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Today’s Mathews County, Virginia has a rich maritime history, dating to the mid-17th century, when it was a part of Gloucester County. The county is well known for its fishing, oyster farming, shipbuilding, watermen and merchant mariners. During World War II, many Mathews men chose to serve their country in the Merchant Marines, where they served on Liberty ships and supply vessels carrying food, fuel and munitions to the Allies off the Atlantic Coast, in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. They braved a web of U-Boats off the Atlantic Coast to reach their targets, and many lost their lives.On Wednesday, 11 November, author and journalist William Geroux will tell us more about Mathews County in World War II, when he discusses his 2016 book, The Mathews Men: Seven Brothers and the War Against Hitler’s U-Boats.
William (Bill) Geroux is an award-winning journalist and author, known for his works on military history and investigative reporting, often focusing on lesser-known events and highlighting the personal stories of soldiers. The Washington DC native is a graduate of the College of William & Mary, with a career of more than 25 years as a journalist, primarily writing for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. His books include The Mathews Men (2016), The Ghost Ships of Archangel (2019) and The Fifteen (2025). Bill currently resides in Virginia Beach, where he continues to write and to share his research through speaking engagements and author events.
Date: Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: MacArthur Memorial Visitor Center Theater,
198 Bank Street, Norfolk VA 23510
The event is free and open to the public.
Mark your calendars for upcoming Louis L. Guy programs:
2026
November 11, 2026 – Mathews Men – Bill Geroux
December 9, 2026 – Willing to Die Fighting; The Chronicle of the 34th Naval Construction Battalion – Dr. Frank Blazich Jr. The story of the first African American battalion of US Navy Seabees, formed and trained at Norfolk. Presented in partnership with the MacArthur Memorial.
2027
January 13 - Common Cause: The Constitution of Virginia. – Shades of our Past LLC.
February 10 - Virginia Stage Company: A History. – Jeff Ryder, Managing Director, VSA.
March 10 - History on the Half Shell: The Oyster Industry in Hampton Roads.– Lillie Gilbert.
April 14 - Virginia Dynasty. – Mark Walsh.
May 1 - TBA
June 9 - These Are the Times That Try Men’s Souls: The Virginia Oath of Allegiance 1777. – Shades of our Past LLC.
All will take place at 7:00 PM at the MacArthur Memorial Visitor Center Theater.
All these events are free and open to the public. No tickets required.
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Event venue
MacArthur Memorial, 198 Bank St,Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Tickets
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