Real People who Triumphed over Adversity
Real People who Triumphed over Adversity
Real People who Triumphed over Adversity
William Gluba was born on October 7, 1942 in Davenport, Iowa. As a student at St. Ambrose College, Bill chose to travel to Washington D.C. to take part in the March on Washington, where he heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. give his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Bill later became a public servant, serving in political offices including the Mayor of Davenport, Iowa.
Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany in the 1930s and invaded Austria in 1938, putting Irene and Walter, both Jewish, in danger. Walter was arrested and taken to prison by the Gestapo. Irene bribed officials to get him released. Irene was able to obtain visas so she and Walter could immigrate to America in 1939. Once there, they worked to bring other family members to the United States.
On July 19th, 1944, Staff Sergeant Mike Bisek was initiated into the Caterpillar Club when he and the Sorgenfrei B-24 Liberator Bomber crew had to bail out of their damaged plane and float to the ground in their parachutes. When they landed in Nazi-occupied France, they were discovered by French partisans and would soon realize that they were starting on a grand adventure. The Sorgenfrei crew would need to work together and work with the French partisans in order to avoid becoming prisoners of war or even being killed.
A farm boy named Ken Cole was sent to fight in the Korean War. It was a challenging and life-changing experience. Despite the hardships, Ken and the other soldiers showed courage and resilience. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Allies kept the South Koreans free from communism. Thanks to two talented teenagers, you can learn more about this war by reading Ken’s story.
The story of Susan “Sukey” Richardson is one of courage and hope. Sukey sought her freedom from slavery in 1840’s Illinois, and those serving as part of the Underground Railroad network played a part.
When WWII began in 1939, Lydia Friedl was just eight years old. Her German father was taken away from his family to fight for Nazi Germany in a war her family didn’t agree with. Then one day the war came to her front door and affected her life in a profound way. In what was called the Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission, Lydia’s village was turned into a war zone, and her mother was soon jailed for her disapproval of Hitler,
Grace served her time in the military in Washington, DC working as a typist for the Intelligence Division of the Navy. She dealt with captured foreign documents and was told that “Loose lips sink ships.” This meant she should keep her mouth shut and her eyes closed about what she heard and saw!
Early in his life, Buck joined the military. As part of his job in the Coast Guard, he traveled on a ship to many different places across the world, such as England, Hawaii and the Philippines. Buck did not do this for fun but to fight for the United States during World War II. The jobs that Buck, and countless other American soldiers did, helped to protect the freedom of the United States.
In 1941, when WWII was raging throughout France, Michel Mockers and his brother Christian decided to fight for the freedom of their country. At the time Michel was in his early twenties and was living in a village near Vierzon. As Christian went off to join the British Special Air Service, Michel joined a British Mission to create a strong and determined group of French Resistance fighters.
Are you ever too scared to voice your opinion when you see someone being mistreated? Have you ever wondered how your actions impact others? The story of the White Rose is an inspirational story about how forming alliances with others, against injustice, can have a major impact. Learn about the founding members and their journey to spread truth.