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A Son Uncovers His Father's World War II History

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This photo inspired Dale Maharidge to find out what happened to his father during World War II. Steve Maharidge, right, is pictured fellow Marine Herman Mulligan on the island of Guadalcanal. (Courtesy of Dale Maharidge)
This photo inspired Dale Maharidge to find out what happened to his father during World War II. Steve Maharidge, right, is pictured fellow Marine Herman Mulligan on the island of Guadalcanal. (Courtesy of Dale Maharidge)
Steve Maharidge is pictured during World War II. (Courtesy of Dale Maharidge)
Steve Maharidge is pictured during World War II. (Courtesy of Dale Maharidge)

On this Thanksgiving, we want to revisit a story we brought you earlier this year. It's the story of a father and son. A father, who like so many World War II veterans, didn't talk about his experiences in that war.

Steve Maharidge was a Marine. He served in the Pacific and fought in the very bloody battles on Guam and Okinawa near the end of the war in 1945. After the war, he got married and had a family with his wife Joan.

One of the kids was Dale Maharidge, who grew up believing his father's rage stemmed from those war experiences, but he didn't know why.

The only clue was a photo his father always kept near him. It showed his dad and another young Marine named Herman Mulligan.

Dale set out to find out what happened to Mulligan and also to his father. The result is his book "Bringing Mulligan Home: The Other Side Of the Good War."

Guest

This segment aired on November 28, 2013.

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