At the time that World War II began, Cheboygan County had a population of 13,644 people. To fight and defeat Adolph Hitler, Cheboygan County sent 1,324 of its sons and daughters. Until now the total story that these brave men and women played in winning the Second World War has never been told.

Now, nearly 80 years later, the total story of our brave people who served has been written by Ray Olson, a Cheboygan historian. Ray has spent countless years researching every one of Cheboygan County’s World War II veterans, locating everything he could find on each and every one of them. Ray has compiled all this data and it is being printed in a paperback book that soon will be available to all descendants, historians, and caring people. The cost will be $20.

This is a priceless gift to the descendants and to area historians, present and future.

The book has a roster of everyone who served from Cheboygan County. It includes each veteran’s name, rank, service, division or ship, as well as the number of years served. There are 773 in the Army, 176 in the U.S. Army Air Force, 295 in the Navy, 37 in the Marine Corps, 21 in the Coast Guard, three in Canada or United Kingdom service, seven in the Merchant Marine, and one civilian who served in the service office in Cheboygan.

We sent 18 women into service. Sixteen of our veterans were prisoners of war including a man who, after the war, became mayor of Cheboygan, Jim Muschell. Sister Lucy Leduc, a Catholic missionary and a nun, was imprisoned by the Japanese.

Some of these veterans were underaged. One was a 15-year-old Marine. Two of these men who volunteered were only 16. Several volunteers were 17. Draft age was 18.

One man who fought in combat in torpedo boats as a Navy serviceman had left six children at home.

Olson’s book is now being published by Amazon. These young men and women are our heroes. They struggled mightily with training and combat. They were wounded, some were killed, some were disabled. Some were imprisoned and suffered in a hell of torture and abuse. They kept the faith through all ordeals and they never lost their love for their country and for their home in Cheboygan County. When it was over they came home if they could. Some married, most went to work, some went to college on the G.I. Bill and they left many descendants.

Ray has given us an unmatched history of the World War 2 veterans of Cheboygan County. This book is priceless. It can be ordered from Amazon.