Our WWII Dad

Before they knew the whole story, they were already searching for answers.

In August 2023, Chris Cangilla, his brother Ken, and their mother Pat joined host Steffan Tubbs on The American Veteran Show to talk about Our WWII Dad and their journey to uncover the World War II story of their father, Army PFC Louis T. Cangilla.

At the time, Our WWII Dad was still relatively new—and so was their understanding of their father's wartime story.

Listening to this conversation today is especially meaningful because Chris and Ken now know so much more than they did then. They've uncovered military records, photographs, locations, and pieces of their father's story that have taken them from the United States to the places in Europe where he served during World War II.

But the reason they began this journey hasn't changed: to understand the young man their father had been before he simply became "Dad"—and to preserve his story for future generations.

Since then, Our WWII Dad has grown beyond the Cangilla family. Chris and Ken have met veterans, sons, daughters, and grandchildren who are also piecing together the stories their families left behind.

Because every family has a story worth preserving—and every story deserves to be remembered.

In this special episode, hear the Cangilla family at an earlier point in their journey—before they knew the whole story.

IN THIS EPISODE

00:00 Revisiting Our 2023 Interview
01:31 The American Veteran Show
02:13 Steffan Tubbs Introduces the Cangilla Family
05:33 Why Dad Rarely Talked About World War II
06:45 The Prayer Card That Revealed Dad's WWII Journey
10:07 Mom Remembers Dad's Memories of Europe
14:37 How Our WWII Dad Was Created
19:30 Preserving These Stories for Future Generations
20:48 Mom Reacts to Our WWII Dad
22:54 Who Was Louis Cangilla?
30:27 What Would Dad Think of Our WWII Dad?
36:28 What Chris Learned About His Father
37:55 Mom Discovers How Dangerous Dad's War Had Been
38:29 "Make Yourself Small" — What the Army Taught Dad
41:39 Don't Wait — Record Their Stories

ABOUT THIS INTERVIEW

The American Veteran Show
Host: Steffan Tubbs
Guests: Chris Cangilla, Ken Cangilla and Pat Cangilla
Originally recorded: August 2023

Have a World War II family story you'd like to share with Our WWII Dad?

[email protected]

Why did so many World War II veterans come home and rarely talk about what they experienced?

In Episode 16 of Our WWII Dad, author Howard Mansfield joins Chris and Ken Cangilla to explore that silence through the remarkable story of his father, Pincus Mansfield, a WWII veteran whose wartime experiences remained largely unknown to his family for decades. Howard grew up knowing his father had served during World War II—but, like so many sons and daughters of the Greatest Generation, he knew very little about what his father had actually experienced.

Then he discovered something his father had left behind: a wartime diary. That discovery opened a window into a part of his father's life he had never fully known—and raised a question familiar to countless WWII families: Why didn't our fathers tell us these stories themselves?

Howard shares what he learned about his father's service, the experiences that shaped him, and what it means to discover a parent's hidden history years later. For Chris and Ken, Howard's story also brings them back to their own father, Army PFC Louis Cangilla, and the questions that began Our WWII Dad. Their fathers served in different ways, but their children inherited something remarkably similar: fragments of stories, unanswered questions, and a desire to understand the young men their fathers once were.

Our WWII Dad preserves World War II family stories through personal memories, military records, photographs, artifacts, interviews, and visits to historic locations across the United States and Europe.

Because every family has a story worth preserving—and every story deserves to be remembered. What did your father, grandfather, mother, or grandmother tell you about World War II?

Share your family's story in the comments. Subscribe to Our WWII Dad for more untold WWII stories, veteran stories, family history, and the personal side of World War II history.

Chapters

00:00 Why Our WWII Fathers Never Told Their Stories

01:15 Meet Howard Mansfield

07:05 Who Was Howard's Father, Pincus Mansfield?

08:42 Howard's Father Goes to War

13:27 Discovering His Father's Wartime Diary

15:05 No Reunions With War Buddies

16:38 The “Commuter War” in the Skies Over Europe

19:13 How Did They Find the Courage to Go Back Up?

