Portraits of valor: World War II veterans from around the world

[Subdeacon Joe]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2015/05/21/portraits-of-valor-world-war-ii-veterans-from-around-the-world/

 

 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, and as veterans of that generation grow older, recording their memories of their experiences during this critical turning point in history has become more important for posterity. Five years ago, photographer Sasha Maslov began making portraits of men and women from around the world who served in the war. In intimate profiles, Maslov shares brief stories of the lives of those who served in different roles, whether on the ground fighting, in tiny European villages treating the injured, as partisans, or as prisoners of war.

His collection is unique in that it spans the globe, documenting men and women from a number of countries, among them India, Latvia, England, Italy, and Japan. In an interview with New Yorker Photo Booth in 2014, Maslov remarked that “the geography is one of the most interesting parts of the project…Living rooms, bedrooms, even kitchens can tell you what someone went through in their life. The quality of life is reflected in their environment—what’s on their shelf, what kind of clothing they are wearing, and what is reflected on their faces.”

Here are some of their stories.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Lots of heroes were those who simply "stuck it out" and were never otherwise recognized. Lots of people who showed uncommon valor were never recognized, either.

 

There were a large number of veterans who never wore a uniform and yet contributed to the cause.

 

And there were many very valiant people whose cause was NOT ours, but were nonetheless veterans, and sometimes heroes, to someone, somewhere.

 

The old ones (and many not so old) are disappearing daily and most of their stories will never be known.

 

Thanks for introducing a few more to us.

[Subdeacon Joe]

History needs to be told.

 

Lots of heroes were those who simply "stuck it out" and were never otherwise recognized. Lots of people who showed uncommon valor were never recognized, either.

 

There were a large number of veterans who never wore a uniform and yet contributed to the cause.

 

And there were many very valiant people whose cause was NOT ours, but were nonetheless veterans, and sometimes heroes, to someone, somewhere.

 

The old ones (and many not so old) are disappearing daily and most of their stories will never be known.

 

Thanks for introducing a few more to us.

 

That puts me in mind of something I heard at my dad's VFW Post when I was in my teens. One of the gentlemen said that the VFW is the only group he knows of that works to make it so one day it will have to close down because there are none that qualify to become new members.