A Blessed Life - One World War II Seabee's Story by Tamra McAnally Bolton

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MWSA Review

A Blessed Life begins as a memoir of a fighting Seabee. It changes course almost imperceptibly, and not merely into a story about fighting to survive on Iwo Jima. Stuart McAnally's journey, as told to his daughter, zeroes in on the claustrophobic vulnerability of war. Except for the patch of ground one fights for and clears, the Seabee has no idea how life is going outside his foxhole. Not that it would matter, as Tamra McAnally Bolton's biography of her father makes abundantly clear. Seabees, Marines, and Navy frogmen converged on the Japanese island in the South Pacific Theater. Before playing their parts in World War II, the buildup to the final act is interlaced with adventures of danger, fear and, quite often, questionable decision-making.

A memoir resulting from 34 recorded interviews and six years of work by the author, it is head and shoulders above being a love letter for a war veteran's service to his country. It shares with the reader so many of the moments that illuminate our own mortality, such as boarding a ship in California and watching the coastline fade away as transport across the ocean gets under way. There are more than a few memories that are downright hilarious, such as a buddy with a reputation for helping himself to boats and cars that didn't belong to him, during a time when people were more likely to leave their vehicles unattended with the keys in them than they are today.

Like the war memoir itself, there's no quest for forgiveness or attempt to make sense of the madness. It's a straightforward telling of what happened and who did what. A Blessed Life is crafted in a way that left the impression the author has a great respect for its subject and the reader. In addition to describing the war experience, it chronicles many of the interview sessions that went into creating the book. When Stuart McAnally comes home and one begins to wonder what became of his life, the reader comes to realize the author has been telling that story all the while.

 Review by W. Joseph O'Connell (February 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

A Blessed Life - One World War II Seabee's story is the true account of Stuart McAnally, a 96 year-old veteran. McAnally tells the little known history of his C Company, 31st Construction Battalion, and their heroic acts during the early days of the Battle of Iwo Jima. It also describes his journey from a peaceful farming community through combat training, the battle, and ultimately serving with the Occupational Forces in Japan. Told by his daughter, the veteran's stories are woven into conversations between the generations along with the sharing of his childhood days during the Great Depression. This first-hand account gives you an up-close look at the day-to-day experiences of the Greatest Generation, both in war-time and peace.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781734344547, BO82DLR4WR
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 210

A Look Back in Time: Memoir of a Military Kid in The 50s, Vol. II by Bernard N Lee Jr; Michele Barard (Editor); TeMika Groom (Illustrator)

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MWSA Review

A Look Back in Time is a profoundly personal glimpse into the adolescence of Bernard N. Lee, Jr. The memoir relates events as a military brat in the 1950s, specifically on the family’s first overseas tour in Ansbach, Germany. The author records his fears of being the “new kid” again, the wonder of the German landscape and people, the challenge of learning a new language, and the ups and downs of beginning high school. The friends he makes there have become lifelong ones—their shared experiences embedded in his mind.

 Lee touches on the racial unrest within the military during this time and weaves it into the book very successfully. He confides to the reader his teenage insecurities. He reveals his family to us—a father, a no-nonsense career soldier; a sweet mother who encourages her children to excel; and three younger siblings who look up to him. The author brings this family to life while also acknowledging the stresses that all military families endure.

 Lee’s memoir is a treasure for generations of his family and an entertaining read for those with similar experiences. Many of the emotions of the young man portrayed in the book are timeless and still felt by military brats even today. Although a few editing errors detract slightly, A Look Back in Time is indeed a heartwarming portrayal of military life.

Review by Sandi Cathcart (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

A Look Back in Time: Memoir of a Military Kid in the 50s, Vol. II is a fascinating, insightful, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious, chronicle of life while growing up in a military family. Readers will enjoy the stories of life in the fifties, told from a child’s perspective. Through the stories, readers learn the virtues of tolerance, fairness, perseverance, resilience, and other life serving qualities needed for survival in today’s world. These qualities are timeless. Readers, young and old, will recognize these virtues, and themselves, inside the stories.

A Look Back in Time… finds our military kid living in Deutschland, while attending an American middle school and high school. His adventures, with the German and American young adults, are rich in history, suspense, and surprises. You will enjoy the stories of this well-traveled, military kid as he navigates his early teen years in Germany during the fifties.

ISBN: 0-9995576-0-2, ISBN-13: 978-0-9995576-0-0, ISBN: 0-9995576-1-0, ISBN-13: 978-0-9995576-1-7
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 280

Navajo Strong by Joyce Phillips

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MWSA Review

Navajo Strong is a short book, a quick read with a long-lasting emotional impact. Its single plot line details the coming together of three women related by blood ties but separated by time and distance, by misunderstandings and clashing cultures. We know their names, but the author follows Navaho traditions by referring to them primarily as they see themselves—Grandmother, Mother, Daughter.

Each of these women has a lesson to teach us. Grandmother has faced the greatest challenges but found a way to surmount them. Her openness to learning about new cultures and exploring far-off lands makes her a delight. Mother struggles with long-held assumptions, contradicted by new revelations. And Daughter, a sparkling 13-year-old, stands in the doorway to the future, encouraging the reader to look ahead to the benefits of the modern world while giving full recognition to the treasures of the past.

I enjoyed this work, seeing it as almost a parable. I read it quickly, taking some delight in the author’s ability to catch the linguistic phrasings of characters whose first language was Navajo or Chinese. The differences between cultures revealed their underlying similarities and gave me hope for the future.  

