Greetings. I am Kilroy II, a modernized descendant of the legendary World War II Kilroy. You may have heard that Kilroy was everywhere during the war, and he was! He was stranger to no one, nothing escaped him. At times he was nothing more than a doodle on a wall, other times he was made into an elaborate masterpiece. Regardless of the form, Kilroy was always recognized by his two eyes poking above a wall. Fifty-five years later, Kilroy is only a legend, a memory, an icon. To you WWII is something of the forgotten past. Some of you know about it, some of you don't care. Some of your grandparents will talk about it if you ask them, some are afraid to recall their memories, some of your grandparents were killed in it. Regardless of your heritage, WWII is important to every young person that lives in the land of the free: The United States of America.
There are countless books and resources on the subject of World War II, and I have many to recommend. But, the written word will never be as inspirational as the voice of experience. This is where I come in. Together, you and I will journey from 1942 through 1945 as though we were there. Imagining and experiencing through the eyes and ears of personal testimony, pictures, articles and some historical fiction; in an attempt to grapple with the human-ness and the brutality of war.
At it's peak point of mobility, worldwide, their were aproximately 72,581,566 military personnel involved in the war. America's forces had a total estimated military strength of 16,112,566 at it's peak. The total estimated U.S. military casualties were 1,218,828 people. Of those that survived the war, over fifty years ago; thousands are growing old and dying every month. We can't let them leave without learning from them. They have seen more, felt more, experienced more than we can imagine. Come. I will be your guide, together let's explore, listen and expand your frame-of-reference; seeking to grasp a stronger comprehension of World War II; the pain, the loss, and the victory!
