World War 2 Guys

Happy V-E Day!!

It's V-E Day!

"With All My Love, Doc - A Heartfelt Journey of Love, Valor, and Tragedy" is coming to Amazon Books on May 18th, 2026. You can pre-order the Kindle version now. The paperback will go on sale on May 18th.

With All My Love Doc chronicles the lives of two people through a remarkable collection of three hundred heartfelt, in-depth letters exchanged during World War II. Their courtship unfolds almost entirely on paper, capturing not just their growing affection but also acts of heroism and the enduring impact those moments had on their futures. The narrative explores complex family relationships, including the challenges of a family that was not always supportive of their bond. Rather than offering a conventional happy ending, the story reveals how the scars of war can ripple across generations. At its heart, the book celebrates the power of the written word: decades later, a daughter who scarcely knew her father discovers through these letters how deeply she shares his passions, values, and ambitions. This book is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Sgt. Joseph and Mrs. Rita Hynoski.

Seven paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment pose with their regimental mascot “Geronimo” before a training jump in 1943.
These men were part of the elite airborne force that would soon storm into Normandy on D-Day. But their story is a sobering reminder of the brutal cost of freedom.
Few in the 507th PIR made it through the campaign unscathed. Here’s what happened to the soldiers in this photo:
• Sgt. John Carson Smith (standing, left) — Wounded in action
• Pvt. William H. Witt — Killed in action
• Pvt. Lewis S. Toye — Killed in action
• Cpl. Walter L. Choquette (kneeling, left) — Executed by German forces at Graignes
• Pfc. John D. Williams — Injured in training
• Pvt. William McDade — Injured in Training
• Pvt. Bernard E. Kelly (front) — Taken prisoner of war
They smiled with their mascot one day… and days later faced hell in the skies and fields of France.
Never forget the price they paid.


(Photo from www.507th.com)

On Saturday, April 4, the World War 2 Guys held our highly anticipated annual Spring Training Day at Ft. Atkinson State Historical Park. The weather for the day was far from springlike with ominous clouds, temperatures in the 30s, and a biting wind all day long. But as always, our group knows how to bundle up and manage the cold. This was our inaugural event representing L Company of Nebraska's own 134th Infantry Regiment. We were all very excited to once again don the "Wagon Wheel" patch of the 35th "Santa Fe" Infantry Division. Our day started with a study of an Infantry Regiment's squad structure and organization. On the parade ground, we then went through the School of the Soldier without Arms, and then the Manual of Arms for the Rifle. We then had a unit break where we discussed various unit topics while eating K-Rations and Bryson's birthday cupcakes! Our afternoon consisted of classes on the history and organization of the 134th Infantry and a uniforms and equipment overview with demonstrations by Pfc. Green. We ended the day with a spirited road march and simulated attacks on scores of ill-fated Germans. It was such a fun day for all of us and an honor to represent our local heroes of the 134th! As the regimental motto defiantly declares, "All Hell Can't Stop Us!"

On Saturday, March 28 the World War 2 Guys held our first field event of 2026 with an Operation Varsity road march. Representing the boys of H Company 507th PIR were Will, Bryson, Donnie, Davan, Rhys, and the Sarge dressed in our M43 Field Uniforms with Jump Boots and a good amount of late war OD7 web gear. Our objective for the day was a road march headed east toward the Rhine River, practicing our field maneuvering as well as hand signals all along the route. When we finally reached our destination, we nestled into a tree line to try to avoid the wind-blown dust and sand. We weren't able to get a fire going because of the high winds, but Donnie read us a letter from home which helped in boosting our unit morale. It was a beautiful day to be together working as a squad in the field once again. Next weekend we will hold our annual spring training day which is always a highly anticipated event!

