CALDWELL, TEXAS — Ninety-seven years old and still passionate about America, Caldwell's Horace Hamilton is happy to have met Hempstead-based author, LinMarie Garsee.
Garsee interviewed the Pearl Harbor survivor about his life’s most impactful moments and compiled his stories into a book, titled From Cotton Fields to Battles at Sea.
“I’m a Pearl Harbor veteran and nobody really knows exactly how many are left," Hamilton said. "But it's very few.”
The book covers Hamilton's life all across Texas and his service in the Navy. It's now available for purchase online, and Hamilton couldn’t be happier to share his experience.
"We were a country of our own, and we want to stay a republic," said Hamilton. "We want people to understand that you’ve got to fight to keep it. And if you don’t learn history, then you’re bound to repeat it.”
Garsee was excited to announce that all of the book’s proceeds will go towards the nonprofit she founded, Quilts for Vets, who hand-sew quilts to donate towards World War II and Korean War veterans.
For Garsee, Hamilton was and is an inspiration.
"His story is very profound, and since he is a World War II veteran, and he was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed, we felt that history should be preserved," Garsee said.
The author is visiting Pearl Harbor this week, as Americans remember the 80th anniversary of the attack. She and her colleagues passed out nearly 200 quilts to World War II veterans on Thursday.
Hamilton himself is proud to display a quilt that Garsee presented him.
Garsee is planning a book signing with Hamilton in Caldwell, expected to be held sometime in January.
Until then, you can find Hamilton’s memoir on Amazon.