My Grandfather's War : A Young Man's Lessons from the Greatest Generation

How a grandfather's WWII memories created an indelible bond with his grandson Captured in the Battle of the Bulge, Jesse Cozean's grandfather spent 103 days as a prisoner of the German Army, losing sixty pounds and several friends to the bitter cold and starvation fare of a Nazi prison camp. After being liberated by the tanks of General Patton he rejoined his wife, resumed his work as a carpenter, and raised a family without ever mentioning what he endured. Nearly fifty years later, Robert Cozean suddenly began talking about his wartime experiences; he would travel to ex-POW conventions, look through old books--and he found a receptive audience in his oldest grandson. As Jesse began interviewing him about his time as a POW, Robert underwent his second round of heart surgery in ten years. While recovering, he lived with Jesse, his "first sergeant," as he called him, who oversaw his grandfather's medical care. Along the way, their relationship changed from that of a kid and his Papa to two men seeing each other for the first time. Part war story, part biography, part memoir, and intensely moving throughout, My Grandfather's Waris a treasure for all generations.

Jesse Cozean is an engineering consultant and a writer. As part of his charity work with the East Africa Partnership, he writes the organization’s newsletter, which reaches more than 15,000 people both in print and online. He lives in San Clemente, California.