Millville had always been known for its glassmaking, but with the outbreak of World War II, the communitys identity was primed to change forever. A private civilian airfield gave way to the creation of Americas first defense airport, the training ground for the U.S. Armys Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt pilots. Bright and brave young men from across the country converged on Millville in the early 1940s to learn to fly and fight for freedom. Some died in training; others flew into history as heroes. While in Millville, they lived the average lives of the countrys military men, playing baseball, flirting with the girls at the local USO dances, and attending Sunday night dinners with local families, creating lifelong friendships in a time when a young mans life expectancy was in the hands of Americas enemies.

Readers are treated to a comprehensive statewide guidebook to the Garden State that includes detailed information on 48 of the best sites for historical walks through green landscapes, natural preserves, and picturesque settlements. Illustrations.

No state has been so frequently mocked, maligned, or misunderstood as New Jersey. Yet the state is filled with amazing places and people who rarely receive the media attention they deserve. For the past twenty years Star-Ledger columnist Peter Genovese has been one of the rare voices singing the praises of his state’s hidden wonders and gritty charms. For this new book, Genovese spent months scouring the state for rich stories and fascinating locations. New Jersey State of Mind takes us on a journey to over twenty-five of these places and introduces us to the colorful characters who live and work there, from a demolition derby driver to a female craft brewer, and from a Cuban celebrity chef to a Portuguese pig breeder. He also reveals the many natural wonders that have earned New Jersey its “Garden State” nickname, from cranberry bogs to river tours to wild bird sanctuaries. Collectively, these pieces paint a picture of a diverse state full of hard-working individuals who care for their communities. This book cuts through the myths and stereotypes surrounding the state and reveals the proud beating heart of the real New Jersey.

The Garden State has made innumerable contributions to our nation's military history, on both battlefield and homefront, but many of those stories remain hidden within the larger national narrative. Perhaps the most crucial one-day battle of the Revolution was fought in Monmouth County, and New Jersey officers engineered the conquest of California in the Mexican War. During the Civil War, a New Jersey unit was instrumental in saving Washington, D.C., from Confederate capture. In World War II, New Jersey women flocked to war production factories and served in the armed forces, and a West Orange girl helped ferry Spitfire fighters in England. War came home to the coast in 1942 with the sinking of the SS "Resor" by a German submarine, but the state's citizens reacted by contributing everything they could to the war effort. Uncover these and other stories from New Jersey's hidden wartime history.

War came to Garden State soil early. The Dutch fought the Indians in Kieft's War, while the English fought the Spanish in the War of Jenkins' Ear and the French, Swedes and native nations in dozens of other conflicts. New Jersey played an integral role as the "Crossroads of the American Revolution." The Battle of Trenton, the crossing of the Delaware and battles at Monmouth and Springfield helped the colonies break free from Britain. During both world wars, German submarines lurked along the coastline. Historian David Petriello presents a comprehensive military history of New Jersey, highlighting the state's major and lesser-known engagements and contributions to the defense of the nation.

Everything you've ever wanted to know about the Garden State can now be found in one place. This encyclopaedia contains a wealth of information from New Jersey's prehistory to the present covering architecture, arts, biographies, commerce, arts, municipalities and much more.

The United Service Organizations (USO) strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation. Therefore, this book is dedicated to the countless volunteers, of many nations around the world, who give so freely of their time, to support our American soldiers. It is dedicated to private and corporate sponsorships that make the USO possible. But most of all, this book is dedicated to all the service volunteers that lost their lives, while serving American soldiers.