8 MIRACULOUS MONTHS IN THE MALAYAN JUNGLE by Donald J. "DJ" Humphrey II

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MWSA Review
8 Miraculous Months in The Malayan Jungle is a true story of an American B-29 crew that struggled to survive after being shot down in Japanese Occupied Malaya in 1945. The book's author, Donald J "DJ" Humphrey II, is the son of the man who commanded the B-29 and its crew, Lt. Col. Donald J Humphrey. LTC Humphrey wrote a narrative of his experience shortly after his return to the U.S. That narrative, as fleshed out by his son is the source of this book.

Helped by indigenous Malay people, most of the crew of the downed B-29 spent eight months living in wilderness, traveling hundreds of miles, mostly on foot, through untamed jungle. The men were suffering from serious injuries from the shooting down of their plane, and later from persistent disease and infection that plagued them throughout their ordeal. Not all of the men survived. But those who did will never forget the experience, and no reader of this story will forget it either.

The events take place in a part of the world that is still very poorly known to Americans, the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. In 1945, the jungle was largely undeveloped wilderness, populated by natives; Chinese descendants of workers imported to the country to work in mines or on plantations; a few Brits, Australians, and Americans manning isolated outposts; and thousands of occupying Japanese soldiers. But even here LTC Humphrey and his men managed to meet some very colorful characters!

This is a story of honor, courage, and determination against nearly impossible odds. It is unique and riveting. It introduces people you want to know in a story very much worth reading.

Review by Jamie Thompson (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A Grueling Survival Story About a WWII Hero’s Fight for Freedom

On January 11, 1945, Major Donald J. Humphrey had his B-29 Superfortress directed at Singapore Island. After navigating the 1900-mile trip from India through dangerous weather, they had just successfully bombed their target. And that’s when Japanese Zeroes shot off the wing and sent the mighty aircraft death-spiraling into the Malayan jungle.

Jumping to safety, Humphrey and a few of his remaining crewmates found themselves lost in the middle of occupied territory. Enduring vicious crocodiles, deadly snakes, and crippling malaria, the Americans battled just to stay alive. And though they made contact with Malayan resistance fighters, they could never be sure their benefactors weren’t pulling them even deeper into danger…

In this harrowing true account, Major Humphrey’s son shares the extraordinary story of his father’s grueling ordeal. Told in the first person, this highly personal narrative puts you inside the mind of a man fighting for his country while struggling to survive.

Eight Miraculous Months in the Malayan Jungle is a gripping memoir about overcoming unexpected peril. If you like World War II heroes, incredible stories of courage, and inspirational reads, then you’ll love Donald “DJ” Humphrey II’s captivating biography of his father.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-77101-4 , 978-1-7358451-0-4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 237

The Original Jeeps by Paul Bruno

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MWSA Review

The Original Jeeps by Paul R. Bruno begins with a well written and interesting background chapter about the US Army between World War I and World War II. It then changes into a more academically written detailed analysis of the development of what ultimately became the Jeep. The book offers a great appreciation for the difficulty in dealing with military procurement rules. Persistence is definitely required.

In addition to the difficulties in defining what is needed by the military and how best to adjust manufacturing needs to meet those demands, the automotive companies were also dealing with the great depression and the American disinterest in small cars. All of this is clearly described. The book concludes with a well written Epilogue that nicely summarizes the “rest of the story.” The book is replete with detailed information and technical data, some of which is found in tables in the back of the book. There is also a useful timeline in the back of the book, as well as a detailed index.

Review by Nancy Kaufmann (January 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The spring and summer of 1940 witnessed the resounding defeats of the French army and British Expeditionary Force at the hands of modernized German troops, designed to take advantage of the latest advances in technology. These included mobile vehicles and tanks used in formation to blast through enemy lines, as well as combined ground and air tactics. The evacuation of the British from Dunkirk and the final defeat of their French allies in June 1940 left only a thin line of English fighter planes between that island nation and total defeat.

