A Minot man’s fascination with history has led to the publication of a book that tells the story of Minot’s past from World War I through the Cold War.

Bruce Anderson, who pursues history and collects photographs as a hobby, said he’s just getting started with his book, “Minot, North Dakota and Area War Years and War Heroes.” There’s so many more stories yet to be told, he said.

Anderson previously produced DVDs on Minot history from 1880 to 1900 and on the 2011 flood. He’s compelled to document history, he said, because it doesn’t feel right to keep the information that he gathers to himself. That’s the mindset that led him to try his hand at writing and layout design with his first book.

“It took me about four years,” he said. “I was going to do a book on Minot history in general. I am not a very good editor, and it kept growing and growing and growing. Subsequently, I wasn’t going anywhere. I wasn’t getting anything done.”

Realizing he lacked focus, Anderson narrowed his work to what he considers an essential fabric of Minot the military and the men and women from Minot who served their country through the years.

“What started out as a chapter turned into a 480-page book,” he said.

“It’s a tribute,” he added. “It’s just a way of thanking those who have sacrificed for the country, to keep their memories alive. A lot of the stories would have been lost through time.”

The hardcover book with its 8.5-by-11-inch pages contains more than 900 photographs. It has dozens of stories about people from the area. Some previously had books written about or by them but others are less well known. Anderson said he believes he uncovered at least one general for whom there hadn’t been a previous established connection to Minot. The general, Lt. Gen. John Richard Murphy, grew up in Minot but graduated from high school in Fargo.

“We have now 11 generals and admirals that have come from Minot or had some roots in Minot. Ten of the 11 graduated from Minot schools,” he said.

The book puts the military events in perspective. It includes photographs of Minot during those periods in time, including the Depression years and the 1969 flood. The book includes a pictorial history on the Minot Radar Base, Minot Air Force Base and 91st Missile Wing.

One of the highlights in producing the book was connecting with some of the people whose stories were included.

“That was a real treat for me, getting to interview and talk to a lot of these people,” Anderson said.

Those people include Arthur Suto, who was born in Minot but grew up in Japan and fought with the Japanese Army in World War II. He later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and became an aeronautical engineer involved in several significant projects for McDonnell Douglas.

Others who impressed him included Clint Romesha, Minot’s recent Medal of Honor recipient, and Lt. Col. Frank Kappeler, the first deputy commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base. Kappeler, then a navigator, was involved in the famous Doolittle Raid over Japan during World War II. Hollywood made three movies based on the raid.

Anderson said he was able to capture stories of ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations, becoming heroes in their own ways. Even since the book has published, he has learned of more stories that deserve to be told. Maybe that will be a book for another day, said Anderson, who already is planning his next publication.

“I have other books that I am working on now. I hope I am getting better at editing because they are growing,” he said. “What started out to be one book on Minot now is probably three, if I can get them done, or maybe four.”

Anderson credits his interest in history to his father.

“My dad used to tell me stories about the olden days. I think that’s what got me started,” he said. He took some history courses at Minot State University but received his degree in business education. He has lived the past 42 years in Minot, where he has worked in the school system.

Local history reflects a piece of the larger American history, and Anderson said his goal in researching Minot area history is to give residents a sense of how their community fits into the bigger picture.

“They see people from their own comunity. It makes it a lot more real. It brings it home. At least, that’s what I hope it does,” he said.

Minot’s tie to the nation’s history is noted in photos of President Richard Nixon wearing a “Why Not Minot?” button, President Dwight Eisenhower waving to greeters at the Minot airport, St. Joseph’s Hospital staff watching a civil defense film and Minot soldiers marching to the depot to fight in World War II.

The section of his book that seems to generate the most comments, though, is the portion on UFOs, Anderson said. Anderson decided to include the section after seeing a Saturday Evening Post aticle about a UFO sighting at Minot Air Force Base in 1966. A second sighting was reported by base personnel in 1968.

Anderson, who described himself as “more of a gatherer of information,” said many people deserve credit and thanks for the photos and information that enabled him to assemble the book. He particularly is grateful to Dr. Dennis Lutz and Tam Black at the Old Soo Depot Transportation Museum and The Minot Daily News.

The book is available at (www.minothistorybooks.com) or at Home Sweet Home, which is hosting a book signing on Sept. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.