Review by Carolyn Schriber (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

I have always loved reading, and now I say I learned to write from the greats. I began my writing career three years ago at age 77 with a memoir for my family. An interest in my backpacking trip to China resulted in my first fiction story, China Strong. A story of a retired school teacher traveling in China. A year later, my volunteer time in New Mexico, brought about Navajo Strong.

Navajo Strong is a fiction story of three women, and the connection between a grandmother and her Navajo granddaughter. The story of a daughter discovering her mother, and the Navajo man who brought them together.

ISBN/ASIN: soft cover: 9781095190371. B07RY5QFGL
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 210

Frozen Tears: The Fort Leonard Wood MP Murders by J. B. King and Sandra Miller Linhart

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MWSA Review
A book that captures one of the most terrible crimes ever at Fort Leonard Wood. A true story that is horrid in its very nature. The author uses plenty of court legal documents and records to show the evidence and share the details of the trial. The authors leave little doubt as to what happened and as to the guilt of the killer. A historic piece of military police working to solve a crime.

The fact that the author  J.B. King was there and was a part of this investigation gives the book a hard-hitting edge to this true story. A well done book and a great read. Gripping and spellbinding account of murder and rape—and justice! 

Review by Bill McDonald (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

A compelling true account of the January 13, 1977, triple murder committed by an on-duty Military Police Officer on the United State Army Base of Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. Also covers the known details on two other missing teens who are suspected to be victims of this MP serial killer. The book was written by the first law enforcement officer to enter the case and contains extensive details of the cases.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-943267-70-5
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 303

Deliberate Discomfort - How U.S. Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable by Jason Van Camp with Andy Symonds

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MWSA Review

Deliberate Discomfort: How U.S. Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable by Jason B.A. Van Camp with Andy Symonds is a great book for future and present leaders in business or the military world to read and absorb. Taking lessons learned from combat and training—and linking them to what is needed to make successful moves in real everyday life and in business—makes this book unique. The authors take examples from actual experiences of twelve combat veterans, which works as a wonderful teaching tool. Inspiring and also entertaining! It is well written with wit, emotion, and great storytelling, getting the fullest attention of the reader. I am giving copies of the book to my grandchildren for the life lessons it shares. This book will certainly sit in my private collection of resource books.  

Review by Bill McDonald (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

Deliberate Discomfort follows the journey of Jason Van Camp as a new Green Beret commander taking over a team of combat-hardened Special Forces veterans. This true story tells firsthand the intense, traumatic battles these warriors fought and won, sharing lessons learned from their incredible backgrounds. A cadre of scientists further break down each experience, translating them into digestible and relatable action items, allowing the reader to apply these lessons forged under fire to their own lives.

Deliberate Discomfort is the ultimate book on leadership and self-improvement, depicting how these warriors found a way to win under incredible odds with never-quit attitudes. The authors don't just tell you how to thrive under pressure; they show you how, in heart-racing, first-person narratives.

Read Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry's true account of grabbing an enemy grenade in Afghanistan, saving the lives of his fellow soldiers but losing his hand in the process. Hear what fellow Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg was thinking as he tackled a suicide bomber. Feel what Marine Joey Jones felt as he was flying through the air, weightless, after stepping on the IED that would take both his legs. And most importantly, experience what Jason learned about leadership and embracing discomfort from adversity.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1733428019
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Review Genre: How-To/Business
Number of Pages: 288

Mayhem 337: Memoir of a Combat Advisor in Afghanistan by Chad Rickard

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MWSA Review

Mayhem 337 is the autobiography of a U.S. Army staff sergeant (retiring as a sergeant major) who presents a near diary of his nine-month experience on a deployment to Afghanistan. To say the narrative rings true is to damn it with faint praise.

“I’d like to say every mission is flawless and dumb shit never happens, but that would be a lie.” That’s the kind of raw admission that makes this work sing. There are many others.

The work isn’t so crammed with jargon or acronyms that a non-military audience would be left gasping for understanding, but it includes enough realistic description and dialogue to keep a military veteran turning the pages. But even in this hot war zone, there was downtime and reflection. “We sat by the fire, sharing the camaraderie of life in a combat zone. We sat there in various levels of camouflage pants and T-shirts with rifles and pistols draped over our bodies. I could not think of a place on Earth I would rather have been."

This story is uncompromising, full of authenticity and detail and the smell of mortar fire and even death. I recommend it strongly to military and civilian readers alike, and for the same basic reason: This is how we war.

Review by Daniel Charles Ross (February 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

By 2008 Chad Rickard was a multi-tour Iraq War veteran with hundreds of combat missions under his belt.  He was a seasoned infantryman and senior U.S. Army non-commissioned officer with a burning desire to deploy to Afghanistan and join the fight against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces bent on keeping American influence out of the Middle East.  Like many Americans, Chad felt personally stricken by the attacks on 9/11 and he yearned to take part in his Nation's retaliation for the atrocities planned within the sanctity of Afghanistan's borders. When the opportunity arose to deploy as an embedded Combat Advisor, Rickard headed to Fort Riley, Kansas to attend U.S. Army Combat Advisor School.  After months of intensive training in Afghan customs, culture, and language in addition to tactical training on the direction of close air support and artillery Rickard was dropped into a hotbed of enemy activity in Afghanistan's Khost Province. In Khost, former home to one of Osama Bin Laden's largest terror training camps, Rickard's team went toe to toe with Haqqani Taliban on numerous occasions, often leaving a staggering body count in their wake.

