Backbone History, Traditions, and Leadership Lessons of the Marine Corps NCO’s, by Julia Dye

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MWSA Review

If Marine NCOs form the backbone of the Corps, then the fourteen traits Julia Dye lists form their individual bones.

Although no Marine, Julia Dye relies on her expertise in hoplology (the anthropology of human conflict) to the task of explaining what makes a good—if not great—Marine NCO. She narrows it down to fourteen character traits, grouped under the headings of Body, Mind, and Spirit. Some traits are obvious, such as courage, loyalty, endurance, and dependability. However, Dye includes some not-so-obvious ones like tact, and defines it in a way which makes one think twice. Moreover, she not only cites Marines who personify the trait, but carries it to the outside world. Take integrity. Southwest Airlines’ response in the aftermath of September 11 is given as a shining example. Rather than lay off its workers, Southwest sought input from them on how to cut costs and keep going. Grateful workers responded with countless valuable suggestions on the company could stay solvent. Dye thus shows the other side of her thesis: if leaders (NCOs and officers) practice these virtues, then so will those under them.

Backbone is rich in examples of Marines, both men and women, who personify the ethics presented. Perhaps a little too rich at times, for it is possible to get bogged down in the various examples. However, Dye’s research is impeccable, as her lengthy bibliography suggest. She succeeds in making the case for her interpretation of each trait, and concludes by admitting no matter how outstanding a person’s actions are, no one is perfect, nor can be. High quality photos of many of the NCOs mentioned are an additional plus, tying the text to an actual face. This is a book which can resonate at many levels, Marine NCOs, officers, enlisted personnel, other service branches, and the general public.

Thoughtfully done and thought provoking, Backbone has a place on any bookshelf.

Reviewed by: B. N. Peacock (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Non-commissioned officers stand as the Backbone of the United States Marine Corps. The Corps is among the most lasting institutions in America, though few understand what makes it so strong and how that understanding can be applied effectively in today’s world. In her first book, Julia Dye explores the cadre of non-commissioned officers that make up the Marine Corps’ system of small unit leadership. To help us better understand what makes these extraordinary men and women such effective leaders, Dye examines the 14 traits embraced by every NCO. These qualities—including judgment, enthusiasm, determination, bearing, and unselfishness—are best exemplified by men like Terry Anderson, the former Marine sergeant who spent nearly seven years as a hostage in Beirut, and John Basilone, the hero of the Pacific.&; To assemble this extraordinary chronicle, Julia Dye interviewed Anderson and dozens of other Marines and mined the trove of historical and modern NCO heroes that comprise the Marine Corps’ astonishing legacy, from its founding in 1775 to the present day.

West Point Leadership: Profiles of Courage, by D.E. Rice, J.A. Vigna, and G.E. Mathieson Sr.

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MWSA Review

With nearly 200 biographical entries of West Point graduates, this hefty, lavishly illustrated book offers readers a decent overview of the qualities that make a soldier into a respected military leader. Each essay is accompanied by three or more photographs of each person covered, and the essay is written by another graduate, who summarizes the career of the subject in about 500-1000 words. Major Keith Walters (class of '97), for example, has produced a graceful and touching biography of General Jonathan (Skinny) Wainwright, the officer who shouldered the sad duty of commanding the soldiers who defended Bataan against the Japanese in 1942, while Major Christian Teutsch (also class of '97) writes an impressive sketch of one of Wainwright's classmates, Joseph (Vinegar Joe) Stillwell, whose career culminated in China in 1945. Taken together, the essays thus can offer readers a good overview of American wars as experienced by many of its heroes and top commanders.

Established in 1802 on the grounds of a Revolutionary War fort, West Point has graduated nearly 65,000 officers, who are trained primarily in engineering studies, command, and national history. The school did not admit any female cadets until 1976, and as a consequence not many sketches of female officers are to be found in this volume. Indeed, selecting 200 from such an enormous pool is a difficult task. But those that are profiled in the volume provide a good overview of the many duties that West Point graduates subsequently perform, and a fine summary of the service all US Army officers give to their country.

Although WEST POINT LEADERSHIP may deter some potential readers due to its hardback price tag, the book will be a valuable reference for military historians, career Army officers and serious American military enthusiasts.

Reviewed by: Terry Shoptaugh (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

The most unique book ever published highlighting West Point graduates who have shaped our world. This book has over 200 biographies and over 2,000 unique photos from history highlighting heads of state, generals, Medal of Honor recipients, astronauts, politicians, captains of industry, scholars and other leaders.

Walter Goes to War – WWII, by Dick Hrebik

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MWSA Review

Dick Hrebik wrote a biography about Ensign Walter H. Beckham Jr. USNR going to war during World War II. Dick weaves in an intriguing historical perspective as he shares how the war continued to play into Walter’s life until his death on October 4, 2011 at 91 years of age. The part that Walter played in that war still dramatically influences the lives of his surviving family and friends, of which the author is included.

Our country for the most part honors our veterans of World War II. How we have sometimes missed the mark on our love for the veterans in wars since is painful and distressing. Hrebik, a Marine himself, tells the story of an ordinary man who lived extraordinary things as a young Naval officer in the most challenging times and as a loving husband, doting father and talented lawyer 

I really loved the first part of the book. On page 30 he writes: “Seeing unthinkable carnage on the decks of their ships, where many of the mangled and blown apart bodies were those of their fellow sailors and Marines, tore at their souls and inflamed their hearts with rage and hate.” The mixture of Walter’s own words and history was brilliant and powerful. I learned much about wars and especially World War II. 

The book is very important to military and human history. I even learned how a ship my father sailed on during a horrific tragedy in the Korean War had honorably contributed to the war effort. This book shares with us that “the pilot cannot perform his lofty duties without the faithfulness of boots on the ground, Navajo decoders, cooks, supplies, storekeepers, Seabees, Marines, scientists, and patriotic oneness and families back home."

I suggest that the lessons and insight learned from past wars cannot be understood without wonderful writers like Major Dick Hrebik, USMC Retired. Walter was a wonderful writer too: “We had a gorgeous tropical sunset which struck me with its irony - having seen death and destruction in the afternoon… The relief was short lived, however, as a brilliant full moon arose out of the oceans.”

