Far From Home is the wartime journal of Lieutenant Jay Hilary Kelley, chronicling his remarkable journey across the front lines of the Second World War-from training in the United States and deployment to England, Utah Beach, the race across France, the Battle of the Bulge, the drive into Germany, and finally the daunting task of rebuilding a defeated nation as part of Allied Military Government.
Written as daily journal entries and preserved for nearly eighty years, Kelley's firsthand account places readers beside him through fierce combat, artillery bombardments, dangerous engineering missions, and the everyday struggles of leading soldiers in wartime. His journal captures not only the brutality of battle, but also the humor, friendships, and unexpected moments of humanity that sustained men through one of history's greatest conflicts.
In April 1945, the mission changes, and Kelley is appointed to Military Government in postwar Germany. His duties included reopening local governments, rebuilding essential services, overseeing displaced persons and Jewish camps, denazification, and witnessing firsthand the immense challenge of rebuilding a shattered enemy nation.
Rich in historical detail, sharp observations, and deeply human storytelling, Far From Home is a rare primary source that offers an intimate, boots-on-the-ground perspective of World War II-from the Normandy campaign and the Battle of the Bulge to the occupation of Germany and the difficult work of winning the peace.
