Captain Carroll Wallace "Cal" STEWART; United States Army Air Corps; Fort Crook/Offutt Field, Bellevue, Nebraska, WWII; European Theatre (England).
Cal was the author of "Ted's Travelling Circus", the history of the 93rd Bomb Group and co-authored with James Dugan "Ploesti" the great gound-air battle of 1 August 1943.
Story from the Lincoln Journal Star:
Carroll "Cal" Stewart, author, newspaper publisher and crusader in the effort to honor World War II hero Ben Kuroki, died Wednesday in Lincoln.
Stewart, 89, was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who co-authored what's been called the definitive history of one of the greatest aviation battles in history. He died of cancer at a Lincoln hospice.
One week ago, a wheelchair-bound Stewart attended the gala screening of "Most Honorable Son," a documentary film about Kuroki that will air Sept. 17 on PBS. The Japanese-American Kuroki was a gunner on 58 bomber missions in World War II, then used his notoriety to speak out against racial bigotry.
Stewart served in the same bomb group as Kuroki, and in 2005, he worked with others to see Kuroki receive the Distinguished Service Medal, the military's third highest decoration. Stewart's monograph on Kuroki helped others understand his many achievements and struggles against racism.
"There was just nobody who has done more for me in my life," Kuroki said Wednesday from his home in Camarillo, Calif. "I am so indebted to him. He was just my best friend."
When Stewart was introduced at last week's event as co-author of "Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943," the crowd of 600 gave him a standing ovation. The book has been printed 15 times and translated to four languages.
It was a touching moment for a man who "was never interested in personal accolades," said his son, Scott Stewart, a Lincoln businessman.
Cal Stewart was born in the Northeast Nebraska farm community of Belden and at age 10 went to work at the Belden Progress. At 14, he published back-to-back editions of the weekly newspaper by himself while the owners were on vacation.
He was trained as a radio operator and stationed at a B-24 bomber base in England. During his time off, he worked for an English printing press owner, who in turn allowed him to produce a tabloid weekly called The Liberator, the first service publication in the European Theater. The military, which had not authorized the publication, shut it down on the grounds that newsprint needed to be rationed. Shortly thereafter, the military came out with a London edition of Stars and Stripes.
Stewart got noticed by Col. Ted Timberlake, commander of the 93rd Bomb Group. Timberlake, upon being promoted to general, made the young Nebraskan his staff aide.
During the war, Stewart worked alongside Col. Jimmy Stewart, the actor (no relation) and knew war correspondents Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney. After Stewart published his book on the 93rd Bomb Group titled "Ted's Travelling Circus," he got a letter from Rooney.
"He said ‘It was the best unit history that I've ever read,'" Scott Stewart said.
After the war, Cal Stewart returned to Nebraska and he and his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Stewart, bought The Frontier, a weekly newspaper in O'Neill. In 1961, he founded Sun Newspapers, a group of suburban weeklies in Lincoln.
He and Peggy were married for 61 years and had three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was at his side when he died.
"He loved his family, his state, his country and his work and couldn't have been more committed to each," said Guy Sterling, Stewart's nephew and a reporter for the Star Ledger in Newark, N.J.
In addition to his wife and son, Cal Stewart is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Bolten of Oakland, Mo. Daughter Sally Ann Woerner of Lincoln died from cancer in 1986 at the age of 34.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 7900 Trendwood Drive.
Cal was the author of "Ted's Travelling Circus", the history of the 93rd Bomb Group and co-authored with James Dugan "Ploesti" the great gound-air battle of 1 August 1943.
Story from the Lincoln Journal Star:
Carroll "Cal" Stewart, author, newspaper publisher and crusader in the effort to honor World War II hero Ben Kuroki, died Wednesday in Lincoln.
Stewart, 89, was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who co-authored what's been called the definitive history of one of the greatest aviation battles in history. He died of cancer at a Lincoln hospice.
One week ago, a wheelchair-bound Stewart attended the gala screening of "Most Honorable Son," a documentary film about Kuroki that will air Sept. 17 on PBS. The Japanese-American Kuroki was a gunner on 58 bomber missions in World War II, then used his notoriety to speak out against racial bigotry.
Stewart served in the same bomb group as Kuroki, and in 2005, he worked with others to see Kuroki receive the Distinguished Service Medal, the military's third highest decoration. Stewart's monograph on Kuroki helped others understand his many achievements and struggles against racism.