On Saturday, March 14, the World War 2 Guys marched in the 148th Annual Omaha St. Patrick's Day Parade. The parade, which is organized by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, started a new chapter this year with an all new parade route. The new route begins on 16th & Capitol and finishes at 12th & Mike Fahey St. We were blessed with sunny skies and temperatures in the 40s which isn't bad for a March morning in Nebraska. This year we honored the brave paratroopers of the 17th Airborne Division and their epic jump as part of Operation Varsity. The March 24, 1945 jump involved more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, making it the largest airborne operation ever conducted on a single day and in one location. After the parade we met at Brazen Head Irish Pub which is our traditional St. Patty's lunch favorite. In two weeks, we will be doing an Operation Varsity field event which will be an exciting continuation of our 17th Airborne studies. Stay tuned!

On Friday, July 4, the World War 2 Guys were a part of our 10th annual Field Club 4th of July Parade. It was a beautiful morning for a parade with sunny skies and a nice light breeze. This year we honored and remembered the U.S. Marine Corps and their bloody 3 months of combat on Okinawa, the final great battle of World War II. 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II so our mission to celebrate its warriors is stronger than ever. We always enjoy getting together for community events like this and keeping the memories of the Greatest Generation alive and well in our younger generations.

On Saturday, June 7 the Boys of H Company were back in the field in remembrance of the 81st Anniversary of the D-Day invasion. As our event was on June 7 we crafted our scenario around a D+1 patrol to link up with other scattered 507th troopers at "Timmes Orchard". The 2nd Battalion commander Lt. Col. Charles Timmes was famous for leading an ever-growing group of paratroopers in defense of a small orchard north of St. Mere Elise. The orchard was utilized as a fall back position up through June 9 by different groups of paratroopers. So for our event, our leadership group plotted an ambitious plan to patrol up through the Loess Hills of western Iowa and make our way to a small orchard that we found while studying maps of the area. In theory it was a solid idea, but it proved to be too much for our group of heavily ladened troopers in the late morning heat. After reconsidering our plans for the weekend, our squad found a prime spot in an open valley to set up our defensive positions for the night. We dug several two man foxholes, or scrapes depending on how much digging each team wanted to do. Will made us a nice fire to cook rations and coffee on and we had a fun time trying out Hazard's new homemade D Bars. A six man sunset patrol was quite successful as they came back with a German flag, a Zeltbahn, and a few other odds and ends. D+1 came to an end with plenty of liberated French Calvados, ci******es, captured German chocolate, and lots of laughs and stories! The overnight proved to be rather uneventful but with pleasant temperatures so that no one froze in their foxholes. On D+2 we packed up early and made our way back home. It was a great overnight event and all of the guys left with plenty of fond memories of an "Orchard Too Far"!

On Monday, May 26 the World War 2 Guys were a part of a very special event at Omaha's Memorial Park to celebrate and honor our nation's fallen heroes. The event was organized and hosted by Bill Williams and Patriotic Productions and it was outstanding! Event goers were served up free pancakes and sausages by Congressman Don Bacon and Senator Pete Ricketts. The American flag was flown in by a parachute demonstration team. The highlight of the event was a ceremony to recognize local servicemen and women throughout the decades who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for America. Members of our group dressed in period correct uniforms to portray famous Omahans or individuals associated with Nebraska. For World War I, Will portrayed 1st Lt. Jarvis Offutt and Heather Hill portrayed nurse Marion Crandell. For World War II, Cody portrayed Flight Officer Martin P. Schmitt, Jr. and Matt portrayed Lt. Col. Alfred Thomsen. For the Korean War, Deqlan portrayed Pfc. Charles Vorel, Jr. and Bryson portrayed Pfc. Edward "Babe" Gomez. For the Vietnam War, Eric portrayed Major Michael Bosiljevac and Rhys portrayed Pfc. Stephen Cole. And for the War on Terror, Davan portrayed Cpl. Matthew Henderson. It was a very moving ceremony with each of us reading aloud a brief biography of each hero. We very much hope to be involved with more ceremonies like this in the coming years. Later in the day, I visited the graves of two of our honorees, Lt. Col. Thomsen and Major Bosiljevac.