In Mayhem 337, author Chad Rickard powerfully recounts his experiences during nine months of intense combat deep in the mountains of Eastern Afghanistan.  Rickard's graphic account guides you through violent combat on the streets of Khost City to deadly mountain warfare, experienced from an austere combat outpost on the Pakistan border.  He vividly describes the sights and sounds of battle as well as the heartbreaking aftermath of fallen comrades. From IED laden roads to air assault missions and hostage stand-offs, Rickard's story leaves nothing to the imagination.  His riveting and deftly written memoir brings honor and recognition to the U.S. Army Combat Advisor mission that is but a footnote in modern military history.

ISBN/ASIN: B07YZRPQXH, 1543985832
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 236

One Small Spark by Jackie Minniti

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MWSA Review

One Small Spark invites readers into the life of a young boy living in New England during the turbulent times of the American Revolution. Author Jackie Minniti crafts a tale of interest to readers of all ages. Her historical descriptions demonstrate meticulous research and truly place readers into the scenes. She also shows her understanding of combining humor and fun into a serious story to keep young readers engaged.

The book is packed with mystery and intrigue, with interesting and well-developed characters. Readers watch the transformation of the protagonist, Benjamin Pembrooke, as he grows from sheltered boy to young man. The story shares the impacts British rule had on law-abiding colonial citizens, and in many cases, the colonists’ struggles between loyalty and independence. A helpful Afterword includes true facts about characters Minniti portrayed in the fictional book, and a glossary explains historical terms used within the text.

One Small Spark is highly recommended for young readers to provide a brief and realistic snapshot into life early in the tough and hard-earned fight for American independence. 

Review by Valerie Ormond (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

 It is 1769, and Boston in turmoil, but Benjamin Pembroke, the sheltered 11-year-old son of a wealthy merchant, is unaware of the growing unrest. His biggest concern is how to achieve his dream of one day joining the British army when his father expects him to become part of the family business.  

An unexpected visit from one of his father’s business associates piques the curiosity of Benjamin and his twin sister Abigail after they eavesdrop on a cryptic conversation. Benjamin becomes even more intrigued after finding a mysterious scrap of paper referring to a shadowy group calling themselves the Sons of Liberty. He becomes determined to learn more about them, and, with the help of his more adventurous sister, sets out to learn who they are and what they’re up to.

During a visit to the home of Grizzell Apthorp, a wealthy widow, Benjamin spies a strange boy he finds surprisingly compelling. When the boy arrives at Benjamin’s home the next day, Benjamin learns that he is Christopher Seider, one of Mrs. Apthorp’s servants who shares Benjamin’s dream of becoming a military hero. This begins an unlikely friendship that will change Benjamin’s future, as well as the future of the country.

A series of escalating incidents involving raids by British soldiers, led by an unscrupulous Customs agent, makes Benjamin realize why so many Bostonians are yearning to be free from the jackboot of King George. Even Benjamin’s father, a former Loyalist, begins to waver in his support for England. When Benjamin discovers Christopher’s connection to the Sons of Liberty, he decides to join forces with the patriots in their fight for freedom. This decision changes Benjamin's life - and the course of our country's history - forever.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 9781947327269, ASIN: B07J4T4Z6K
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Chapter Book
Number of Pages: 196

Hal Moore: A Life in Pictures by Mike Guardia

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Author's Synopsis

 The definitive photographic biography of Harold G. Moore – illustrated with more than 300 Color and B&W photographs.

From his baptism by fire in the Korean War to his iconic leadership at the Battle of Ia Drang, Hal Moore remains one of the greatest battlefield commanders of the 20th Century. Famously portrayed by Mel Gibson in the film We Were Soldiers, Hal Moore’s innovative leadership – and the bravery of his troopers – have become the stuff of legend. Step into the world of Hal Moore with this pictorial keepsake, illustrated throughout with more than 300 photographs, many of them never-before-published. This informative, photographic narrative will take the reader through Moore’s childhood in rural Kentucky, his tenure at West Point during World War II, his service in Occupied Japan, his life-and-death struggles during the Korean War, his decisive leadership in the jungles of Southeast Asia, and the loving family he built with his wife, Julie.

ISBN/ASIN: B07KPX3LKQ, 978-0999644317, 978-0999644324
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Artistic—Pictorial/Coffee Table
Number of Pages: 192

Crusader: General Donn Starry and the Army of His Times by Mike Guardia

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MWSA Review

Crusader: General Donn Starry and the Army of His Times by Mike Guardia captures the fighting spirit and evolving ideas which put Starry at the forefront of developing military doctrine post-Vietnam. Relying heavily on quotes taken directly from Starry's own writing as well as interviews with colleagues and family, his story unfolds from childhood through a successful military career and into retirement. Even as a young man, Starry showed the traits which brought him to the pinnacle of success in the U.S. Army. The author reveals traits such as persistence by showing Starry getting himself into West Point despite being appointed to the Naval Academy, and his many attempts to become a pilot. Other traits are handled in similar ways, making this both a good biography and a good manual of character. Starry faced many challenges personally and professionally, and Crusader effectively shows his development.

Crusader also allows the reader to see into both the military man and the circumstances which helped create him. The book shines when showing us how he was able to change the culture of the modern army for individual soldiers, such as his work in Germany overhauling failing units by insisting that all officers master soldiering skills, or insisting that living quarters be rehabbed to decent levels. He missed active battle during World War II and Korea, but extensive experience with maintaining readiness in tank units in Germany during the Cold War era and tank warfare in Vietnam helped form his ideas on modern warfare. 

