By Cindy Hadish CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The images are haunting. A devoted mother, happily holding her children. The same confidant-looking woman, dressed in stylish clothes. Her mugshots, taken at a Nazi prison, and the guillotine that cut her life short. The words Miloslava Gschwindová penned from prison are equally heartbreaking, particularly letters addressed to […]
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Tag: World War II
Birthday celebration planned for Cedar R...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — As he turns 100 next week, Bill McQuiston reflected on the past century, including his service during World War II. “I didn’t want to go to the Army. I didn’t want to go to the Marines, because they both marched too much,” the Cedar Rapids man said of his decision to […]
Honoring heroes: Czech WWII historian pr...
Note: If you know of a World War II veteran living in Iowa or nearby states, contact Jiří Klůc on his Facebook page or email: sokolovo1943@seznam.cz Jiří Klůc is in a race against time. The World War II historian, a doctoral student at Charles University in Prague, traveled to Iowa in late June to conduct […]
Czech historian gathering stories of sur...
Note: “Stories of Czech-Americans in WWII” will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The event is free and open to the public. If you know of a living WWII veteran in Iowa, leave a comment, below. […]
“Your buddy, Mike” Letters returned to I
By Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan Monica Morley and her sister, Maria Hamilton, never met their uncle, who was killed in World War II before they were born, but a remarkable coincidence led the Cedar Rapids women to a close friend who had lived near their uncle and corresponded with him during the war. Mike Bisek, 99, […]
At age 99, World War II veteran in Iowa ...
UPDATE Nov. 10, 2023: Mike Bisek turned 100 earlier this year, but still has not received the Purple Heart for which his friends have advocated. By Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan It was 1944. U.S. Army Air Corps photographer/gunner Mike Bisek and fellow crewmates bailed out over Nazi-occupied France after their B-24 bomber was hit by enemy […]