Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy
If you’ve been reading my blog with any regularity, you have probably come across more than one article about an “ordinary guy” who was completely extraordinary in battle.
This article is about one such man. There is a recurrent theme pointing to Norman Aigner being quite an average guy. Don’t get me wrong: Speaking from experience, being an average, ordinary guy is a pretty good thing to be in this life. But I am always in awe of men who prove themselves to be unspeakably brave and...
Tomas Garza’s Daughter – “Now I Don’t Feel Empty”
Like most children of World War II veterans, Anna Bowen knew very little about her father’s experiences in the war. She knew that as Private First Class (PFC) Tomas Garza, her dad had been wounded in the leg – she had seen the scar where a bullet or shrapnel had gone through. But as with nearly every WWII soldier, Tomas never talked about the war.
Anna recalls:
She continues, “I am very grateful to Bill for helping me piece together my dad’s time in WWII, because it was always...
Hometown Heroes – Fresno Unveils New Veterans Memorial
On Friday, November 8, 2019, the City of Fresno unveiled a brand-new memorial honoring 464 local heroes who died in battle in wars ranging from World War I to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Earlier this year, the City of Fresno contacted me, seeking to confirm names of four Fresno citizens who had died in battle in World War II. Over the next weeks, I spent many hours searching for records to identify all of those who fell in battle in World War II or the Korean War, whose names would eventually...
Parker Fondren’s Daughter
Clients come to me from many places and for many reasons. Some come from universities or towns, hoping to learn about the WW2 military service of their students or citizens.
Some are from overseas, hoping to find out the story of a particular American serviceman who died in the liberation of their nation.
Many are family historians, such as Donna King of Tennessee. In September of 2017, Donna wrote to me with a poignant inquiry about her uncle, Parker Fondren. As many clients who are...
“He’s definitely our young soldier” – Remembering 2nd Lt Donald I. Gunn
In the course of nearly two decades of researching World War II veterans’ service records and casualties, I have been privileged to work with dozens of clients in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, along with more than a thousand clients in the US. For several months, I have been working with a Scottish client named Iain, who came to me with a request to research his mother’s cousin – starting with few details and a name which proved to be incorrect.
Iain’s family has a long history...
PRESS RELEASE: UCLA Alumni Assoc. Honors World War II Casualties in Veterans Day Event, Beigel to Speak
Press Release: WWII Researcher and Historian Bill Beigel Presents Research of 273 UCLA Bruins Killed in World War II
Click here to reserve your tickets for the event.
Click here for complete event...
Remembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Rosemarie and Robert Maze are the only military couple included in my Veterans Day speech for the UCLA Alumni Association on November 9. Please join me at UCLA if you’re in Los Angeles that day.
Pictured: Rosemarie Maze, US Navy, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross on behalf of her husband, Marine Major Robert C. Maze. Major Maze, commander of Fighter Squadron 511, was shot down in the battle for Okinawa.
The Distinguished Flying Cross citation reads, in part:
"For heroism and...
Remembering Jerry Angelich on Pearl Harbor Day
December 7, 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In honor of this anniversary, I'd like to remember one of the heroes of that day.
Sources differ as to where he was born. Some reports state that he was born in the gritty southern California harbor town of Wilmington, on March 1, 1916. His Army enlistment records indicate that he was born in Butte, Montana. Regardless of his birthplace, his early life was spent in Anaconda, Montana, where his father,...
“Lessons From a Corporate Dropout
Professional researcher and World War II historian Bill Beigel presented a keynote address at the 2016 Professional Management Conference, hosted by the Association of Professional Genealogists. The conference was held at the beautiful Allan County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Beigel addressed attendees of one of the nation's leading genealogy industry conferences on Saturday, September 24.
Titled, “Lessons From a Corporate Dropout,” Beigel presented his talk to entrepreneurial...
Workshop Presentation: “Researching World War II Military Files”
On September 22, 2016, WW2 Researcher and Historian Bill Beigel presented a two-hour workshop titled, “Researching World War II Military Files.” The session was presented to professional researchers at the 2016 Professional Management Conference hosted by the Association of Professional Genealogists at the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Beigel presented an advanced-level, hands-on workshop for professional researchers on researching and interpreting American military files...
Five From the 464th Bomb Group
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
Above is B-17 “Wee Willie”...Debut for Debach
It was the very first combat mission...From Panatella to Ploesti
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Six B-24s From Baker Box Downed
The men – the boys, really...The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
More than 260 UCLA students, faculty ...
Talk Radio One’s Steven Spierer Interviews WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel
Steven Spierer Talk Radio One Interview...Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy
If you’ve been reading my blog with...Tomas Garza’s Daughter – “Now I Don’t Feel Empty”
Like most children of World War II...“Fresno Marine Dies in Action in Pacific War” – Fresno Bee, Oct 21, 1944
Private First Class Huston R. Fannon,...“Fresno Officer Dies in Action on German Front,” Fresno Bee, April 3, 1945
This article is part of a series...The Pheley Brothers of Fresno, California
This article is part of a series...
Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick VeronicoBill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus
Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.Women in WWII: Cornelia Clark Fort
Interesting....very hard to know the 'who hit who'.....Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. If Pastor Jeff had information on her being talked into a situation, I would love to know if reliable. Regardless, so many losses in so many ways.... My take is the WAFS/WASPS deserve a bit more of history's 'time in the books'. Many thanks for the commentary, StarrRemembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Bill, Are you still working on this blog? Rosemarie is my mother in law. She passed away 10 years ago. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. I was googling Admiral Radford and ended up googling links... Thank you for your efforts here. Kim WoodsFrom Panatella to Ploesti
I’m looking for information on My Great great GRANDFATHER WAS ON A B-24 LIBERATOR CALLED: Diamond li
Bill’s WWII Almanac
