Fred Best was a ball turret gunner on a B–24 bomber that was shot down over Austria during World War II.

Infantryman Lolace Cordray’s unit was surrounded by Rommel’s troops in North Africa.

Tanker James Eidson Jr. served under Gen. George Patton until his tank was hit and destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge.

Sammuel Knight was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines and went on to survive the infamous Bataan Death March.

T.J. Martin’s Army unit was overrun by Chinese troops in Korea.

All of these South Carolinians became prisoners of war and are among 49 men who tell their personal stories in a new book, Heroes . . .

Survivors. Copies of the book will go to high school libraries through a partnership involving the South Carolina chapter of American Ex–Prisoners of War, private–sector donors, and the South Carolina Department of Education. Project sponsors are seeking additional funding to send copies to middle schools, private schools, and public libraries statewide.

“When you read these stories, it’s easy to understand why the term ‘Greatest Generation’ is appropriate,” said State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex. “This book will be a terrific research tool for students studying American armed conflicts of the 20th Century.”

The Ex-POWs proposed the idea for Heroes . . . Survivors to Rex earlier this year, and the State Superintendent’s office coordinated its production. The initial printing was funded by Bill Dukes, owner of Columbia’s Blue Marlin restaurant and founder of Honor Flight South Carolina, which organizes trips for veterans to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington. Additional assistance came from the R.L. Bryan Co., which provided graphics support. R.L. Bryan CEO Chris Christiansen said the company decided to waive all costs associated with designing and printing the book, meaning that all proceeds from sales will go to the South Carolina chapter of American Ex–Prisoners of War.

James Eidson III, son of the Moncks Corner tanker who was captured during the Battle of the Bulge, edited the book and wrote, in the Foreword: “As history goes, what is not recorded is, in time, forgotten … It is my hope that future generations will be enlightened by these eyewitness experiences to better understand man’s inhumanity to man, the horrors of warfare, and the ability of the human spirit to survive under the most deplorable conditions and emerge to live lives well–lived and flourishing.”

Dukes plans to use the resources of Honor Flight South Carolina, a nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 federal tax status, to seek additional private funding to print and distribute more copies of the POW book. “It’s important that we never forget the experiences of these extraordinary people,” Dukes said. “By getting copies of this book into school and public libraries across South Carolina, we can make sure that their amazing stories are conveyed to new generations of South Carolinians.” Dukes said that anyone interested in supporting the project can make donations through Honor Flight South Carolina (www.honorflightsc.com). Checks should be made out to Honor Flight South Carolina, with the special notation “POW book” included in the lower left–hand corner. Chris Christiansen, CEO of the R.L. Bryan Co., said his company was committed to printing future copies of the book and noted that William Harley, the company’s chair emeritus, is a WWII veteran who served in the U.S Army during the Italian campaign. “You really can’t overstate the debt we owe to these veterans,” Christiansen said. “Our company is proud to be part of this project.”