Book Review: Letters from Uncle Dave

Professor Phil Rosenkrantz

Letters from Uncle Dave is quite a read.  It’s the story of Staff Sergeant David Rosenkrantz, the middle child of Russian Jewish immigrants who joined the US Army and became a paratrooper.  SSG Rosenkrantz fought in Sicily, Italy and Holland during World War II.  He was killed in battle and listed as missing in action for 73 years.  I originally heard this story from Phil Rosenkrantz, SSG Rosenkrantz’s nephew and a fellow retired professor in the College of Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona.

Good buddy Phil is many things.  One of the adjectives that can be accurately assigned to him is diligent.  Another is persistent.  Professor Rosenkrantz spent the last 20 years searching for Uncle Dave, and it was a search that ended successfully. Phil identified where his uncle was buried in Europe.  SSG Rosenkrantz’s remains were returned to the United States, and last year he was reinterred in Riverside National Cemetery with full military honors.  You may have seen it reported; the story made national news.

Letters from Uncle Dave contains 49 letters SSG Dave Rosenkrantz wrote home, 106 images, documents and maps, and much more.  I was one of the beta reviewers for Phil, and I’m happy to report that Letters from Uncle Dave is now available on Amazon.   You should pick up a copy.  It’s a great read.


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