--- title: "A WWII veteran’s son captures stories left untold in ‘My Father’s War’" date: "2020-02-05" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/a-wwii-veterans-son-captures-stories-left-untold-in-my-fathers-war/" categories: - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # A WWII veteran’s son captures stories left untold in ‘My Father’s War’ ![]() More than 16 million Americans fought in World War II. When those brave veterans of the 'Greatest Generation' returned home, many of them refused to talk about it. Now, in a race against time, one veteran's son took on the mission of making sure their stories are told. --- [Charley Valera's]() father Giovanni "Gene" Valera was in the legendary 8th Army Air Force's 93rd Bombardment Group in the European Theater. But Charley didn't know anything about it until a full ten years after his father passed away. ![]() Now, the younger Valera is trying to help families in a similar situation by interviewing and collecting the stories of WWII veterans from all ranks, all theaters, and all branches. With veterans recalling the stories they never did – or never could – tell their families, he hopes to devote equal time to every story he can capture forever. Stories like Santo DiSalvo's (below), who was drafted into the Army on Mar. 5, 1943. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfTXvC3Q5O0 Now, having collected so many stories and interviews, Charley Valera has compiled them into a book, [*My Father's War*: ]()*[Memories From Our Honored WWII Soldiers]().* His hope is that families can learn about their loved ones' sacrifices and bravery in the biggest conflict ever fought by mankind. "We all know someone who was there, fighting in WWII," says Charley Valera. "We also know they didn't talk about their war efforts. The simply say 'I was just doing my job.'" *My Father's War* contains ten stories (and some very honorable mentions) from World War II veterans of many ranks and branches, in their own words. Included are personal photographs and letters from their time on the battlefields that detail what happened and how they felt about it – then and now. The book is a fascinating compendium of personal narratives. You don't have to jump in and read it cover to cover. It's a book that is easily put down and picked back up so you can consume these stories and truly think about the fortitude and bravery it took to swallow your fear and do the job. And then keep it all bottled up inside when you come back home. Charley Valera's mission is personally driven but his motivation is a beautiful and altruistic one. Consider that only 9 surviving Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and Korea are alive today — while those stories are firmly in the history books, imagine how many were never told and never seen, but still worthy of high praise. ![]() *My Father's War: Memories from Our Honored WWII Soldiers* Furthermore, this book details how men went from citizen to soldier, fighting the good fight, seemingly overnight. They aren't just war stories, they're personal stories from a generation that will soon be gone, enshrined forever. That's what *My Father's War* is all about. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()