Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.

Dr. Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.
Born	(1949-07-13) July 13, 1949 (age 76) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Occupation	Author, Historian, Professor
Citizenship	USA
Education	PhD in History, MA Global History, MA Theological Studies, PGCert Strategic Communications, BA World Military History
Alma mater	American Public University Liberty University
Genre	Military History, Historical Nonfiction
Notable awards	Army Aviation Association of America Order of St. Michael Harrisburg Area Community College Certificate of Excellence Military Writers Association of America Historical Fiction Award
Spouse	Bonnie Zapotoczny (m. 2001)
Website
www.wzaponline.com

Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. (born July 13, 1949) ^[1] is a native of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, ^{[2] [3]} is an American author ^{[4] [5]} and military historian. ^{[6] [7] [8]} He is currently an adjunct history professor at Harrisburg Area Community College. ^{[9] [10]} Zapotoczny serves as the president of the 28th Infantry Division Association, ^[11] an organization that supports veterans of the 28th Infantry Division. ^[12] He is an advisor with the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center Foundation. ^[13]

Early life

Zapotoczny served on the Avonmore Borough Council and as Chairman of the Borough Planning Commission, while taking flying lessons. He joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and served for eight years. Following the Johnstown flood of 1977; he was appointed as the assistant coordinator for the Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Flood Relief Program. ^[14]

Career

Zapotoczny worked as an Assistant Superintendent with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ^[14] and later founded Advanced Management Systems, Inc. ^[15] specializing in operations management and productivity improvement. ^[16] He rejoined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as a part-time soldier, focusing on aviation operations, and transitioned to active duty in November 1993, with his military career culminating in the role of Command Historian ^[17] for the 28th Infantry Division. ^[18] In that capacity he documented the division’s history and collected materials from combat operations. ^[19]

His work took him to World War I and II battlefields across Europe, memorials in Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Egypt, and France, and the Dachau and Flossenbürg Nazi concentration camps in Germany. His expertise focuses on the Battle of the Bulge, comprehensive Holocaust studies, and analysis of events that transcend beyond the boundaries of individual states, regions, and cultures. ^{[16] [20]} Zapotoczny conducted interviews with military veterans, some of which are archived at the Library of Congress ^[21] and the 28th Infantry Division Association. ^[22]

Following his retirement in 2009, Zapotoczny and his wife relocated to Los Barriles, Baja California, Mexico. While in Mexico, he served on the East Cape Arts Association board advisory committee and taught the East Cape writers' workshops ^[23] while working as the managing editor of East Capers, ^[24] a regional magazine. Zapotoczny contributed articles to Destine Cabo focusing on the culture and history of Baja California, where his work on local history was featured. He later returned to the United States to continue academic ^[9] and consulting work. ^[25]

Education

Zapotoczny earned a Bachelor of Arts in World Military History and a Master of Arts in Global History from American Public University. ^[26] He holds a Doctorate ^[27] in History, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communications from Liberty University. ^[28] He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. ^[29]

Published works

Zapotoczny has written extensively on military history, particularly World War II, and the history of the East Cape region in Baja California and films. His works primarily analyze key battles, soldier experiences, and the ethical dimensions of warfare.

Books

• The 28th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge. Fonthill Media. 2025. ISBN   978-1781559284.
• The Road to Auschwitz. Fonthill Media. 2023. ISBN   978-1781558805.
• Crushing the Japanese Surface Fleet at the Battle of the Surigao Strait. ^{[30] [31]} Fonthill Media. 2022. ISBN   978-1781558737.
• The Aztec Eagles. ^[32] Fonthill Media. 2020. ISBN   978-1781557471.
• The Italian Army in North Africa. ^[33] Fonthill Media. 2018. ISBN   978-1781556740.
• Strafbattalion. ^[34] Fonthill Media. 2018. ISBN   978-1781556474.
• The 110th Holds in the Ardennes. ^{[35] [36]} Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN   978-1781556054.
• Beyond Duty: The Reasons Some Soldiers Commit Atrocities ^[37] Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN   978-1625451125.
• Decima Flottiglia Mas: The Best Commandos of the Second World War. ^[38] Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN   978-1625451132.
• East Capers: Tenth Anniversary Anthology. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. 2011. ISBN   978-1460913802.
• For the Fatherland. ^{[39] [40]} Book Surge Publishing. 2009. ISBN ISBN   978-1439235928.
• The Chronicles of the 28th Infantry Division. ^[41] Book Surge Publishing. 2009. ISBN   978-1439239728.

Magazine articles

Military history

• The Bloody Bucket at Colmar. World War II History. Spring 2025.
• Against All Odds. World War II Quarterly. Winter 2020.
• The Road to Nanking. World War II Quarterly. Fall 2011.
• Italy’s North African Misadventure. World War II History. January 2010
• Triangle of Courage. Pennsylvania Guardians. Spring 2009.
• Silver Star Awarded to Pennsylvania Soldier. National Guard News. January 2009.
• Above and Beyond the Skies of Iraq. Pennsylvania Guardians. Winter 2008.
• Weird and Wonderful Tales of Deployment. Pennsylvania Guardians. Fall 2008.
• Doughboys, Dog Faces and Darned Good. Pennsylvania Guardians. Summer 2008.
• Shadow Warriors. Army Aviation. November 2007.
• Using Aviation Warfighting Simulation Training. Army Aviation. July 2007.

