Looking back on the last few months of research, this project has given me a greater understanding of the ways in which WWII required great sacrifices for American freedom. Our victory in WWII is something we take for granted today, but it would not have been possible without great sacrifice and struggle. Researching the life of Harry Lesher Zerbe Jr. made this much more personal to me. Zerbe Jr. was just like any American man, and yet he was called upon to sacrifice everything and die for his country. While this conflict occurred across the ocean, it was very close to home because of the people, families, and communities it touched. If I had the ability to talk to my soldier, the first thing I would say is thank you. I am so incredibly grateful for the sacrifices made by people like Zerbe Jr. I would ask what made him decide to enlist. I might also ask him how he stayed connected to his family at home while he was overseas. My most important source was the National Archive website,, which provided me with a wealth of information and documents from this time period. Overall,, this project redefines gratitude for me because it can include sadness as well as happiness. I am happy and thankful for my current freedom, but I am saddened by the sacrifices it took to reach this point. Gratitude is an emotion of depth and meaning and requires that someone sees the larger picture. I am so grateful for the life of Harry Lesher Zerbe Jr. and his service to our country.