Reviewed by: Ron Camarda (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

When Walter was born in 1920, Japan had invaded Korea and China while the world stood by in disbelieve that Japan would ever attack the United States. By the time Walter entered high school, he knew war was imminent with both Japan and Germany. Having already been admitted to Harvard Law School, instead, Walter stepped forward and said "Take me, I want to serve my country." Walter was a naval officer on the USS PORTLAND, a heavy cruiser assigned to screen several aircraft carriers during 6 major battles starting with Midway. Read Walter's account from his diary, and personal stories of Seabees, Marines, a Navy Corpsman, naval aviators (including Pres Bush 41), survivors of the Bataan Death March, one of the first 31 female pilots in the Army Air Corps, and more. After the war, Walter became a legendary lawyer in Florida, when he convinced the courts to allow admission of demonstrative evidence, which changed the findings in thousands of wrongful death and injury cases; a common practice in every court in the land today. This is yet another story of the men and women of the Greatest Generation that deserves to be told.

Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always, by Mike Guardia

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MWSA Review

In real life, Hal Moore is every bit the hero that Hollywood made him out to be, and more.

In the well-written biography “Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always,” author Mike Guardia tells how Moore exemplifies the leadership qualities needed in all military leaders both in battle and in peacetime. It is a well-documented study of an exceptional soldier and innovative problem solver.

After graduating from West Point as World War II ended, Moore served three years of occupation duty in Japan with the 11th Airborne Division. His baptism in combat came in Korea with battles that included T-Bone, Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill. During that war, he served a rifle company commander and as a regimental and divisional staff officer, all with the 7th Infantry Division. Nearly twenty years later, he returned to the 7th Division in Korea as its commanding general.

An early pioneer in the air mobile concept of warfare, Moore’s proved the value of helicopter-borne troops in Vietnam when he led the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry into the remote la Drang Valley and amid two regiments of North Vietnamese regulars. The bloody three day battle was immortalized in the book and movie “We Were Soldiers Once …and Young.” Actor Mel Gibson played the role of Moore, then a lieutenant colonel. With many episodes throughout Moore’s life, the book proves there was no embellishment of the man by the movie. A true warrior/leader, Moore received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at La Drang.

As Viet Nam wound down, morale and discipline in the U.S. Army hit an all-time low. The author describes how General Moore played a major role in helping the army reinvent itself into an all volunteer organization. His leadership and drive helped restore esprit de corps, higher training standards and discipline to the service. He retired as a lieutenant general after 37 years of service.

“Hal Moore” is a quick read, yet contains sufficient depth to fully understand Moore’s personality, character and motivation. It explores his knack for bringing out the best in his subordinates and for turning poor performing units into extraordinary organizations that became the envy of other commanders.

This biography should be essential reading for every sergeant and officer in the military, and every executive in business.

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Hal Moore, one of the most admired American combat leaders of the last 50 years, has until now been best known to the public for being portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie “We Were Soldiers.” In this first-ever, fully illustrated biography, we finally learn the full story of one of America’s true military heroes.

A 1945 graduate of West Point, Moore’s first combats occurred during the Korean War, where he fought in the battles of Old Baldy, T-Bone, and Pork Chop Hill. At the beginning of the Vietnam War, Moore commanded the 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry in the first full-fledged battle between U.S. and North Vietnamese regulars. Drastically outnumbered and nearly overrun, Moore led from the front, and though losing 79 soldiers, accounted for 1,200 of the enemy before the Communists withdrew. This Battle of Ia Drang pioneered the use of “air mobile infantry”—delivering troops into battle via helicopter—which became the staple of U.S. operations for the remainder of the war. He later wrote of his experiences in the best-selling book, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young.

All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq, by Miyoko Hikiji

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MWSA Review

The cover of this book entices a potential reader with a beautiful young woman naked to the waist holding her open hands over her chest. Kneeling in her open hands is a miniature of herself kneeling, head bowed, dressed in battle green camo, holding her M-16 straight up, with a full-sized dog tag dangling from her hands. This striking cover illustrates the juxtaposition this young woman, Miyoko Hikiji faces not only as a member of the National Guard but as a member of the Regular Army after the guard is called up after 9/11.

After basic Army training which she completes—long timed runs, marches in full gear, weapon, and 50-pound ruck sack, timed push-ups and sit-ups—she could never be good enough because she was female. At this time, she decides to become a woman warrior: dependable, capable, equal, not to be overlooked. She also finds a man, Jon, to call her own although fraternization is against Army rules. She also acquires a battle buddy, called a “battle” that is an Army rule. You didn’t go anywhere without your battle—your best friend, your confidante, the one that has your back. Three weeks’ training and Hikiji begins her double-journey: Kuwait and then Iraq; woman to woman warrior. In her first mission, she drives a truck leftover from WWII in a convoy. Because the truck has no radio, she has to make unexpected turnarounds in tight spaces, but she succeeds.

No longer an outsider with the first mission under her belt, she is taking in the war with all her senses:  its gritty sand, sweat, small towns that might have snipers or booby-traps to watch for, bombing at night, eating old MREs, trying to sleep on a fold-out cot in the back of her truck. Even with Jon there, the tracers keep them awake. She marks another day in her journal.

Day after day, she marks problems in this war: promotions to shoddy soldiers, pseudo-soldiers that prefer to give fifty percent effort, her sergeant’s anger at her relationship with Jon when there are other couples, too—that don’t get the tongue-lashing and threats she gets. She decides what so many others in other wars conclude: There just aren’t any rules here.  Then she sees what was called in the Vietnam War, the thousand-yard stare (183), she questions God, watches men, not women, promoted, and worries about going home. Who will she be?

Reviewed by: Margaret Brown (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Before Washington officials said that women could go into combat, they were out there in the battle, but just not getting credit for it. Armed with M16 s and more robust firepower, women support troops backed up infantry units and got into the thick of it when called up to lend support.

Transportation troops, in Iraq and Afghanistan, driving the IED laden roads with critically needed ammunition and supplies were always in the combat zone, explosive devices frequently causing the loss of limb and life attested to that.

Miyoko Hikiji, a young woman from Iowa knows well of it well enough to write a book about it. All I Could Be My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq tells it just the way it was when, as a young woman in the Iowa National Guard, she was deployed to Iraq after the invasion ten years ago and discovered that the peaceful world she knew amid the Midwestern farm land had been replaced by the wind driven sand dunes of Iraq. Peace she discovered had become a pleasant and distant memory. Armed with an M16 and the equipment of the modern warrior, Miyoko was told to take her weapon into the cab of a truck, sit behind the wheel, and join a series of convoys. Each day she drove deeper into harm s way.

