It’s Memorial Day this Monday, May 31, and so we present a collection of World War II stories published at Liberty Island over the years.
Why does the heroism of World War II stand out so much today as a unique opportunity for creative writers? Is it the nature of the enemies the West fought and the scope of the threat they posed? Is it the way that America was able to unify toward one shared vision? One wonders if that’s ultimately what it takes to bring Americans together now in this hyper-partisan age.
We see acts of murder, war, and terrorism seemingly more regularly today than before. With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the declarations of war by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan there was little ambiguity about who sought to destroy us and how they would do it. Thus when we look back on World War II and memorialize it in fiction, it’s easier to lose oneself in a clear Good Vs Evil narrative. Cold War spy stories and post-9/11, War on Terror narratives each have the cultural challenge of a divided readership, with the nature of the enemy and the scope of the threats as controversial political debates. In World War II there was a state of agreement that global freedom was genuinely threatened and that there was no choice but to fight back.
1. "Memorial Day" by Lori Janeski
A woman’s memories of war, heroism, and love lost.

2. "K-RATIONS" by Jill Mayfield

One small act of kindness during the war reverberates through generations.

3. "Hell Ship"by Fred Tribuzzo

GI prisoners hold on to their humanity in the face of their monstrous captors.

4. "That In Those Times We Will Remember" by David Churchill Barrow

One of WWII’s greatest heroes is confronted with a very different war in Vietnam.

5. "Point Man" by Ted Galacci
In 1944 Italy, an American sergeant has to make tough decisions to keep his boys alive.

6. "Kiwi Watch" by Terry Shanholtzer
Deep in a South Pacific jungle, a New Zealander scout faces all the dangers the war has to offer.