Taking part in the remembrance of WWII soldiers through the Silent Heroes project has deepened my understanding of WWII and the ideas of sacrifice and freedom. Statistics can try and quantify the sacrifice and bravery of the young men and women of our country, but in reality it is the individual stories, not numbers, that bring historians closer to these soldiers. By locating information and photos regarding Private Espenshade, I feel that I gained a better understanding of the extent of the sacrifice he made and the power that the prospect of freedom instils in our country's people. Private Espenshade not only had parents who loved him, but six siblings, with whom he only got to spend 19 short years. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in WWII and behind each number is a story of a human with family, friends, and dreams. If I were able to talk to my soldier, I would ask Private Espenshade what he kept in mind in order to have bravery while in danger. Private Espenshade was able to sacrifice his life for millions of people he didn't know, so the least we can do is uncover and remember the stories of him and the many other soldiers even if we do not have a direct connection with them. Together, we are all united by our country's strive for freedom and equality. The most important source in this project was Ancestry because it gave Private Espenshade's sacrifice a whole backstory. Through the census records I located on Ancestry, I was able to learn about Espenshade and his family - who he left behind in order to serve our country. This project also redefined "gratitude" for me. I have no relation to Espenshade other also being an American and residing in the same state he grew up in, but I feel immense gratitude towards him and the many other soldiers who were willing to serve our country during WWII. There is no way to fully thank him or his family, however I feel that spending time to really get to know who he was is a way to honor him and his service.