Meanwhile, leaders of the United States Army, decimated by demobilization after World War I and budget cuts during the Great Depression, knew they were completely unprepared for this new type of mobile warfare called “blitzkrieg,” a German term meaning “lightning war.” Though experts in the U.S. Army had worked from the end of World War I to develop a combination light weapons carrier and command and reconnaissance vehicle, no perfect model had yet been developed by 1940. In June of that same year, the Army compiled a list of requirements for a revolutionary new truck to replace the mule as the Army’s primary method of moving troops and small payloads.

The Original Jeeps tells the story of the American Bantam Car Company, Willys Overland-Motors, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company, the three firms who dared to meet the challenge to build pilot models of this extraordinary new vehicle. The efforts by these automotive pioneers represent an astounding story of grit, determination and never-say-die courage that inspires, and ended in the creation of a legend: the Jeep.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-72175-0

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 241

THE CULMINATION a new beginning by Gwen Plano

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MWSA Review
The Culmination: a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller trilogy by Gwen M. Plano. Despite being written in the present tense, it is a gripping, engaging mystery that fares well as a stand-alone book. From the first chapter surrounding an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in California, this story grabbed my attention. The Culmination has everything: interesting characters, romantic love stories, international intrigue, and politics. Ms. Plano details the interplay among the leaders of countries facing off against each other during negotiations to craft a denuclearization agreement. The actions, reactions, and apparent motivations of each foreign leader are fascinating to read as the events unfold resulting in a murderous turn. In the midst of personal and international struggles, an unlikely but captivating, romance blossoms.

The President of the United States becomes physically incapacitated and Vice-President Margaret Adler is sworn in as the new leader. With the advice of the former president, Adler has to determine who she can trust within the cabinet and staff during a difficult world situation while establishing credibility and trustworthiness among fellow world leaders. It’s up to President Adler to form alliances and avoid massive destruction during what appears to be the beginning of World War III. Adler and the Joint Chiefs, along with other freedom-loving nations, work together to save the world from absolute biological and nuclear destruction at the hands of the Chinese and their evil allies. 

Although the author seems to lack a clear understanding of weapons systems and military authority, she weaves a compelling white-knuckle tale from beginning to end climaxing in a nefarious attack in the Middle East. The Culmination is an exciting read.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The Culmination, a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller series. After an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in northern California, tensions mount. Heads of state meet to craft a denuclearization agreement. The meetings between these nuclear powers take a murderous turn. A nefarious conspiracy re-emerges and leads the characters into the heart of the Middle East, where they encounter the unexpected and find a reason for hope.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-89-4, ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-91-7, ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-92-4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 292

dd 214 by W. Joseph O'Connell

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MWSA Review
A DD 214 is the Department of Defense form one receives upon separation or discharge from the US military. Most recipients also recognize it as a document signifying a significant change in their lives. W. Joseph O’Connell’s dd 214—rendered in lower case in the book’s title—is an entertaining and thought-provoking work of fiction. The book focuses on the very real and daunting challenges faced by someone retiring from the military and contemplating his future as a civilian.

dd 214’s two main characters are long-time friends who share the experience of military service. And as the main character approaches the end of his military career, the two decide to embark on a journey of celebration and discovery. As the story progresses, we learn that they’re clever enough to contemplate life’s oddities and challenges, honest enough to share life events like innocent teenagers, yet bold enough to set out on a series of short and potentially dangerous odysseys. All the while, they’re anesthetized by a near-constant buzz afforded by a never-ending supply of top-grade weed, or as the main character calls it, “the anamorphic filter of marijuana.” Perhaps this helps them remain oblivious to their shortcomings. 

