U.S. progress in the Pacific theater included a hard fought victory over Japanese forces on the island of Peleliu and the building of the largest Naval base in history on the island of Ulithi, which quickly became the forward staging base for future invasions in the Pacific islands. Advancement was halted, however, in the European theater as German forces defeated British and American units attempting to secure the bridge over the Rhine River in the Netherlands in the failed airborne campaign of Operation Market Garden. This costly gamble, designed to get into the heart of Germany sooner, was the only defeat of Allied forces by Germany in Europe following the Normandy landing.
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About Ronald P. May
About Ronald P. MayAuthor, Historian, Public Speaker, and Preserver of Life Stories
Ron holds a Masters’ Degree in World War II Studies from Arizona State University. He is the author of four published books: three of them feature stories of World War II veterans and his most recent book highlights World War II Landmarks in Indiana.
Ron May is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania and lives in Westfield, Indiana with his wife, Glenda. He was a Lutheran Pastor for 25 years and a Navy Reserve Chaplain for 22 of those years. Ron currently serves as the Chaplain at Hoosier Village Retirement Center Community in Zionsville, Indiana. He is also a personal historian specializing in helping veterans preserve their military service stories. Ron does public speaking engagements focused on World War II history and veteran stories. He also portrays himself as America’s most beloved war correspondent, Indiana native Ernie Pyle, reflecting on his wartime experiences through a dramatic first-person presentation.