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ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School graduate Henry E. Maul was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II. Now, his daughter is telling his story.
Diana Halstead compiled her father’s diary into a book titled “Writings from the Barbed Wire Hotel.” But she knew she wasn’t done yet. She decided to start a podcast called “Welcome to the Barbed Wire Hotel,” set to premiere on Nov. 11, 2024, where veterans and current service members can talk about their experiences in the military.
“After I put together my dad’s book, it was like, there is something I still need to do,” Halstead said. “This is how I can get stories out like my dad’s.”
The podcast invites veterans to talk about why they decided to enlist and what they experienced. Halstead wants to hear all of these stories, and she plans to write the interviews into a book in the next few years.
Halstead wasn’t always interested in military history. Growing up, WWII was a taboo topic in her household. She remembers sitting on the couch with her boyfriend as his draft number was called during the Vietnam War, and she admits that she didn’t quite understand the significance of this moment until much later.
“I didn’t comprehend the importance of it because I was a girl and I was disconnected and my dad kept us shielded from it. I didn’t realize he did, but he did. But these young men who are 16, 17, 18 years old — it’s like, whoa,” Halstead said. “My mother told us when we were little, ‘Don't ever talk to Dad about the war.’”
It wasn’t until her mother’s death that Halstead and her sister found their father’s diary. Halstead’s father graduated from Marquette Catholic High School in 1942 and enlisted immediately after. His daughters read his writings, some of them on cigarette wrappers, and began to understand what he went through as a P.O.W., eating grass to survive and freezing during endless marches across Germany.
“My dad took on a whole new light,” Halstead said. “It was like he was a new person to me. I always thought my dad was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Every man I ever dated had to come to what I thought of my dad. My dad was everything. But then seeing this part of his background, seeing what he was willing to sacrifice…He stood up.”
Halstead is proud to see her father’s story published in the book “Writings from the Barbed Wire Hotel.” Now, she wants to help other veterans and service members to share their stories, too.
Based in Florida, Halstead is happy to meet with service members in person or else interview them via video conferencing. She provides each interviewee with a list of questions, and she talks with them beforehand so she can make sure to avoid sensitive topics.
She encourages people to reach out to her at her official Facebook page if they want to know more about the podcast or books. “Welcome to the Barbed Wire Hotel” will premiere on all major podcasting platforms on Nov. 11, 2024.
“They were willing to sacrifice their life, their limbs, their health for their country,” Halstead added. “The podcast is about telling veterans, current service members and new recruits, about telling their story, their journey…I want to tell your story.”
For those who may be affected by the stories shared in this podcast or are seeking support, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Additionally, resources for veterans can be found through the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1, or by texting 838255.
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