Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Worth Fighting For: My Life as a World War II Spy
    Worth Fighting For: My Life as a World War II Spy
    Worth Fighting For: My Life as a World War II Spy
    Ebook141 pages1 hour

    Worth Fighting For: My Life as a World War II Spy

    By Frank Weishaupt

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    For over 60 years, Frank Weishaupt kept a secret from his family and friends. Then at a class reunion in 2009, he was asked a simple question - “What did you do during World War II?”

    Frank replied, “I was a spy.”

    Take a trip back in time with a young man thrust into responsibility and maturity by loyalty to his country in a time of war.

    Born in 1925 the son of German immigrants, Frank Weishaupt grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where, at the age of sixteen, he was recruited into America’s brand new Office of Special Services (OSS) for the lone purpose of spying on German military activities.

    Officially enlisted in the United States Navy, Weishaupt trained in secret during his high school years, studying the French and German landscape and learning hand-to-hand-combat. When he finally deployed in Europe, Weishaupt joined the Normandy invasion of France - not with a gun overhead, but a bicycle. Peddling across the European countryside, he infiltrated and blended in; playing the role of a wealthy, Swiss student. Armed with his knowledge of the French, Swiss, and German languages, he would engage the enemy on a daily basis, deliver vital troop movement information, smoke out a double agent in his own OSS ranks, and save himself from the Gestapo.

    Little did Weishaupt know he would be relaying his findings to some of the Allied forces’ top brass—Montgomery, Bradley, and none other than General George S. Patton, Jr. himself.

    Journey with Weishaupt as he weaves his tale of recruitment, training and intrigue, dancing with princesses and wooing beautiful European women, aiding Jews to safe haven, and his search to find himself during times of personal struggle.

    For the first time, Weishaupt breaks his silence, openly sharing his experiences and details his covert OSS operations during war; paying tribute to those he left behind, the family who never knew his secret, and the fallen comrades he would never see again.

    ***AUTHOR'S NOTE***
    On Friday, October 24, 2014, American hero and war veteran, Frank E. Weishaupt passed away peacefully in his sleep in Mason, Ohio. My heart hurts just writing this and I cry over the loss of such a wonderful friend who made me laugh and inspired me in more ways that I can put into words.

    Frank was truly a "hail fellow well met" and he brought smiles and laughter everywhere he went. I was honored and privileged not only to meet him and hear his amazing story, but to bring it to life so that others may learn of his very personal experiences he kept private for so long.

    Please honor the memory of this incredible American by reading his book and sharing it with your friends, family, children, neighbors, church, etc. Only through passing our history on do we stay strong in our beliefs, appreciation, and love of country and those men and women who sacrificed so much for our freedoms.

    God bless you, Frank! I know I'm blessed from having known you. Godspeed.

    - Marley Gibson, October 28, 2014

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCardinal Rules Press
    Release dateOct 14, 2013
    ISBN9781301226542
    Worth Fighting For: My Life as a World War II Spy
    Author

    Frank Weishaupt

    Frank E. Weishaupt is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and proudly served his country in World War II under the guise of being in the United States Navy, when in reality, he served in the Office of Special Services as a spy reporting directly to General George S. Patton, Jr. After over 60 years of keeping his secret, Weishaupt is proud to share his story of services and sacrifice to the country he loves. Today, he still lives in Ohio with his two dog pals, volunteers at the blood bank, makes the coffee at church every Sunday, and shares his adventures and experiences with school and library groups

    Related to Worth Fighting For

    Related ebooks

    Military Biographies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Secret Life of Grief

      Dec 3, 2013

      The Secret Life of Grief
      12 min read

    • Article

      The Missing Keys

      May 7, 2023

      The Missing Keys
      11 min read

    • Article

      Enough Already With the Trauma

      Sep 1, 2022

      On May 18, 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition—or DSM-5, the latest revision of the so-called psychiatric bible. On the very same day, the first and only