Through his first-person narration, we learn that the main character, whose name we never learn, has quite a resume. He ran a side “business,” allowing his fellow soldiers to cheat on their military drug tests while also selling them narcotics. During his road trip, he is willfully ignorant of his friend transporting drugs across state lines for sale and has few if any qualms about having sex with an under-aged girl. He also seems unconcerned about remaining detached from his children from a long-ago failed marriage. Still, despite the main character and his friend Zeke’s manifest flaws, the reader is captivated by their travails and ruminations—almost as if they were O’Connell’s versions of Butch and Sundance.

The main character is drawn to communist Cuba and upset about Agent Orange. He often voices contempt for a corrupt government typified by the “ATF goons” who intrude “against the rights of individuals and especially the Fourth Amendment” during the siege of the Branch Davidians in Waco.  In response, he toys with becoming a revolutionary or maybe visiting the prison from which Timothy Leary escaped in 1970. At one point, he contemplates his future and imagines three possible outcomes: suicide or being locked up in either a jail or a “looney bin.” In the end, the reader won’t know his name or his fate. However, despite his many foibles, the author allows us to feel his pain and wish him well in his ongoing struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. 

Review by John Cathcart (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A washed up soldier and his buddy take a road trip from California to Texas in a rental car full of guns and drugs. What could go wrong? Along the way, they encounter revolutionaries, survivalists, jailbait, and a bounty hunter. Their karmic journey across the American West is a search for wisdom and an escape from society, so long as they don't get caught.

ISBN/ASIN: ASIN : B08KMHM6Q3, ISBN-13 : 979-8694584029

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 246

American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust by Mari K Eder

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MWSA Review
American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust by Mari K. Eder is a treatise on the state of disinformation in America today. Referring to the phenomenon as the Information Apocalypse, Eder sets forth a convincing case that our society has devolved into a frightening lack of trust, leaving us at odds with one another. The disinformation leaves Americans distrustful of the government, the media, non-government organizations, and—to a lesser extent—businesses.

After presenting the problems inherent in the lack of trust, Eder outlines steps that can be taken by individuals, as well as leaders to restore trust. She encourages leaders and journalists to be more truthful and more transparent. She challenges individuals to be better versed in distinguishing fact from fiction, educate themselves in the areas of social media and news outlets, and look at issues from both sides politically. Readers are encouraged to fact-check all forms of media, and especially social media, which is rife with misinformation, fake news, innuendo, character assassination, and faulty beliefs. This book should be read by all journalists, leaders, and concerned individuals from both ends of the political spectrum in order to start becoming part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Review by Betsy Beard (March 2021)

Author's Synopsis
Trust is unraveling across American institutions, affecting not only government but also news organizations, trusted sources of information and, most critically, expertise and values. The impact is not just institutional, the decay also affects individuals, families and shared norms. The very foundations of American civic culture seem increasingly at risk. All the while, technology continues to act as an accelerant, speeding up societal change and challenging our abilities to keep pace while controlling our responses. Uncovering the multivariate sources of these challenges is work that demands rigorous, ongoing investigation. As with any investigation, a solid place to start is a requirement. In American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust, Mari Eder examines the sources of decay in trust and offers solutions to lead us to firmer terrains of shared truth. By grounding the topography of cyberspace and drawing on wide-ranging expertise and experience, both scholarly and practical, American Cyberscape shows pathways to improve outcomes for everyone.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-10 : 1953327001, ISBN-13 : 978-1953327000

Book Format(s): Soft cover, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 152

Tri-State Heroes of '45: Together With a Year in the Life of a West Virginia Farm Family by Rupert Pratt

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MWSA Review
In Tri-State Heroes of ’45, author Rupert Pratt collects various writings from 1945 from the tri-state corner of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia with to compile this fascinating look into history of a wartime farm family and their neighbors. Pratt provides a framework for his book with the daily journal entries of his mother and his younger 12-year-old self, focused almost entirely on domestic doings and his own present-day memories as well as commentaries on the wider world and the war. But the bulk of the book—reprints of newspaper columns devoted to local military service members from the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and Herald-Advertiser—keeps the emphasis, as Pratt intends, on “the military service of Tri-State men and women.”