20:31 Rosetta Stone: Learning From the Diary and Prayer Card

24:24 Our Dad and the Battle of the Bulge

26:18 Why WWII Veterans Didn't Talk About the War

32:20 The War Story His Father Finally Told36:24 They Were Just Kids Fighting a War

38:22 Did Discovering the Past Change How Howard Saw His Dad?

44:17 Every Family Has a Story Worth Preserving

47:20 The WWII Mementos That Survived

48:36 Howard's Dad Becomes a Pilot

50:05 How the War Followed Our Dads Home

53:15 If You Could Ask Your Father One More Question...

55:04 Howard Mansfield's Sarah Joseph Hale Award & New Book: Invisible Monuments

1:02:27 What Our Fathers Left Behind

1:03:05 Preserving WWII History One Family at a Time

ABOUT HOWARD MANSFIELD

Howard Mansfield is an acclaimed author, journalist, and cultural historian whose work explores memory, history, place, and the stories we preserve—or leave untold. In this episode, we discuss his book I Will Tell No War Stories: What Our Fathers Left Unsaid About World War II.

ABOUT OUR WWII DAD

Our WWII Dad follows brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla as they uncover their father's World War II story and connect his experiences with the stories of other veterans and their families. Have a WWII family story? We'd love to hear from you. [email protected]

YouTube: https://youtu.be/QmGGEqtceasFacebook:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OurWWIIDad

Howard Mansfield: https://www.HowardMansfield.com

#WorldWarII #WWIIHistory #OurWWIIDad

On December 7, 1941… he flew straight into Pearl Harbor—unaware the attack had already begun.

As his SBD Dauntless approached Oahu from the USS Enterprise, American anti-aircraft crews—overwhelmed and under attack—mistook him for the enemy and opened fire.

He survived.

And months later, he would help change the course of World War II at the Battle of Midway.

👉 This is Episode 15 of the Our WWII Dad series.

In this episode, Chris and Ken Cangilla are joined by Bill Kroeger, who shares the remarkable story of his father, Captain Edwin “Bud” Kroeger—a Pearl Harbor survivor, Navy dive bomber pilot, and one of the most decorated aviators of WWII.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
3:18 — Meeting Bill Kroeger

5:39 — Bud’s Early Life & Flight Training
10:14 — Joining the Navy
12:42 — USS Enterprise Assignment

🔥 13:14 — Pearl Harbor — Mistaken for Enemy & Fired Upon

25:35 — First “Payback” Mission — Wounded in Combat

30:35 — Battle of Midway — Attacking Akagi & Hiryu

43:16 — The Legendary SBD Dauntless

47:22 — Later WWII Service

49:51 — Post-War Career & Achievements

52:06 — Personal Artifacts & Keepsakes

1:02:22 — Why We Must Preserve These Stories

1:03:36 — Bud’s Final Chapter

Before their stories are gone… we have to remember.

👉 This is Episode 14 of the Our WWII Dad series — a special Veterans Day episode reflecting on the people, memories, and moments that continue to shape us.

What started as one story—our dad’s—has become something much bigger.

Through the voices of veterans, sons, daughters, and families carrying these legacies forward, this journey has revealed something powerful:

These stories are disappearing.

And preserving them matters now more than ever.

From veterans who could have stayed home but chose to serve…
to families uncovering long-forgotten histories…
to the personal objects that still carry the weight of memory… this episode is about remembrance, legacy, and the quiet echoes World War II still leaves behind.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
2:15 — WWII Veteran Bob Marshall’s 100th Birthday

👉 3:41 — Those Who Could Have Stayed Home
4:00 — Wilbur Ball’s Story
7:30 — Woody Martin
9:51 — Walter Director

👉 12:37 — The Children Carrying Their Fathers’ Stories
13:41 — Erik Brun
16:58 — Olaf & David Minge
20:24 — Pat Pattison
23:36 — Mikke Pierson

👉 36:48 — The Family Who Answered the Call
38:19 — Our WWII Mom & Family Legacy
39:41 — Uncle Dick
42:54 — The Cangilla Brothers
49:56 — Our WWII Dad

🔥 1:03:00 — The Long Echo — Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary Meaning

What would it feel like to walk the exact path of Easy Company across Europe?

👉 This is Episode 13 of the Our WWII Dad series.

