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‘The Bravest Guy:’ Story of World War II veteran from Iowa told in new book
CEDAR RAPIDS — Don Wedewer faced death — twice.
While serving in World War II, he lost both his legs in a blast on the battlefield. Two days later, he lost his eyesight in another explosion, this time at the hospital where he had been taken.
A native of Dyersville, Wedewer returned home at the age of 19 and faced a world not yet accepting of his disabilities as a blind, double-amputee.
But he didn't let it stop him from living a life of achievement.
A Purple Heart recipient, Wedewer earned his bachelor's degree in education and his master's degree in history at the University of Missouri and went on to become an active member in organizations relating to the blind. He served as president of the Florida Rehabilitation Association and the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind and as a member of the Commission of Standards, among many others.
Wedewer's story is told in a new book, 'The Bravest Guy,' written by his son Harry Wedewer, a retired U.S. Navy Commander who now lives in Maryland. The Gazette recently interviewed Harry Wedewer.
Q: How did you come up with the title of the book?
A: It was from a statement that was made about my father by a mentor of his in the hospital. He wrote a friend of my father's in Iowa and in that letter he called my father the bravest guy he had ever seen. It always kind of stuck with my father.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: It really started out to learn about my dad and his war experience. My dad never talked about the war very much. I knew he fought in the war but I didn't know any of the details. With so many veterans of more recent wars, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan and being a veteran myself I thought, 'They are coming back with some of the same signature injuries that my dad experienced.' I thought if I could just reach one of those veterans then hopefully they can grow from some inspiration.
Q: Tell me about Don Wedewer as an advocate.
A: My dad was a real change agent. He just really transformed Florida services for the blind and had very much a national impact. One of his models was Helen Keller, who he had met as a young veteran. He capped his career with the highest award you can receive in the blind field.
Q: What was that like to dig up your father's history?
A: Fascinating and it took me way too long. I traveled a lot. I went to Dyersville, I went to the University of Missouri, I went to the places in Texas where he worked in the Army. I went to Pennsylvania where he was in the hospital and I went to the national archives to get the original records and I went overseas to where he actually was in Germany. I feel like I was following my dad's footsteps in some ways.
Q: Your book discusses the invisible wounds of war, can you touch on that?
A: (Post-traumatic stress disorder) was one symptom of it and that he didn't want to talk about it. I think that was kind of a culture of the Army and the services at that time. You didn't talk about PTSD, which they called shell shock in those days. You didn't talk about it and it was almost as if something was wrong with you if you did. It was just sort of something that they kept locked away.
Q: How do you hope this book and your father's story impacts others?
A: I hope that it gives them the power of hope, the power of persistence and the power of optimism, because those are the three features of my dad that I think got him through some very dark times. I'm hoping my dad's story for those is 'Somebody did that.' Somebody that could have at 19 years old spiraled into a very bad place and there were times he could have gotten close, but he didn't and I think ... it was his power of optimism.
Q: What has been the community reaction to your book?
A: It's been favorable. People want and appreciate real and uplifting stories and I think that the reaction to that overall has been positive.
Q: What would you want the main message of the book be to readers?
A: Never give up. Never allow anything to stand between you and hope; and persistence and optimism will always overcome.
More information on Harry and Don Wedewer can be found online at bravestguy.com.
l Comments: (319) 368-8531; alexandra.connor@thegazette.com
Harry Wedewer wrote a book about his father Don Wedewer titled 'The Bravest Guy.' Don Wedewer is a Dyersville, Iowa native and worked as an advocate for the blind.
Don Wedewer stands for one of the first times in his wheelchair outside of Bushnell Army Hospital in Brigham City, Utah in 1945. Wedewer became a double amputee and blind during World War II.
Don Wedewer receives the National Accreditation Council Award in 1987. Wedewer became a double amputee and blind during World War II. He later became a strong advocate for the blind both in Flordia and nationwide. He is a Dyersville, Iowa native.
Don Wedewer receives the traditional silver dollar from his grandson, Ben, after being the first to salute Ben as a newly-commissioned U.S. Navy Ensign. Wedewer became a double amputee and blind during World War II. He later became a strong advocate for the blind both in Flordia and nationwide. He is a Dyersville, Iowa native and his son, Harry, wrote a book about his experience as a disabled veteran.
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