The evidence is incontrovertible: I am slowly, with each passing year, becoming my parents. I realized just this past year that I now have many of my mom’s weird health food habits. Her awful cereal I swore I’d never even try? Now I actually prefer it. When I was a kid, my dad used to ask me before bed what I’d accomplished that day. This used to drive me absolutely crazy. Now, as an adult, I occasionally have trouble going to sleep if I can’t think of something I accomplished that day that I’m proud of.

Something else I’ve inherited from my dad: a passion for war movies. I recently realized that most of my all-time favorites (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, and the recently released Hacksaw Ridge) have something rather obvious in common: they’re all set during World War II. I think my interest – at least in part – has to do with the fact that my grandfather (my dad’s dad) was a veteran of WWII. But as far as I know, no stories of his experiences survived his death. There are so many heroes like my grandfather that fight in our wars and conflicts whose stories never get told. This Memorial Day weekend I am reflecting on all the men and women who have fought and sacrificed quietly, without fame or accolades, simply in service to their country and to honor the ones who fought at their side. These individuals’ stories may never hit the bestseller’s lists or appear on the big screen, but their sacrifice is just as valuable, and their stories just as precious.

Looking for inspirational stories about some less-than-famous heroes? Try one of these World War II titles:

Ghost Soldiers: the Forgotten Epic Story of World War II’s Most Dramatic Mission by Hampton Sides

On January 28, 1945, 121 hand-selected troops from the elite U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion slipped behind enemy lines in the Philippines. Their mission: march thirty miles in an attempt to rescue 513 American and British POWs who had spent three years in a surreally hellish camp near the city of Cabanatuan. As the Rangers drew close, they learned that Cabanatuan had become a major transshipment point for the Japanese retreat, and instead of facing the few dozen prison guards, they could possibly confront as many as 8,000 battle-hardened enemy troops. The improbable rescue that followed was made possible only by the resilience of the prisoners, the heroism of the Rangers and Filipino guerillas, and the nearly suicidal bravado of several spies who risked their lives to help the prisoners stay alive during their long ordeal.

Fighting for America: Black Soldiers, the Unsung Heroes of World War II by Christopher Moore

In this inspirational and uniquely personal tribute, the essential part played by black servicemen and -women in the World War II conflict is brought home. The book contains letters, photographs, oral histories, and rare documents collected by author Christopher Moore, the son of two black WWII veterans. Many unheralded heroes who helped America win the war are celebrated, including Dorie Miller, the messman who manned a machine gun and downed four Japanese planes, Lt. Jackie Robinson, the future baseball legend who faced court-martial for refusing to sit in the back of a military bus, and an until now forgotten African-American philosopher who helped save many lives at a Japanese POW camp.

The Leper Spy: the Story of an Unlikely Hero of World War II by Ben Montgomery

In 1944, as World War II raged in the Pacific, a young, vivacious Filipino woman with leprosy named Josefina Guerrero was swept up in the underground guerrilla movement in Manila. Guerrero grew to become one of the most reliable and courageous spies for the United States in the Pacific Theater, putting her life at risk for no reward but to help the Americans oust the Japanese occupiers from her homeland. One of her many acts of heroism: sneaking food and medicine to U.S. prisoners of war being tortured and starved in internment camps. Guerrero, a convent-educated girl who loved reading poetry and listening to Beethoven, remains to this day one of World War II’s most unconventional – and inspirational – heroes.