About Willeford's not writing about is World War II
experiences: As I'm sure most people on this list know,
Willeford was a decorated, legitimate hero of World War II.
He showed remarkable courage as a tanker, especially during
the Battle of Bulge (if I remember correctly). I'm not sure
it would have been possible for him to write about all this
without in some measure bragging about himself. It may be
hard for us living in early 21st century, ego-centered
America to comprehend this, but for the generation of World
War II, bragging about yourself was considered extremely bad
form, and it seldom was done. James Jones has written
(somewhere) about how returning service men and women
immediately after the war never wore their medals -- they
kept them in a box to show to their kids, and that was about
it. The only acceptable thing to wear in public was a ribbon
designating combat service. If a returning soldier tried to
wearing all his medals, it was an invitation to get his ass
kicked by other returning soldiers. As I say, it was just
considered bad form. I suspect -- and Betsy, please correct
me if I'm wrong in this -- Willeford was like a lot of other
WW II vets in this regard. And that's why his military memoir
stopped during peace time.
Later....Kip
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