And each night was a nightmare in the making. Miyoko writes of one such night, "The infantry's mortar platoon, just down the street, zeroed in and returned fire. The opposite bank exploded. Then, two patrol boats fixed with automatic weapons screamed by opening fire along the bank. The radio on the patio lit up with chatter but we couldn't make out details. Moments later it was silent again. Voices on the radio became clear--all clear. Reluctantly we climbed out of the hole and returned to our tents. No one could sleep but no one wanted to talk. We lay silently in our bunks until the sun beckoned us to start another day."

And, another day always brought stress, fear and all that war brings. "It is my war story," writes Miyoko, "it is part military history, part personal revelation, part therapy, the stuff of so many war stories that have become a vital part of the great American tradition."

"All I Could Be" is a fascinating beginning to a new chapter in that great tradition: the recognition of the woman warrior in America.

After Action: The True Story of a Cobra Pilot’s Journey, by Dan Sheehan

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MWSA Review

Open the cover to get a pictoral view through a Marine pilot's magnified optics from the front seat of a killer Cobra helicopter.

His dangerous job is well done, but you feel the internal and lasting conflicts that come from the fight.

This third generation military aviator vividly portrays the details of external and internal carnage that transpire when a human assumes the role of warrior and "bears the burden of peace." Well paced action and reflective insight balance out into an incredible read.

The author chooses analogies to help others find their way who also wear the deep scars from a kill or be killed combat experience. Sometimes there are no exact answers for killing in the line of duty, but Sheehan shares coping mechanisms that work. Dan does a great job relating how to understand, adjust, carry on, and succeed after war. AFTER ACTION has my highest recommendation. It is a remarkable human battle story and a healing tool.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Not all wounds are visible.

Dan Sheehan is a third-generation military flyer. He was eager to test his skills as a Cobra gunship pilot in the theatre of combat – and then he got his chance, first, in East Timor, then during two tours of duty in Iraq.

The scenes in Dan’s military memoir crackle with tension and excitement as we follow his path into battle. Bullets pierce their Cobras as Dan and his buddies struggle to separate enemy fighters from civilians - ultimately deciding who lives and dies. Through blinding sandstorms, the smoke of battle and chaos of low-altitude firefights at night, Dan puts us in the front seat of the Cobra - where we white-knuckle our way through barrages of enemy fire - and into his head as he makes split-second decisions that carry lasting consequences.

But there is far more to Sheehan’s story than this – an important reason why he wants us to understand what military men and women experience on the front lines of war. And what they bring home.

After the adrenaline rush of combat, something inside Dan would not turn off. He was a warrior, willing and proud to serve his country and he was fortunate to come out of battle whole, time and again. But he had not escaped Iraq untouched. 

The subtle agitation he felt continued to grow into - restlessness - wariness - the hyper-vigilant sense that he needed to be always on guard. Even as he struggled to ignore it, the edginess grew, trailing him long after the action was over. Eventually, it began to intrude into his personal life, his intimate relationships, and threatened to hurt those he loved the most.

What Dan Sheehan learned, and what he exposes so bravely and frankly in his writing, sheds light on the invisible marks left on the soul of many warriors. As he shows us, admitting those marks are there is the next step in a veteran’s journey after action.

If you are a warrior …or know one… you will want to read this brave and moving memoir.

DaNang Diary: A Forward Air Controller’s Gun Sight View of Flying with SOG, by Tom Yarborough

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MWSA Review

"Good work Covey - You've got them all shooting at you!" … These words were typical life and death radio communications from the covert SOG operators on secret missions inside Laos who required danger close air support from the Forward Air Controller (FAC) above. USAF FAC pilot Tom Yarborough shares the surrounding view through the Plexiglas canopy - if it isn't blown away - of his low flying OV-10 Broncho. He does this while orchestrating the entrance of all critical assets into theatre - fast movers, Cobras, Hueys, and additional Special Forces. The FAC flies, fights, and coordinates the ever changing situations - whether it be to insert, defend, or save and rescue SOG warfighters or to attack enemy guns and positions down the fortified Ho Chi Minh Trail. Yarborough draws from over six hundred combat missions in which he and his aircraft are shot up over a dozen times to provide this first hand report of top secret - and recently declassified - "Prairie Fire" missions into Laos and Cambodia. The author's detail is breathtaking: ammo dumps burn for ten days with hundreds of secondary explosions, the FAC "trolls" for targets hidden under dense jungle canopy, emergency landings are pulse bangers, and rescues under heavy fire are all vividly described. Fellow FAC's and brave SOG recon men are killed; regardless, the rest heroically fly and fight the next day in the face of unthinkable hardships. The camaraderie and life’s lighter side back at Da Nang Airbase in the Covey FAC "Muff Divers Club" add a humor balance to these remarkable missions that few knew about. Highly decorated Author Tom Yarborough deflects all credit to others while assuring accuracy through extensive research of this incredible military history. There are many current day BIO's of the characters in the book that I found extremely interesting. Da Nang Diary has my highest recommendation.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Originally published in 1991, this classic work has now been revised and updated with additional photos. It is the story of how, in Vietnam, an elite group of Air Force pilots fought a secret air war in Cessna 0-2 and OV-10 Bronco prop planes—flying as low as they could get. The eyes and ears of the fast-moving jets who rained death and destruction down on enemy positions, the forward air controller made an art form out of an air strike—knowing the targets, knowing where friendly troops were, and reacting with split-second, life-and-death decisions as a battle unfolded.

The expertise of the low, slow FACs, as well as the hazard attendant to their role, made for a unique bird’s-eye perspective on how the entire war in Vietnam unfolded. For Tom Yarborough, who logged 1,500 hours of combat flying time, the risk was constant, intense, and electrifying. A member of the super-secret “Prairie Fire” unit, Yarborough became one of the most frequently shot-up pilots flying out of Da Nang—engaging in a series of dangerous secret missions in Laos. In this work, the reader flies in the cockpit alongside Yarborough in his adrenaline-pumping chronicle of heroism, danger, and wartime brotherhood. From the rescuing of downed pilots to taking out enemy positions, to the most harrowing extended missions directly overhead of the NVA, here is the dedication, courage and skill of the fliers who took the war into the enemy’s backyard.

