Robert E. Neprud bio?

[Smithsonia]

The listed author of Flying Minute Men is Robert E. Neprud. Has anyone got a Robert E. Neprud bio? resume? background? Anything?
I've been looking. I thought there was someone on Captalk that had this information. Thanks ahead of time.

[AdAstra]

According to the dust cover, Flying Minute Men was "written by an ex-Air Force tech sergeant who traveled 5,000 miles to uncover this story". Of course, this was long before books contained full-page blurbs about the author and promos for his next exciting book. And websites!

I wonder if the publisher (Duell, Sloan & Pearce, Inc.) would still have any biographical info?

FWIW, my copy shows the original printed price as $3! A re-seller had written in $5 in pencil on the flyleaf.

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Charlie;

I've got the same dust jacket as you. However, mine is more dust than jacket. Mr. Neprud is not listed among CAP or Air Force Personnel in either Washington DC or Bolling in '46-'48.
I also checked Maxwell as University of the Air Force and AF History Program were there before CAP moved there too.

I thought about asking the publisher. However, they are no longer in business. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duell,_Sloan_and_Pearce

Spencer Morfit was kind enough to send me this link: http://www.archive.org/stream/foreignserviceli1953unit/foreignserviceli1953unit_djvu.txt
In this directory there is a Robert E. Neprud listed as a Foreign Service Press and Public Information Officer in the early 50s. So maybe the State Department has something. I'll run that to ground.

Library of Congress has nothing on Mr. Neprud. AND, I've never come across an author that you couldn't find out something about. In this case Robert E. Neprud is listed as author but it is
"Prepared' for the Dept. Of Public Affairs of the Civil Air Patrol Dept. of the Air Force Washington DC." So the words "prepared for" are an odd listing for an author. That would usually be a publishing claim. But, in this case it seems to cover both the writing and publishing information. It makes Mr. Neprud seem like he was more an editor. Anyway, the digging and delving goes on.

[JC004]

Does Jim know anything about him?

[cnitas]

It was probably written by a cadet using an alter ego.   

[Smithsonia]

I love doing these collective history projects. Thanks for the information. Let me suggest that there is a 50/50 chance that Mr. Neprud is alive and living within 10 miles of John F. Curry's only living first generation relative (his daughter) Shelia Curry Dekalb. That said - to finish the last mile - literally - I'll need an Orange County CA. area historian. Interested parties PM Me. Thanks; ED OBRIEN

[Smithsonia]

I found a New York Times article from 1941. There was a Robert E. Neprud, age 22, SGT USA(Army) Stationed Chanute Il. home town Mausten Wisc. This Robert E. Neprud was injured, along with numerous other service personnel, in a train accident. His age, rank, place, all seem about right. This likely seems our man. More soon.

[sardak]

Robert E. Neprud

Born in Westby, Wisconsin June 20, 1917 to Helen Otteson and unknown Neprud. In the 1920 census his mother is listed as a widow, living with Robert in her parents house in Viroqua, WI. The 1930 census shows Robert living with his mother and stepfather, Elmer and Helen Kuehn in Viroqua.

Graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Journalism Bachelor of Arts (JBA) degree, class of 1939.

Married his wife Eileen on March 15, 1941.

Enlisted in the Army on June 18, 1941 in Milwaukee. His civil occupation category was "authors, editors and reporters."

Died on April 21, 2002, last residence was Los Alamitos, CA.

Eileen died August 2, 2009, last residence Stanton, CA.

This is from the Spring-summer 2004 edition of "Wisconsin Journalist," the alumni newsletter of the School of Journalism at the U of W Madison.

Robert Neprud (JBA '39) died April 21, 2002, at age 84. Neprud had a varied career, starting as a cub reporter in Superior, Wis. After serving in the Air Force in WWII, Neprud wrote two novels, served as a press attaché in Mexico and Chile and worked in public relations at Boeing and McDonnell Douglas.

Mike

[Smithsonia]

Very Good Mike! By the way, Sardak is from the Colorado Wing, like me. I don't believe Mike and I have spoken about Mr. Neprud and so Sardak picked this one up all on his own.

Now I am tracking Neprud family members in California. (this isn't the exact same as stalking but it can look like it to the unappreciative.) More soon. Perhaps even an interview with them about him. I thank all of you who are participating in this little research project. Mysteries surround us. Every day there is a little something new to know.

