Everything fell right into place for this week’s post. The theme for Week 45 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is “War and Peace.”
Today is Veterans Day and though I didn’t plan it this way, today is also the day I finished editing and compiling my grandfather’s WWII diary. It needs a final proofread, then it’s off to the printer.
Two years of work. 134 pages. I haven’t counted all the pictures, but there are a lot.
Locating the complete copy of his diary was the most challenging part of the project. I had a partial copy and transcribed that, but it wasn’t until my mom and I finally found the full copy buried within another binder my grandfather put together at the Westbrook Historical Society that the real work began. He didn’t make it easy to find!
Transcribing it was the easiest part of the project and took the least amount of time. I spent countless hours editing Grampy’s pictures, which often meant painstakingly erasing writing all over the front of them and then doing my best to sharpen the blurry images. My grandfather loved photography, but I wouldn’t say it was one of his strengths! To supplement his photos, I did my best to find open-source photos to illustrate places, equipment, and events he referenced. The National Archives was a phenomenal resource! To add context to some of his entries, I researched and wrote historical blurbs on topics like Jean O’Hara – the famous Madame from Hawaii, the point system used to discharge servicemen, certain types of military vehicles, and Tokyo Rose. Some of his letters home mentioned events I didn’t know about, so I researched those and added footnotes. I created a timeline of events. I also wrote a prologue and a short biography about my grandfather. I didn’t mind the writing and research, but formatting it was not fun. Those who know me, my penchant for swearing like a sailor, and my tolerance-level for technology can only imagine!
Any mistakes I’ve made are my own. With a project this large, there are bound to be some – especially since I can’t get a proof of the printed copy. Fingers crossed that part of the process goes smoothly because it’s entirely out of my control.
While I’m relieved this project is over and I can now move onto other things I’ve put on the backburner, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to do this. It was more work than I imagined and grew much larger than the simple transcription project I initially intended it to be, but I’m so pleased with the way it turned out. All the frustrating moments and late nights were worth it. I hope his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his great-great grandchildren (so far, there are two!) will get to know Grampy Phil in a new way or meet him for the very first time through the diary he started as a 19-year-old kid in 1944. He was literally the kindest, most authentic, and greatest person I’ve ever had the good fortune of knowing. I’m proud of my favorite veteran and his service, and I’ve done my very best to honor his memory through this project.
Happy and blessed Veterans Day to all those who served.
Congrats! It always feels good to get a big project done.