Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr.

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.{{Cite news |title=Local Man Assistant Penn Dot Superintendent |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/sn89077852/ |work=The Country Caller, Library of Congress}}

Zapotoczny worked as an Assistant Superintendent with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and later founded Advanced Management Systems, Inc.{{Cite web |title=Walter Zapotoczny Business Search |url=https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Pennsylvania Department of State, Advanced Management Systems, Inc.}} specializing in operations management and productivity improvement.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QArTfuqU9k8 |title=Military History Author WALTER ZAPOTOCZNY talks about his books and the importance of being factual! |date=2024-01-10 |last=CR38IVES |access-date=2025-03-18 |via=YouTube}} 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{{Cite web |title=28th Division's Second Dash to the Rhine in 1945 {{!}} 28th Infantry Division Association |url=https://28id.org/history/stories-from-archives/67c9e7a9b6b9f0e942d0b688 |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=28id.org |language=en}} for the 28th Infantry Division.{{Cite web |last=Lambert |first=Tim |date=2024-12-16 |title=80 years ago today, Pennsylvania's 28th Division stood in the way as the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge |url=https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/80-years-ago-today-pennsylvania-s-28th-division-stood-in-the-way-as-the-germans/article_a1f27990-7976-5d3b-af76-c644c6b8374d.html |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=LancasterOnline |language=en}} In that capacity he documented the division’s history and collected materials from combat operations.{{Cite web |title=Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. |url=https://fonthill.media/en-us/collections/walter-s-zapotoczny-jr |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Fonthill Media |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://mediamikes.com/about/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=MediaMikes |language=en-US}} Zapotoczny conducted interviews with military veterans, some of which are archived at the Library of Congress{{Cite web |title=Walter Zapotoczny Interviews, Available Online |url=https://www.loc.gov/search/?in=&q=walter+zapotoczny&new=true&st= |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA}} and the 28th Infantry Division Association.{{Cite web |title=Veteran Interviews |publisher=28th Infantry Division Association |url=https://28id.org/history/veteran-interviews |access-date=2025-04-02 |language=en}}

Following his retirement in 2009, Zapotoczny and his wife relocated to Los Barriles, Baja California, Mexico. While in Mexico he contributed articles to East Capers, a regional magazine and 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 and consulting work.{{Cite web |title=Board and Advisors |url=https://www.armyheritage.org/board-advisors/ |website=Army Heritage and Education Foundation}}

Zapotoczny earned a Bachelor of Arts in World Military History and a Master of Arts in History from American Public University.{{Cite web |title=Walter Zapotoczny {{!}} American Public University System (APUS) - Academia.edu |url=https://apus.academia.edu/WalterZapotoczny |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=apus.academia.edu}} He also holds a Doctorate{{Cite journal |last=Zapotoczny |first=Walter |date=2022-12-05 |title="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 |url=https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3999/ |journal=Doctoral Dissertations and Projects}} in History, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communications from Liberty University.{{Cite web |title=Find a Graduate {{!}} Commencement |publisher=Liberty University |url=https://www.liberty.edu/commencement/find-a-graduate/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |language=en-US}} He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.{{Cite web |title=A conference with Dr. Walter S. Zapotocny Jr. |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?id=100066946143951&story_fbid=895855269322670&_rdr |archive-date= |website=Circle of Studies on the Battle of the Bulge - CEBA's Post}}

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.

