We Were There includes thirty World War II accounts told by men who lived it and (in some cases, narrowly) lived to tell about it. These veterans, representing all branches of the military, each played a different and important role in the war.

These first-hand accounts provide personal insights into the hardships, monotony, adventure, and terror of war. Readers share in the loneliness, camaraderie, fear, and success as these young men selflessly serve their country, for many of them, on hostile land. The joy of World War II victory is short-lived, however, as they return to civilian life and face the adjustments necessary for returning to their families and restarting their education and careers.