Steven Bradley Blinn was born in Philadelphia in the early 1960s. He was a very outgoing boy and enjoyed reading and sports. He attended Hebrew school two times a week. Steve's school had students from different cultural groups and his neighborhood was predominately Jewish. From an early age, Steve remembers his Bubba (grandma) and Zada (grandpa) telling stories of the old days. Anti-Semitism loomed large in Europe. His ancestors had to leave Europe to escape the Russian Pogroms and the Nazis. They fled to find freedom and avoid persecution because they were Jewish. They journeyed to America to be free. At this young age, Steve couldn't understand why people would harm and kill each other simply because of their culture or religious beliefs. Steve was a typical American teenager. He enjoyed sports and getting together with friends. Summer jobs included gas station attendant, valet, hospital janitor and soda jerk. In high school, Steve excelled at football and baseball, playing for the varsity team. During his junior year, he became interested in the military. His friend's brother served in the Navy and invited Steve to tour his base. This inspired Steve to serve his country and help make the world a safer place for people of all cultures and religions. After four years at Virginia Military Institute, Steve graduated #1 in his ROTC class with a B.S. in Biology. The graduation ceremony took place in May 1986 and included Steve taking his oath to serve as a Naval Aviation Officer. He was elated and ready to assume his duties. He attended flight school in Pensacola, Florida and received his wings in August 1987. Lieutenant Blinn joined his sea-going squadron VAQ-137 and deployed on his first cruise on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. America. The cruise lasted eight months in the Mediterranean Sea. In November 1990, Lieutenant Blinn deployed on his second cruise to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to participate in the Iraqi Conflict called Operation Desert Storm. The purpose of this mission was to stop Saddam Hussein and the Iraqis from occupying and killing the people of Kuwait. They were very greedy and wanted to take over the oil fields that belonged to the Kuwaiti people. Kuwait didn't have a strong military and couldn't defend themselves, so the United States stepped in for their liberation. Lieutenant Blinn flew 25 combat missions totaling 104 combat hours over Iraq. He flew an EA-6B Prowler aircraft jet which jammed enemy radar and carried missiles which were used to destroy enemy radar. Operation Desert Storm ended on February 28, 1991. When Lieutenant Blinn came home to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a big party was held in his honor. At the party, the mayor, Susan Bass Levin, presented him with a plaque to acknowledge his service to our country in Operation Desert Storm. Lt. Steve Blinn finished his service to the United States Navy on February 28, 1995. Today, he lives in the Midwest with his wife and children. He works in the logistics industry for one of the top U.S. rail transportation companies. He actively participates in community service work for veterans and supports his youngest daughter in her patriotic endeavors as a State Officer with the National Society Children of the American Revolution.
About the Author: Elise Blinn is a 13-year-old, 8th-grade Honors student at Century Jr. High School in her hometown of Orland Park, Illinois. She is a very creative and hard-working individual who has a knack for reading, writing and sketching. She also enjoys playing piano, violin, tennis, and being involved in community service. Elise is a State Officer in the National Society Children of the American Revolution, which focuses on patriotic service, education, and historic preservation. Elise is usually one to write fiction books for entertainment, but this non-fiction biography about her father was certainly just as much fun, if not more! She truly enjoyed the time that she spent learning more about her father's life and the events that surrounded Operation Desert Storm. "Writing and illustrating this book has been an experience like no other. I wish that many young authors and illustrators would take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to document a veteran's story with A BOOK by ME. I know it will enrich their lives as much as it has mine."