Chasing His Purple Heart

Some stories are too extraordinary to be forgotten. Others are simply waiting to be discovered. Chasing His Purple Heart tells the remarkable true story of Donald W. Schuman, an American soldier whose life was forever changed by the horrors of WWII. Serving with the U.S. Army's 778th Tank BN, Donald survived a devastating enemy attack that destroyed his tank and killed his fellow crew members. Severely burned and wounded, he was captured by German forces and endured brutal conditions as a POW. Starvation, illness, punishment, and two daring escape attempts tested his determination to survive. Liberated in March 1945 by George S Patton's Third Army, Donald returned home carrying the physical and emotional scars of war. But the story did not end with liberation. In 1956, Donald was separated from his young son, Ed, who would grow up believing his father was dead. Ed would later serve his own country during the Vietnam War, carrying unanswered questions about the father he had lost.  More than four decades later, a determined daughter-in-law began searching for answers. What started as a simple attempt to locate a forgotten soldier's final resting place would unravel a family secret buried for generations. Where would the search lead?And what secrets had remained hidden for so many years? Through military records from the National Archives and Records Administration, personal letters, historical documents, and first hand accounts, author Kathleen Belfiore Schuman brings to life an unforgettable journey spanning two generations and two wars. Chasing His Purple Heart is more than a World War II memoir. It is a story of courage, sacrifice, perseverance, family and the extraordinary power of never giving up hope. Sometimes the greatest discoveries aren't found in history books. They're found in the families who refuse to let  history be forgotten.