PARK RAPIDS — When Deane and Jill Johnson of Park Rapids started writing their first book together, they didn’t realize there would be a sequel of sorts, one that would encompass the entire state, including southwest Minnesota.

“When we wrote ‘Little Minnesota: 100 Towns Around 100,’ we were astounded at the number of men who died in World War II from the smallest towns,” they said. “How was it possible that one tiny town lost nine men in World War II? We wrote their stories in ‘Little Minnesota in World War II: The Stories Behind 140 Fallen Heroes’ from ‘Minnesota’s Littlest Towns,’ the result of six years of research.”

With the help of families, military groups, historical societies and records from the National Archives, the Johnsons pieced together where these soldiers served and what happened. They received help from a plethora of sources.

“Families dug through old trunks and veterans services sorted through files to send us letters and poems sent home,” Jill Johnson said. “The men wrote about their concern for their families, their wish to finish the job assigned to them and their dream to return home. The government saved the family’s letters in their files, and we were reminded that most of the men were from immigrant families and often English was their second language.”

“It took six years to complete the book once we started,” Deane Johnson said. “Jill did a lot of the research in talking to families of the servicemen, when they could be located, and in obtaining records from the various branches of the service. She then wrote the narratives and selected materials for the stories.”

“Deane helped with researching, writing and editing battle summaries and action reports,” Jill Johnson said. “He also worked on cleaning up and retouching old photos and scans of the men and finding photos that showed where the men fought on the battle front.”

Selecting a favorite individual story is like choosing a favorite child, they said.

“The ones we talk about the most are John Emery, who was on the USS Arizona on Pearl Harbor, at the very beginning of direct involvement with the war, and Herman Thelander, who disappeared on Flight 19 over the Bermuda Triangle not long after the war was over,” Jill Johnson said. “Deane likes the story of Vincent Dolan from Danvers and the ‘Baby Patrol.’ He was in the 134th Infantry Regiment, which fought all the way from the Normandy beaches to Germany.”

More than 80 young children were sheltered at a chateau in the French town of Han, which the Allies were about to attack the next day, and a group of volunteers crept across a swamp that night to rescue them, she said.

“Jill is touched by the story of Peter Chernich, who was in the Merchant Marine,” Deane Johnson said. “His wife, Aile, is the only surviving spouse, and we were fortunate to visit her in Carleton.”

The Johnsons are planning to give a power point presentation of “Little Minnesota in World War II” at the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum, which is the perfect venue as they have a beautiful Veterans Memorial, they said.

“We will follow the war through the men’s stories and their family memories,” they said. The program is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

Deane Johnson served in the U.S. Public Health Service as a commissioned (medical) officer, stationed in Garretson, Isle, Mille Lacs and Onamia. When he left the service, he became a family physician while his wife became a physical therapist.

In 2001, they opened a book store in Park Rapids and named it Beagle Books after their Beagle dog named Kallie.

“She ruled the store,” Jill Johnson said of their late pet. “It was always an adventure with her.”

“Kallie liked to run off outside, usually to the local meat market,” Deane Johnson said.

Other books by the Johnsons: Jill Johnson wrote and Deane Johnson photographed “Little Minnesota: 100 Towns Around 100,” published in 2011, which tells the stories of Minnesota’s 100 smallest cities.

The Johnsons are married and have lived in Park Rapids since 1980. Jill Johnson is originally from Strandquist and Karlstad, tiny towns in northwest Minnesota.

Deane Johnson grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Johnsons have three children.