History of the Baja California East Cape Region

• Why Do Americans Move to Mexico. East Capers. April/May 2018.
• Tianguis Comes to Los Barriles East Capers. April 2012.
• Art of a Different Form. East Capers. February 2012.
• Kickin' Around the East Cape. Destino Los Cabos. Spring/Summer 2011.
• Exploring San Antonio. Destino Los Cabos. Fall 2010.

Playing cards

• Special Ops and Elite Forces Army Playing Cards. United States Games Systems. 2012. ISBN   978-1572817258
• Special Ops and Elite Forces Marines Playing Cards. United States Games Systems. 2012. ISBN   978-1572817289

Film and concert reviews

• Metallica Electrifies Philadelphia with Explosive “M72 World Tour” Stop. Media Mikes. May 2025. ^[42]
• Brit Floyd Delivers on the 50th Anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon. Media Mikes. August 2023. ^[43]
• Journey to Royal – A WWII Rescue Mission. Media Mikes. November 2022. ^[44]
• Brit Floyd Creates Magic for the Crowd in Hershey, PA. Media Mikes. March 2022. ^[45]

Historical conferences and interviews

Zapotoczny has presented at historical conferences and appeared on history-focused podcasts and media outlets, discussing his research in military history, including:

Historical conferences

• Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, Historical Conference, Alexandria, VA | February 2025.
• WWII American Experience, Battle of the Bulge Conference, Gettysburg, PA | January 2025. ^[46]
• Circle of Studies on the Battle of the Bulge, Battle of the BulgeConference, Clervaux, Luxembourg | December 2024. ^[47]
• 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Army Expo'24, Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA | September 2024. ^[48]
• Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, Colmar Pocket Conference, French Embassy, Washington, DC | February 2023. ^[49]
• Harrisburg Area Community College, Academic Session, Harrisburg, PA | February 2023. ^[50]

Interviews

• The 28th Infantry Division and the Battle of the Bulge - ABC TV, Harrisburg, PA, July 2025.
• The 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge - WITF-PBS, Harrisburg, PA, December 2024.
• The Battle of the Hürtgen Forest - Veterans Breakfast Club, Pittsburgh, PA, November 2024.
• The Italian Army in WWII- News Corp, London, UK, September 2024.
• On the Couch - CR38IVES, London, UK, January 2024.
• The 28th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge - WWII TV, Bayeux, FR, December 2023.
• The Aztec Eagles - The History Network, London, UK, February 2022.
• The Aztec Eagles - MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk, VA, October 2021.
• The Italian Army in North Africa - The History Network, London, UK, December 2018.
• Strafbattalion: Hitler’s Penal Battalions - The History Network, London, UK, May 2018.
• The 110th Holds in the Ardennes, 1944 - The History Network, London, UK, February 2018.
• The 110th Holds in the Ardennes, 1944 - ABC TV, Harrisburg, PA, December 2017.

Notable awards

• Army Aviation Association of America Order of St. Michael. ^[51] For outstanding contributions to the community of Army Aviation.

• Harrisburg Area Community College Certificate of Excellence. For distinguished scholarly contributions to the study of History.
• Military Writers Association of America 2010 Historical Fiction Bronze Award - For his novel For the Fatherland. ^[52]

