Rave Reviews for “Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform”

This book provides a rare first hand account of a crucial time in American history, the end of the war in the Pacific in WWII. The book is compelling and insightful, and describes the experiences of a young PhD who is suddenly exposed during wartime to the rigors, discipline and dangers of military life. The book is replete with anecdotes which are riveting and sometimes quite touching and humorous. Reading the book is much like reading a book by the eminent American historian David McCullough, in that the accounts of events are as if you were actually there.
William C. Orr, Ph.D., President and CEO, Lynn Health Science Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

In Civilian in an Ill-Fitting Uniform Edgar Willis reminds us why the greatest generation has earned our respect and gratitude. More than just a vividly told memoir of his service in the Navy during World War II, it is a narrative of the entire war-time experience. From the fortuitous twists of fate that so influenced his path to his faithful portrayal of life aboard the /USS Alaska/, Willis weaves together a wonderful story. But this memoir also chronicles a consummate family man whose most crushing disappointment was not returning home to his wife and kids immediately after the war ended. In telling us how he came to serve and the sacrifices he made along the way, Willis delivers an engrossing account of a life well-lived.
Major Zachary Miller, U.S. Army. Miller is a veteran of the Iraq War, Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart recipient, and graduate of Harvard and West Point.

Through stories and experiences that are both intimate and (given the conditions in a Navy ship), at times shockingly public, Dr. Willis spins tales of grim reality and utter joy with equal skill and interest.
Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo, Ohio

Edgar E. Willis has written an excellent memoir about his experience in World War II. This memoir does more than just describe what happened; it includes personal detail and Edgar’s own judgments. Whether you know the author or not, you will hear his voice through his stories, some funny, some sad, all full of rich detail about navy life as experienced by an “unreconstructed civilian.” I loved reading this book, and I am sure it will be enjoyed by anyone who served in the military during wartime, students of America’s role in World War II, and those interested in U.S. history. High school and college students will appreciate the personal stories that bring alive some critical years of our country’s history.
Marlene C. Francis