The Great War Dawning; by Joe Robinson

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MWSA Review

The Great War Dawning is a historical study of the German Army at the start of WWI. This is an extensive study authored by three writers in the name of Frank Buchholz, Joe Robinson and Janet Robinson which will not only bring forth the formation of the German Army at the dawn of the Great War but also gives a deep understanding of the formation of the modern German unified government.

This vast historical volume begins with the formation of a unified Germany from the Germanic states which up until 1870 were independent from each other. So in the vast political oasis that is Europe, Germany is a baby among the polemic entities. In fact at the start of WWI when Germany entered into a two front war, Germany was at the point of its history as the United States was at the time it entered War of 1812.

The authors bring forth with concise detail as to how the various states are formed into the German Army. It is through the efforts of the Prussian Army culture that the basic formations of the German Army take hold. The training, the maintenance of reserves and the missions of all the combat arms are conveyed in great detail. Also a study in detail is shown in the support elements of logistics and supply.

With this background told in historical perspective the authors bring us to the beginnings of WWI. It is here where they express the true reasons for the German failures to execute the Schlieffen plan in detail along with the reasons for failure in using the leadership of Auftragstaktik (independent leadership.) The thesis brought forward by the authors is contrary to the British historical look of leadership and command of the Germans in WWI. The staid historical perspectives of over 100 years has been challenged and gives us a thought provoking look at the original Blitzkrieg in its failure in executing the Schlieffen plan.

This is indeed original research and deserves our attention. Excellent book! Excellent research! In fact this book can and should be used as reference in further studies and research. The maps are detailed and the appendices are detailed and informative. This book is a historical treasure to be studied and read with new and useful information. Well done!

Reviewed by: Dick Geschke (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

The imperial German army in 1914 was not the juggernaut that many presumed; rather, it was a force mired in tradition that had developed many structural weaknesses. Most English-language histories of the Great War's battles are based on British sources; the authors of this book based their analyses on many original German sources. With an extensive bibliography that includes German language sources (many unpublished), the reader is presented with a different view of the conflict. This will become the seminal English language book on the German army as it entered World War I. This treatise explains the social, political, and economic structure of the country as it relates to the German military. It is the only English-language source that fully explains the German army-both active and reserve forces coupled with their training and doctrine. More importantly, this book discusses the structural issues in the German army that led directly to its failure at the Battle of the Marne. Specifically, leadership issues, logistical issues, and the misuse of cavalry created significant fissures that could have been corrected before the war. This is a different view of the Great War than the well-known Guns of August published in 1962. The Great War Dawning presents a critical look at the doctrine of the time and how leadership's failure to overhaul outmoded methods led to the downfall of imperial Germany's plans in 1914. Book also

Valor in Vietnam 1963-1977 Chronicles of Honor, Courage, and Sacrifice, by Allen Clark

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MWSA Review

Valor in Vietnam is a compelling book about the lives of 23 individuals, including the author, who served in Vietnam between 1963 until 1977.  The stories unfold chronologically, and sometimes overlapped with a person from a previous story continuing on with his own.  The last chapter revisits a love story in which a civilian worker and his Vietnamese fiancé finally reunite after years of separation due to the fall of Saigon.  Most of the personal accounts are by Army personnel, including one Army nurse who details the horrors of working with wounded personnel in conditions not suitable for non-problematic injury care.  There were also chronicles from Air Force, Marine, and Navy personnel as well as a POW story. All in all the book makes for interesting reading, especially with narrative by the author that explains the progress of the war through the introduction and historical overview, an epilogue of reflections, and within the narratives themselves. If you are interested in military history and personal stories of honor, courage and commitment of military personnel, then you will be well served in reading this book.

Reviewed by: Darlene M Iskra (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Every war continues to dwell in the lives it touched, in the lives of those living through that time, and in those absorbed by its historical significance. The Vietnam War lives on—famously or infamously, depending on political points of view—but those who have “been there, done that” have a highly personalized window on their time of that history. Valor in Vietnam focuses on nineteen stories of Vietnam, stories of celebrated figures in the veteran community, compelling war narratives, vignettes of battles, and the emotional impact on the combatants. It is replete with leadership lessons and valuable insights that are just as applicable today as they were forty years ago.
 
This is an anecdotal history of America’s war in Vietnam composed of firsthand narratives by Vietnam War veterans presented in chronological order. They are intense, emotional, and highly personal stories. Connecting each of them is a brief historical commentary of that period of the war, the geography of the story, and the contemporary strategy written by Lewis Sorley, West Point class of 1956, and author of A Better War and Westmoreland.
 
With a foreword by Lt. Gen. Dave R. Palmer, US Army (Ret.), Valor in Vietnam presents an overview of the war through the eyes of participants in each branch of service and throughout the entire course of the war. Simply put, their stories serve to reflect the commitment, honor, and dedication with which America’s veterans performed their service.

America’s Greatest Blunder by Burton Yale Pines

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MWSA Review

History is said to be the propaganda of the winners. In America’s Greatest Blunder, Burton Pines shows how skilful propaganda can determine who the winners are.

With the one hundredth anniversary of the start of World War I approaching, many are re-examining the conflict. What perhaps has not been sufficiently noted was Britain’s clever manipulation of U.S. opinion, turning it from initially a neutral or slightly pro-German bent into a virulently anti-German declaration of war. For example, Britain cut Germany’s two trans-Atlantic cables to the America’s at the war’s outset, insuring her version of events would be the one most heard. Moreover, Britain had a highly effective covert government sponsored propaganda machine, cleverly disguised as “news.” The drumbeat was non-stop and clever. Germany, by comparison, had to handle its dispatches openly through its embassy and consulates. Hence, its efforts were seen as mere government propaganda.

Pines painstakingly, and occasionally laboriously, leads up to the events which tipped the military advantage in favor of Britain and France. He is at his best here, showing how President Wilson and the American public inevitably jumped on the war bandwagon. Pines then theorize that the outpouring of American troops broke the military stalemate. Where a status quo ante bellum and a less punitive peace might have occurred, Britain and France rammed home the harsh terms which Wilson protested but proved unequal to prevent. Pines then follows a familiar thread, the resulting radicalization of Germany and rise of Hitler, leading to World War II. Insightful, well-researched and documented, America’s Greatest Blunder is worth considering.