Starry was one of the most respected participants in the Vietnam War, "leading from the front" as commander of 11th Armored Cavalry during the invasion of Cambodia. After Vietnam, his career continued, with appointments which added further breadth and depth to his ideas and leadership. Once Starry moved into the highest officer ranks, his intelligence and broad thinking were put to work. Inheriting leadership of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in 1977, Starry drove the evolution of the AirLand Battle doctrine to replace Active Defense. He saw the difficulties and limitations of doctrines however, and encouraged continuous improvement rather than rigid adherence. A controversial graduation speech at West Point included as an appendix, wherein he questioned West Point's relevance to the Army itself, further shows his relentless quest for better ways for both military organizations and soldiers to protect and serve our country. 

Crusader should be of interest both as military history and as biography. Starry's career as a student, soldier, and top leader is of interest to military readers. But the book also shows the character traits which allowed Starry to succeed in his various endeavors, and would be a fine biography for young people to read.

Review by Barb Evenson (May 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

 Although he missed combat in World War II and Korea, Donn Starry became one of the most influential commanders of the Vietnam War, and after Vietnam was one of the “intellectual giants” who reshaped the US Army and its doctrines. Throughout his career he worked to improve training, leadership and conditions for the men who served under him.

Starry was a leading advocate for tank warfare in Vietnam and his recommendations helped shape the contours for American armor in Southeast Asia—and paved the way for his success as commander of 11th Armored Cavalry during the invasion of Cambodia. When commander of Fort Knox and the Armor Center and School in the 1970s, Starry redeveloped armor tactics and doctrine and improved training. In his 16 months as commander of V Corps, he thoroughly tested the doctrine of “Active Defense,” then used his observations to create a new doctrine "AirLand Battle," which paved the way for overwhelming victory in the Gulf War. Like most battlefield commanders from the Vietnam era, Starry’s legacy is often overshadowed by the controversy of the war itself and the turmoil of the immediate postwar Army. However, with the invasion of Cambodia and the development of AirLand Battle, it is hard to imagine anyone who has had a greater impact on modern maneuver warfare. In this new biography of General Donn Starry, armor officer Mike Guardia examines the life and work of this pioneering, crusading officer using extracts from interviews with veterans and family, and from Starry’s personal papers.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1612005447, B07FNB16TP
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 224

The Pound: Devil Dogs War in Nicaragua by David Brown

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MWSA Review

The Pound, Devil Dogs' War in Nicaragua, by LtCol David Brown is a highly researched book that tells an interesting story about the Marines in Nicaragua from 1928 to 1933. Based on actual events and with real people as characters, the book takes a close look at the life and combat experiences of the Marines. Their mission—that of nation-building: trying to quell rebel activity and allow Nicaragua to effectively evolve into a functioning democracy—faced difficulties caused by the terrain, the weather, and even an earthquake.

The Pound is the Marines' main restaurant/bar where most gathered when they weren't off in the field chasing the rebels. Brown includes dozens of photographs in his book taken from official Marines' historical records. These photographs depict the Marines who were there at the time, as well as relevant Nicaraguans, pictures of the country, and even original maps used by the Marines. I recommend this book to anyone interested in military history and especially someone who likes reading about the history of the Marines.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps. During my 22-years of active duty, my two tours in Vietnam were remarkably memorable as I was both an advisor and rifle company commander during the 1967-1969 height of the war. Awarded Silver Star Medal. I also instructed economics at the U.S. Naval Academy and headed the Marine Corps Procurement Budget. Upon retirement, I consulted to the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy. Afterwards, I was the Executive Director of the Second Marine Division Association and Chairman of the Board for the Carolina Museum of the Marine. I enjoy writing and have published over 15 articles in the Marine Corps Gazette and Amphibious Warfare Review. I authored books on training, automated information systems, and logistics. My first novel, Battlelines, is an historical fiction written about the gallant men of Fox Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment during their five-year deployment to Vietnam. My second novel, Bandits Below, is about the birth of the Marine Corps’ Air-Ground Team in Nicaragua during the late 1920s. My third novel, The Pound: Devil Dogs War in Nicaragua, was published in 2019. The fourth novel will tell the story of the tragic Beirut bombing in 1983. It will be published in the fall of 2020. I hold an MBA from George Washington University and a BA from Denison University.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 978-1-68456-268-8, ISBN 978-1-68456-269-5
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 376

Trust but Verify by Karna Small Bodman

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MWSA Review

In Russian, “Doveryai, no proveryai” means “trust but verify.” Originally, the aphorism was related to President Ronald Reagan’s arms negotiations with the Soviet Union. Trust but Verify also happens to be the title of Karna Small Bodman’s newest page-turning thriller. But this time, rather than the now-defunct Soviet Union, the main characters in Bodman’s novel are dealing with ruthless Russian mafia criminal organizations and their foot soldiers. In her book, Bodman gives us a much-needed update on the phrase. In fact, her compellingly-told yarn might lead you to change your view of the expression. When applied to the Russian mafia types in that country today, perhaps it would be better to say, “Don’t Trust at All and Verify a Lot!”

White House Homeland Security Director, Samantha Reid knew she had a tough job, but she didn’t think her life was in danger. After a large explosion rips through a high-profile cocktail party she’s attending, the authorities rush to figure out who did it and why. Racing to find clues as to who’s trying to kill her, Samantha teams up with FBI Special Agent Brett Keating. The duo quickly learns that things are even worse than they feared. With help from her conscientious FBI agent collaborator, they race to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

Will the US economy take a large hit? Will at least some of the bad guys repent? Will these two crime fighters track down the bad guys or will they die trying? You’ll have to read this book to find out!

