My Son, My Son, Where Are You?: A Soldier’s Life in the 12th Infantry Regiment During Wwii

A true story of an American soldier in WWII told through about 500 letters to the family back home who gave their utmost for the love of God, family, and country. Staff Sergeant Frank W. Brown, a member of the Greatest Generation, gave his life for the freedoms we enjoy today in a world conflict that affected millions of people. He was a soldier in the 12th Infantry Regiment and trained as a warrior for three years before meeting their foe in the battle of Europe. The 12th Infantry Regiment, after landing on Utah Beach, encountered severe German resistance as they pushed north toward the vital port of Cherbourg, France. On June 8th, Company C suffered severe casualties near Azeville, France, where Frank was killed in action. A genuine spiritual person who accepted the hardships of life with optimism and a heartfelt joy of God's will. When D-Day occurred, word was lost and a period of two months passed without knowing where Frank was and what occurred. His mother continued to write letters every three days until she received official notification on August 6, 1944, that he was killed on June 8, 1944. Prayer, faith, and hope in God provided comfort to the fathers, mothers, wives, children, and friends during this difficult time. A truly inspiring story of courage at home and on the front lines and the sorrow of the loss of a son. Let us hope and pray that a major world conflict of this magnitude will never occur again.

The author is the brother of Frank W. Brown and knew him as a child during WWII. He is a graduate of the University of Buffalo, School of Engineering and served in the USAF for three years at Wright Air Research & Development Command followed by 33 years at the NASA Glenn (Lewis) Research Center. He authored several technical papers and the Hydrogen & Oxygen Safety Manuals, retiring in 1993. He has been married to his wife Mary Ann for 56 years, has four sons: Frank, Richard, Robert, Christopher, 12 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.