      5 min read

    • Article

      Vanessa

      Oct 15, 2020

      Vanessa
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Intimacy Of Covid

      Mar 23, 2021

      The Intimacy Of Covid
      5 min read

    • Article

      The Final Truth

      Jan 21, 2020

      The Final Truth
      5 min read

    • Article

      Big Grief

      Aug 27, 2023

      Big Grief
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Art of Death

      Jun 14, 2017

      MORE and more of us are writing our own obituaries. Some of us meticulous planners write a few paragraphs that we hope will be printed in our local newspaper or on our funeral programs after we die. However, most of us are creating detailed digital n

      12 min read

    • Article

      The Art of Death

      Jun 13, 2017

      MORE and more of us are writing our own obituaries. Some of us meticulous planners write a few paragraphs that we hope will be printed in our local newspaper or on our funeral programs after we die. However, most of us are creating detailed digital n

      12 min read

    • Article

      A Brand-new ending

      Jan 29, 2022

      A Brand-new ending
      7 min read

    • Article

      Is GRATEFUL to Be Here

      Nov 16, 2023

      Is GRATEFUL to Be Here
      16 min read

    • Article

      Letter to My Son

      Jul 4, 2015

      Letter to My Son
      30 min read

    • Article

      This Party’s Over

      Aug 21, 2020

      This Party’s Over
      10 min read

    • Article

      Power Dressing

      Dec 8, 2023

      Power Dressing
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Long Goodbye

      May 1, 2023

      The Long Goodbye
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Worth Fighting For

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Worth Fighting For - Frank Weishaupt

      INTRODUCTION

      On a forty-one degree dark and rainy January morning in the Cincinnati area, a tried and true Toyota Sienna van rolls into the yellow-lined spot at Tri-Health Fitness.

      This is my parking space, he says with a wide smile.

      None of the other patients would dare nab this coveted position.

      He steps a sneakered foot out of the vehicle and makes his way into the state-of-the-art complex that houses the rehabilitation facility for recovering heart patients. On the way in, he holds the door open for a nurse who is balancing her coffee and a dripping wet umbrella. She thanks him and he flirts with her mercilessly, completely making her day. Cheerfully, he slides into the elevator and punches the second floor button.

      When the silver doors slide open, he steps out and goes over to hang up his hat and coat like a true gentleman. And then he gets down to brass tacks. Because rehab is something he wants to do to stay healthy, fit, and influence others.

      There are maybe a dozen other heart patients on various pieces of equipment, many chewing the fat together over their slow-paced ride on the exercise bikes. That is until he walks in.

      Suddenly, there’s a spark in the air. A sense of command all around. An unspoken and understood snap to attention. The patients recognize they’re being watched. And, they know what he’ll say.

      He walks through with his workout towel tucked into the back right pocket of his tan pants.

      Here comes trouble! one man calls out.

      Frank’s here, another says.

      The slacker on the exercise bike quickly shapes up, sits tall, and begins pedaling with greater fervor.

      What are you doing over here? Frank asks of him. Couldn’t make it over to the real equipment?

      They laugh together, but still, the much younger man pumps up his calisthenics.

      Yes, indeed, Frank is here.

      Frank E. Weishaupt, at the spry age of eighty-eight, makes no eye contact, but goes straight to the track where he speed walks around it for one lap like a man half his age. He returns to the workout room and leans his meager weight on the wall, braced by his arms. Then, he starts his pushups as everyone counts out.

      One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

      When he finishes, several men applaud. The nurses smile their approval. And Frank beams a genuine grin out because he’s among his people doing what he loves best: inspiring others.

      He’s the boss, the nurse says.

      The boss of the floor, supervisor Chris Sherman, registered nurse, chimes in.

      And why not? Frank had a small heart procedure in July 2002, but it didn’t slow him down one bit. Even though he’s not medically directed to continue his rehab, he still does it religiously every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He has years on most of the other patients, yet they respect all he stands for. In fact, there’s usually a tug-of-war tease-fest to snatch his towel away from him. Of course, he allows it because that’s just how he is. Then he jokes back that he can’t even feel what they’re doing.

      I have a dead ass, he proclaims with everyone laughing along. (Now, he has a bulldog clip on his pants to secure the towel from any future would-be thievery.)

      But it’s all in good fun and for the benefit of others. Frank is an inspiration just by being there. And he practices tough love on his fellow rehabbers, pulling no punches.

