LST1150 A Lucky Draw by John Wyle

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MWSA Review

College completed, an anticipated career as an architect is interrupted for the author by induction threats into war in Vietnam. John Wyle has choices in the hand he is dealt. Graduate school with the risk of the draft into the unfavorable Army with its inevitable battlefield hardships and possible death or, as recommended by family friends, go Navy now and have a bed and three meals a day aboard ship. The author briefly details his early years’ experiences then begins concentrating accounts with his entry into Navy OCS. Details become more in-depth following his reporting aboard the World War II, LST 1150, USS Sutter County, his first assignment as a new ensign, the junior among eight officers. The officers’ daily poker games become a metaphor for life. Sometimes it is “a lucky draw.” But no matter, as he explains, one must execute with the hand dealt.

The author details his ‘dealt hands’ through a three-year Navy career and how unexpected assignments for which he had no experience, or some he could not even define, along with the people with which he is forced to work, establishes life-long bonding. Maturation for a mid-twenty’s college graduate, suddenly responsible for the lives of others, comes rapidly through meeting the challenges from many unexpected tasks. The greatest emotional impact affecting the author, however, is the combat death of a very close friend from his youth. The shock of this personal tragedy is driven deeper with the author’s assignment to escort his companion’s body home to a grieving pregnant widow and family.

The author brings remarkable accounts of atypical shipboard life aboard this small beach assault ship, with unusual assignments in a war following the war for which it was conceived and built. Some tales are somber to terrifying, and some are downright laugh-out-loud hi-jinks. The greatest lesson Wyle takes from his brief Navy career is the forever bonding of strangers through shared experiences during the brief intense period of war.

Review by Tom Beard (March 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

This is the story of one man’s journey to manhood, based not on age, but experiences shared with friends who contributed to the evolution. Some of the author’s friendships were lifelong and formative, with others forged during the period leading to and through the Vietnam war.

Unlike so many stories focused on the war itself and the men who fought heroically, this book is about how relationships, most notably with the officers and crew of the USS Sutter County and the wartime culture they formed, brought about a new level of maturity that prepared them to meet the demands of a world in turmoil. It also taught resilience which would later be necessary to engage a much different world than the one that had faced the previous generation. These were experiences that transformed “The Boys of Sutter”, into The Men of the USS Sutter County LST1150.

It is also the story of how young men in the 1960s faced the draft, when on most evenings Vietnam’s escalating body count led on the nightly news. Women faced their own unique challenges to be full participants in American society which at the time did not include service in combat.

The story is told through the eyes of a young man from Alabama who, with his friends, found their way into the military, each with outcomes much different than expected, but all having been subjected to “The luck of the draw”. It is the author’s story of service, first aboard a WWII vintage LST running the rivers and coast of Vietnam, as well as ports throughout the South China Sea. It is a story of camaraderie, where emotions played on the routine of shipboard life, anxiety about the unexpected when in-country, and on occasion, sheer terror. It was where he and his shipmates learned to survive not just physically, but mentally as well … to paraphrase the Beatles … “With a little help from his friends.” And of the author’s friendships, one stands out - Morgan Weed, a best friend from high school who was killed in action and is now memorialized on a black granite wall in Washington DC. There and in the minds of family, friends, and the ones he led to battle, Morgan will remain ever present and honored by a grateful Nation.

From this tale of hi-jinks and fear, the author sums up his thoughts in an epilogue with lessons learned; from fighting a war, to the value of living in an interdependent community with all races and economic strata. He offers his hopes for America’s future which are rooted in service on the USS Sutter County LST 1150, a ship on which the author was lucky to have drawn duty.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 156

Word Count: 60,000

Doolittle's Men by Paul D. Burgess

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MWSA Review

Author Paul D. Burgess makes the drama, bravery, and bravado of the men of the April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Tokyo relatable to everyone.

In Doolittle’s Men, the author focuses on three of sixteen Army aircrews under Doolittle’s command. They knew they would not have enough fuel to return to the USS Hornet as they flew into the unknown, but volunteered for the mission, nonetheless. The author takes us aboard their planes as we follow them through their harrowing takeoff from the carrier, their bombing raid on Tokyo, problems with the airplanes, and the aftermath once they landed at an Allied airbase in China, crashed, or parachuted to land.

Burgess relates the assistance offered by Chinese villagers and missionaries who aided the airmen, offering them whatever medical care they could, providing shelter and food, and leading them through the countryside to safety as Japanese forces relentlessly took China under its control, mile by mile.

The Chinese risked their lives to help, and they were severely punished for it. The women were raped, most of the Chinese who aided the airmen were killed, their livestock was slaughtered, and their villages burned to the ground. The author, sometimes in disturbing detail, depicts the depravities the Japanese conquerors forced on the Chinese population as well as on one captured aircrew.

The pace of the book is riveting. The end of each chapter forces the reader to turn the page. The emotions are genuine. The characters are well-drawn, and the dialog is realistic, ensuring the reader understands the closeness of each five-man crew. Each crew created bonds only those who were there at that time could ever share or fully appreciate.

