A WORLD WAR II STORY TOLD THROUGH THE LETTERS OF BOAT GROUP COMMANDER, JOSEPH B. MCDEVITT ALL CAME HOME

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1 A WORLD WAR II STORY TOLD THROUGH THE LETTERS OF BOAT GROUP COMMANDER, JOSEPH B. MCDEVITT ALL CAME HOME PAUL K. MCDEVITT FOREWORD BY WILLIAM O. MILLER, REAR ADMIRAL, JAGC, U.S. NAVY (RET)

2 about the book All Came Home is a true story of junior reserve officer Joe McDevitt during WWII, as told through letters mailed home to his family. This is a quintessential American story about a youngster of German and Irish ancestry striving to achieve the American dream. Then comes WWII, and Joe postpones his driving personal ambition in order to enlist in the Navy. He joins the Pacific Amphibious Forces where men wage war on the open water in small boats. Could the Navy really make a warrior out of him...someone who thinks of nothing else but the sea and the war? HONORABLE MENTION AWARD GENERAL NON-FICTION 2015 GREAT MIDWEST BOOK FESTIVAL HONORABLE MENTION AWARD BIOGRAPHY / AUTOBIOGRAPHY / MEMOIR 2016 FLORIDA BOOK FESTIVAL A romance flourishes, and, like many of his peers, Joe must choose: marry now, and leave a young war bride behind, or wait to wed his true love when, and if, he returns? At war, he endures one bloody assault after another: ground-shaking bombardments, thundering artillery and mortar barrages, and the conviction that chance alone determines who lives and who dies. One way or another, all came home... Genre: Military/Biography Paperback: 360 pages ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Dimensions: 8.0 x 10.0 x.788 in. All Came Home is available through most online book retailers.

3 RECENT PRAISE The author seamlessly integrates letters home, historical information and commentary to create a valuable narrative that gives personal insights not available in other sources. This book is a keeper and one of the best I have read on the Pacific War, the men who fought it, and the impact on those they left behind. Russ Padden, Amphibious Forces of WWII and Sampson Naval Base Webmaster All Came Home is an engaging memoir written by a son - chronicling the experiences of his father prior to, during, and after WWII on the U.S. Navy Amphibious Transport USS Leon, APA 48. The book is written in a very down to earth style, is well researched, and includes many photos. A gem of a book that truly gives one a feel for the way it was during WWII, and the many trials and tribulations faced in that era. Dan Treadwell, Archives Researcher - WWII Navy, Secretary - Patrol Craft Sailors Association (PCSA) This isn t your typical historical biography. The extensive inclusion of photos, illustrations, documents and letters gives this recount of WWII the look and feel of a personal scrapbook. Its unique format makes the subject matter more compelling than other books in the same genre. Candace Meserole, Academic Advisor, University of Illinois Springfield What a great story. What a great tribute to a father. I am a painfully slow reader, but the book arrived mid-day Monday and I finished it Tuesday afternoon! I couldn t stop reading. All of the correspondence, principally saved by an aunt during McDevitt s college years and beyond, was a gold mine the framework for a beautiful story. Between Joe McDevitt s tenacity as a student and his propensity for making good decisions throughout his military career, I was just blown away. It s truly a remarkable, inspiring story. Thomas D., Amazon Reviewer All Came Home is clearly a labor of love by a son about a significant portion of his father s life and accomplishments. It is quite evident that an enormous amount of time, effort and research went into writing this book. The treasure trove of letters that were saved and the service records that are assembled here make this story a gold mine for those interested in a first-hand account of this gripping time in our nation s history. Jennifer Barrett, Manuscript Assessor, Publish Pros

paul k. mcdevitt Paul McDevitt was born in New Orleans, LA, shortly after the story of All Came Home ends.

He was also the son of a Navy lifer who began his career as a junior reserve deck officer in World War II and finished as the Navy s top uniformed lawyer.

Paul remembers living in New Orleans, LA; Norfolk, VA; Falls Church, VA; Quantico, VA; Newport, RI; McLean, VA; and Pearl Harbor, HI.

in economics at Tulane University in 1974.

4 paul k. mcdevitt Paul McDevitt was born in New Orleans, LA, shortly after the story of All Came Home ends. He was the second of eleven McDevitts, including eight brothers and two sisters. He was also the son of a Navy lifer who began his career as a junior reserve deck officer in World War II and finished as the Navy s top uniformed lawyer. The McDevitts moved often, as military families do. Paul remembers living in New Orleans, LA; Norfolk, VA; Falls Church, VA; Quantico, VA; Newport, RI; McLean, VA; and Pearl Harbor, HI. Paul finished high school in 1965, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics at Southern Illinois University in 1969, and completed his Ph. D. in economics at Tulane University in He is currently an associate professor emeritus, who enjoyed research and writing during thirty-one years of university service at New Mexico State University and the University of Illinois Springfield. To arrange an interview or speaking engagement, contact: Rich Carnahan, Publish Pros rcarnahan@publishpros.com (843) One of Paul s memorable reads from high school was Kenneth Dodsonâ s naval classic Away All Boats, a riveting story and later a movie about American amphibious forces. At that time, Paul was unaware that his own father had served on an attack transport in WWII. Imagine his dismay when, in 2009, he opened a musty old box, read the letters his

Dad had written home from the Pacific, and learned that Joe McDevitt was Boats, the Boat Group Commander aboard the USS Leon APA 48!