In this episode, Chris and Ken Cangilla sit down with John Healy—an Ireland native who traveled across Europe with his son on the official Band of Brothers tour, following the footsteps of Easy Company from Normandy to Bastogne and beyond.

But what started as a journey through World War II history became something much more personal.

From Normandy to Bastogne… from the bridges of Holland to the silence of Dachau… John didn’t just visit these places.

He experienced them.

And what he was told on the final day of the tour changed how he sees the war—and life itself.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
1:36 — Meet John Healy
3:50 — How WWII History Found Him
8:02 — Band of Brothers Impact
9:27 — Beginning the Easy Company Tour

13:20 — Currahee & Camp Toccoa
16:49 — Normandy & D-Day Drop Zones
22:52 — Brécourt Manor Assault

25:15 — Carentan & Bloody Gulch
27:51 — Angoville-au-Plain Medics Church

32:16 — Replacements & Our Dad’s Story
34:12 — Operation Market Garden
38:30 — The Oversteek & Sunset March

44:38 — The Crossroads Battle
47:26 — Operation Pegasus Rescue Mission
48:16 — Bastogne & The Battle of the Bulge

51:46 — Bastogne Aid Station
53:29 — Dr. Minge & The Malmedy Connection

54:51 — Foy & The Breaking Point
1:00:40 — Noville Chapel

1:01:35 — The Last Patrol
1:04:51 — Dachau & The Reality of War

1:09:46 — Eagle’s Nest
1:15:14 — Nixon, VAT 69 & Easy Company Legends

🔥 1:16:38 — What He Was Told on the Final Day

1:19:57 — Final Reflections
1:21:36 — Covering Fire vs. Suppressing Fire
1:22:01 — WWII Hand Signals

Some soldiers come home from war carrying memories they can never escape.

At just 19 years old, Frank Pierson was leading patrols behind enemy lines in New Guinea during World War II. One mission would change him forever.

Years later, he would become one of Hollywood’s most influential storytellers:
• Academy Award winner for Dog Day Afternoon
• Writer of Cool Hand Luke
• Director of A Star is Born

👉 This is Episode 12 of the Our WWII Dad series.

In this episode, Chris and Ken Cangilla sit down with Mikke Pierson—the son of Frank Pierson—to uncover the deeply personal story behind the Hollywood legend.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
0:44 — Meet Mikke Pierson

3:37 — Frank Pierson’s Early Life
11:00 — A Family Story Becomes a Film
13:01 — Enlisting in World War II
14:50 — Infantryman in the Pacific

17:46 — WWII Memorabilia and Artifacts
19:31 — Patrols Behind Enemy Lines

🔥 19:57 — The New Guinea Mission That Changed Frank Pierson Forever

29:19 — Returning Home After the War
32:07 — Entering Hollywood

32:25 — Writing Cat Ballou
32:39 — “Failure to Communicate” — Cool Hand Luke

36:09 — Winning the Oscar for Dog Day Afternoon
38:19 — Directing A Star is Born

40:00 — How War Shaped His Pacifist Beliefs

42:43 — Leadership in Hollywood
43:32 — HBO’s Conspiracy

47:03 — A Father-Son Relationship
49:38 — Working on Mad Men

55:56 — The Connection to Our WWII Dads
56:34 — A Surprising Family Revelation

We didn’t expect to find him there.

During a visit to the National WWII Museum, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla discovered something deeply personal — a prayer card nearly identical to the one their father carried during World War II.

But that was only the beginning.

In this episode of Our WWII Dad, the museum journey becomes something far more emotional as artifact after artifact begins connecting back to their father’s wartime experience — from infantry gear and battlefield equipment to stories that mirrored the life he rarely spoke about after the war.

Along the way, Chris and Ken uncover unexpected connections to other WWII families, personal letters, long-overlooked recognition, and even filmmakers like Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, who have also worked to preserve their fathers’ wartime legacy.

What begins as a museum visit slowly becomes a powerful reminder that history is not just preserved in exhibits — it lives inside families, memories, and the objects carried home from war.

Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family discoveries, and untold CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction

2:59 — Exploring the National WWII Museum
4:15 — Landing Craft and Early WWII Exhibits
5:42 — The C-47 Skytrain
6:40 — The German 88mm Gun

8:01 — Departing Train Experience and Dog Tags
10:59 — The WWII Homefront Exhibit
14:58 — Rosie the Riveter

17:43 — Willys Jeep Production
20:20 — Infantry Gear and Dad’s Jacket
21:10 — The Foxhole Shovel Connection
23:01 — The French Resistance Pin

24:16 — “Beyond All Boundaries” Experience
26:42 — Rare WWII Artifacts

27:14 — The 99th Battalion and 474th Regiment
30:20 — The Bronze Star Discussion
32:51 — Should Dad Have Received a Bronze Star?

34:42 — Discovering Dad’s Sharpshooter Badge
38:51 — Stories from the WWII Homefront

42:55 — The Road to Berlin Exhibit
43:25 — Tom Hanks and Spielberg Connections

45:12 — Soldier Artifacts and Personal Items
48:18 — The WWII Jeep

50:41 — Dad’s Uniform and Medals
54:23 — Helmet Damage and the Reality of War

58:59 — Operation Greif
1:01:09 — The Battle of the Bulge

1:08:51 — The Prayer Card Discovery

1:13:16 — Merkers Mine
1:14:28 — The “Forrest Gump” Unit of WWII

1:17:29 — Jeeps and Dad’s Role During the War
1:22:41 — WWII Transport Trucks

1:31:19 — Day Two at the Museum
1:35:38 — Pacific Theater Exhibits

1:42:06 — The Oglesby Story
1:45:27 — Ken’s Letters to His Brother

1:48:33 — Final Reflections

He survived one of the most infamous massacres of World War II.

In this episode of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla continue the story of Dr. Raymond Minge of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) — and the moment he treated a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre during the Battle of the Bulge.

Joined by David Minge and Olaf Minge, this powerful multi-generational conversation follows the 99th Infantry Battalion through some of the darkest days of the war — from the streets of Würselen and Aachen to the frozen forests of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

At the center of the episode is Staff Sergeant Henry “Roy” Zack, a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre whose life intersected with Dr. Minge in a moment neither family would forget.

The episode also features emotional “then and now” journeys across Europe, as the Minge family retraces the same battlefields decades later — uncovering the places where history, survival, and memory still remain.

Through personal stories, battlefield history, and family discoveries, this episode explores the human side of one of World War II’s most tragic events.

Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
0:28 — Recap of Episode 9

1:16 — Battle of the Bulge: 80 Years Later
1:39 — The 99th in Würselen and Aachen
2:09 — Touring WWII Battlefields with the Minge Family

4:12 — Then & Now: Soldiers and Tanks
5:50 — Crucifix Hill in Aachen
8:37 — Foxholes and the Siegfried Line
9:37 — Then & Now: Streets of Würselen

11:21 — Bombing of St. Sebastian Church
12:13 — Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery

13:27 — The 99th Enters the Battle of the Bulge
14:33 — Christmas in Malmedy, 1944

18:07 — The Malmedy Massacre
19:03 — Christmas Eve Bombing Tragedy

19:58 — Dr. Minge Treats a Malmedy Survivor

24:00 — Baugnez Massacre Site
24:54 — Malmedy Today and the Memorial

29:11 — Liberation of Buchenwald
31:24 — Merkers Mine Discovery

34:49 — The “Forrest Gump” Unit of WWII
36:26 — Return to Norway

39:40 — Life After the War
45:20 — Preserving Uniforms and Artifacts

46:24 — The 99th Infantry Battalion Foundation
54:32 — Remembering the Battle of the Bulge

He was supposed to leave the war.

Dr. Raymond Minge, a medic with the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), had been scheduled for transfer to a larger medical facility during World War II. But when the doctor sent to replace him — Captain Gordon F. Fischer — was killed shortly after arriving, everything changed.

In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla are joined by former U.S. Congressman David Minge and Olaf Minge, the son and grandson of Dr. Minge.

Together, they share the remarkable story of a WWII medic whose path changed in an instant — and how that moment shaped the lives of countless soldiers he would later care for during the war.

