Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki How The Stars and Stripes Began by Virginia G. Vassallo

The Unsung Patriot is the biography of Guy T. Viskniskki, the dynamic first officer-in-charge and editor-in-chief of The Stars and Stripes newspaper. Based in part on Guy’s unpublished autobiography describing the first difficult months of the paper, his granddaughter’s knowledge of the family verbal history paints a picture of a complex man. A devoted husband and father, Guy was unable to show the love he felt for his family. Guy poured his time and talent in the newspaper business. His knowledge and energy made the Army’s newspaper a reality and his doctrine of “by and for the soldiers” still is the guiding light of the Stars and Stripes.

Guy T. Viskniskki was the founder and first editor-in-chief of The Stars and Stripes, the newspaper for the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. Virginia G. Vassallo is his granddaughter and based much of her book upon his unpublished memoirs and family history. Unsung Patriot weaves the struggles to establish The Stars and Stripes with a portrait of the man who was dynamic enough to accomplish the task. Guy was a complex man and the author grew up with many competing images of him. In writing this book she feels that she found her grandfather – the man she never knew.

Virginia Vassallo's Bio -

Virginia G. Vassallo is a retired attorney with a BA in history. She lives on a farm in rural Kentucky with her husband and their animals. A grandmother of six, she wanted her grandchildren to know about her grandfather.

Virginia lives on a farm in rural Kentucky with her husband, Russell, who is also an author. They have six horses, five cats and two dogs on the farm at the present time, most of whom are rescue animals.

When Russ began writing about their animals, he encouraged Virginia to write about her grandfather. She had planned on writing something simple for her children and six grandchildren, but it grew into something much more than anticipated. Her book is based on her memories of family stories; upon Guy’s unpublished memoirs of his time in France getting The Stars and Stripes up and running, and additional research to round out a picture of the man who was dynamic enough to start the paper.

Not only is Virginia G. Vassallo the author of Unsung Patriot: Guy T. Viskniskki, she is also Guy’ granddaughter. Guy founded The Stars and Stripes, the newspaper of our armed forces, during World War I. He had spent over twenty years in the newspaper business, working up from being a printer’s devil to owning a syndicate that sold articles to all the major newspapers. When Guy volunteered for service in 1917, he hoped to go on the line and fight as her ancestors had. Instead his knowledge of the newspaper business was recognized and he ended up as the first officer-in-charge and first editor-in-chief of The Stars and Stripes. Virginia is very proud that the principles that Guy established for the newspaper are still its guiding principles today in 2008.