Youngsville, LA (April 18, 2026) — Based in the Netherlands, military historian Joey van Meesen is helping connect families and communities to World War II history through detailed research and documentary work, including a collaboration with BY Local News Media related to the identification of a World War II soldier.
Van Meesen’s work focuses on preserving the history of United States soldiers who served during World War II. Through archival research, battlefield analysis, and documentary storytelling, he reconstructs the movements of soldiers and units, often bringing new clarity to events that have remained uncertain for decades.
He holds a Master’s degree in military history and specializes in researching the United States Army during World War II. His research relies on original archival materials, including military records, Morning Reports, and other primary sources, combined with geographic analysis of battlefield locations.
Van Meesen is a co-founder of Footsteps® Researchers, an organization dedicated to preserving the stories of American veterans through historical research and education. The group works with families, historians, and institutions to trace the experiences of individual soldiers.
As part of its work, Footsteps® Researchers provides guided battlefield tours for families, allowing them to visit the locations where their relatives served during the war. These tours are based on detailed historical research and are designed to connect families with the experiences of their loved ones.
The organization includes a global team of historians and guides who reconstruct the paths of soldiers during the war, offering research-based insights tied directly to historical records and locations.
Van Meesen also leads SNAFU DOCS, a documentary and research initiative focused on presenting military history in a visual and accessible format. Through this work, he has produced documentary videos that examine World War II battlefields and trace the movements of United States forces across Europe.
In addition to YouTube, he does video campaigns for the Foundation of Royal Defense Museums, which include the Marines Museum, the Navy Museum, and the National Military Museum in the Netherlands.
His documentaries connect archival research with present-day locations, allowing viewers to better understand where events occurred and how they unfolded.
His research also contributed to the identification of Private First Class Charles Theodore Plog, a United States Army soldier photographed during World War II whose identity remained unknown for decades.
Although his work is based in Europe, its impact extends to families and communities in the United States who continue to seek a deeper understanding of their relatives’ military service.
Through his research, documentary work, and collaboration with international historians, van Meesen continues to help ensure that the experiences of World War II soldiers are not forgotten.
