John Kilsheimer was born in a rural area of Westchester County just north of New York City. His mother died while he was in high school, but one of her last wishes to his father was that John should be allowed to go to college away from home. The College of the Holy Cross was in Worcester, MA and a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) was just being started, so he enrolled in both in September 1941.
    
     This led to a commission as a Naval Officer in February 1944. After surviving some challenging times during training missions, he became a small boat officer in the amphibious forces. This book deals with many adventures including two invasions in the South Pacific.
    
     His top post-war priority was to marry Betts, the love of his life. Together they endured four lean years of graduate school. Their first daughter was born during this period and the G.I. Bill and the availability of some housing in an abandoned Army Barracks made it all possible.

     With his Ph.D. in hand, his first industrial position was in West Virginia. John worked in chemical research for four companies in the Fortune 500 Club and authored twenty-four U.S. patents and over a hundred foreign patents. He retired as Senior Vice President of the Scotts Company in charge of Research, Manufacturing, and Distribution.
    
     Betts and John have six daughters, all in the education profession, and at last count eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.