Reviewed by: B. N. Peacock (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Entering World War One against Germany was America's greatest blunder of the 20th century. America had no reason to join the 3-year-old struggle. By sending two million doughboys to the Western Front, America shattered the battlefield stalemate and won the war, allowing Britain and France to impose a devastating peace on Germany, thus igniting toxic German cries for revenge.

Absent America's entry into the war, the exhausted combatants, however unhappily, would have had to drag themselves to a negotiating table and there make a peace of compromise. There would have been no victor, no vanquished, no Versailles Treaty, no reparations, no German demands for revenge, no Hitler and surely no World War II and even no Cold War.

The tale of how America stumbled into war is told byAmerica's Greatest Blunder. It chronicles America's journey from sensible neutrality to its war declaration. It then describes how legions of doughboys were mobilized and trained and how they won the war, giving victory to Britain and France - thus launching the young 20th century on its course of decades of unprecedented violence.

Red Markers, Close Air Support for the Vietnamese Airborne, 1962-1975, by Gary Willis

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MWSA Review

“Red Markers” is an excellent history for anyone interested in the Vietnamese War and understanding of the difficulties and hazards of coordinating successfull close air support for combat troops engaged in firefights on the ground.

As the nation’s tactical reserve, units of the South Vietnamese Airborne were constantly rushed into hotspots throughout the country during the 1962-75 war. A major factor in their successes was the close air support made possible by a small group of U.S. Air Force Forward Air Controllers (FAC) attached to Vietnamese. Their true story is told in “Red Markers,” an entertaining and informative history of American airmen who also became paratroopers and wore the jaunty red berets and jungle fatigues of the airborne units they supported.

Using official records, interviews with veteran ‘red hatters’ and individual diaries, Gary Willis writes with clarity about the ingenuity, dedication and bravery of the men who flew small, unarmed and unarmored ‘Bird Dog’ aircraft close to extensive ground combat in order to direct close-in fighters and high flying bombers onto critical targets.

The FACs, who had one of the most dangerous jobs in the Air Force, coped with a myriad of difficult issues including logistics, language, improvised landing strips, incompatible radios, extreme weather conditions and often times, blistering enemy ground fire. Some of the challenges they faced were summed up in one FAC’s comment after an long, intense battle: “At one point I think I was talking to the US Advisors on the ground, the (Vietnamese) lieutenant in the back seat, the gunship commanders, several fighter flight leaders, the artillery fire control center, Red Marker control at Tan Son Nhut – all on different frequencies and more or less at once.”

Initially, there was only one American Air Liason Officer assigned to the Vietnamese Airborne. But as the war intensified, FAC unit grew to a maximum of 36 at any one time.  Yet, during the 13 years of U.S. involvement, only 175 pilots, crew chiefs and radio operators were assigned to coordinate air support for the airborne battalions scattered throughout the country.

Despite peppering the book with a barrage of acronyms normally associated with military operations (there is a glossary), the author uses easily understood maps, footnotes and scores of good photographs to illustrate the history of the Red Markers. Interesting personal anecdotes, many humorous, gleamed from interviews with 76 veterans of the unit are interspersed amid the narratives of battles and changes of policy, military and political circumstances that added to the fogs of war.

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Award-winning history of a segment of the Vietnam War . . . From 1962 until early 1973, a handful of Usaf officers and airmen directed close air support for the Vietnamese Airborne and its American advisors in Macv Advisory Team 162. This Red Marker detachment began as a single Air Liaison Officer. It grew into a combat unit of 36 personnel with a dozen aircraft before shrinking to a single officer as the United States withdrew from combat. Over the decade of its existence, less than 175 men served in the unit. Five of them died in combat. This award winning history of these forward air controllers from the beginning to the end is based on contributions from 76 men who were there.

The Fires of October, by Blaine L. Pardoe

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MWSA Review

“Fires of October” is a critical and detailed analysis of the military aspects of the Cuban missile crisis in1962. By outlining the strength of Soviet tactical and strategic nuclear weapons in Cuba, and the use of these weapons delegated to commanders in the field, it shows how close we came to a nuclear conflict.

While the diplomatic maneuvering was going on between Washington and Moscow over removal of long range strategic missiles, author Blaine Pardoe takes the reader through the evolution of rapidly turning contingency plans into operational plans for the bombing and invasion of Cuba by U.S. forces. He uses many charts, maps and photographs to illustrate detailed capabilities and organizations of weapons, troops, aircraft, targets and other resources available to the Americans, Soviets and Cubans.

“Fires of October” also shows flaws in the American intelligence capabilities of that era, i.e. reconnaissance aircraft limited to daytime runs and the Soviet combat forces on the island estimated at half of their actual 40,000-man strength. This would have, the author asserts, created serious problems for the paratroops and marines during their assault on the island. Pardoe provides a thoughtful analysis of how the American invasion would have been countered by crack Russian troops and seasoned Cuban fighters. He also said the planners had flawed assumptions that the Cuban populace would rise up in rebellion against Castro

The constant changing of the invasion plans created confusion among U.S. Military commanders in all branches. For example, the Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command took over all the military airfields in Florida, but no provisions were made for those fields to handle the air transports needed for two airborne divisions. Other conflicts developed between various U.S. Army commands as areas of responsibility became blurred.

The most chilling revelations of “Fires of October” were the numbers of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons scattered about Cuba. Tactical commanders could easily, the author theorized, have used a small nuclear missile to seriously cripple the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay. Soviet doctrine was for commanders to prevent their nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of an enemy.

This well documented history explores scenarios that if war broke out in Cuba, what might happen if the Soviets try to force the allies out of Berlin or even launch a preemptive all-out nuclear strike on the U.S. With six divisions tied up in a war in Cuba, the U.S. would not have the resources to reinforce American defenses in Europe.

“Fires of October” and its thorough analysis of the logistical and operational headaches  created in a rapidly developed invasion plan is a fascinating study of the early 1960s capabilities of the U.S. military. But it can also be easily understood by a lay reader. I recommend it.

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

It was the closest we ever came to unleashing the Third World War.... The image of that world was so horrible to contemplate that both sides stepped away from that precipice and opted for peace. Fires of October is the exhilarating military history of the Cuban Missile Crisis exploring in detail the strategic plans implemented by American Armed Forces as they headed towards a catastrophic nuclear collision with Cuba and the USSR. Using recently declassified material, Blaine Pardoe systematically recounts the origins of the crisis, from the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and Cuba s military metamorphosis, to the internal disorganization of the US military, which exacerbated tensions between the USA, Cuba, and the USSR. Pardoe reveals that the invasion plans were based on old intelligence, outdated maps, and misconceptions about the size, strength, and composition of the Soviet forces in Cuba; for the first time, and with harrowing results, he scrutinizes the potential fallout had the invasion gone ahead. Gripping and unnerving, Fires of October shows us just how close the world came to nuclear war.

