MVI contributing writer and author John Turanin to discuss book at Monessen library

John J. Turanin is one of hundreds of volunteers with the nonprofit organization Stories Behind The Stars who are writing memorial stories for every service member who lost their lives during WWII.

For the MVI

John Turanin

The personal stories of all 81 men of Monessen who lost their lives during World War II are revealed in the new book, “Tin Men, Steel Soldiers: The price paid in WWII by a Pennsylvania mill town.”

At 11 a.m. Sept. 20, the Greater Monessen Historical Society is featuring a presentation by its author, John J. Turanin, at the Monessen Public Library, 326 Donner Ave.

The event is open to the public free of charge.

The book gives an account of each Monessen service member who died during World War II. The author, whose father was born and raised in Monessen, is a volunteer with Stories Behind the Stars, a national nonprofit organization that is memorializing every U.S. service member whose life was sacrificed during the war by writing their personal stories.

The Mon Valley Independent has been publishing Turanin’s stories about Monessen’s World War II heroes since December 2023.

“Of the 81 men from Monessen lost, over 90% were first generation Americans … their parents immigrated to Western Pennsylvania near the turn of the 1900s,” says Turanin. “These families paid the ultimate price to show their worthiness as American citizens.”

Turanin has written more than 200 stories of World War II’s fallen. He will give remarks about the challenges he faced while researching the book and the inspiration that kept him motivated to complete the task. He will share compelling accounts about specific Monessen losses, such as:

• Lt. John Matola, stationed in The Philippines when war began, endured nearly three years in three POW camps and three “Hell ships” before his loss in Japan.

• Cpl. Stanley Wargo, one of 1,149 who died in the single largest loss of life at sea due to enemy action when their ship was sunk by an aerial guided bomb off North Africa.

• Radioman Frank Bartosik, one of three 22 lost crewmen on the battlecruiser USS Vincennes when the ship was annihilated by enemy gunfire off Guadalcanal.

• Pvt. Stanley Zazac, gunned down in The Philippines while risking his life under heavy enemy gunfire to rescue a wounded fellow infantryman.

• Lt. Bernard Rosenson, the pilot of a P-51 Mustang fighter, was ambushed by enemy fighters and shot down over France.

Copies of “Tin Men, Steel Soldiers” will be available for purchase from the historical society at the event. The book can also be purchased on Amazon.

Turanin will sign copies of the book and answer attendees’ questions.