Carl B WilliamsCarl B. Williams is retired from government service, where he held various state and federal appointments. He is an amateur historian with a special interest in WWII and the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and is an active member and volunteer in everal Nisei World War II organizations.His interest was encouraged by his wife, June, whose uncle, Kiyoshi Ono, fought at the Battle of Bruyères in northeastern France and the Rescue of the Lost Battalion. In 2016, the Author was appointed by the City of Bruyères as an unpaid volunteer to design and raise funds for the "Torch Monument." Many generous people contributed to the project. That monument is based on the design of the shoulder patch worn by the Nisei soldiers who, at great cost, liberated Bruyères and relieved the "lost" Texans trapped in the Vosges mountains. The granite sculpture was dedicated in 2017 by then Mayor Yves Bonjean, who worked tirelessly for its completion. The Author believes that the stories of these heroic Hawaiian and Mainland soldiers and the hardships suffered by the inhabitants of Bruyères will be lost to future generations unless this important history is shared with younger generations.Williams is the author of a children's book, Marie of Bruyères: A Little French Girl Who Meets Her Japanese-American Liberators. The book can be purchased on the Heroes of the Vosges Museum website, vosgesheroes.org. The museum is intended to attract visitors and serve as a permanent repository for Nisei artifacts. Williams received approval from the town of Bruyères to create a start-up museum to commemorate the Nisei soldiers of the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and the members of the irregular soldiers of the French Forces of the Interior (FFI). Members of the Resistance risked their lives to guide the Nisei, report on the enemy's strength and disposition, and provide valuable military intelligence. At this writing, a temporary exhibit is planned for October 2024.Carl B. Williams can be contacted at cwilliams@intl-aero.net. Read More Read Less
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