"There was just nobody who has done more for me in my life," Kuroki said Wednesday from his home in Camarillo, Calif. "I am so indebted to him. He was just my best friend."
When Stewart was introduced at last week's event as co-author of "Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943," the crowd of 600 gave him a standing ovation. The book has been printed 15 times and translated to four languages.
It was a touching moment for a man who "was never interested in personal accolades," said his son, Scott Stewart, a Lincoln businessman.
Cal Stewart was born in the Northeast Nebraska farm community of Belden and at age 10 went to work at the Belden Progress. At 14, he published back-to-back editions of the weekly newspaper by himself while the owners were on vacation.
He was trained as a radio operator and stationed at a B-24 bomber base in England. During his time off, he worked for an English printing press owner, who in turn allowed him to produce a tabloid weekly called The Liberator, the first service publication in the European Theater. The military, which had not authorized the publication, shut it down on the grounds that newsprint needed to be rationed. Shortly thereafter, the military came out with a London edition of Stars and Stripes.
Stewart got noticed by Col. Ted Timberlake, commander of the 93rd Bomb Group. Timberlake, upon being promoted to general, made the young Nebraskan his staff aide.
During the war, Stewart worked alongside Col. Jimmy Stewart, the actor (no relation) and knew war correspondents Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney. After Stewart published his book on the 93rd Bomb Group titled "Ted's Travelling Circus," he got a letter from Rooney.
"He said ‘It was the best unit history that I've ever read,'" Scott Stewart said.
After the war, Cal Stewart returned to Nebraska and he and his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Stewart, bought The Frontier, a weekly newspaper in O'Neill. In 1961, he founded Sun Newspapers, a group of suburban weeklies in Lincoln.
He and Peggy were married for 61 years and had three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was at his side when he died.
"He loved his family, his state, his country and his work and couldn't have been more committed to each," said Guy Sterling, Stewart's nephew and a reporter for the Star Ledger in Newark, N.J.
In addition to his wife and son, Cal Stewart is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Bolten of Oakland, Mo. Daughter Sally Ann Woerner of Lincoln died from cancer in 1986 at the age of 34.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 7900 Trendwood Drive.
Captain Carroll Wallace "Cal" STEWART; United States Army Air Corps; Fort Crook/Offutt Field, Bellevue, Nebraska, WWII; European Theatre (England).
Cal was the author of "Ted's Travelling Circus", the history of the 93rd Bomb Group and co-authored with James Dugan "Ploesti" the great gound-air battle of 1 August 1943.
Story from the Lincoln Journal Star:
Carroll "Cal" Stewart, author, newspaper publisher and crusader in the effort to honor World War II hero Ben Kuroki, died Wednesday in Lincoln.
Stewart, 89, was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who co-authored what's been called the definitive history of one of the greatest aviation battles in history. He died of cancer at a Lincoln hospice.
One week ago, a wheelchair-bound Stewart attended the gala screening of "Most Honorable Son," a documentary film about Kuroki that will air Sept. 17 on PBS. The Japanese-American Kuroki was a gunner on 58 bomber missions in World War II, then used his notoriety to speak out against racial bigotry.
Stewart served in the same bomb group as Kuroki, and in 2005, he worked with others to see Kuroki receive the Distinguished Service Medal, the military's third highest decoration. Stewart's monograph on Kuroki helped others understand his many achievements and struggles against racism.
"There was just nobody who has done more for me in my life," Kuroki said Wednesday from his home in Camarillo, Calif. "I am so indebted to him. He was just my best friend."
When Stewart was introduced at last week's event as co-author of "Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943," the crowd of 600 gave him a standing ovation. The book has been printed 15 times and translated to four languages.
It was a touching moment for a man who "was never interested in personal accolades," said his son, Scott Stewart, a Lincoln businessman.
Cal Stewart was born in the Northeast Nebraska farm community of Belden and at age 10 went to work at the Belden Progress. At 14, he published back-to-back editions of the weekly newspaper by himself while the owners were on vacation.
He was trained as a radio operator and stationed at a B-24 bomber base in England. During his time off, he worked for an English printing press owner, who in turn allowed him to produce a tabloid weekly called The Liberator, the first service publication in the European Theater. The military, which had not authorized the publication, shut it down on the grounds that newsprint needed to be rationed. Shortly thereafter, the military came out with a London edition of Stars and Stripes.
