Bark at the Moon: Bert Rokey's Letters from the South Pacific, 1942-1945: How a Soldier and Sabetha, His Kansas Farm Community, Survived World War II Paperback – December 23, 2012

It was beautifully written. Bert was my very dear uncle. He was such a gentle sensitive man, with so much love in him. I loved him dearly.

Really nicely written. A good history lesson of the rationing and things that went on in the states while our your men fought a war on several fronts.

Bark at the Moon: Bert Rokey's Letters from the South Pacific is an intimate look at one GI's experience fighting in the South Pacific during WWII. His letters carefully spared his friends and family the horrific details of the conflict and instead reflected on the things he loved in his life before the war: his family and community, gardening, music, hunting & fishing and, like all soldiers, good food. His is a narrative of the side story of the war, the common details of a soldier's everyday existence, the flora & fauna of the pacific islands, the culture of the native villagers, the popular songs and movies of the era and the strong emotional ties Bert developed with his fellow GI's.Bark At The Moon juxtaposes Bert's letters with diary entries from his future mother-in-law, Mary Gresham and these bring to life the story of the small town of Sabetha, Kansas during wartime. The editing and contributions from the authors, Clete Gresham Rokey and Robin Rokey (Bert's wife and first son, respectively) skillfully put the singular experience of one GI into the larger context of the second world war. By the end of the story you'll wish you had know Bert and his community personally, but are grateful to now know of them.

The Rokey book provides a very personal and poignant view of WW2. Bert's letters from the Pacific express a soldier's yearning to be back home while also attempting to protect his family and himself from the horrors of war by his everyday acts of normalcy. The book includes journal entries which illustrate the impact of the war on a small farming community. This tale is told with homespun honesty, grit, and emotional pain. It is a careful and tender examination of PTSD, with insights for everyone in every age impacted by war.