Georgia Remembers Gettysburg: A Collection of First-Hand Accounts Written by Georgia Soldiers, by J. Keith Jones

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MWSA Review

"Georgia Remembers Gettysburg" is one of the finest books on the Battle of Gettysburg that I've ever read. It balances strategy, adventure, tragedy, and loss against time, memory, and perspective. Historian and author Keith Jones has a knack for seeing a picture in shattered shards of glass and has once again, as he did in his award-winning book, "The Boys  of Diamond Hill," created a mosaic of humanity that intrigues and moves the reader. 

In the Introduction, Jones describes the roles of the various Georgia Units serving in the Army of Northern Virginia as it moved North in 1863 -- the Georgia Artillery, Anderson's Brigade, Benning's Brigade, Dole's Brigade, Gordon's Brigade, Semmes' Brigade, Woffard's Brigade, and Wright's Brigade. This is usually where the story ends. However, with Chapter One, we realize that we will be seeing the events of late June and early July through the eyes of the Georgians who fought in a tiny Pennsylvania crossroads known as Gettysburg -- through their notes, letters, diaries, and published articles. Some of these narrations were penned within a day or two of the event -- some were recorded months or years or decades after the fact. Some tales reflect youth, local perspective, and excitement. Some are told with the wisdom of distance and age.

I was amused to read how the various narrators saw themselves and their comportment at Gettysburg. Several expressed satisfaction at burning hated abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens' Iron Works a few days before the battle -- while at the same time, feeling offended that the Northern media blamed them for the burning of Wrightsville, PA. The gallantry of the times seems quaint now -- a reflection of General Robert E. Lee's orders and the innate rules of right and wrong carried in the hearts of the men themselves. They relished perceived support from the Pennsylvania locals -- but mistrusted it at the same time. While determined to behave better as invaders than the Federals, it's clear that many were regretful of the circumstances that drove them to personally take food from farms and homes. That the army took private property like horses seemed to cause less dismay -- perhaps because that was expected on both sides.

Another amusing story -- reminiscent of the whisper party game -- centered on General Gordon of "Gordon's Brigade" coming upon Union General Barlow -- mortally wounded -- on the first day. He pauses to talk to the stricken officer and leaves him, assuming that he is doomed and will die where he fell. Years later, the two met again -- each having believed for years that the other had died. Those basic facts took on mythic proportions as the story was told and retold with each narrator enhancing it. Although I chuckled as this incident was introduced in succeeding accounts, I was struck by how difficult it must be to confirm what did or didn't happen -- even in Gettysburg which has been so carefully documented by so many historians over the last century and a half.

Participating mainly on the first and second days of the three day conflict at Gettysburg, the Georgia boys had good reason to feel that they were winning. Their performance was courageous and determined. Many were hardened by experience and moral certainty that their cause was just. On the first day, they captured and killed thousands of Federals -- and chased the rest through the town to the heights on the far side. Many were distressed at the time...and even more so in the years after the battle ... that they were ordered not to follow their foes and displace them from the prized "high ground." Some believed that this one "blunder" as one soldier put it ... led to the loss of the battle and ultimately the war. On the second day, soldiers who were reporting closer to the time of the battle without understanding the totality of the event, concluded that the Confederates must have or should have "won" the day. Their commitment was such that they attempted the near impossible as readers who might have visited Gettysburg can attest after seeing places like the Wheat Field, Devil's Den, and Little Round Top. With the passage of time and a better understanding of the whole event, these soldiers seem proud to have fought against such odds -- while continuing to grieve for the cost in lives and limbs. 

Keith Jones, by allowing the Georgia boys to report events as they saw them ... and to comment about them, gives us not only eye witness accounts of a famous event but empathy and context in a way that most history books forget to include. It is a delicious experience that will keep you pondering for weeks.

** Although I have visited Gettysburg many times and have spent long hours at the locations mentioned in this book, maps with the movements of these specific units would have been useful. However, in total, "Georgia Remembers Gettysburg" is carefully notated and has helpful Appendices like "The Confederate Order of Battle at Gettysburg for Georgia Troops" and a comprehensive and logical Index. 

Reviewed by: Joyce Faulkner (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

During the Gettysburg Campaign, troops from Georgia formed a sizable portion of General Robert E. Lee's famed Army of Northern Virginia. From the first crossing of the Potomac River to the bravery and sacrifice exhibited in heavy fighting on July 1 and 2, and ultimately through the agonizing retreat back to Virginia, Georgians played a key role at every stage of the campaign. This collection of accounts written during and after the war by Georgia soldiers provides a unique view into the Gettysburg Campaign from the perspective of those who were in the ranks over the course of those momentous days in the Summer of 1863.

Night Flares: Six Tales of the Vietnam War; by Robert M. Pacholik

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MWSA Review

Many Vietnam veterans today are finally recognizing PTSD as a diagnosable, treatable illness and beginning to tell stories that continue haunting them since leaving Nam for what they call “The World” — America. Among those telling these stories are a courageous few who are either recounting their personal memoirs or collecting and writing fictionalized tales of other’s real life experiences. Night Flares, is one such book, which author Robert Pacholik, a still photographer in Vietnam, describes is “not about geopolitical movements, or global strategies on the chess boards of superpowers,” but rather,“… the personal story of an individual American fighting man caught up in the maelstrom of counterinsurgency land warfare in the 1960s.”

In short, each story is Pacholik’s fictionalized account of an eyewitness event, told in the first person by six different men. Written as Pacholik says he intended, to be as real as possible, each story succeeds in providing insight into the lives of enlisted men, thrust into a new kind of war neither they, nor their military leadership was prepared for.

The first three stories take place in Vietnam before, during and after the Tet Offensive in late January and early February of 1968. The last three told by men living in “The World,” years after the war ended.  Riveting and in all likelihood troubling for those who were there, and poignant and shocking those who weren’t, Pacholik’s stories are a must read for those unfamiliar with the a veteran’s sacrifice—especially the 60’s “Flower Children:” spoiled brats who burned their draft cards and ran to Canada to avoid being drafted; yet had the arrogance to insult those patriots who proved themselves loyal Americans by going to Vietnam, enduring hell, and by the grace of God returning.