• 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.{{Cite journal |last=Dienesch |first=Robert |date=2024-04-19 |title=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 |url=https://tnm.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/default/article/view/1161 |journal=The Northern Mariner / Le Marin du Nord |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=332–334 |doi=10.25071/2561-5467.1161 |issn=2561-5467}}{{Cite web |title=Book Reviews in SEA HISTORY |url=https://seahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/Crushing-The-Japanese-Surface-Fleet-Book-Review.pdf |website=NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY}} Fonthill Media. 2022. ISBN 978-1781558737.
• The Aztec Eagles.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-03 |title=Latin America in the Air War |url=https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/latin-america-air-war |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=airandspace.si.edu |language=en}} Fonthill Media. 2020. ISBN 978-1781557471.
• The Italian Army in North Africa. {{Cite journal |last1=Pili |first1=Jacopo |last2=Zapotoczny |first2=Walter S. |date=2020 |title=Review of The Italian Army in North Africa: A Poor Fighting Force or Doomed by Circumstance, Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26987013 |journal=War in History |volume=27 |issue=4 |pages=727–729 |doi=10.1177/0968344520961930f |jstor=26987013 |issn=0968-3445}} Fonthill Media. 2018. ISBN 978-1781556740.
• Strafbattalion.{{Cite web |title=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 |url=https://mediadrumworld.com/page/167/?m=pc&a=page_s_announcement |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Media Drum World |language=en-GB}} Fonthill Media. 2018. ISBN 978-1781556474.
• The 110th Holds in the Ardennes.{{Cite web |title=The 110th Infantry Holds the Line - Largest U.S. Army Veteran Directory + Service History Archive {{!}} Find People You Served With {{!}} Army.TogetherWeServed.com |url=https://army.togetherweserved.com/dispatches-articles/21/241/The%20110th%20Infantry%20Holds%20the%20Line |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=army.togetherweserved.com}}{{Cite web |title=110th Holds in the Ardennes |url=https://www.militarymodelscene.com/fonthill-110th-holds-in-the-ardenne |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Military Model Scene |language=en}} Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN 978-1781556054.
• Beyond Duty: The Reasons Some Soldiers Commit Atrocities{{Cite web |date=2018-03-11 |title=IN PICTURES: How German women suffered largest mass rape in history by Soviets |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2018/03/11/PICTURES-The-largest-mass-rape-in-history |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Al Arabiya English |language=en}} Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN 978-1625451125.
• Decima Flottiglia Mas: The Best Commandos of the Second World War.{{Cite web |date=February 2021 |title=Naval Association of Canada - Starshell magazine |url=https://www.navalassoc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Starshell-February-Edition-LR.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Naval Association of Canada |language=en}} Fonthill Media. 2017. ISBN 978-1625451132.
• East Capers: Tenth Anniversary Anthology. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. 2011.ISBN 978-1460913802.
• For the Fatherland.{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/walter-s-jr-zapotoczny/for-the-fatherland/ |title=FOR THE FATHERLAND {{!}} Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Handbook of Polish, Czech, and Slovak Holocaust Fiction |url=https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/50214/9783110671056.pdf?sequence=1 |website=OAPEN.org}} Book Surge Publishing. 2009. ISBN 978-1439235928.
• The Chronicles of the 28th Infantry Division.{{Cite web |title=Chronicles of the 28th Division by Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. |url=https://shop.28id.org/products/chronicles-of-the-28th-division |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=28th Infantry Division Association Store |language=en}} Book Surge Publishing. 2009. ISBN 978-1439239728.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• Metallica Electrifies Philadelphia with Explosive “M72 World Tour” Stop. Media Mikes. May 2025.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny |date=2025-05-25 |title=Metallica Electrifies Philadelphia with Explosive “M72 World Tour” Stop |url=https://mediamikes.com/2025/05/metallica-electrifies-philadelphia-with-explosive-m72-world-tour-stop/ |access-date= |website=MediaMikes |language=en-US}}
• Brit Floyd Delivers on the 50th Anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon. Media Mikes. August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny |date=2023-08-28 |title=Concert Review: Brit Floyd Delivers on the 50th Anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon |url=https://mediamikes.com/2023/08/brit-floyd-delivers-on-the-50th-anniversary-of-dark-side-of-the-moon/ |access-date= |website=MediaMikes |language=en-US}}
• Journey to Royal – A WWII Rescue Mission. Media Mikes. November 2022.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny |date=2022-11-19 |title=Film Review: Journey to Royal – A WWII Rescue Mission |url=https://mediamikes.com/2022/11/film-review-journey-to-royal-a-wwii-rescue-mission/ |access-date= |website=MediaMikes |language=en-US}}
• Brit Floyd Creates Magic for the Crowd in Hershey, PA. Media Mikes. March 2022.{{Cite web |last=Jr |first=Dr Walter S. Zapotoczny |date=2022-03-14 |title=Brit Floyd Creates Magic For the Crowd in Hershey, PA |url=https://mediamikes.com/2022/03/brit-floyd-creates-magic-for-the-crowd-in-hershey-pa/ |access-date= |website=MediaMikes |language=en-US}}

