The Middle-Aged Lions All Right Dad Tell Me Where Were You In
In 1941 a college senior and his friends face the looming war as their lives unfold. Ralph Neppel and Ham Napier reflect on farms, families, and careers while contemplating draft age and future service. The piece traces personal paths from rural Iowa to Georgia, paralleling wartime choices and the Navy or Army avenues that await.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
the Register
Danville, Ve
Gidden
Iowa
Ralph Neppel
Ralph
Arby
Neppel
Maximilian Neppel
Neppels
Willey
Glidden
Coon Creek
Lidderdale
Carroll
McNabb
McNabb’s
John Deere Implement Co
Carroll County
Camp Dodge
Des Moines
Uncle Sam
Navy War Stories of Napier and Neppel on World War II Valor
In 1942 32 year old lawyer J Hamilton Napier receives a naval commission after minimal sea time and trains at Northwestern University. The piece follows Napier and fellow servicemen through recruitment to combat as they sail to North Africa Sicily and Bougainville, witnessing convoy battles, air raids, and landings with vivid frontline scenes and personal resolve.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Navy
J. Hamilton Napier Jr
Gulf
Mexico
America
Ham Napier
Northwestern University
Empedocle
Sicily
Rommel
Africa
J. War
Hamilton Napier
USS Staff
Combat Heroism on Bougainville and England Missions
The narrative follows Lt Napier and Marines on Bougainville where he stabilizes wounded men and directs fire aboard a drifting ship, then shifts to Ed O'Neill and Frank Sneed's Europe missions in 1943 44. It traces training at Camp Butler Fort Meade Pickett and life in England with the 700th Squadron 445th Bomb Group, including the emotional cost of combat and the transition from training to frontline duty.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. Lawrence
Quebec
Norfolk
Elks Hall
North Africa
Ralph Neppel
Gulf
Greyhound
Arzeu
Sicily
Ham Napier
Hamilton Napier
Ham
Napier
Santa Anna
Santa Maria
Bakersfield
California
Yuma
Arizonia
Sioux City Town
Mitchell
South Dakota
Frank Sneed
United States Army Air Corps
West Palm
Pherta Rion
Ralam
Bougainville
K Company
21St Regiment
Ard Division
United States Marines
Edj O'Neill
Navy
Ralph
Tennessee
South Carolina
Camp Pickett
Ft. Meade
Jean Moore
McNabb
Carroll
Buy
England
Tivershall
Ludwigshaven
Germany
Channel
Belgium
Luftwaffe
Frank
Mmerencon
William Shakespeare
Winston Churchill
London
U.S. Eighth Air Force
Beta Theta Pi House
Nissen Huts
Cleveland
Erie
Welland
Lake Ontario
St.Fred
Atlantic
Nova Scotia
Henderson Field
Ed O'Neill
Lunga Point
Czechoslovakia
Europe
Africa
Pacific
Kent
Willoughby
Quantico
New River
N C
Camp Pendleton
Calif
San Diego
Auckland
New Zealand
Guadacanal
Eohial
Also Mentioned on This Page
Oklahoma U
Doris Lee Smith
D. L
Brown Owl
O.U
Bob Crosby
Duke
Eddie Miller
Beta House
Ft. Sill
Army Air Corps
Martha
Callaway Drive
Pearl Hart
J. Hamilton Napier
Mar
Macon
College Street
Napier Avenue
Ocmulgee River
Isaiah
Cook
University of Georgia
Jan
Ham Naiper
Yorktown
USS
Hamilton S
Martha Birdsey
Birdsey
Scott
Hamilton
Pearl Harbor
Edwin
O'Neill
New York City
Edwin Jr
Viet Nam
New York
United States
Elks Halls
Big Ocean
South America
Japan
Bouganville
Lsts
LST
45Th Infantry Division
Masina Carcanate
Ed O'Neil
Hill 100
Piper
Tivetshall
Woth
Ed O’neill
Parris Island
5.C
Reyer
Laian
Amin
Amarrabach
Renato
Mr. Napier
The
Tao Ralph George Neppel
America l
Laundry & Dry Cleaners
Riverside Drive
Nor-Dan
Lynn St
FDI
American National Bank and Trust Company
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!