On this last day of 2011 I’m happy to tally up one more short story published! “Herbert Hopp’s Story” is a dramatization based on the real facts of my Uncle Herb’s heroic and tragic misadventure in World War II as a gunner aboard a torpedo bomber in the South Pacific.
When I first began to research this story several years ago I had hopes of writing a triumphal hero’s tale of wartime valor. As it turns out, there’s much more to this story both in terms of heroism and in terms of suffering and wartime trauma. Each layer of the tale that I’ve uncovered has given me a greater understanding of the bravery of those men who volunteered right after Pearl Harbor, and has taught me the depth of sacrifice and suffering they were called upon to endure.
“Herbert Hopp’s Story” is a tale of military achievement but it’s also a tale of pain and suffering. Long before the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) had even been coined, my uncle was deep in its throes. Long before psychologists had begun to develop methods to help victims cope, Herb had plummeted to the depths of alcoholism and neurosis and pulled himself up by his bootstraps only to fall again.
Check out the ebook on Kindle and Smashwords or coming soon on Nook, Kobo, iTunes, Diesel, and eReader. Be advised, this short story is just the beginning. I plan to write an entire novel about Herb and I frankly believe his story is so exceptional that it will become a major motion picture someday when Hollywood gets wind of it. For now, this snapshot look at Herb’s life will have to suffice.
Please email me personally. I am Herb’s step-daughter and I would like to communicate with you.