Four books have been donated to the Catoosa County Public Library in honor of educators or militarymen.

“Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” was donated in honor of W. D. Johnson, who served during World War II, receiving both the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He also served as an educator for about 25 years. The book features a U.S. Olympic track star and his trials after a plane crash in shark infested waters and as a Pacific prisoner of war. The book’s author who won a Pulitzer Prize is Laura Hillenbrand.

The second library addition also honors an educator, Miriam Sue Stone. Her love for history was shared with students 21 years at Ringgold Junior High School and at Boynton. “Cherokee Messenger Civilization of the American Indian” by Althea Bass, published by University of Oklahoma Press, tells of life in the north Georgia area during the time of Cherokee nation. Samuel Worcester, “the Messenger”, arrived in 1825, from New England and remained with the Cherokees until his death in 1859. He was a circuit preacher and worked with Elias Boudinot in printing the bilingual “Cherokee Phoenix.” This publication contained lengthy Scripture passages as well as the news. Sequoyah’s phonetically based alphabet was easily learned, and the Cherokees quickly became literate.

The third addition is in memory of Ben Sheram, a Southern gentleman who graduated in 1929 from Berry High School and in 1933 from Berry College. “Miracle in the Mountains” is the biography of Martha Berry and tells of her struggles to convince Southern highlanders of their need for schooling and her efforts to solicit funds to provide it for them.

A book written by Bruce Herschensohn entitled “An American Amnesia: How the U. S. Congress Forced the Surrenders of South Vietnam and Cambodia” is donated in honor of Maj. Thomas A. Duckett. A graduate of Ringgold High School Class of 1964, Duckett was part of the U.S. Air Force involvement during Vietnam conflict. Since Dec. 11, 1970, he has been classified as POW/MIA. The book’s introduction says it tells the parts of history not reported, provides missing information and paints the whole truth about the time.