Review by John Cathcart (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

Samantha Reid, the brilliant Director of the White House Office of Homeland Security, is enjoying a rare evening away from Washington at a Florida charity ball when an explosion sends the well-heeled attendees stampeding into the night. Narrowly escaping the blast, Reid returns to the White House where she has been investigating the finances and illicit arms sales of a shadowy group of Russian oligarchs . . . who want her eliminated. But she is not alone. When FBI special agent Brett Keating discovers Samantha was the target of the Florida attack, he resolves to protect her while also endeavoring to unravel a brazen plot that threatens the lives of international financial leaders and stock markets worldwide.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-62157-779-9, 978-1-62157-854-3, 978-17213-5878-6, BO7PODITN9P, BO7BTHHLVX
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 358

Q.Fulvius: Debt of Dishonor by M.G. Haynes

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MWSA Review

Reprieved from the sentence of death, criminal Quintus Fulvius found himself drafted into the Roman Army more than a century before Caesar came to power. Although he had not finished his basic training, he was thrust into combat where fate and fear left him standing while the rest of his unit fled the enemy. This act of bravery thrust him into the spotlight of his superiors, and he gained instant promotion to centurion.

Through Q. Fulvius: Debt of Dishonor, the author writes of the daily duties occupying the Roman legionaries, with Fulvius learning on the job as he schemes to enrich himself. He puts the reader into horrific battle scenes and on grueling marches. When Fulvius’s century is charged with protecting a pass from raiding Gauls, he conspires to collect fees from traders passing through his fortification.

As Fulvius becomes wealthy, his century joins in the scheme until a tribune—a magistrate from Rome—arrives on the scene and attempts to extort excessive funds from the centurion. As Fulvius wrestles between his past as a petty criminal and a future of glory in the legion, he finds it difficult to stay in both worlds.

M. G. Haynes’s extensive research provides a rare glimpse into the life of a common soldier faced with greed and struggling to survive. I highly recommend this book.

 Review by Joe Epley (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

In Rome, 216 BC, Fulvius is a murderer, a thief, and condemned to die. Saved by the catastrophic defeat of the Roman Army at the hands of the Carthaginian General Hannibal at nearby Cannae, he’s forced into the legion and an altogether unfamiliar world of soldierly duty and honor. Realizing promotion as the unexpected reward for paralyzing fear, Fulvius finds the Army not so dissimilar to the shadowy Roman underworld he knows so well and schemes to make the experience worth his while. He betrays, and is in turn betrayed, in a whirlwind cycle of threat, violence, and criminality leading to an ultimate showdown and reckoning that could undermine the entire war effort. Hannibal is no doubt coming, but that may be the least of Rome's troubles.

ISBN/ASIN: 1704643015, 978-1704643014, B082H5GKT8
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 335

Persian Blood by M.G. Haynes

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MWSA Review

Author M.G. Haynes does a masterful job of delivering a suspenseful, action-packed tale in Persian Blood.

The story follows a motley group of battle-hardened American soldiers in Afghanistan who unwittingly stumble across an ancient Persian relic overshadowed with a bloody history and a curse. Readers also embark on a colorful journey through time as they trace the ominous artifact—a sagaris battle axe—across many historical landscapes including the ancient empire of Darius to Quetta under the British Raj.

The author’s literary flair, historical research, and detailed knowledge of modern military combat operations result in a highly credible and entertaining story. Vivid and engaging, Persian Blood is a compelling must-read for those who enjoy history, action and creative storytelling.   

Review by Zita Ballinger Fletcher (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

 A U.S. Special Forces team, code-named Reaper, is hunting insurgent leaders in the mountains of Eastern Afghanistan when it discovers an ancient artifact. Revered by the local tribes in myth and legend, the relic disappeared from sight two thousand years ago. The Pashtuns call it “Persian Blood” and ownership bestows the mantle of legitimate and indisputable leadership upon its owner. A prize worth fighting for. A prize worth killing for. The harsh winter storm provides a rare opportunity and the local tribe risks everything to possess the relic, with Reaper caught in the middle, neither understanding why they are being attacked nor how they can escape the trap. Betrayed by one of their own, out of water, and running low on ammunition, the team is first hounded, then besieged, and only true understanding of what it is they carry will see them through this mission alive. The war in Afghanistan has always been complicated. It’s just become even more so.

ISBN/ASIN: 1547079622, 978-1547079629, B073NMLMNQ
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 312

Vala's Bed by Joyce Faulkner

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MWSA Review

Vala’s Bed by Joyce Faulkner is a fictional story of a young German woman who married an American G.I. and moved with her two sons to a small town in Ohio right after World War II ended. Her husband, Sonny, readily considers Emo, known as EJ, and Milo, known as Mick, as his own, even they are aren't his biological children. One possession Vala manages to have shipped from Mannheim, Germany, is her ornate bed, which she treasures. But she is haunted by memories of life as a young girl in Nazi Germany, where she lived with her older sister and her parents. Staunch Nazis, her parents had considerable social standing. Elder son EJ has a mild form of epilepsy and sometimes experiences vivid dreams. He ultimately suspects they may not be dreams at all, but memories. However, his mother refuses to speak of her life in Germany and offers no clues. Mick and EJ secretly rummage through their mother’s suitcases of mementos and documents, trying to find out more about their—and their mother’s—past. As they grow from young boys to men, EJ in particular, questions anyone he thinks might have a key to his mother’s demons and real answers to his own history.