Stewart got noticed by Col. Ted Timberlake, commander of the 93rd Bomb Group. Timberlake, upon being promoted to general, made the young Nebraskan his staff aide.
During the war, Stewart worked alongside Col. Jimmy Stewart, the actor (no relation) and knew war correspondents Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney. After Stewart published his book on the 93rd Bomb Group titled "Ted's Travelling Circus," he got a letter from Rooney.
"He said ‘It was the best unit history that I've ever read,'" Scott Stewart said.
After the war, Cal Stewart returned to Nebraska and he and his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Stewart, bought The Frontier, a weekly newspaper in O'Neill. In 1961, he founded Sun Newspapers, a group of suburban weeklies in Lincoln.
He and Peggy were married for 61 years and had three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was at his side when he died.
"He loved his family, his state, his country and his work and couldn't have been more committed to each," said Guy Sterling, Stewart's nephew and a reporter for the Star Ledger in Newark, N.J.
In addition to his wife and son, Cal Stewart is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Bolten of Oakland, Mo. Daughter Sally Ann Woerner of Lincoln died from cancer in 1986 at the age of 34.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 7900 Trendwood Drive.
Cal was the author of "Ted's Travelling Circus", the history of the 93rd Bomb Group and co-authored with James Dugan "Ploesti" the great gound-air battle of 1 August 1943.
Story from the Lincoln Journal Star:
Carroll "Cal" Stewart, author, newspaper publisher and crusader in the effort to honor World War II hero Ben Kuroki, died Wednesday in Lincoln.
Stewart, 89, was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who co-authored what's been called the definitive history of one of the greatest aviation battles in history. He died of cancer at a Lincoln hospice.
One week ago, a wheelchair-bound Stewart attended the gala screening of "Most Honorable Son," a documentary film about Kuroki that will air Sept. 17 on PBS. The Japanese-American Kuroki was a gunner on 58 bomber missions in World War II, then used his notoriety to speak out against racial bigotry.
Stewart served in the same bomb group as Kuroki, and in 2005, he worked with others to see Kuroki receive the Distinguished Service Medal, the military's third highest decoration. Stewart's monograph on Kuroki helped others understand his many achievements and struggles against racism.
"There was just nobody who has done more for me in my life," Kuroki said Wednesday from his home in Camarillo, Calif. "I am so indebted to him. He was just my best friend."
When Stewart was introduced at last week's event as co-author of "Ploesti: The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943," the crowd of 600 gave him a standing ovation. The book has been printed 15 times and translated to four languages.
It was a touching moment for a man who "was never interested in personal accolades," said his son, Scott Stewart, a Lincoln businessman.
Cal Stewart was born in the Northeast Nebraska farm community of Belden and at age 10 went to work at the Belden Progress. At 14, he published back-to-back editions of the weekly newspaper by himself while the owners were on vacation.
He was trained as a radio operator and stationed at a B-24 bomber base in England. During his time off, he worked for an English printing press owner, who in turn allowed him to produce a tabloid weekly called The Liberator, the first service publication in the European Theater. The military, which had not authorized the publication, shut it down on the grounds that newsprint needed to be rationed. Shortly thereafter, the military came out with a London edition of Stars and Stripes.
Stewart got noticed by Col. Ted Timberlake, commander of the 93rd Bomb Group. Timberlake, upon being promoted to general, made the young Nebraskan his staff aide.
During the war, Stewart worked alongside Col. Jimmy Stewart, the actor (no relation) and knew war correspondents Walter Cronkite and Andy Rooney. After Stewart published his book on the 93rd Bomb Group titled "Ted's Travelling Circus," he got a letter from Rooney.
"He said ‘It was the best unit history that I've ever read,'" Scott Stewart said.
After the war, Cal Stewart returned to Nebraska and he and his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Stewart, bought The Frontier, a weekly newspaper in O'Neill. In 1961, he founded Sun Newspapers, a group of suburban weeklies in Lincoln.
He and Peggy were married for 61 years and had three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was at his side when he died.
"He loved his family, his state, his country and his work and couldn't have been more committed to each," said Guy Sterling, Stewart's nephew and a reporter for the Star Ledger in Newark, N.J.
In addition to his wife and son, Cal Stewart is survived by his daughter, Suzanne Bolten of Oakland, Mo. Daughter Sally Ann Woerner of Lincoln died from cancer in 1986 at the age of 34.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 7900 Trendwood Drive.
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