Do you know who Nancy Wake was? How about Pat Patton? Donald Bailey? Dickey Chapelle?

They are just a few of the brave, unsung heroes of World War II that you will learn more about in Jerry Borrowman’s latest book, Invisible Heroes of World War II: Extraordinary Wartime Stories of Ordinary People. The book features people of diverse backgrounds in age, race, ethnicity, and social status. Their stories are incredible!

A couple of weeks ago I was driving with a friend to go hiking. She started talking about a book her husband was reading that she was trying to read too when he didn’t have it open. It was this same book! We talked about the strength and resiliency of the human spirit, discussed the sacrifices so many have made for freedom, and wondered if we would step up and do the same if we were put in similar positions. We hope we would.

Having celebrated the 75th anniversary of D-Day last month and America’s Independence Day yesterday, I think it only fitting to share this book so others can learn about just a few of those thousands who quietly went about fighting for freedom. Now their stories are being told.

I had the amazing opportunity to ask Mr. Borrowman several questions. Here is our interview.

MW: Invisible Heroes shares stories of mostly unknown people who served in WWII. How did you find the stories to write about? Do you come across them in researching other things? Word of mouth?

JB: Two of the stories come from personal experience. Abandoned at Bataan in the Philippines is based on interviews I held with Pat Patton more than twenty years ago. He was taken prisoner of war by the Japanese after a year of fighting in the underground. He ultimately wound up as the equivalent of slave labor in a Japanese mine, before being liberated after the atomic bombs were dropped by the U.S. His is a hard story to read because of what he suffered, but he represents the many Americans who were captured by the enemy and held as prisoners in often terrible conditions. It is one of the most compelling stories I’ve ever read.

The second tells the story of a young man, Hyalmer Anderson, whose aircraft went missing on a training mission over Vancouver Island Canada. When the aircraft was found 6 months later it was learned that Hyalmer and several others survived the crash, but all the crew perished in the winter weather except Hyalmer. He had obviously cared for them, and then covered their bodies to protect them from animals. His body was never found, indicating that in desperation he had tried to walk to civilization. He died alone, and is representative of the more than 77,000 Americans in World War II who are still listed as Missing in Action. The poignant part of this story is that Hyalmer could see the lights of a Canadian city across the harbor from the crash, and had made many efforts to raise their attention, but the U.S. Navy never notified the locals that the plane was missing, so no one saw his signals. He died alone, within sight of people who could save him. I came on this story through his nephew, a friend and co-worker, so received personal insight into the pain that remained even sixty years after his death.

The other stories are ones that I sought out through research to represent individuals or groups whose contribution is little known today, even though they served at great sacrifice. Included are the stories of two remarkable women, one of whom became the leader of 10,000 French resistance fighters, the other who became a highly respected combat photographer revered even today by the U.S. Marine Corps. I also wrote about the “Purple Heart” Battalion of American born citizens of Japanese descent who served in Europe, despite intense prejudice at home in the United States. They suffered the highest casualty rate of the war while rescuing the Texas 101st in the mountains of Northern Italy. The other stories are in that vein.

MW: Many of your books revolve around WWI and WWII. What peaked your interest in writing about these particular subjects?

JB: I have been fascinated by World War II for as long as I can remember. I liked watching the television shows and movies about it when I was a child, perhaps because I appreciated the great sacrifice made by those in combat. I also read tens of thousands of pages of World War II history, the most influential being the seven volume history of the war by Winston Churchill. Then, twenty-five years ago, I was introduced to Rudi Wobbe, a German born immigrant who grew up in Nazi Germany. He and his two childhood friends, Helmuth Huebener and Karl-Heinz Schnibbe started a resistance effort in their hometown of Hamburg, Germany against the Third Reich. They were captured by the Gestapo, interrogated, and brought to stand before the highest court in Germany for Preparation to High Treason. I was intrigued and offered to help Rudi write his story, which led to the best-selling book, “Three Against Hitler,” that remains in print twenty-five years later. That started my avocation as a writer.

MW: You recently toured various WWII sites in Europe. Can you expound on your feelings visiting these places? Which place in particular stood out to you?

JB: There is no experience quite as sobering and spiritual as standing on the cliffs above the Normandy beaches and bringing to mind the landings on June 6, 1945. While the assault was a complete success, more than 4,000 young men lost their lives to the German resistance. To walk in the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach is to stand on sacred ground. Most Americans do not realize that this land was deeded in perpetuity from France to the United States and is today maintained by the American Monuments Commission. It is a beautiful and peaceful place, filled with thousands of white crosses or Jewish stars to mark the resting place of many who fell on D-Day.

MW: What was your favorite book to write? Why?

JB: My standard answer to this question is “the next one,” because that’s where all my energy is at the time. I just completed a book called “Disasters – True Stories of Catastrophe and Recovery” that I hope to sell to an agent or publisher. Next up is a World War II novel about destroyers in the Battle of the Atlantic and in providing covering fire to the D-Day landings. My last three books have been non-fiction, so I’m excited to return to historical fiction. But to really answer your question, I have to say that writing my historical fiction book, “’Til the Boys Come Home,” the first book in a four book series about World War I and World War II was my favorite, because it was my first published novel and it released all this creative energy I didn’t even know I had. It is a very emotional book, with very strong reactions from readers, and it remains the story that I believe defines me.

MW: What do you hope readers learn from the books you write?

JB: I hope my books are inspiring, bringing forward the sacrifice and honor with which members of the military serve. I also try to incorporate characters who show compassion and tolerance. My newest book, “Invisible Heroes of World War II” is inspiring. My previous award-winning book, “Compassionate Soldier” shows the tolerance and compassion that I believe is the true legacy of human beings.

Many thanks to Jerry Borrowman for the interview! If you’d like a taste of what’s inside “Invisible Heroes” read this article of a story that didn’t make it into the book.