Command Staff

Guiding the Collective

At the helm of Ghosts of 1945 are Bo Johnstone and Robert Mergel, experienced leaders dedicated to keeping WWII history alive. As our command staff, they provide the organization and vision needed to coordinate living history events, large-scale battle reenactments, and community outreach programs. Both are knowledgeable speakers on WWII history and can tailor presentations to schools, museums, or civic groups. Whether you need a full contingent of reenactors for a public event, authentic displays for a museum program, or subject matter experts to engage audiences, Bo and Robert ensure our collective delivers a professional, authentic, and educational experience.

Lt. Col.Bo Johnstone (retired)

Robert Mergel

Major

After thirty years of teaching and coordinating Civil Engineering Technology, Robert (Bob) Mergel retired in 2012 from Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio and was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus. In 2018 he retired as a senior lecturer at the Ohio State University College of Engineering where he taught undergraduate civil engineering and surveying courses. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Ohio State University (1972), Master of Education Degree from the Ohio University (1990) and a Master of Science Degree in Geodetic Science and Surveying from the Ohio State University (2002).

From 2006 to present, he has made first person and third person presentations on subjects on Colonial American Surveying, American Civil War Engineering and Mapping, Spanish-American War, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and World War II (Manhattan Project) at numerous local, state and national venues including the Champaign Air Museum, Central Ohio Military Museum, Central Ohio Technical College - Life Long Learning, Surveyors Historical Society, Ohio History Connection, National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Bents Old Fort (National Park Service), United States Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Leonard Wood, and the United States Library of Congress.

Bio Coming Soon...