Two years ago I began my journey. I found a collection of letters from strangers written to my family in 1943. All of the letters (70 of them) said relatively the same thing, "Robert Spahr is a prisoner of war." Robert is my grandfather. He was a Private in the Army and was captured in Tunisia and held for 26 months. These letters were written by individuals (some organized some not) who listened to short-wave radios from enemy lands in hopes of learning something about the war and our heroes fighting in it. They spent countless hours writing down the names and addresses they heard over the radio and sending penny postcards or three-cent letters to families to alert them of captured family members. Once understanding the letters and process I sought to find some of the original authors to thank them- more than 60 years later. I found a few! They were teenagers at the time they wrote to my great-grandmother. ... The story continues in WWII Radio Heroes.
REVIEWS of WWII Radio Heroes
(partial) World War II Radio Heroes is a fascinating history of a grassroots campaign to bring comfort to families of POWs during WWII. ... [the book offers] a glimpse of the patriotism, compassion and resourcefulness of everyday Americans during one of our country's greatest crises.
-Steve Sant Andrea, WB2GYK, QST Magazine
The kindness of strangers is evident in the efforts of each individual engaged in POW Monitoring, their dedication provided comfort to so many at a very difficult time. This book serves as fitting tribute to individuals who made a difference in the lives of so many. They brought hope, relief and above all compassion to the families of service men and women fighting for our freedom. Clearly, the loyal listeners and relayers made a difference in the lives of so many and they are truly heroes. These heroes are aptly honored within this book for their letters of compassion.
-Fran Hackett, Member, Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and Their Families
Lisa Spahr’s book WWII Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion struck a particular chord with me since among my most prized possessions is a 1943 letter written by a 21-year old Marine Corporal from a Pacific island to his newborn baby girl—me! Wartime letters are very special, and those Lisa writes about—the caring attempts of strangers to notify mothers, fathers, wives, and sweethearts that their loved ones were alive and prisoners of war—are among the most special I’ve read. I recommend it highly to anyone who has served, as well as anyone who has waited in anxiety while a loved one served in harm’s way on a hostile shore.
-Reverend Mitzi Manning, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps Retired
Lisa Spahr's Radio Heroes bears witness to the kindness and patriotism of a mostly forgotten band of short-wave listeners and amateur radio operators who monitored Nazi Germany's radio broadcasts for news of captured U.S. service personnel, passing on information and hope to the families of the missing. It is a very personal story of discovery, beginning with her grandfather's "war trunk" and growing into a search for those few remaining Radio Heroes who had written so many Letters of Compassion.
- James Walrath, Ph.D. K3BEN
World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion is an unprecedented book to read by anyone interested in understanding the greatest generation. While reading it, I was touched by how compassionate the men, women and children who listened to short-wave radios were to the families of prisoners of war. Sharing information with family members yearning for word about their heroes serving overseas was vital in World War II. This compelling work emotes the author's love of country and pride in her grandfather's story. No matter how you feel about war, you can't help but to enjoy reading this inspiring book about the Spahr family's sacrifice.
- Donn Nemchick, Columnist, National Veteran Owned Business Assoc., and 2007 Western PA. Veteran's Small Business Champion
This is a wonderful and truly inspiring story of the greatest generation. I was blown away by the kindness and basic decency of these people who would make the effort to contact Ms. Spahr's great-grandmother. I wish that spirit was alive today.
- Raymond N. Becki, former critic for New York at Night Magazine, Public Information Officer (retired), U.S. Small Business Administration, Pittsburgh, PA