Much of the story reveals itself in dialogue and the story is told through EJ’s point of view. The characters in Vala’s Bed are richly drawn and their voices are distinct. Anyone interested in what it might have been like for a German to move to the U.S. right after World War II ended will find this story enlightening. It allows the reader to understand how a parent’s beliefs and actions can affect a child’s life forever. It warmly draws vivid images of life in a small town and deftly weaves together relationships from Vala’s childhood in Germany and her adult life in the U.S. This is a book worth reading…a book that will make your care about what happens to its characters.

Review by Patricia Walkow (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

Choosing to marry an American GI and accompany him home to Cold Creek, Ohio, after World War II, Vala Hess manages to escape her past and provide shelter and protection for her two young sons, Emo and Milo. But her tormented, traumatized past doesn’t let go.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 9781943267231
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 331

There it is...It don't mean nothin' by Charles Hensler

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MWSA Review

A gripping firsthand account of the Vietnam War, Charles Hensler's memoir  There it is…It don't mean nothin' captures the experiences of a young man and the soul of an era. Written in a straightforward and easygoing manner, the book is refreshingly candid. Hensler takes a well-organized approach, giving readers unfamiliar with the Vietnam War a context for events and themes in this rich autobiographical account.

Hensler's vivid and direct writing style is riveting, giving the reader an experience like listening to his storytelling in person. He adds depth and color to the narrative by noting important historical and cultural events, giving a view of the larger world around him as he experienced the war. Other enriching details incorporated into the story include brief guides to military slang and common Vietnamese phrases, which truly make the era come alive.

The book is deeply moving, humorous at times, and very honest. It imparts a deeper understanding of the experiences of young American servicemen during the Vietnam War. For those seeking to enhance their knowledge of the war and the men who lived through it, Hensler's story is an essential read

Review by Zita Ballinger Fletcher (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

I served as an infantryman with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam from April 1968 to April 1969. It was a year of transition for the country. America’s support for the war was rapidly fading while racial strife, social upheaval, and political unrest were escalating. The Army was not immune to these changes, and the resulting ramifications rippled throughout the Army. Consequently, my story is not just about slogging through rice paddies or hacking through jungle foliage but integrates how events and changing attitudes back home impacted our morale, discipline, and trust in what we were being asked to do. It was a crazy time in America and no less so in Vietnam.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-1-7239-7074-0, ASIN B07GV4ZPTR
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 291

Bangkok File by Dale Dye

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MWSA Review
Gunner Shake Davis, U.S. Marine Corps strikes again—for the eighth time!

In Bangkok File, author Dale Dye’s hard-core, hard-as-nails, hard-to-kill Marine is back in action. The only thing “former” about this Marine, are his active-duty paychecks.

After a series of pirate attacks start making life terrible for commercial shipping in the Gulf of Thailand, Shake gathers up an eclectic, international team of fighters to help figure out what’s going on and then put a stop to the pirating.

Filled with action, the reader will struggle to keep up with all the action and special fighting forces’ lingo thrown at them. Keep your seat belts fastened; you’ll be off to see lots of exotic locales from the Texas Hill Country to the rough-and-tumble seas off the coasts of Thailand and Cambodia. Although Shake’s been here before—fighting a different, but equally tough opponent who’d like nothing better than arrange a body bag for Shake—there’re plenty of bullets flying and plans going astray.

The only question is, Will Shake really retire or will we soon find book nine in the series on our library bookshelves?

Review by John Cathcart (February 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

He’s unplugged and living the dream at a new Texas Hill Country homestead, but Gunner Shake Davis never really expected that to last. When he gets a phone call asking him to undertake a lazy look-see mission to determine the root of at-sea oil rip offs in the Gulf of Thailand, Shake returns to some old haunts in Southeast Asia. It starts in Bangkok, moves to a sea cruise in a commandeered junk, and winds up on Koh Tang off the Cambodian coast. And that backwater little spit of sand haunts Shake’s memories from the days of the screwed-up Mayaguez rescue mission at the end of the Vietnam War. The bad guys on Koh Tang are oil pirates and just as deadly as the Khmer Rouge that nearly killed him back in 1975. A simple recon mission gets twisted, obscured, and altered—which brings Shake and his crew into a second Battle of Koh Tang Island.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1944353247
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 259

Winds, Waves, & Warriors: Battling the Surf at Normandy, Tarawa, and Inchon by Thomas M. Mitchell

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MWSA Review

Thomas M. Mitchell has provided an exhaustively researched and heavily annotated academic volume on a resolutely esoteric topic—the study of the developing discipline of oceanography and the new war-time skill of wave forecasting—and it often reads like a Michael Crichton thriller. He explains in authoritative but easily understood principles how knowing the nature and effect of ocean currents, winds, and waves helped the success of the World War II and key battles in Korea, saving actual lives.

"With very intricate planning, General Douglas MacArthur used the unfavorable bottom and tidal conditions at Inchon to surprise the North Koreans, who thought no one would dare attack at a location with so many natural obstacles."

This work trembles with the impressive weight of its research authority. The details are copious and vivid, and so extensive as to render this work as an important reference for future scientists, meteorologists, and history buffs alike. It is exhaustively well organized and, though the topic is necessarily technical in nature, the writing doesn't rely on pedantic recitation of wave science; instead, it offers a well-organized and accessible style that not only improves the reading experience but also improves the transfer of information. It's science, but it reads like a novel.

