For a couple months now I have been holding onto a very unique historical book.
I have an actual handwritten diary of a World War II, U.S. Army Air pilot. This gentleman transported paratroopers and writes about mid-air crashes. The variety of the material varies from training and weekend passes, to vaccinations, gambling, church and sight seeing. He travels from California to Texas, to Casablanca, Sicily and England.
I have been very hesitant to dive in to this very personal glimpse of a real life WWII pilot. I had previously only flipped through a few pages....and it actually gives me chills. And I do not wish to degrade this momento by consuming it all in one sitting. I want to appreciate it and soak in the weight of it.
My question is......ARE YOU INTERESTED? I need YOUR HELP to understand it all!!
This diary is virgin material that has never been outside the family's possession.
I would like to bring you along and make you a part of it....but I really feel like this is too BIG to let it 'fall on deaf ears.'
This document needs to be decyphered and understood. What better place to study and enshrine this amazing momento than the STEEM blockchain?
This post is a teaser.... If it receives sufficient interest, we will make it a proper series and a historical study.
I would like to lay out a few guidelines or rules that this study will follow:
- the full identity of the pilot will not be revealed(this will not be a genealogy study).
- all comments will focus on a study of history and will not mix in divisive opinions or destructive criticisms.
- involved participants that provide research and references may receive full and half power upvotes, and hopefully small to medium SBD rewards dependant on the posts actual payout(I would like to reward research assistants who contribute valuable information or 'decyphering' work)
- THIS STUDY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS NOT TO BE REPUBLISHED WITHOUT MY (
) EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT.
Please understand that the heirs (living family members) are interested in their privacy. The pilot is deceased and two daughters won't even read the diary. However, the grandson that 'owns' the diary understands its historical interest and would like it to be documented within/onto the blockchain where it can be preserved 'forever'. If this historical study is VERY successful and enlightening and in good order, there is the possibility that they family will consent to full exposure once they have seen how things have gone.
If you have questions or suggestions, THIS POST is where they should take place. I'd rather iron out how everything will go before we get started so that everything is clean when I share the work and progress with the family!
