Pictured is Teresa Hildebrant Walter, editor of “Coming of Age in WWII,” written by her father, Richard V. Hildebrant. Walter holds a framed photo of her father taken during WWII. She hopes the book will encourage veterans of all eras to share their experiences with others and/or write their personal stories for future generations. (Provided Photos)
Books on the subject of World War II are plentiful, although selections written in the first person are limited. “Coming of Age in WWII,” a book written by long-time Vestal, N.Y. resident Richard V. Hildebrant, and edited by his daughter, Teresa Hildebrant Walter, with assistance from his son, Rick, is a compilation of Hildebrant’s World War II memories.
Published in August by Minnesota Heritage Publishing, the book is an exceptional new entry spotlighting “our greatest generation.” From the back cover; “This story, written by a proud veteran, will surely bring you back to the nostalgia of the WWII era, long distance love, and the celebration of returning home.”
Initially encouraged to write about his Army days by his oldest son, Rick, Hildebrant’s entries were penned from 1994 through 2000. The book also includes a chapter written by Richard’s wife, Betty, and is filled with photos, documents, and maps from Richard’s overseas military service, a description of his many ribbons and awards, love letters, and photos exchanged by Richard and Betty, as well as family photos.
“Coming of Age in WWII,” written by Richard V. Hildebrant and edited by Teresa Hildebrant Walter, is a first person account of Hildebrant’s adventures in the Army and tour of duty in the South Pacific. The book is available for purchase at amazon.com and mnheritage.com.
Teresa Hildebrant Walter, the eighth of nine children and the book’s editor, shared that the book was primarily assembled for family members, however as the project progressed, she thought other readers would be interested in reading it, too.
Walter explained, “This is a rare first person account of his adventures in the Army and tour of duty in the South Pacific.”
Hildebrant, a South Dakota native, took advantage of the GI Bill and graduated from Iowa State College with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1951, which landed him employment at General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y. The Hildebrant’s and their growing family moved to the Southern Tier in 1959, where Richard began work as a program manager at the company’s division in Johnson City, N.Y. Following 33 years of employment, he retired in 1984. Hildebrant passed away in 2001, and Betty currently resides in an assisted living facility in the Binghamton area.
Hildebrant graduated from high school in June 1942 when the war was only six months old. Like many young men in his day, Hildebrant wrote, “Everyone was joining up. All of my crowd couldn’t wait to get in on the action.”
Hildebrant’s Nov. 11 birthday excluded him from “getting in on the action” right after high school, however he did qualify at age 17 for the U.S. Army “Radio School” program which was offered in local high schools.
In 1943 Hildebrant became part of the 1093rd Company of the Army Signal Corps and soon thereafter shipped out to the Pacific Theater, where the war against Japan was in full force. Stationed in Australia, New Britain, New Guinea and the Philippines, the 1093rd was preparing for an invasion of Japan just prior to the war ending in August 1945.
Like many families, Hildebrant had five other brothers who served during the war (a sixth brother served in Korea). Interestingly, Hildebrant writes of occasions when he was able to meet up with his brother, Eugene, one time being at Hollandia air base in New Guinea, “a relatively decent place” as Hildebrant described, and only twenty miles from Eugene’s headquarters base, and also where Hildebrant was an audience member at one of Bob Hope’s USO shows.
The war atmosphere became more intense and dangerous as the 1093rd continued on to Luzon, the Philippines. Hildebrant wrote, “The kamikazes came one after another. There was no cover because they dove their plane into the ship. They came in so close you could make out every feature of the pilot’s face.”
Hildebrant’s entries are for the most part positive, however elements of fear and hardship are evident throughout the book. Photos included in the book, such as one of Hildebrant sitting in a downed Japanese fighter plane, are historic gems. Betty Hildebrant’s chapter of the book includes details related to her childhood while growing up in rural South Dakota, as well as the love and hope she held onto for Richard’s safe return home from the war.
Walter, a Minnesota resident, hopes the book will encourage veterans of all eras to share their experiences with others and/or write their personal stories for future generations.
“Coming of Age in WWII” is available for purchase on amazon.com and mnheritage.com.