Before WWII, sea conditions were assessed using a system known as the Beaufort Scale that was developed in 1805 with anecdotal observations—based on what someone saw and reported. Hardly scientific. The U.S. Army saw the need to know more, and more reliable, information about winds and waves and how they interacted, and the first warrior meteorologists were commissioned. From Normandy to Tarawa to Inchon, their work affected not only how invaders came ashore during initial assaults, but also how essential follow-on tasks such as resupply and logistical needs were met.

The level of detail is as impressive as it is exhaustive, from tidal times to how many tanks made it to Normandy's Omaha and Utah beaches between 0540 and 0640 on D-Day (twenty-eight of fifty-seven skirted, dual-drive Shermans were swamped and lost).

A history buff will find a new favorite topic in Winds Waves & Warriors, and a new expert witness in Dr. Mitchell. Strongly, unequivocally recommended.

Review by Daniel Charles Ross (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

Mention the word ‘oceanography’ in relation to the military, and for most people images of the navy come to mind. Wartime oceanography reaches farther though, to the lives and deaths of foot soldiers and marines. Invasions at Normandy and Sicily during WWII, and at Inchon in Korea, for example, would have been suicidal without knowledge of the ocean’s potential for disruption.

Winds, Waves, and Warriors is not a re-telling of the D-Day weather forecast. That story has been told many times. This book goes beyond the D-Day weather forecast to describe the oceanographic phenomena at Normandy June 6, 1944, and at other locations where US soldiers and marines fought the ocean just to reach the beach.

From America’s first D-Day landing at Vera Cruz during the War with Mexico, through the Korean War, the stories of the soldiers and marines who fought and died in these battles have been told mostly in terms of the military strategy, tactics, and maneuvers used to overcome the enemy. Winds, Waves, and Warriors tells of their struggles with a foe that sometimes was as formidable as the opposing army – the ocean. It explains how the ocean caused the havoc it sometimes did to provide a unique and insightful glimpse into this little-recognized, yet extraordinary aspect of ground warfare.

The challenge was to move men and equipment from ship to shore, through the surf, surviving both the enemy and the sea. Winds. Waves. Tides. Currents. Beach and bottom conditions. Weather and wave forecasting. For example, the oceanography of tides is explored so the reader understands the impact tides had on selected operations. What causes tides? Why is the tide range so great at some places and nearly imperceptible at others? Why do tides vary in range throughout the month and year at a given place? How did these factors affect the Normandy and Inchon landings? Did the enemy think the tides and other natural obstacles protected him at these places?

Clever methods to determine water depth, beach slope, underwater shoals, etc. were developed out of wartime necessity. An Army Air Corps lieutenant dug a hole on the beach at Normandy to help him predict tides more accurately. Decades before we had weather satellites, the Army’s Beach Erosion Board and research groups such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography exploited basic concepts and principles of physical oceanography to develop crude, but effective instruments and techniques for ocean remote sensing and forecasting.

Winds, Waves, and Warriors goes beyond examining the role of oceanography in military operations to tell the stories of some of the people involved in these actions, and how they used the ocean to their advantage. Soldiers, marines, staff planners, commanders, oceanographers and meteorologists, and research institutions all contributed to some of the largest and most important military invasions in history.

The army commissioned courses in meteorology, primarily at UCLA and the University of Chicago, to teach Army Air Corps officers to forecast weather conditions. They later added a four-week course in oceanography and ocean wave forecasting at UCLA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography to teach selected graduates of the meteorology course to make detailed forecasts of beach and surf conditions at planned amphibious landing sites.  Several hundred officers completed the courses and went on to forecast for operations at Normandy, throughout Europe, and in the Pacific campaigns. The author had the pleasure and honor to interview and correspond with three of these remarkable gentlemen and one of the professors at Scripps who taught them.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-8071-7223-0
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 154

Unseen Body Blows by William Gay

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MWSA Review

Unseen Body Blows: The Fighting LST 479 and Its Seven Pacific Campaigns, 1943-1945 caught my eye for several reasons. First, because of my father’s service as a 19-year-old Marine on Iwo Jima, I find anything about the Marines or the Navy in the Pacific interesting. On the other hand, the history of an LST? Really? My initial thought was, “Isn’t that kind of like the history of a particular truck in a land war?” I was so wrong.

Alex Gay was a young sailor assigned to brand new LST 479 in 1943. In his later years, as old vets often do, he began a book of personal wartime memories combined with a wider historical background. However, Mr. Gay didn’t finish this project before he died, and his son William took his father’s original book, notes, photos, and stories—and added some serious research. From the concept, design, and building of the LSTs in general—and LST 479 in particular—to amusing images of inexperienced crews tooling around the coast of California in newly designed, built, and delivered LSTs, to early adventures in the Aleutians, to the harrowing Pacific battles in 1944 and 1945, William Gay both educates and entertains the reader. Aside from the young sailor’s wartime adventures, LST 479 herself becomes a beloved “action” character. Her journey from shiny new vessel to a tired-old rusting hulk, to the proverbial scrap heap is both educational and fun—so much so that I was reading sections out loud to my husband.

This book is well written and edited. It’s educational and easy to read. It includes a much-appreciated glossary for landlubbers like me who don’t speak Navy. And even more importantly for fellow researchers, the author included chapter by chapter sources that include published and unpublished papers, after-action reports, historical analyses, and other information. In fact, I got stuck in Sources looking up this or that for a delightful week of curiosity browsing. I wish there was an audio version so I could continue enjoying it while driving.