Pacholik completes his work with a comprehensive summary of the Vietnam War; including the following quote, which identifies America’s problem in Vietnam and subsequent wars, “Robert  S. McNamara, (the earlier Secretary of Defense), had resigned in November 1967 and his successor, Clark Clifford, was stunned to learn that there was no concrete statement of U.S. goals in Vietnam.”

I recommend this book for college students and mature citizens. Vietnam was, in this reviewer’s opinion, America’s first failed war and maturity is required to grasp the message of each story. It is my hope that Pacholik’s short stories will encourage more veterans to write their stories, thereby facing their hidden demons.

Reviewed by: Lee Boyland (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

NIGHT FLARES: Six tales of the Vietnam War, is a frank and graphic combined hybrid fiction and fact look back at one of most painful eras in American political and military history.
Written by a two-tour combat photographer/journalist who served and witnessed the fighting in 1968-69, these six tales tell the highly personal stories of men who served, endured, survived, and paid a heavy price for their service to country.

Two unique features of this “hybrid” e-book short story collection are: “Prelude”, which spells out little-known, historical details about combat tactics and strategy in “A Soldier’s Tour of Duty”; and “Aftermath”, a detailed 25 page-plus chronology and timeline of the personalities, the politics, the leaders, and the battles that consumed South Vietnam between 1964 and 1975.

“If you want to know/understand what the Vietnam War was like, really like,” author Robert M. Pacholik said, “then read and savor every page of this book. It’s that good,” he added.
 

Home of the Brave: Somewhere in the Sand; by Jeffrey Hess

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MWSA Review

Home of the Brave is a brave book. It tells so many stories of recent wars in the deserts and mountains of the Middle East. Although the stories are fiction, many by very talented writers, you simply had to have been there in some fashion or the other to be able to tell such stories. Many scenes were riveting to my mind’s eye, and my senses of smell and hearing were strangely titillated as I read of things so far away from my little world. And then there were times when my heart was warmed and comforted as I read of camaraderie, friendship, respect, and love of country, home, and family. This book will bring you to the depths of hate for war, and then return you to the reality of the need for those who will sign a blank check to Uncle Sam for any amount up to and including their life, if that is what it takes. In the introduction, Jeffery Hess says he hopes readers will identify, be entertained, challenged, caught off guard, moved, and enlightened. For me, Home of the Brave was all of those things.

Reviewed by: Fran McGraw (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

As editor Jeffrey Hess states in his introduction, "Home of the Brave implies the American military. Somewhere in the Sand implies the desert conditions of both Iraq and Afghanistan, but also the mental state that the returning service members occupy periodically or perpetually once they return home." These twenty-two works of fiction tell those stories and allow the reader to experience war, and peace (if it can be found) after war, from both perspectives.

Silks and Sands by Kathi Rowe

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MWSA Review

Silks and Sand is an entertaining read that moves quickly toward its target; successfully balancing the difficulty of saving a family heritage and the resolution of romantic strife and saving a marriage and the family. 

The characters carry the tension and dynamic of the situation to a successful conclusion. It is an adult book written for mature audiences. The author aspires to entertain and succeeds in that endeavor. 

Reviewed by: Mike Mullins (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Contemporary soft-erotic romance. 2014 MWSA Bronze Medal winner.

Racing horses and racing hearts; it’s all part of the Stoddard dynasty. Evan Stoddard inherited an age-old farm in the heart of Kentucky horse country. He’s a winner in many respects: along with a winning smile, he is a winner with horses and with love. His best trophy is his beautiful wife, Suzanne. However, his winning ways will be upturned with the arrival of a new horse, War Monger, and a female jockey named Ginger, who sends every man on the farm into a tailspin, and sends Evan's marriage into a downward spiral.

Tom Christmas is Evan’s trainer and right-hand man. When Ginger lays eyes on Tom, she finds him very much to her liking and hotly pursues him. They gallop headlong into a wild, passionate relationship. Suzanne, however, believes Evan is having an affair with Ginger, and leaves him. Evan desperately needs to find his winning ways again.

Forget Me Not; by Heather Ashby

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MWSA Review

When chance and a stray cat bring them together, Sky and Daisy find themselves caught up in the rotorwash of a doomed romance. A woman who can't forget the past and a pilot with a Peter Pan complex; what are their chances at any kind of future together? When history looks like it's repeating itself, Daisy hopes that through trust and forgiveness perhaps she has another chance at love... if it's not too late.

In her second romance novel, Forget Me Not, Heather Ashby takes our hand as the initial sparks fly, and leads us down a path of love and second chances. The author builds on layers of romance, heartache, secrets, and passion to reveal a past which won't permit either character to trust in a future together. Ms. Ashby's characters are real and engaging; the reader becomes entangled in the convoluted relationship between the doctor and the pilot, and caught up in their secrets: the pasts which haunt them.

Forget Me Not takes us on a tender journey of passion, romance, and hope. I found myself believing, if only for a while, in second chances at love. I look forward to reading Heather Ashby's other romance novels.

Reviewed by: Sandra Miller Linhart (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

A GOLDEN HEART Award Nominee

HEART HAMMERING ACTION AND SEARING ROMANCE

“Sexy, funny, poignant, and romantic!” – Kieran Kramer, USA TODAY Bestselling Author

Suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome and survivor guilt, Navy Seahawk pilot and renowned playboy, Brian “Skylark” Crawford, swears he’ll never settle down, unsure he deserves the happiness promised by marriage—besides, there’s too many hot chicks out there to choose from.

War widow and veterinarian, Daisy Schneider, swears to love only animals after her Marine pilot husband is killed in Afghanistan. Although she fills her life with work and volunteer activities, it fails to put a dent in her loneliness—or the guilt that she might have saved her husband.

Between one stray, matchmaking cat and fiery battles with drug runners at sea, the fur flies as Sky and Daisy learn valuable lessons about life, love, and second chances.