The episode follows Dr. Minge’s journey from medical training and Camp Hale to Europe and the growing realities of combat with the legendary 99th Infantry Battalion.

The story also explores the extraordinary experience of Dr. Minge’s sister, Margaret Minge, who escaped Nazi Germany after witnessing Kristallnacht and helped smuggle Jewish valuables to safety before the war intensified.

Through personal memories, family history, and wartime discoveries, this episode reveals how a single moment during WWII could alter the course of an entire life.

Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
0:54 — 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge

1:45 — Dr. Raymond Minge and the 99th Infantry Battalion
4:05 — Chris and Ken’s Research Journey
5:31 — Meeting David and Olaf Minge

6:03 — The Minge Family Story
8:06 — Dr. Minge’s Medical Training
9:12 — Margaret Minge Escapes Nazi Germany

13:18 — Witnessing Kristallnacht
15:40 — Camp Hale Training and Preparation for War
21:19 — A Letter from England — December 1943

26:02 — Journey to Normandy
27:47 — The 99th Arrives in France
35:14 — Was Louis Cangilla in Maastricht?

36:32 — Canal Drive — September 1944
38:54 — Captain Gordon Fischer Is Killed
41:14 — How One Death Changed Dr. Minge’s Fate

45:08 — Lifelong Bonds Within the 99th
45:51 — Reunion Stories After the War
47:16 — The Men Dr. Minge Never Forgot

50:13 — Preview of Part II: The Battle of the Bulge

Most Americans know about Pearl Harbor — but few realize Japan also attacked the U.S. mainland during World War II.

In this chapter of Our WWII Dad, brothers Chris and Ken Cangilla uncover the hidden story of wartime California, including the Japanese submarine attack on the Elwood Oil Fields near Santa Barbara, the mysterious Fu-Go balloon bombs, and the fear and confusion surrounding the Battle of Los Angeles.

Joined by special guest Pat Pattison of Pat Pattison’s Best of California, the episode explores the overlooked role Southern California played during WWII through historic locations, rare artifacts, and personal family stories connected to the war.

Pat also shares the story of his father, Raylinn Pattison, who served in the Pacific with the 96th Infantry Division during the Battle of Okinawa. Together, Chris, Ken, and Pat reflect on the lasting qualities they’ve discovered in their WWII fathers — humility, resilience, sacrifice, and quiet strength.

From California coastlines and wartime defenses to hidden attacks on American soil, this episode connects personal stories and forgotten history in a powerful new chapter of Our WWII Dad.

Follow Our WWII Dad for cinematic WWII storytelling, battlefield journeys, family history, and untold stories from the Greatest Generation.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
2:40 — Chris’ Southern California WWII Journey
3:38 — 10th Mountain Division Exhibit
4:22 — Finnish Lahti L-39 Anti-Tank Rifle
5:36 — The Ski Trooper
6:09 — WWII Pup Tent
6:50 — M1 Garand and Bayonet
8:00 — The Pack Mule
8:30 — M29 Weasel
9:28 — Women’s Army Corps (WAC)
10:34 — The 99th Infantry Battalion
11:15 — German POW Escape at Camp Hale
13:18 — German Mountain Infantry Uniform
14:01 — 60mm Mortar
15:14 — Captured Nazi Banner
15:53 — M1A1 Bazooka
17:11 — WWII Souvenirs and the Italian Beretta

19:02 — Pat Pattison and His WWII Dad
21:33 — Growing Up in California
22:16 — Life Before the War
23:51 — The Samurai Sword Story
28:15 — Life After the War

30:16 — Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands
32:44 — The 96th Infantry Division: The Deadeyes
34:26 — Raylinn Pattison and Fellow Soldiers
36:56 — Commemorative Air Force SoCal
40:30 — Why Many WWII Veterans Stayed Silent

47:01 — Tustin Blimp Hangars: Then and Now
50:41 — The Meaning Behind WWII Uniform Pins

53:52 — Japan Attacks the California Coast
55:47 — The Battle of Los Angeles
57:21 — Goleta’s WWII Connections

1:01:58 — Pat Pattison’s Best of California

1:07:15 — Fu-Go Balloon Bombs and U.S. Casualties
1:09:30 — California Before and After WWII