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

• Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, Historical Conference, Alexandria, VA | February 2025.
• WWII American Experience, Battle of the Bulge Conference, Gettysburg, PA | January 2025.{{Cite web |title=Dr. Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. Delivers Presentation on 'Triumphs of the Keystone Division' at Sold-Out Gettysburg Event. |url=https://www.facebook.com/28thIDAssociation/posts/1026583979510501/ |website=28th Infantry Division Association's Post}}
• Circle of Studies on the Battle of the Bulge, Battle of the Bulge Conference, Clervaux, Luxembourg | December 2024.{{Cite web |last=harry |date=2024-11-18 |title=Clervaux celebrates the 80ᵉ anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge |url=https://www.excellence-group.lu/en/clervaux-anniversary-battly-bulge/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Excellence Group |language=en-US}}
• 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Army Expo'24, Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA | September 2024.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RljAIfz3xmA |title=28th Division Battle of Bulge Presentation at Army Expo'24 |date=2024-10-09 |last=Walter Zapotoczny |access-date=2025-03-13 |via=YouTube}}
• Society of the 3rd Infantry Division, Colmar Pocket Conference, French Embassy, Washington, DC | February 2023.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=The Battle of the Colmar Pocket Alsace, France Dec 44 to Feb 45 - Comité Tricolore |url=https://www.comite-tricolore.org/The-Battle-of-the-Colmar-Pocket-Alsace-France-Dec-44-to-Feb-45 |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=The Battle of the Colmar Pocket Alsace, France Dec 44 to Feb 45 |language=en}}
• Harrisburg Area Community College, Academic Session, Harrisburg, PA | February 2023.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhdAzIy-M2I |title=Mexican Aztec Eagles Presentation |date=2023-03-04 |last=Walter Zapotoczny |access-date=2025-03-15 |via=YouTube}}

• 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.

• Army Aviation Association of America Order of St. Michael.{{Cite web |title=Army Aviations Association of America |url=https://www.quad-a.org/Public/Public/Awards/Order_of_Saint_Michael.aspx?hkey=7aea8ea5-92f8-4f6a-93b6-08fc5caddabc |website=Historic List of Order of St. Michael and Our Lady of Loreto Award Recipients}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2018-01-27 |title=For the Fatherland by Walter Zapotoczny, Jr |url=https://www.mwsadispatches.com/library/2010/for-the-fatherland |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Military Writers Society of America |language=en-US}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.wzaponline.com Official website]
• [https://omny.fm/shows/witf-news-stories/80th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-bulge Interview on WITF-PBS], Harrisburg, PA, December 2024.
• [https://www.youtube.com/live/0s1_41YhCX0 Appearance on the Veterans Breakfast Club], Pittsburgh, PA, November 2024.
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF7kSV3VD5U Interview on News Corp], London, UK, September 2024.
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf-AamWXuPw Interview on CR38IVES], London, UK, January 2024.
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TigRdPdS6E8 Interview on WWII TV], Bayeux, FR, December 2023.
• [https://thehistorynetwork.org/the-aztec-eagles/ Appearance on the History Network], London, UK, February 2022.
• [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aztec-eagles-the-forgotten-allies-of-world-war-ii/id424628110?i=1000537600354 Appearance on the MacArthur Memorial Podcast], Norfolk, VA, October 2021.
• [https://thehistorynetwork.org/the-italian-army-in-north-africa/ Appearance on the History Network], London, UK, December 2018.
• [https://thehistorynetwork.org/strafbattalion-hitlers-penal-battalions/ Appearance on the History Network], London, UK, May 2018.
• [https://thehistorynetwork.org/the-110th-holds-in-the-ardennes-1944/ Appearance on the History Network], London, UK, February 2018.
• [https://www.abc27.com/good-day-pa/author-spotlight/author-spotlight-walter-s-zapotoczny-jr/ Interview on ABC TV], Harrisburg, PA, December 2017.

Category:American historians

Category:American military historians

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zapotoczny, Walter}}

Category:1949 births

Category:Living people