The chase is fun. The knowing is satisfying. Be a Historian! It is a great mission to go on and it happens every darn day.

[Smithsonia]

I just got off the phone with Robert E. Neprud's son (Robert S. Neprud). He was kind enough to tell me a bit about his father and allow me some documentation. Apparently Robert E. had what we would term a journeyman's newspaper and publicity career. Retired in the 1980s - had a happy home life - was Dad to two kids. I am now in contact with both. Loved one woman all his life and wrote a detailed Autobiography which his son is photo copying and sending to me. As such I will wait for its arrival and then refresh this thread with new information sooner or later.

Son Robert Neprud read me several paragraphs from his father's bio." At the time Flying Minute Men was written (Robert E.) was a civilian assigned to the Personnel Narrative Division of the Army Air Force at Bolling Field." Previous to that Mr. Neprud ran the Field newspapers "The Kiwi" (for non flying servicemen and so named after the flightless bird... and "The Dean" (for flying members) The book was considered a gift from the Air Force
to the CAP for services rendered in WW2. It was not considered an historical document (not to be written to Air Force History Program Standards) but an appreciation.

More soon.

[Smithsonia]

The son of Robert E. Neprud (Robert S. Neprud) was good enough to send me some material on his father. Mark Hess was kind enough to post it on his Scribd site. See here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/60173311/Robert-E-Neprud-Biography

It has a brief bio, an article on the writing of Flying Minute Men, and a couple of articles on the train crash... plus there are some pictures of Robert E. and his wife.

[Smithsonia]

I forgot to add that the Neprud's seem awfully nice people. Robert E. had a colorful and full career. Robert S. obviously appreciated and valued his father's work and life.

You would be amazed how few times when I interview people about their famous parents - they "darn" them with faint praise, give out a hard luck abandonment story, or are competitively transparent. Having grateful children who miss you - may be the rarest of stories and so worth noting.

[James Shaw]

Great to see Ed. Kudos to you and Mark. Here is a scan of one of the original advertisements for the Flying Minute Men book. This comes from my personal collection.

[SamFranklin]

Thank you, CAP historical folks. I appreciate your research, your actively chasing down a story. Please know that a lot of CAP members enjoy learning about CAP history, and your efforts are appreciated.

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Magoo/Jim;

I thank you both for the compliment.

Employing the hive mind of Captalk makes these little research project all the more fun. The interplay of discovery and question is invigorating.

If you have history questions put them down and ask. BUT, be advised that we historians are few. We spend much time on projects that you never hear about. We therefore would appreciate some priming the pump with a bit of new, unknown, undiscovered research that you have.

Quite often on these threads we historians are taken to task and members wonder why there isn't more or we aren't working on one of their pet projects.

The reason is we have our own pet projects that take so very much time... but mostly... we aren't short order cooks who can make research for days and then drop it on your plate for the asking.

So for those of you interested - Use this and other forums. Participate and don't just stand there and expect an answer as if we are internet robots. Do some back ground searches first to see if the topic has been previously researched on this site or others... then ask the questions and participate yourself. Participation is encouraged. Using the material here is encouraged. YOU are encouraged! If asked the question; "Who makes history?" The answer should be; "I do!!!" We can all make history.

We are in a golden age of CAP History. We know more about our history than the previous 2 or 3 generations. The internet helps. Computers help. Meeting people, former members, or subjects of our research helps. Talking to family's and friends of the characters of our stories helps... but the first generation contacts of our WW2 history will all dry up some day soon. So now is the time to ask the questions. Now is the time to participate in the research. Now is the time to be a CAP historian.

[Cindi]

The book Flying Minute Men can be found here:

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/29316390?access_key=key-7356y32vwo7ix64nz1z

[Майор Хаткевич]

I picked up a 1948 copy of the book (with the $3.00 price inside) for around $15 shipped on eBay recently. The dust jacket was shredded, but the book itself looks great.

It was signed on one of the early pages by a "Capt. V. P. Walsh".

[MajFitzpatrick]

This is great to see others who enjoy our program and are passionate. My hat is off to you guys for your hard work, which I don't think you even consider work. It is great to see passion rewarded!

[AdAstra]

I'm copying parts of Robert Neprud's original research notes, now located at the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB. Among other things, it includes two 8x10 glossy photos of Neprud; one is him standing with Zack Moseley. There's also a short newspaper clipping about the author of the new book. A quick scan didn't turn up any other biographical information. Will post the photos of him soon.