Praise for FORGET ME NOT:

“Forget Me Not takes flight with a dose of humor and suspense and reminds us of the healing power of love for wounded warriors and the ones left behind.” – Cindy Dees, Award-Winning Author of Military Suspense

“A perfect combination of military detail, heart-hammering action, and searing romance.” – Merline Lovelace, USA TODAY Bestselling Author

“Heart-pounding, realistic action and deeply drawn characters make Forget Me Not an unforgettable read!” – Rachel Grant, Author of Body of Evidence

“Pull your five-point harness tight and brace for impact as sexy Sky Crawford pilots a Navy Seahawk helicopter and closes in on his targets. When it comes to terrorists, drug runners, and hot women, Sky never misses.” – S. L. Menear, Author of Deadstick Dawn

Books in the Love in the Fleet Series:

FORGIVE & FORGET
FORGET ME NOT
NEVER FORGET on sale July 2014

Part of the Henery Press Mystery & Romance Collection

Fade to Black; by Jeffrey Wilson

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MWSA Review

Jack is a dedicated high school teacher. His Biology students love him. Life at home couldn’t be better. He has a loving and beautiful wife. He adores his toddler daughter. Jack is happy, content, fulfilled.

Then he has a nightmare. In the dream, he is a US Marine sergeant named Casey. Casey and his team are in the middle of a firefight in Falujah, cut off from their platoon. The smells, the sounds, the feels of combat in the desert are so real, real, too, is the feel of Casey being wounded.

Bullets striking Casey rip Jack from sleep screaming. For a moment, he struggles to understand that he is in his bedroom, that it is his wife, Pam, worrying about what has happened to him.

Fade to Black is a psychological thriller. The reader follows Jack from a gripping beginning through sustained tension of recurrent nightmares. Pam is worried sick about her husband. Jack questions his sanity.

At the end, the tale settles to earth like a Blackhawk with an experienced pilot on the controls. The reader is left with two thoughts:

The combat scenes are drawn by a been-there-done-that artist.

The story is woven by an author who has a special understanding of the workings of the mind and heart.

Reviewed by: Jack Zerr (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Jack is a young man caught between two terrifying worlds. In one, he is Marine Sergeant Casey Stillmam, locked in combat in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq. He is lying next to his dead and dying friends, bleeding in the street – until he wakes up at home, in bed with his wife.

In this other world, Jack is a high school science teacher, husband, and devoted father to his little girl. But the nightmares of war continue to haunt him, and to Jack/Casey they feel in many ways more real than his life at home with his family.

When news of killed Marines in Fallujah surface, Jack realizes he knows far more about these men then he should. But, when the dead Marines begin visiting him while he is awake—he realizes he is in serious trouble.

Faced with the possibility of losing his mind, or far worse, the nightmares being real, Jack knows he must somehow find a way to bridge the two realities and fight his way back from the nightmares to save his wife and little girl.

Restless Hearts, What if Fallen Heroes Could Go Home; by Dennis Baker

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MWSA Review

Author Dennis Baker has told a beautiful, but sometimes difficult to reflect upon, story about the impact of war. No matter the particular service to our country, whether actively participating in the military, or becoming a part of it due to a family member’s service, all are affected. I believe that Restless Hearts goes to the heart of service. The subtitle of the story, What if Fallen Heroes Could Go Home? presents an interesting question and Dennis Baker allows that to be the case through this story. He also draws on earlier national heroes to provide the support needed for the completion of a failed mission. We each need to discover from where we can draw our strength for the “missions” we face each day.

Just what can we learn from those who have gone before us? Do we pay attention to how our loved ones have been affected by military service? Or do we pretend that it never happened? Time heals all wounds, but does it really? Service, whether during wartime or not, changes people. Sometimes for the better but, not always. This book might just be the catalyst for a family discussion that could begin to heal some wounds.

Reviewed by: Joyce Gilmour (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

Restless Hearts is a book for all veterans and active duty military. Its a fictional story of hope and destiny that follows five fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen in search of closure to their unfinished lives.

Restless Hearts will captivate your heart and allow you to spend the day with characters that were given the names of real live heroes who once fought for our country covering the period of WWI to current day. This story will take you to the depths of your emotions of sorrow for those who are gone and joy for the outcome of the choices in their journeys.

Make this a part of your recognition for those who have served and are currently serving this country.

Endorsed by Lieutenant General Snowden, the oldest surviving Marine Officer who fought on Iwo Jima, Korea, and Vietnam. Also endorsed by Rear Admiral James H. Flatley, recipient of the Navys prestigious John Paul Jones Award for inspirational leadership.

Amazon Moon; by Glenn Starkey

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MWSA Review

Bad choices, misspent trust, and perceived rejection fuel the protagonist, John Alveraz, on a journey of self-destruction and ultimate personal truth, in Glenn Starkey's Amazon Moon. Thrown to the wolves, and left for dead more than once, John Alveraz makes his way through life with sheer will and brute force.

Starkey gently draws the reader in, and doesn't let go until the last page is turned. The author builds on layers of interactions and decisions, to reveal a tapestry of mystery in Amazon Moon. His plausible course of events gives credibility to the plot; his characters are real and engaging, which adds integrity to the events. The reader becomes entangled, unable turn away as the ensuing destruction unfolds.

Amazon Moon is an emotional roller-coaster of revenge and redemption, full of action and adventure, which touches the reader through myriad emotions. I found myself crying, shocked, animated, and angered - and, albeit apprehensive at times, couldn't wait to see what happened next. I look forward to reading Glenn Starkey's next book.

Reviewed by: Sandra Miller Linhart (2014)

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Author's Synopsis

As a young man, John Alvarez is a bad boy, so its no surprise when a judge finally gives him the choice between going to prison and joining the Marine Corps. Alvarez reluctantly decides on the latter, not realizing that he will discover himself and find a home in the Corps.

Shipped off to Vietnam, Alvarez leads his own band of bad boysIron Raveninto the jungle. They become the terror of their enemies and always the first choice for the most dangerous missions. On one such mission, the brain child of a couple of CIA ops, Alvarez and his squad are cut off from escape by their CIA handlers and are left to fight their way out alone or die. Only Alvarez survivesbut his revenge upon the men who abandoned him and his brothers lands him in prison for life.

After twenty years of incarceration, Alvarez is offered his freedom, but only if he agrees to undertake another suicide mission. If hes going to be a free man, Alvarez must become the bodyguard of a Mr. Standish and lead him on a journey into the mysterious Amazonian kingdom ruled by the devil himself. It is only in the heart of the jungle that Alvarez discovers that he has accepted a mission with only two possible outcomes--redemption or death.