      One man sighs and complains that the exercise is way too hard for him and that he’s tired. He’s in his mid-forties.

      Frank sternly lowers his eyes and says, Well, then, I’ll be looking for your obituary in the paper soon.

      Frank is frank.

      The man gets back to work.

      That’s just how it is with Frank, though. People around him have no idea the life he’s lived and what he’s seen. Where he’s been and who he’s dealt with. He knows the value of every day and the appreciation of every breath we take.

      Hey Frank, I hear you’re writing a book, one of his buddies quips. It’ll be a bestseller… for people with insomnia!

      Frank takes it all in stride with that vibrant grin of his. If I can make one person smile, he says, then that makes my day.

      Even through all of the joshing, banter, and mischievousness, the patients at the rehab center have nothing but respect and admiration for Frank E. Weishaupt. As well they should.

      The following Sunday, Frank is one of the first people to arrive at Whitewater Crossing Christian Church in Cleves, Ohio. He sets out the coffee maker in the Sunday school room, brewing up various exotic blends for the attendees. Even though it’s cold, dark, and rainy outside, Frank is nothing but warm smiles. Everyone wishes him a belated birthday and he fawns over the cards he receives from everyone. He’s part of their tight-knit community and they’re thrilled to have him with them.

      An older parishioner warns out, Turn away from him now. Then she chuckles and kisses him on the head. Love you, buddy.

      The theme of the day this Sunday is Joy is a state of being. Frank Weishaupt certainly embodies that with all he does. The ladies adore him. The men appreciate him. The young people look up to him. Rightly so.

      Frank is an average Joe. He is a hail fellow well met. Smiles and laughter follow in his wake no matter if it’s at the local pub, the gas station, or visiting a close friend or relative. You see him at the gym, he’s front and center at church every Sunday, and he volunteers at the local blood bank. He’s the guy who’ll gather your mail when you’re out of town and mow your lawn when it needs it. He’s kind to animals and he still opens car doors for the ladies. He unabashedly flirts with waitresses and recycles the same old jokes that never fail to crack people up every time. He’s affable and caring and charitable to a fault. Everyone knows Frank and everyone just loves him.

      As well they should. But there’s more under the surface. So much more.

      If only people knew…

      You see, Frank has a secret.

      A secret he’s kept for years. Over sixty, to be exact.

      Almost a lifetime.

      It’s a secret he never revealed to his own parents. One he never shared with either of his wives or with any of his five children. It’s the same closely guarded secret shared with the likes of infamous chef, Julia Child, 1950 Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche, U.S. Secretary of Labor, Supreme Court Justice and Ambassador to the United Nations Arthur Goldberg, Pulitzer Prize winner Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun, Oscar Award winning director John Ford, and Major League Baseball player Moe Berg.

      The only difference is you’ve never heard of Frank E. Weishaupt. Until now.

      This secret was so clandestine; Frank planned to take to his grave.

      Or so he thought.

      Until one night in November of 2008, Frank attended a veteran’s dinner at Mercy High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his niece is a teacher. For some reason, that Weishaupt himself cannot explain, the truth was revealed at last. An admission that tumbled from his lips before he could halt the words. Maybe this time, he didn’t want to.

      A fellow veteran turned to him and asked, So, what did you do in the war, Frank?

      After sixty-two years, everyone in Frank Weishaupt’s life assumed he was a simple sailor in the United States Navy assigned to the Pacific during the years of World War II. However, in the blink of eye, Frank finally admitted the truth.

      He sat back and proudly proclaimed, I was a spy.

      At this memory, Frank’s eyes tear up and his strong bottom lip quivers slightly. He’s transported back to another place… another time… another life.

      This is his story.

      "By perseverance, study, and eternal desire, any man can become great."

      ~ General George S. Patton, Jr.

      CHAPTER ONE

      I never imagined as a young boy that I might be destined for something great. At least, in my own small way.

      Greatness comes in many forms. For some, it’s going to medical school and becoming a doctor. For others, it’s educating and teaching children. Still more tend the lands and grow the crops that feed our nation. Others are called to serve and to lead. For me, the curve ball of my life was being in the right place at the right time in the right situation.

      Little did I know what my future held or what I would be called to do in the

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1