American Legion member and veteran Jeffrey M. Johnson has just published a book about his dad. It is entitled “Love Letters from North Africa, a WWII Bomber Pilot’s Story.” It is available on Amazon in both paperback and eBook.

Jeffrey (Jeff) resides in Bradenton, Florida, where he is a member of Florida Post 0024. He served on submarines and was also Electronics Warfare Officer on the USS John Paul Jones, DDG-32 acting as forward turret gun officer during shore bombardment in the waters of Vietnam from 1973 to 1977. He later achieved the rank of Captain.

His dad, Kenneth M. Johnson, was a B25 pilot achieving the rank of Major. The story begins when the newly graduated teacher is torn from his first year of teaching in Illinois, by the demands of the coming war. He leaves behind Phyllis J. Armstrong, his fellow teacher and new sweetheart, heading off to pilot training in Texas. Phyllis enlists in the Navy where she becomes a disbursing officer.

The story covers their adventures as Kenneth serves in North Africa and Phyllis works at the Brooklyn Naval yards paying the troops. She achieves the rank of Lieutenant. They correspond regularly by mail, the saved letters of which become a foundational source for the story.

Kenneth flies and meets some of the highest-ranking Allied officers. Their official documents which intersect with his, form another basis of the story.

It’s a good read!