The Chapters

Major Ralph R. Hotchkiss with Wife Catherine and sons
back to front - Larry, Tom (my Dad) and Ralph - 1943

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My Grandfather was a Major in the U.S. Army during WWII. He was stationed with the 5th Army in Northern Africa and Italy from Jan 1943 to Jan 1945. One of his main roles was to write stories about what was going on; a war correspondent. He left these stories, typed on the original war era tissue thin paper. All told there are about twelve stories that have never been published – at least not that I could find.

As I read these stories, I was fascinated by the scale, complexity and daily routines that would be considered amazing feats on any level most of us would use to measure such things today. This makes for a great book topic which I have begun. Each chapter is built around one of my Grandfather’s first hand accounts of the Italian Campaign as it progressed while stationed with the U.S. 5th Army. His writings were anecdotal in nature, so I have kept the same feel for the book. I am releasing a page from each original story on which the chapters are based. I will push along with completing the book employing feedback from readers for editing.