References

1. "Biography". wzaponline.com. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
2. "Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr". Fonthill Media. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
3. "Local Man Assistant Penn Dot Superintendent". The Country Caller, Library of Congress.
4. "Get Lost in the Pages of Military History Books". Casemate Publishers US. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
5. "Research Catalog". NYPL. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
6. "Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr". Casemate Publishers US. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
7. "Walter S. Zapotoczny, Jr". Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (in German). Retrieved 2025-03-23.
8. "Another great piece from Dr. Walter Zapotoczny!". Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum's Post.
9. "Walter Zapotoczny". Coursicle.
10. "ResearchGate". Walter Zapotoczny.
11. "Leadership". 28th Infantry Division Association.
12. "About Us". 28th Infantry Division Association. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
13. "Board & Advisors". Army Heritage Center Foundation. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
14. "Local Man Assistant Penn Dot Superintendent". The Country Caller, Library of Congress.
15. "Walter Zapotoczny Business Search". Pennsylvania Department of State, Advanced Management Systems, Inc. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
16. CR38IVES (2024-01-10). Military History Author WALTER ZAPOTOCZNY talks about his books and the importance of being factual! . Retrieved 2025-03-18– via YouTube.
17. "28th Division's Second Dash to the Rhine in 1945 | 28th Infantry Division Association". 28id.org. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
18. Lambert, Tim (2024-12-16). "80 years ago today, Pennsylvania's 28th Division stood in the way as the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge". LancasterOnline. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
19. "Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr". Fonthill Media. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
20. "About". MediaMikes. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
21. "Walter Zapotoczny Interviews, Available Online". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
22. "Veteran Interviews". 28th Infantry Division Association. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
23. "Baja Pony Express". thebajaponyexpress.com. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
24. "Baja Pony Express". thebajaponyexpress.com. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
25. "Board and Advisors". Army Heritage and Education Foundation.
26. "Walter Zapotoczny | American Public University System (APUS) - Academia.edu". apus.academia.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
27. Zapotoczny, Walter (2022-12-05). ""We Fought for the Right Reasons and God Was on Our Side": Combat, Faith, and Perseverance during the 28th Infantry Division's Engagement at the Battle of the Bulge". Doctoral Dissertations and Projects.
28. "Find a Graduate | Commencement". Liberty University. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
29. "A conference with Dr. Walter S. Zapotocny Jr". Circle of Studies on the Battle of the Bulge - CEBA's Post.
30. Dienesch, Robert (2024-04-19). "Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr., Crushing the Japanese Surface Fleet at the Battle of the Surigao Strait: The Last Crossing of the T by Robert Dienesch". The Northern Mariner / Le Marin du Nord. 33 (2): 332–334. doi:10.25071/2561-5467.1161. ISSN   2561-5467.
31. "Book Reviews in SEA HISTORY" (PDF). NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
32. "Latin America in the Air War". airandspace.si.edu. 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
33. Pili, Jacopo; Zapotoczny, Walter S. (2020). "Review of The Italian Army in North Africa: A Poor Fighting Force or Doomed by Circumstance, Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr". War in History. 27 (4): 727–729. doi:10.1177/0968344520961930f. ISSN   0968-3445. JSTOR   26987013.
34. "New Book Reveals How Hitler's U-Boat Commander Sank Over 270,000 Tons Of Ships And Became The Most Successful Submarine Commander Of WW2 | Page 167 of 221". Media Drum World. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
35. "The 110th Infantry Holds the Line - Largest U.S. Army Veteran Directory + Service History Archive | Find People You Served With | Army.TogetherWeServed.com". army.togetherweserved.com. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
36. "110th Holds in the Ardennes". Military Model Scene. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
37. "IN PICTURES: How German women suffered largest mass rape in history by Soviets". Al Arabiya English. 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-24.
38. "Naval Association of Canada - Starshell magazine" (PDF). Naval Association of Canada. February 2021. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
39. FOR THE FATHERLAND | Kirkus Reviews.
40. "Handbook of Polish, Czech, and Slovak Holocaust Fiction" (PDF). OAPEN.org.
41. "Chronicles of the 28th Division by Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr". 28th Infantry Division Association Store. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
42. Jr, Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny (2025-05-25). "Metallica Electrifies Philadelphia with Explosive "M72 World Tour" Stop". MediaMikes.
43. Jr, Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny (2023-08-28). "Concert Review: Brit Floyd Delivers on the 50th Anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon". MediaMikes.
44. Jr, Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny (2022-11-19). "Film Review: Journey to Royal – A WWII Rescue Mission". MediaMikes.
45. Jr, Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny (2022-03-14). "Brit Floyd Creates Magic For the Crowd in Hershey, PA". MediaMikes.
46. "Dr. Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. Delivers Presentation on 'Triumphs of the Keystone Division' at Sold-Out Gettysburg Event". 28th Infantry Division Association's Post.
47. harry (2024-11-18). "Clervaux celebrates the 80ᵉ anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge". Excellence Group. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
48. Walter Zapotoczny (2024-10-09). 28th Division Battle of Bulge Presentation at Army Expo'24 . Retrieved 2025-03-13– via YouTube.
49. "The Battle of the Colmar Pocket Alsace, France Dec 44 to Feb 45 - Comité Tricolore". The Battle of the Colmar Pocket Alsace, France Dec 44 to Feb 45. 2025-03-12. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
50. Walter Zapotoczny (2023-03-04). Mexican Aztec Eagles Presentation . Retrieved 2025-03-15– via YouTube.
51. "Army Aviations Association of America". Historic List of Order of St. Michael and Our Lady of Loreto Award Recipients.
52. "For the Fatherland by Walter Zapotoczny, Jr". Military Writers Society of America. 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2025-03-17.

External Links

• Official website
• Interview on ABC TV, Harrisburg, PA July 2025
• Interview on WITF-PBS, Harrisburg, PA, December 2024.
• Appearance on the Veterans Breakfast Club, Pittsburgh, PA, November 2024.
• Interview on News Corp, London, UK, September 2024.
• Interview on CR38IVES, London, UK, January 2024.
• Interview on WWII TV, Bayeux, FR, December 2023.
• Appearance on the History Network, London, UK, February 2022.
• Appearance on the MacArthur Memorial Podcast, Norfolk, VA, October 2021.
• Appearance on the History Network, London, UK, December 2018.
• Appearance on the History Network, London, UK, May 2018.
• Appearance on the History Network, London, UK, February 2018.
• Interview on ABC TV, Harrisburg, PA, December 2017.