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My WWII Odyssey

Salerno to the Downfall of Nazi Germany

One of the last surviving members of the “Greatest Generation” tells his story of life as a penniless and homeless teenager on the streets of Philadelphia who began his journey of recovery and redemption through enlistment in the US Army in 1940.

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"Far into the future, people will be able to see a face...

hear a voice, and observe a life, so that they may listen and learn, and always remember.”

—Steven Spielberg, Chairman, Shoah Visual History Foundation

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It began on December 7, 1941

Alban E. Reid Jr.’s military life began with KP duty at Walter Reed Hospital and ended with the liberation of a concentration camp in Germany as the Captain of I Company 142nd Battalion, 36th Army Division.
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My WWII Odyssey

Salerno to the Downfall of Nazi Germany

One of the last surviving members of the “Greatest Generation” tells his story of life as a penniless and homeless teenager on the streets of Philadelphia who began his journey of recovery and redemption through enlistment in the US Army in 1940. A military life that began with KP duty at Walter Reed Hospital and ended with the liberation of a concentration camp in Germany as the Captain of I Company 142nd Battalion, 36th Army Division. The Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, Croix de Guerre and multiple campaign ribbons are testaments to his membership in the “Greatest Generation”.
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About the Author

Alban E. Reid Jr. received his Ed.E in Education from the University of Southern California that lead to a lifetime of influencing the minds of American youth through his leadership commitment to raising the standards of education through the community college system. His journey into the field of education had distinctly unusual origins on the invasion beaches of Salerno and Anzio, Italy; the Battle of the Bulge; and the liberation of a concentration camp in Landsberg, Germany. The leadership skills he acquired leading young men in combat remained and became an integral part of the life in his chosen profession. This is his story.

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Praise

“A must-read! This memoir provides the personification of the heroic men and women of WWII, the horrors of combat and clearly refutes any supposition that the Holocaust never happened. Written by a true American hero!"

Paul E. Blackwell, Lieutenant General, United States Army (Retired)

WWII Odyssey
2020-02-03T23:18:52+00:00

Paul E. Blackwell, Lieutenant General, United States Army (Retired)

“A must-read! This memoir provides the personification of the heroic men and women of WWII, the horrors of combat and clearly refutes any supposition that the Holocaust never happened. Written by a true American hero!"
“I am a resident of the Veterans Home of California in Chula Vista where I have gotten to know Major Al Reid, a Silver Star recipient awarded for bravery during combat in Germany. I read the first-hand account of his experiences as a U.S. Army Infantry officer beginning with the amphibious landing at Salerno with the 36th Infantry Division and subsequent enemy engagements in France and Germany leading up to the liberation of a work camp in Landsberg, Germany. I am so glad that Al decided to share his experiences in writing for the benefit of many generations to come.”

Ed Schwimmer, a 100-year-old Army veteran of WWII with service on Guadalcanal, New Guinea, and with Gen. MacArthur’s forces re-taking of the Philippines.

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:32:19+00:00

Ed Schwimmer, a 100-year-old Army veteran of WWII with service on Guadalcanal, New Guinea, and with Gen. MacArthur’s forces re-taking of the Philippines.

“I am a resident of the Veterans Home of California in Chula Vista where I have gotten to know Major Al Reid, a Silver Star recipient awarded for bravery during combat in Germany. I read the first-hand account of his experiences as a U.S. Army Infantry officer beginning with the amphibious landing at Salerno with the 36th Infantry Division and subsequent enemy engagements in France and Germany leading up to the liberation of a work camp in Landsberg, Germany. I am so glad that Al decided to share his experiences in writing for the benefit of many generations to come.”
“Dr. Reid leaves a rich legacy not just for his children and grandchildren but for future generations. This memoir documents the unexpected path of his illustrious military career from an 18-year old Private to Captain. This is not just an American story but one about the tenacity and resilience of the human spirit and how one man turned adversity into opportunities for growth.”

Shalini Damodaran, Author of 'Dad and I'

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:13:58+00:00

Shalini Damodaran, Author of 'Dad and I'

“Dr. Reid leaves a rich legacy not just for his children and grandchildren but for future generations. This memoir documents the unexpected path of his illustrious military career from an 18-year old Private to Captain. This is not just an American story but one about the tenacity and resilience of the human spirit and how one man turned adversity into opportunities for growth.”
“Young Americans rushed to join in on the fight for civilization during WWII when millions of souls were lost; whole families ceased to exist.  These young men’s lives depended upon officers like highly-decorated combat veteran Army Captain Alban Reid, Jr. who struggled to keep them alive while delivering carnage to the Nazis. This is the first-hand account of a member of the Greatest Generation who witnessed the worst humanity had to offer in the twentieth century, a man who carries with him to this day the human nightmare known as the holocaust.”

Clay Custead, Author of From the Farm to Arlington.

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:34:51+00:00

Clay Custead, Author of From the Farm to Arlington.

“Young Americans rushed to join in on the fight for civilization during WWII when millions of souls were lost; whole families ceased to exist.  These young men’s lives depended upon officers like highly-decorated combat veteran Army Captain Alban Reid, Jr. who struggled to keep them alive while delivering carnage to the Nazis. This is the first-hand account of a member of the Greatest Generation who witnessed the worst humanity had to offer in the twentieth century, a man who carries with him to this day the human nightmare known as the holocaust.”
Dear Mr. Reid, In sharing your personal testimony as a survivor of the Holocaust, you have granted future generations the opportunity to experience a personal connection with history. Your interview will be carefully preserved as an important part of the most comprehensive library of testimonies ever collected. Far into the future, people will be able to see a face, hear a voice, and observe a life, so that they may listen and learn, and always remember. Thank you for your invaluable contribution, your strength, and your generosity of spirit.

