About 15,000 young men underwent pre-flight and advanced bomber navigator training at Selman Field in Monroe, the only all-inclusive navigator training facility during WWII. ULM history professor Richard B. Chardkoff is telling their story in his new book "The Navigators."

Chardkoff recently learned that Center for Louisiana Studies has accepted his manuscript for publication.

"It's a story of one of the forgotten airfields of World War II," he said.

"They were just 18-year-old kids who won every imaginable award, including the Congressional Medal of Honor."

Telling important stories is not new to Chardkoff, who wrote "Sol's Story: A Triumph of the Human Spirit." In his book, Chardkoff tells the story of Monroe businessman Sol Rosenberg and his experiences as a Holocaust survivor.

Chardkoff, director of the general studies program, completed his undergraduate work at Vanderbilt University and received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Florida State University.

He is the author of numerous articles, which have appeared in historical publications, presented papers at professional conferences, and is the recipient of several research grants including a Fulbright Fellowship to Argentina and a ULM research grant to Poland.