In a time before America had an identity, a diverse group of soldiers created a voice. Diverse, yet united, people banned together proudly and stood for what they believed. Thus, the United States came to be; and steadily evolved to define Americans by this shared set of values.

Anyone who was willing to humbly give up his prior identity and assume a new American persona became an American, or a “Yankee” (later being further shortened to Yank).

I was 9 years old when my father passed away. He was only 33, but had already accomplished a lot by serving this great Country of ours as an American soldier. I never got to hear his stories due to him passing away so young.

The time with my grandfather had a huge impact on my life and who I am today. He was a WWII veteran, fought in Japan and sacrificed everything he had for us and our country. I spent every summer over at my grandparents’ house watching black and white WWII movies and seeing how it affected him.