The book is masterfully put together. Pratt divides it into chapters, one per month, from January 1945 to January 1946, with chapter subtitles suggesting his alternating double focus on both the home front and the war: “February: Allies Advance, Nazis Flee”; “March: Welcome Spring, High Waters”; “November: Flu, Monopoly”; “December: Troops Homeward Bound.” He includes a number of photographs and reproductions of newspaper advertisements that add considerable local color to the text. An Index of People mentioned in the book, along with the date of the reference, provides a useful way for readers to identify family members and others.

The author has done a laudable service in meticulously transcribing and reproducing a years’ worth of newspapers columns, and in so doing has offered the public a valuable research tool. His book will be most appealing to the Pratt family (who might want to skip through each chapter, reading mostly the journal entries by Pratt and his mother, along with Pratt’s commentaries) and to families and other researchers who want to know more about the wartime postings, decorations, injuries and deaths of these “tri-state heroes.” At least for one reader, the long litanies of these heroes’ names offered a surprising response: as I read through the columns devoted to the military men and women, I found myself not only moved to thanks and appreciation for their service to our country, but to a peaceful acceptance of all life offers.

Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
In Tri-State Heroes of '45: Together with a Year in the Life of a West Virginia Farm Family, Rupert Pratt shares the moments and memories woven into the fascinating history of the final year of World War II.

This compilation of local, national, and world events from 1945 showcases the diverse area where West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky converge, seen through the perspective of rural life on a little farm in Salt Rock, West Virginia.

Tri-State Heroes of '45 hangs on a framework of diary entries of Pratt’s mother, who was thirty-seven that year, while Pratt himself was the young age of twelve. Filled with echoes from the avalanche of events that defined that year, the daily life on Pratt’s small farm presents a unique mosaic that tells an unforgettable tale of faith, family, and hope on the home front.

Packed with encouraging vignettes, the book honors the military service members of the Tri-State, with “mini stories” that appeared in Huntington, West Virginia newspapers. These personalized stories shed light on the tragedies, awards, and survival in the war zones, as well as the relationships that strengthened the resilience of soldiers and civilians alike.

Residents of the Tri-State will reminisce with appreciation as they look back at the year in which their relatives and friends played a vital role in preserving our nation.

ISBN/ASIN: 13: 978-1-6312-9915-5, 13: 978-1-6312-9916-2

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 524

Sheltering Angels by Nancy Panko

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MWSA Review
In Sheltering Angels, author Nancy Panko has given us a fascinating perspective of the relationship between guardian angels and the people they protect. The book, set primarily on a farm in New York, tells the story of the Emig family whose first child, Betsy, has a unique gift. Betsy is born with the ability to see and talk to her guardian angel. At first, her parents believe Betsy is just talking to a make-believe friend whom she calls Sandy. Over time and after a couple family crises, Betsy tells her parents that Sandy is a guardian angel, and while skeptical at first, her parents soon realize she is telling the truth. The story continues over the decades giving the reader an insight as to how this knowledge and relationship with the guardian angel affects the family. An enjoyable read, I recommend it.

Review by Bob Doerr (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Most hard-working families living in the shadow of the Lyon Brook Railroad Bridge are oblivious to the angels in their midst. However, Betsy Emig, a child on a nearby farm is born with an unusual gift - she can see and communicate with her guardian angel. Her young parents assume their precocious daughter has an imaginary friend until the three-year-old repeatedly tells them what she sees during incidents of undeniable angelic intervention. Butch and Mary Emig evolve as parents raising five children, one with unique abilities.

ISBN/ASIN: Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61153-399-6, E-book ISBN: 978-1-61153-400-9
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 293

Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan

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MWSA Review
Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan is an exceptional story that depicts our American service members during a deployment to Iraq. It is exceptional not only in the voice he gives his American and Iraqi characters, but also for the depiction of ghosts, a demon, and an elemental. While snakes, coyotes, jackals, and birds show up sporadically in the beginning chapters of the book—harbingers of nonhuman intervention—the noncorporeal characters do not arrive until after the main character’s mid-tour leave, about halfway through the book. Prior to Mackenzie’s leave, soldiers and Iraqis hold a storytelling contest involving ghost stories, unleashing an unsettling feeling around the FOB and setting the stage for horrors to come.

