPress)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45154270642357,"sku":"70039","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/files\/We_Drank_Our_Tears_Memories_of_the_Battles_for_Saipan.jpg?v=1746065724"},{"product_id":"403516","title":"War Diary: Living and Flying During the First Year of WWII","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Diary of WWII Pilot Jim Daniels chronicles the first year of World War II in the Pacific as a pilot of VF-6 and VF-10 aboard the \u003cem\u003eUSS Enterprise\u003c\/em\u003e (CV-6).  While keeping diaries was generally not permitted for most troops, some groups, like Naval Aviators, were allowed due to the operational requirements of flying.  Daniels wrote about his work, love for his family, and experiences aboard the \u003cem\u003eUSS Enterprise \u003c\/em\u003e(CV-6) from Pearl Harbor to Wake Island, Noumea, \u003cem\u003eEspiritu \u003c\/em\u003eSanto, and Guadalcanal.  Daniels was shot at on December 7th by United States soldiers as well as engaged in naval battles at the Marshall Islands, Santa Cruz Islands, Guadalcanal, and Rennell Island.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese experiences shaped Daniels's life as he continued his distinguished 32-year military career spanning the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book includes an interview with Daniels and his wife over 50 years after the end of the war where they reflect on their experiences in the 1940's.  The original diary and interview reside in the museum collection at Pearl Harbor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoft cover.  173 pages.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52274731614389,"sku":"403516","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/files\/403516.jpg?v=1776979870"},{"product_id":"1063","title":"All This Hell: U.S. Nurses Imprisoned by the Japanese","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the back of the book:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMore than one hundred U.S. Army and Navy nurses were stationed in Guam and the Philippines at the beginning of World War II. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, five navy nurses on Guam became the first American military women of World War II to be taken prisoner by the Japanese. More than seventy army nurses survived five months of combat conditions in the jungles of Bataan and Corregidor before being captured, only to endure more than three years in prison camps. In all, nearly one hundred nurses became POWs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMany of these army nurses were considered too vital to the war effort to be evacuated from the Philippines. Though receiving only half the salary of male officers of the same rank, they helped establish outdoor hospitals and treated thousands of casualties despite rapidly decreasing supplies and rations. After their capture, they continued to care for the sick and wounded throughout their internment in the prison camps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis account of the nurses' imprisonment adds a vital chapter to the history of American personnel in the Pacific theater. Lt. Col. Madeline Ullom, one of the captured nurses, remarked, \"Even though women were not supposed to be on the front lines, on the front lines we were. Women were not supposed to be interned either, but it happened to us. People should know what we endured. People should know what we can endure.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen freedom came, the U.S. military ordered the nurses to sign agreements with the government not to discuss their horrific experiences. Evelyn Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee have conducted numerous interviews with survivors and scoured archives for letters, diaries, and journals to uncover the heroism and sacrifices of these brave women. The authors' dedication to accuracy, combined with their personal expertise in medical care and military culture and discipline, has enabled them to produce a realistic reconstruction of the dramatic experiences of these POWs--All This Hell.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoft cover, 268 pages\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52608641564853,"sku":"1063","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0010\/8232\/7091\/files\/1063.jpg?v=1780603732"}],"url":"https:\/\/pacifichistoricparksbookstore.org\/collections\/survivor-stories.oembed?page=3","provider":"Pacific Historic Parks Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}