Wartime Decatur 1832-1945

Dan Guillory. Wartime Decatur 1832-1945 (Images of America: Illinois). Arcadia Publishing (2006). ISBN: 073853997X

Decatur has a long history of patriotic service, both on and off the field of battle. Decatur volunteers participated in six major campaigns including the Black Hawk War (1832), the Mexican War (1846-1848), the Civil War (1861-1865), the Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1917-1918), and World War II (1941-1945). Their record of distinguished service includes the presence of five generals and six Congressional Medal of Honor winners in the Civil War.

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the first national veterans' organization, was founded in Decatur immediately after the Civil War. In World War II, soldiers from Decatur served in North Africa, Italy, the Philippines, and Germany.

Equally impressive, however, is the tradition of the Decatur Canteen, which served food to transient soldiers from the time of the Civil War onward. Local volunteers rolled bandages, collected food, and recycled bales of paper and heaps of scrap metal. Citizens planted victory gardens and bought war bonds and savings stamps. Wartime Decatur: 1832-1945 documents the vigorous wartime culture based on community involvement and a strong sense of patriotism.

An Interview with the Author of Wartime Decatur: 1832-1945.

What was your inspiration for writing the book? Wartime Decatur: 1832-1945 evolved from a previously undiscovered archive of World War One materials. Reading historical fiction, including Jeff Shaara’s To the Last Man, and the book by Michael Shaara, his father, about the Civil War, Killer Angels inspired me greatly. I also was influenced by the History Channel’s long documentary series, The Final Days of World War Two, as well as by classic films like The Longest Day and Battle of the Bulge.

How did you research the information for the book? Discovery of an archive led to a proposal from John Pearson for a book dealing with Decatur’s involvement in a number of wars, including World War Two, for which another rich archive existed, without having been fully tapped. I wanted to get the story of ordinary men and women who served on and off the battlefield, and at some point I knew those resources existed. It was then a question of research, writing, and editing.

What will readers find interesting about the book? The biggest surprise was the intensity of the patriotism—in all the wars, from the Blackhawk War of 1832 to the end of World War Two. Citizens of Decatur turned out in great numbers to enlist, and the “home front” effort was equally impressive. The book reveals Decatur at a time of unparalleled ascendancy. A final surprise was the high visibility of women—they were very active as Red Cross workers during World War One, and they volunteered heavily for service in World War Two.

What lasting impact do you hope your book will leave? This book contains more pictures of soldiers, male and female, black and white, who served during the two world wars than any other book in print. Between its two covers, it provides a compelling story of Decatur’s military past, as well as its social and cultural history.