Paul and his wife of forty-five years, Barb, live in Springfield, Illinois. They have two children daughter, Kimberly, and son, Bryan.

completing the Ph.D. in economics in 1974 and finishing Hawaiiâ s Ironman World Championship Triathlon in the top half of his age group in 1988.

5 Dad had written home from the Pacific, and learned that Joe McDevitt was Boats, the Boat Group Commander aboard the USS Leon APA 48! Those letters provided the story line for this book about World War II, the crew of the Leon, and the making of an American hero. Paul and his wife of forty-five years, Barb, live in Springfield, Illinois. They have two children daughter, Kimberly, and son, Bryan. When pressed, Paul will admit that after his family, of course All Came Home is a life accomplishment that ranks right up there with only two others: completing the Ph.D. in economics in 1974 and finishing Hawaiiâ s Ironman World Championship Triathlon in the top half of his age group in All Came Home is his first book. AVAILABLE PHOTOGRAPHY: Paul McDevitt, author /media/photos/paul_mcdevitt.jpg Joe McDevitt, Lieutenant aboard the USS Leon, 1944 /media/photos/joe_mcdevitt.jpg The USS Leon /media/photos/leon.jpg

6 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Q. Where did you get the idea for the book? A. In 2009, my family discovered a box that contained letters that my Dad, Joe McDevitt, had written and sent home from the Pacific during WWII. The family turned the letters over to me, and some time later I read them through from beginning to end. I was amazed at the story the letters told. Q. Why do you feel the book is relevant? A. I believe this book and others like it are relevant as a means for honoring our WWII veterans. After 70 years, perhaps we honor them best by telling and retelling their stories. So, I wrote All Came Home to tell Joe McDevitt s story. I did not realize initially that this was also the story of many of others who served in the amphibious forces in WWII. Q. How long do your researching and writing take? A. All Came Home was my full time job from Summer 2010 through Spring One rainy, dreary morning, I remembered the box of letters that my family had given me on our previous trip home. I retrieved it and spent the day reading through the letters two times. After the second reading, I realized that I had already committed myself to telling Joe McDevitt s story. I had no inkling that the research and writing would take five years. But each letter provided only a glimpse of Dad s life at a brief moment in time. I soon realized that telling this story fully would require discovering, documenting and composing a full narrative about eight years of his life. At every step along the way, I was honor-bound to fulfill a primary responsibility of all who write non-fiction and to tell a true and unvarnished story about Joe McDevitt. Q. What did you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process? A. My biggest challenge was properly framing the story. Initially, I planned to write a simple narrative about Joe McDevitt. But my research soon convinced me that a proper story about my Dad must also include a narrative about his ship USS Leon APA 48 and her crew. In turn, I realized that a proper telling of that story must also include a narrative about the entire amphibious forces and the Pacific fleet. As my frame of reference broadened, so did the research focus and the writing task. Soon, I was

7 telling the story of how Joe McDevitt and his crew mates aboard the Leon helped the Pacific fleet defeat the Imperial Japanese Navy. Q. What was life like growing up? A. My life was like that of many military dependents. We moved continually from one place to another as Dad s military career blossomed and promotions followed. I can remember living in New Orleans LA, Norfolk VA, Newport RI, Falls Church VA, Quantico VA, Pearl Harbor HI, and McLean VA. Aside from moving often, I only knew that my Dad was a lawyer and a career Navy man. Like many other WWII veterans, my life with Dad rarely included reminiscing about his wartime experiences. I believe he tried his best to forget the things that he had seen and done during the war and to lead the best life that he could. Q. How has your impression of your father changed since writing the book? A. I learned a lot about the kind of person Joe McDevitt was, especially in eight of his early years. For example, his academic accomplishments in college evidenced a disciplined, hard- working, goal-oriented young man who was determined to succeed in spite of formidable financial hardship. My research also confirmed that he was a comfortable and effective leader in college and during his training with the amphibious forces. As his responsibilities and career progressed, he displayed superior communications skills and a willingness to serve those above and below him in rank. His fitness reports continually cited a favorable military bearing, officer-like qualities, and strong decision-making skills. I would have never understood the man Joe McDevitt became without the All Came Home experience.

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