While most of the action takes place in Iraq, Mackenzie’s leave takes place in America, beginning at an outdoor concert festival in Texas and ending in a small town in Louisiana. Descriptions of places and events are vivid and compelling, and the dialogue is enjoyable (keeping in mind that military members under stress will be using words that some readers may find offensive). More than the ghostly plot line, I found the details and circumstances of what our military forces face during a combat deployment to be enlightening and important.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Sergeant John Mackenzie is on his third deployment to Iraq at the height of combat operations. His overriding goal: get his soldiers home safely. That mission is difficult enough when every day is a fight against snipers, roadside bombs, or just plain old boredom--it becomes impossible when John accidentally awakens two ancient spirits, each bent on destroying the other, collateral damage be damned.

A soul-collecting demon named Moonlit Samuel wants to move up in the hierarchy of evil; a malevolent force of nature known only as taliment destroys everything it touches; and John still faces local insurgents, foreign fighters, a belligerent battalion commander, a greenhorn lieutenant, and questions of his own sanity.

John must find a way to protect his men, save the city, and return to the woman he loves before she becomes just another victim of supernatural combat.

ISBN/ASIN: Paper: 978-1646631735, Hard: 978-1646631759, Kindle: B08G5VLLWR

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 360

The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories by Bob Stockton

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MWSA Review
The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories by Bob Stockton is a collection of short stories and essays, mostly biographical, that start with Bob’s early childhood in Trenton, New Jersey, and cover his years in the Navy, traipsing around the globe as well as from shore to shore in America. Those who lived through the fifties and sixties will find much in common with Bob. Those who are younger will get an education on how it really was back then. And those who served in the Navy will likely find common ground with the author, since most of the book is about his time in the Navy.

Most of Stockton’s stories are humorous, some with a little more bite than others. Some of the stories are, well, almost unbelievable. And all of the stories are populated with memorable characters, filled with fascinating detail and vivid word pictures. My favorite line in the whole book is, “Max’s ‘moral fiber’ was thinner than dental floss.” In many stories, the author draws the reader in and leads him along, lulling him into a pleasant state only to surprise him by delivering an abrupt sucker-punch ending to the vignette. Stockton has an engaging and folksy storytelling quality that is endearing enough to allow readers to ignore missing commas, quote marks, and the occasional wandering-bunny-trail sentence.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A shipwreck’s tragic toll in human life. The changing face of a quiet turn-of-the century neighborhood. A man who lost his wife unexpectedly. An obnoxious drunk who gets more than he bargained for. A horse who develops an affinity for a Hawaiian saloon. A submarine’s up close and personal encounter with a snoozing whale. Each of these stories and much more are found in The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories, author Bob Stockton’s personal anthology of forty-six short stories that have been published over the past decade.

The book’s first section contains stories of a young boy’s coming of age in an ever-changing northeast working-class neighborhood. The second section highlights standalone stories that run from autobiographical to allegorical. The third section focuses on the adventures-and misadventures- of young sailors serving in the U.S. Navy of a half-century past. The fourth section relates actual tales of the U.S. Navy and her sailors deployed along the Pacific Rim.

Grab a cup of coffee and escape into the mind of an author with a flair for describing what is really important in life.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781662902895, B08F6663GC

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Collections—Anthology

Number of Pages: 414

Bangkok Gamble by Tom Crowley

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MWSA Review
Bangkok Gamble is Tom Crowley's new thriller that takes us through the back streets of Bangkok, the back country of Thailand, and the opulence of Macau in this intricately woven tale.  Heroes Matt Chance, John Scales, and Jade Lee, all US ex-military, track a gang of sex traffickers in their attempt to rescue young Thai sex slaves and bring the evil monk who leads the organization to justice.  Written with detailed description of the various settings that only the author's many years in Southeast Asia could have provided, Bangkok Gamble is a fun, suspenseful story. 