All my best,

Steven Spielberg, Chairman, Shoah Visual History Foundation

WWII Odyssey
2020-01-27T14:34:56+00:00

Steven Spielberg, Chairman, Shoah Visual History Foundation

Dear Mr. Reid, In sharing your personal testimony as a survivor of the Holocaust, you have granted future generations the opportunity to experience a personal connection with history. Your interview will be carefully preserved as an important part of the most comprehensive library of testimonies ever collected. Far into the future, people will be able to see a face, hear a voice, and observe a life, so that they may listen and learn, and always remember. Thank you for your invaluable contribution, your strength, and your generosity of spirit. All my best,
“Major Alban Reid has crafted a compelling book that is so much more than just one officer’s memoir of his World War II experiences. It’s a combination coming of age story of a young man who entered the Army as a young enlisted man and exited as an officer and concentration camp liberator while also telling the story of World War II itself. Major Reid’s adventures took him from the Caribbean to Italy, France, and ultimately to Nazi Germany. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone who wants to know what World War II was really like from the perspective of a soldier on the ground in Europe.”

Mark Allen, Ph.D. Professor, Pepperdine University and author, Aha Moments in Talent Management.

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:16:37+00:00

Mark Allen, Ph.D. Professor, Pepperdine University and author, Aha Moments in Talent Management.

“Major Alban Reid has crafted a compelling book that is so much more than just one officer’s memoir of his World War II experiences. It’s a combination coming of age story of a young man who entered the Army as a young enlisted man and exited as an officer and concentration camp liberator while also telling the story of World War II itself. Major Reid’s adventures took him from the Caribbean to Italy, France, and ultimately to Nazi Germany. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone who wants to know what World War II was really like from the perspective of a soldier on the ground in Europe.”
“Dr. Reid’s memoirs portray the most human side of a young man coming of age during the post-depression era and the horrors of WW II. His very personal description of his thoughts and actions during this time takes the reader onto the battlefields of Europe and adds more meaning to the already published history of that time.”

William P. Eshelman
Major General, USMC ret.

WWII Odyssey
2020-02-23T20:20:07+00:00

William P. Eshelman
Major General, USMC ret.

“Dr. Reid’s memoirs portray the most human side of a young man coming of age during the post-depression era and the horrors of WW II. His very personal description of his thoughts and actions during this time takes the reader onto the battlefields of Europe and adds more meaning to the already published history of that time.”

"Alban Reid’s World War II epoch takes the reader on his personal journey of self-discovery, maturation and leadership growth. He is a true American hero with a warrior’s spirit representing an entire, amazing generation America's Greatest Generation. The reader experiences World War II, firsthand in all its horror through the eyes of a young American soldier, toughened by the Great Depression. Reid brings the reader through the pre-war years, through the battlefields of the Mediterranean and Europe, to his witness of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. Reid’s book is a must-read for students of history and military leaders to help better understand both the short and long-term multi-generational effects of warfare. We are fortunate that Reid is still able to share his story firsthand with future generations of Americans. Lest we forget."

Colonel Michael N. Daily (USMCR Ret), Adjunct Instructor, Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University

WWII Odyssey
2020-02-03T23:19:33+00:00

Colonel Michael N. Daily (USMCR Ret), Adjunct Instructor, Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University

"Alban Reid’s World War II epoch takes the reader on his personal journey of self-discovery, maturation and leadership growth. He is a true American hero with a warrior’s spirit representing an entire, amazing generation America's Greatest Generation. The reader experiences World War II, firsthand in all its horror through the eyes of a young American soldier, toughened by the Great Depression. Reid brings the reader through the pre-war years, through the battlefields of the Mediterranean and Europe, to his witness of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. Reid’s book is a must-read for students of history and military leaders to help better understand both the short and long-term multi-generational effects of warfare. We are fortunate that Reid is still able to share his story firsthand with future generations of Americans. Lest we forget."

"As a writer and historian, I enjoyed My World War II Odyssey immensely. That it was written more than seventy years after the end of the war is remarkable, given Dr. Reid’s extraordinary recall of so many exquisite details, military and otherwise. While this book will make a worthy contribution to the history and scholarship of that period, his modest, almost matter-of-fact, the writing style is such that would be a most worthwhile read for the layman as well.”

Jack McLean, Author of Loon: A Marine Story

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:33:27+00:00

Jack McLean, Author of Loon: A Marine Story

"As a writer and historian, I enjoyed My World War II Odyssey immensely. That it was written more than seventy years after the end of the war is remarkable, given Dr. Reid’s extraordinary recall of so many exquisite details, military and otherwise. While this book will make a worthy contribution to the history and scholarship of that period, his modest, almost matter-of-fact, the writing style is such that would be a most worthwhile read for the layman as well.”

“Another wonderfully compelling story of bravery and sacrifice from the Greatest Generation. Dr. Reid’s account makes the harrowing experience personal.”

Colonel Timothy R. Kuklo, MD, JD United States Army (Retired)

WWII Odyssey
2020-03-03T02:15:23+00:00

Colonel Timothy R. Kuklo, MD, JD United States Army (Retired)

“Another wonderfully compelling story of bravery and sacrifice from the Greatest Generation. Dr. Reid’s account makes the harrowing experience personal.”
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WWII Odyssey

On the Blog

GROWING UP DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

GROWING UP DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

Jul 21, 2020

Prologue On January 12, 2008, my brother, Thomas Pyle Reid, Colonel, USMC (Retired), was interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. After training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he served as an enlisted Marine in...