Family of Soldiers: Lake Carroll’s Hoffman pens book on ancestors, relatives military history

LAKE CARROLL — Norm Hoffman might not have served his country in the armed forces, but the military is a large part of his life.Several of Hoffman’s ancestors and relatives, through both blood and marriage, have answered the call to serve in conflicts both foreign and domestic, in times of both war and peace.Hoffman, 83, of Lake Carroll, decided to collect his family history — military service and personal memories — and published a book to keep their tales and accomplishments alive for future generations.“Family of Soldiers” was published in 2025 and is available on Amazon. The self-published book — divided into 25 chapters across 492 pages — encompasses nearly 160 years of American history, from a pair of brothers who were on opposing sides during the Civil War to relatives serving in the 21st century.Much of the book is dedicated to Norm’s grandfather on his mother Dorothy’s side, Maj. Gen. Wilson Newhall, whose military career stretched through two World Wars and two branches of se