Review by Gary DeRigne (March 2021)

MWSA's evaluation of this book found a number of technical problems–including some combination of misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization errors.
 

Author's Synopsis
Kidnapping, international trafficking on the dark web, bitcoin blackmail by gangster police states, loan sharks, and a monk obsessed with profit and power are all in the mix.

When Matt Chance is asked by a Bangkok gambling kingpin to investigate the kidnapping of his daughter he’s not interested. That is until he learns that his mentor, former Special Forces soldier John Scales, already on the case, has disappeared. On the trail, Matt confronts Jade Lee, an ex-US Army chopper pilot who joins the chase.

Their attempt to rescue the girl and capture the monk in charge of the criminal cult appears to be a failure until the CIA joins the picture in the form of Matt’s older brother Rick. Offered the chance to take part in a covert operation in Macau, where the monk has fled, Matt and Jade agree to go. The risk is great, the territory unknown, but it seems the only way to rescue the girls and get the mad monk.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 1-64396-153-5 ,  ISBN-13: 978-1-64396-153-8

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 228

Death in the Highlands: The Siege of Special Forces Camp Plei Me by J. Keith Saliba

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MWSA Review
Death in the Highlands presents a very thorough analysis and reporting of the attack on Plei Me in 1965 by the North Vietnamese army and the Viet Cong, along with its defense by American and South Vietnamese forces. While going into great detail, the author, J. Keith Saliba, still tells a story that portrays the human aspects of sacrifice and perseverance. In addition to using a plethora of written history, Saliba also interviewed a number of the survivors of this long and deadly battle to provide a realism that is hard to pull from documents alone. The author holds no punches in describing the horrific results of the battle. Well researched and documented. A must read for anyone interested in modern military history and especially for anyone interested in the war in Viet Nam.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2021)

Author's Synopsis
In fall 1965, North Vietnam’s high command smelled blood in the water. The South Vietnamese republic was on the verge of collapse, and Hanoi resolved to crush it once and for all. The communists set their sights on South Vietnam’s strategically vital West-Central Highlands. Annihilate ARVN’s defenses in Kontum and Pleiku provinces, the communists surmised, and the region’s remaining provinces would topple like dominoes. Their first target was the American Special Forces camp at Plei Me, remote and isolated along the Cambodian border.

As darkness fell on 19 October, 1965, two North Vietnamese Army regiments—some 4,000 troops— crept into their final strike positions. The plan was as simple as it was audacious: one regiment would bring the frontier fortress under murderous siege while the other would lie in wait to destroy the inevitable rescue force. Initially, all that stood athwart Hanoi’s grand scheme was a handful of American Green Berets, a few hundred Montagnard allies—and burgeoning U.S. airpower. Cut off and beleaguered, Plei Me’s defenders fought for their lives, while a daring band of helicopter, close air support, and resupply pilots braved a withering storm of antiaircraft fire to help save their brothers on the ground.

But as the overland relief force bogged down, 5th Group ordered in the legendary “Chargin” Charlie Beckwith and his elite Project Delta to help hold the line. Soon, the newly formed 1st Cavalry Division, under its aggressive commander Maj. Gen. Harry Kinnard, would join the fray, setting the stage for its bloody Ia Drang Valley fights a few weeks later. Before it was over, the siege of Plei Me would push its defenders to the brink and usher in the first major clashes between the U.S. and North Vietnamese armies.

Drawing on archival research and interviews with combat veterans, J. Keith Saliba reconstructs this pivotal battle in vivid, gut-wrenching detail and illustrates where the siege fit in the war’s strategic picture.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13 : 978-0811738811, ASIN : B08DKHMTC1

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 280

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