Historical projects and 2023: what to expect?

Since the new year started recently, I thought it might be interesting to provide some insight into the projects that I am currently working on. Of course, I’ll continue working on sharing the experiences of black American soldiers during the Second World War. However, there’s a small historical detour along the way in 2023. The three projects I’m focusing on right now are the Tuskegee Airmen, the translation of the memoirs of C. J. Wagevier, and the 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion.

Tuskegee Airmen

The history of the 332nd Fighter Group is well known. The famous ‘Red Tails’, black American pilots that escorted bombers of the Fifteenth American Air Force during their campaigns over Europe, have been written about frequently and they are used as an example of how black Americans contributed to the Second World War. However, the Tuskegee Airmen were much more than this fighter group. Some Tuskegee Airmen served as artillery liaisons in the Pacific Theater, while 477th Bombardment Group fought their own battles against their own racist countrymen in America.

The translation of Wagevier’s memoir

In 1812, C. J. Wagevier was one of the Dutch officers that went with Napoleon to Russia. This campaign was a disaster and decimated the French army. Serving in the 125th Regiment of the Line, Wagevier was taken prisoner and spent two years as a prisoner of war in Russia. Upon his return, he wrote about his experiences in the campaign, captivity, and release. His memoirs were published in 1820 and I translated them from Dutch to English. Wagevier is an eloquent writer and his experiences deserve much more recognition than they have received so far. I have tried to retain his style as much as possible.

The 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. Photograph is taken from the National Archives and Records Administration.

The 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion

I’m in the process of acquiring historical materials related to the 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. This unit was one of the few segregated American Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalions that heavily participated in the Second World War. Throughout its active service, it destroyed 68 planes and had 19 shared kills. Currently, I’ve got a pile of historical material in a box, as the two projects above demand my immediate attention, but I look forward to digging into this material. Who knows what there is to uncover about the history of this fascinating unit?

Looking forward to more!

That’s all for now. Beyond doubt, there will be other projects that I will pick up during the year, but these are my main focus. I’ll keep you updated about the progress and look forward to what this year will bring!