This unique book allows readers to experience World War II through personal accounts, photos from the war, scans of actual letters, journal excerpts, and family memories of men from Minnesota's smallest towns who served and sacrificed.

During World War II, a total of 165 men from Minnesota’s smallest towns gave their lives for our country. Several were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. All received the award no one wanted: the Purple Heart. Most of their stories have never been told publicly. Little Minnesota in World War II, by Jill A. Johnson and Deane L. Johnson, honors these brave men from the smallest rural towns. From John Emery (who died December 7, 1941, on board the USS Arizona) to Herman Thelander (who was lost in the Bermuda Triangle, a mystery unsolved to this day), this unique book allows you to experience the war through personal accounts of the men and their families. With photos from the war, scans of actual letters, journal excerpts, and family memories, this one-of-a-kind book brings history to life and will make you feel prouder than ever to be Minnesotan.

Honors Minnesotans who faced war with equal amounts of determination and dread, courage and fear, in places as far away as the Pacific and Europe and as close as our hometown.

Many American children became well-acquainted with fear and grief during World War II. Even now, as senior citizens, they can vividly recall how the war affected them in their homeland as children. They were in the homes when the dreaded telegrams from the War Department arrived at their door. This book also gives voice to children who knew the value of sacrificing and working for the war effort. This collection of stories is over-due in the telling. Children were not untouched by the war.

They're Minnesota's smallest towns, but they have huge character! Experience the rich stories, histories and cultures of 100 charming small towns, with populations from 5 to 141. And meet the friendly people who call these places home. Each entry in the book features folks who know what it means to help their neighbors and locales that range from quaint to historic. It's one book, and it's one hundred towns to love.

During World War II, several prisoner of war camps for German and Italian prisoners were established in Minnesota. The camps in Princeton, Moorhead, Hollandale, Ada, Crookston and Warren were farm-labor camps. Camps were established for canneries in Ortonville, Howard Lake, Olivia, Bird Island, Wells, Montgomery and Faibault. Multiple industry camps were at New Ulm, Fairmont, Owatonna and St. Charles. There were logging camps at Remer, Bena, Deer River and Grand Rapids.