Mel Lees has led a life full of interests and excitement. His father had to sign for him to join the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet program in 1942. Mel was commissioned and flew 38 combat missions with the Flying Tigers, 14^th Air force, in China, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Air Medals. Although his plane was hit many times, he fortunately escaped injury.

Marriage preceded his separation from the service, and college followed discharge. The Korean Action followed and he was back in a uniform that was much too tight. Upon discharge in 1952, he, his wife and two small children headed straight to California.

Mel developed his own life insurance company that he operated for fifty years. Mid-life crisis found him pursuing not women, but mountains. He could be found climbing mountains almost every weekend. He climbed over one hundred peaks in Southern California, thirty-five in the Sierra, twenty-five in the California Desert. The most challenging mountains he succeeded ascending were Mt. Rainier, and the volcanoes in Mexico.

As he got older, he became worried that his judgment had lost its edge so he put away his crampons and ice axe. Challenges were part of his makeup so he entered another sport with less risk.

Mel began racewalking competitively. He became a factor in the international scene entering races from 5,000 meters to 30 kilometers. At one time, he was number two in the world in the 20 kilometer distance. He also was the national champion for 25 kilometers in the USA. Of course, these races were for his age group. The younger men and women had already changed their clothes by the time his age group finished.

Retirement from the insurance business allowed Mel to pursue a track that had been urged upon him for years. He started to write, and with the help of the San Luis Obispo NightWriters, he began to get his articles published. Finally this novel, The Wheeler Saga A Nation Emerges, is an historical novel about the Revolutionary War and the family that was so affected. Their loves, their fights for survival and the results of the Industrial Revolution portrays a fine picture of life in the1800 frontier. The final section discusses the war of 1812 from the British and Canadian view and the reunification of a family torn apart by war.