North Dakota South Pacific

Roland C. Ytreeide grew up in North Dakota during the dust-bowl years of the Great Depression, and served his country on the aircraft carrier Saratoga during World War II. He is also the father of author Arnold Ytreeide.

North Dakota South Pacific is a short account of those times: life on the farm as technology shifted from horses to machines; living through hail storms, snow storms, and hordes of grasshoppers; school in a one-room school-house; lefse baking on a wood stove; and then enlisting on December 8th, 1941; boot camp; shipping out; finding a good place to hang a hammock; liberties in exotic ports; and of course, battles, kamikazes, and a torpedo in the side of the ship.

This is not an autobiography of heroic deeds by a man who would one day become famous. It's an autobiography of an average guy -- growing up in extraordinary times.

Nostalgic for adults, perfect as an introduction to biographies for fourth graders and above.