Review by Joyce Faulkner (April 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

There have not been many books written that are an in-depth look at the brief operational life of a World War Two landing ship tank (LST) in the Pacific Theater and how it fits in into the broader context of the war.

Unseen Body Blows takes a close look at one of the earliest of these unique ships, LST 479, and explores its life from launch to scrapping. It also reflects the ship’s role in the broader strategy of the Pacific War as the U.S. forces island-hopped towards the Japanese homeland. By extension, it also incorporates the history of other LSTs that fought alongside the 479—especially many of the 15 that were built at Henry Kaiser’s shipyards in Richmond, Ca.

Between 1942 and 1945, 1,051 amphibious tank-landing ships were rapidly produced. Even with that large inventory, they have been virtually ignored by historians.

These were anonymous vessels, slow and unwieldy. They had no names—just numbers. In the words of one crewmember, they looked like bathtubs. LSTs had a reputation of being expendable and of relatively low value, and so were bestowed another, less noble, nickname; “Large Slow Targets.”

They were put into service to get troops and equipment ashore. Typical of all early LSTs, 479 crew members on commissioning day, April 19, 1943, were raw amateurs. But over the next 1,046 days, the 479 crew became sailors as they coped with collisions, accidental groundings, navigational errors, lots of mechanical breakdowns—and the enemy. Displaying heroism and ingenuity, they rescued the crew of a crippled landing craft during an Alaskan storm, battled fires aboard a burning LST hit by kamikazes, and fought off air attacks. Through all this, the 479 landed troops and equipment at Kiska, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, and Okinawa.

In gripping, meticulously researched, “you are there” fashion, author William A. Gay, recounts the fascinating history of the 479’s seven Pacific campaigns; from the day-to-day life of the men aboard her to their terrifying encounters in battle as they delivered “unseen body blows” to the enemy that helped win the war in the Pacific. Unseen Body Blows is listed on the suggested reading list page of Navsource.org.

Genre(s): Nonfiction, History
Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-5255-3833-9, 978-1-5255-3834-6, 978-1-5255-3835-3

I'll Lend You My Daddy by Becky King

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MWSA Review

I’ll Lend You My Daddy, written by Becky King and illustrated by Valerie Valdivia, is an exceptional book that addresses military deployment from the point of view of the child whose loved one is absent. Suitable for young children—and fun to read for grown-ups—the book explores activities that the service member is missing (birthdays, holidays, school plays), activities the child can engage in (letter writing, care packages, phone conversations), emotions the child is experiencing (sadness, longing, pride, joy) while also representing the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The rhyming text presents a simple meter that is easy and fun to read, with rhyme schemes that fit the age level of the child. Illustrations are appealing, eye-catching, and detailed enough to allow the child to make discoveries along the way. Words and illustrations are laid out on the page so that they flow from one thought to the next.

While this book is a must-read for young children experiencing the deployment of a parent, it would also make a great read-aloud selection for all young school children to build appreciation for the sacrifices made by military families. It would be a great addition to every school library. 

Review by Betsy Beard (January 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

A heartwarming story of love, courage, and comfort during deployment for military families with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. In I'll Lend You My Daddy, young boys and girls find ways to manage feelings about deployment (from goodbyes, to the first night, to missed birthdays) as they eagerly await their fathers' return. Through the support of family and friends, care packages and calls, these children grow strong with the knowledge of what it means to serve, generating pride from within, that makes glorious reunions all the more sweet by book's end.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1733663038, 978-1733663014, B08165T151
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 32

Youth In Asia by Allen Tiffany

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MWSA Review
A.L. Tiffany’s novella covering a short period of time in the jungles of Vietnam conveys a story of young men living in an environment where they age quickly. While the men are young in age, they soon learn they must make mature decisions or suffer deadly consequences. The author describes combat patrols with enough detail to place the reader in the scene and at the same time keep the story moving at a good pace. Readers get to know the characters through few words and empathize with the main character, a corporal leading a squad in combat based on his limited experience patrolling the demilitarized zone in Korea. Tiffany portrays young men involved in an unpopular conflict hoping to stay alive long enough to get back home. This story is highly recommended for a realistic glimpse into the lives of young American infantrymen fighting in Vietnam as told by a thoughtful soldier and storyteller.

Review by Valerie Ormond (February 2020)

Author's Synopsis

Corporal Jacobs came to the war in Vietnam in late 1967 from the DMZ in Korea. He was a smart, thoughtful young leader who would do anything to accomplish his mission and keep his men alive. Assigned to the bloodied 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade recovering from their vicious battles around Dak To, the proud 173rd was refitting and filling with new troops. Little did the Brigade know that massive formations of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers were streaming toward them through the jungles and forests of the Central Highlands as they descended on coastal cities such as Hue and turned south toward Saigon in preparation for the brutal slaughter known as the Tet Offensive of 1968. One patrol, one night, one mistake, and Jacobs and his men will be on their own in a cataclysm of violence and confusion. Jacobs will find out if he is ready to lead men in combat, and for those of his team that survive, the price will be too high. This novel is really a thank you to the officers and men who trained me. Most were Vietnam veterans. So I have donated half of all revenue earned on this book to organizations that help our veterans and their families (such as the Wounded Warrior Project and the VFW Home for Children). So far, with a partial match from my employer, I have been able to donate about $2,500.

ISBN/ASIN: 1511453451 / B00V6WXVF2
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 88