Bill Ford’s adventure through history began with the arrival of a letter.

The letter was one from James Edgar Land. The two had graduated from Greensburg High School together in 1942 before heading into the Pacific Ocean in the Navy during World War II. Land and Ford even had the chance to see one another while overseas. The meeting was a piece of home for Ford during his military service. Land was killed in the battle of Iwa Jima, but Ford came home with Land’s letter among his personal effects.

From that point forward, Ford has spent time preserving patriotism and history through the stories of Decatur County’s veterans.

For the time and effort he has put forth to preserve the history of the county’s heroes, the Daily News names him its volunteer of the week.

Ford was asked to share his work at the annual banquet of the Decatur County Historical Society, which took place Saturday evening. For him, it was an unusual task, he said, as he is usually more behind the scenes. He has been following the stories of area veterans through newspaper clippings from old editions of the Daily News, Columbus Republic and Indianapolis Star to cover a span beginning with the Revolutionary War and continuing to the present day.

He knows many stories have been lost and works to reclaim those he can. Letters soldiers sent home prove invaluable, and in his research, he said, he has found many friends. He is now going on his 84th year and has to take his time, but the work continues.

He has completed 175 or more books, documenting the lives of veterans and the history of the county. These are currently housed in the Veterans Service Office although the Greensburg-Decatur County Library is in the process of copying them for placement in the Indiana Room.

Although much work has been done, the project is far from being finished, he noted. It is a long process to preserve memories and remember where the community, both as a county and a nation, have been.

He is proud to have served during WWII and believes what set his generation apart was their ability to meet the challenge before them through the secret weapon of intense patriotism. Although much of his time is spent with a focus on the past, he believes this generation also has the opportunity to do great things that should be remembered.