Shannon here: Becky Van Vleet shares her parents World War II romance that inspired her Historical Romance, Unintended Hero. Comment or answer any question in any post dated May 2nd – 16th to enter the drawing for winner’s choice of a print or digital copy plus 3 other titles in my May Book Bundle #1 Giveaway. Deadline: May 23rd, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Becky:
Love at First Sight by Becky Van Vleet
“How do I look, Mildred?” Alberta fluffed her hair and stood on tiptoe next to her bed at the shipyard.
“Just lovely, sweetie.” Mildred pulled her hand. “Come on. Time to go. I want to beat the boys.”
When the girls arrived at the St. Julien restaurant in San Francisco, Alberta scooted into the half-circle cushioned burgundy seat surrounding a round wooden table to wait for her blind date. Had she done the right thing? Mildred had twisted her arm, that’s for sure.
When two sailors meandered toward them, Mildred elbowed her. “That’s them. My boyfriend, Robbie, is on the left. The other one, umm, the other one must be your date.”
Alberta gulped. She rubbed her damp palms on her skirt beneath the table. She whispered, “He’s so handsome. What’s his name?”
“Walter.”
I’m passionate about family stories and preserving them, one at a time, for the next generations. I tap into my imagination for how events may have happened. Sheer fun for me. Moments I never actually witnessed come alive in vivid color in my movie mind.
As a baby boomer, I grew up with parents who occasionally shared relics about the Great Depression and World War II. Truth be told, I wish I’d asked more questions. At the time, I had no idea historians would one day crown their resilience as the Greatest Generation. But now, I esteem their stories more than ever.
My parents’ WWII romance narrative is unique. A whirlwind romance if I’ve ever heard one. For some background, my mother, Alberta Thomas, hitchhiked from Indiana with her best friend, Mildred, to California after high school to serve the WWII effort. Her friends had scattered. Boys had joined various military branches faster than sparks flying from a fire. Many of her girlfriends had joined the female military counterparts.
But my mother’s adventurous spirit took her on a different path. She set off across the country with
Mildred with her thumb up to hitch rides to eventually arrive at Mare Island Shipyard. Of course, hitchhiking during the early 1940s was much safer, and even somewhat common for women without cars. Upon arrival at the shipyard, she converted to a Rosie the Riveter with her welding assignments.
In the meantime, my father, Walter Troyan, served as a young gunner on the USS Denver, a cruiser, in the South Pacific, enlisting at age seventeen. When a torpedo severely struck his ship, the vessel traveled to Mare Island Shipyard for major repairs which lasted from January to May 1944.
Although the sailors were still required to work during the overhaul time, they were granted a 30-day liberty leave. The 50,000 civilians working at Mare Island, mostly women, also had some time off from their six-day workweek. Sailors itching for dates with female employees were not uncommon.
Robbie, my father’s friend, had already linked up with a new girlfriend, Mildred. He convinced my father to go on a blind date to meet Mildred’s girlfriend, Alberta. My father thought, why not? Still a teenager, he’d already witnessed more battles and carnage than he ever imagined.
My parents fell in love instantly at the restaurant where they met. Between their working shifts, more dates followed, sometimes with my father’s shipmate, Eddie Page, and his wife Emma. At the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, my mother eagerly accepted his proposal, barely a month later, when he slipped a diamond ring on her finger. Within days, my father’s parents hosted their engagement party from their home in Santa Rosa.
Before his ship left Mare Island to reenter the war, the couple squeezed in a few more dates, cementing their commitment. From May 1944 to November 1945, they exchanged letters for the remainder of WWII. Wasting no time, they married on December 2, 1945, just eleven days after my father stepped off the ship. We’ve all heard the expression, love at first sight. It was for them. Their unwavering commitment, staying married until their deaths, remains an inspiring example to me.
To read more about Walter and Alberta’s love story, check out Becky’s WWII novel, Unintended Hero, a story inspired by true events.
Reader Question: Have you ever felt an immediate connection with someone at first sight? Either romantic or friendship? Share your story.
May Book Bundle #1
Unintended Hero by Becky Van Vleet, World War II Historical Romance, winner’s choice print or digital
A Texas Bond by Shannon Taylor Vannatter, Contemporary Romance, print
Celia by Caryl McAdoo, Historical Romance, digital
Project Sentinel by Elle E. Key, Romantic Suspense, digital
About Becky:
Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. Her books are the recipients of the BookFest, Purple Dragonfly, Excellence in Editing, Christlit, and Angel Book awards. She’s a published author of numerous articles in Guideposts, The Country Register, Christian Devotions Ministries, Inkspirations Online, and more. She is passionate about sharing the values from the Greatest Generation and is frequently booked as a guest speaker for middle and high school classes about patriotism. A member of ACFW, Allauthor, and Shepherd for Authors, Becky has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs. Learn more and connect:
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About the book – Unintended Hero:
How Can You Be A Hero When Everything Inside Says You Can’t?
When the first bomb drops on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941, Walter Troyan is a skinny seventeen-year-old California kid chock full of fear. But down deep he knows he must join the fight, so he drops out of high school and enlists.
Almost overnight, Walter is submerged into a brutal training regime and schedule. He’s homesick. Outmatched by all the other newbies. Knows he’ll never live up to his heroic brothers.
And his soul shudders every time an officer shouts, “What are you made of!” Because Walter knows.
But then? Hope. He performs well on an aptitude test which sends him to Gunner’s Mate School. Upon graduation, Walter is sent to the USS Denver, docked in Philadelphia. He makes friends, gains a shred of courage.
Then his ship enters the Pacific Theater and Walter enters the crucible of his life. His body, spirit, and soul are forced to fight against emotions and circumstances he’s never encountered, and he’s faced with choices that will bring life or death to men he’s come to love as brothers.
Don’t miss this epic tale—inspired by a true story—of a boy facing head on, the courage it takes to become a man.
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Come back May 9th for Shannon’s Book Bargains Roundup!
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