This book brings the Tokyo raid to life. For those unacquainted with World War II, it provides the context for why Doolittle’s raid was so important during the first year of America’s involvement in the war. It takes the dry facts of history and breathes life into them, as we accompany these men, many of them quite young, on a mission that was a surprise attack on Japanese soil.

We owe these airmen, the Chinese villagers, and the missionaries in China a debt of gratitude for delivering a wake-up call to Japan—a call that made them realize they were not invincible. And Japan’s response to that call revealed the kind of enemy the Allies faced.

Doolittle’s Men is a book worth reading. Though written as a novel, the airmen in the book were real people, living real lives, in an extraordinary time. Their names are in history books. Their fates are in history books, too. Burgess brings them to life for us.

Review by Pat Walkow (February 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

January, 1942. With Pearl Harbor still smoldering, President Roosevelt seeks to give America hope that all is not lost. The resulting mission called for renowned aviator, Jimmy Doolittle, to lead eighty men in sixteen army bombers off the deck of the carrier, USS Hornet. They would bomb targets in Japan, proceed to allied bases in China, and give America that hope. Almost nothing would go as planned.

In this novelization of the Doolittle raid, we follow three of those sixteen crews as they struggle off the storm-tossed flight deck of the Hornet, attack their targets, and escape against all odds to the Chinese mainland where their most harrowing experiences await.

Doolittle's Men is more than an edge-of-your-seat telling of an iconic war story. It is also an analysis of the human qualities required of those facing unimaginable challenges.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 351

Word Count: 89,500

Stewards of Humanity: Lighting the Darkness in Humanitarian Crisis by Robert Seamus Macpherson

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MWSA Review

Stewards of Humanity is a book that needed to be written. Given the author's 30-year military career, it was especially impactful to read about his experiences and respect for people who do important and often dangerous work, but usually without the benefit of a heavily armed infantry battalion to back them up. As a veteran myself, I always appreciate when people tell me "Thank you for your service." But I always remind people that service doesn't require one to wear a military uniform—there are many who serve, whether as civilian diplomats, teachers, health-care workers, and as the author has so vividly written about, humanitarian workers. Thank you for sharing these stories with us.

Review by Frank Biggio (May 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Robert Macpherson has been a writer, aid worker, and career infantry officer in the U.S. Marines with service in Vietnam, Iraq, and Somalia. After retiring from the Marines, he joined the humanitarian organization CARE, where he spent fifteen years directing global risk mitigation for staff and vulnerable populations and led humanitarian response missions worldwide.

As a humanitarian worker, he negotiated and coordinated with non-traditional powers such as, paramilitary forces and an assortment of armed local groups and militias who controlled territories where humanitarian organizations wanted to assist. These included the Taliban in Afghanistan and local militias throughout central and east Africa such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Somalia. Throughout this period, he conducted kidnap negotiations in Zimbabwe, southern Sudan, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This work resulted in his own abduction in Somalia.

Stewards of Humanity is his debut book. He lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife and service dog, Blue.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 288

Word Count: 90,800

The Last Road Trip by James Elsener

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MWSA Review

James Elsener’s The Last Road Trip is a sad commentary on the inability of some professional athletes to make a life plan for their retirement. Fictional mediocre Kenneth “Stub” Rowe finds himself out of a job after his final season with the Cleveland Indians. He decides to take a road trip across America to see what he missed when flying at 30,000 feet to all the cities where he played Major League Baseball for sixteen years. In part he wants to visit old friends in the industry while visiting attractions he missed in the whirlwind of his career. At thirty-six, Stub also wants to find himself and discover skills for continuing his life without baseball. Instead, he finds that he is great at womanizing and drinking, but not reconnecting with his ex-wife and their two kids, or learning any new marketable skills.

Baseball aficionados will likely enjoy the book, but it’s not particularly suitable for young teens. The language and shallow sexual encounters will be off-putting to some adults as well.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Stub Rowe’s mediocre major league baseball career ended with a ground out to the second baseman.  He considered that to be the wimpiest out in baseball.

He had never been a star, but he was considered steady and reliable.  Some team always needed a third baseman with a little pop in his bat…until the years ran out on him. Now it was time to consider what to do with the rest of his life.

Stub had bounced around professional baseball for 16 years. He ran out the string with a couple of unremarkable years with the Cleveland Indians. 

He hadn’t given a lot of thought to retirement. Now it was here staring him in the face.  He wasn’t sure if he had any marketable skills. The years had changed his relationships with people and he began to wonder where he would fit in a life outside baseball.

His ex-wife and children seemed to be getting along fine without him.  He has a few other personal relationships that need some closure as well. 

Stub decides to drive across a country that he had mostly seen from 30,000 feet flying from city to city to play baseball.  He wanted to see sights that he missed and visit old friends along the way.  This would give him time to think about his future. 

He drives from Cleveland to Los Angeles with stops in-between to visit old friends and family or just to be a tourist.  He spends time with his sister and her family including the husband Stub can’t stand.  Then he visits his ex-wife and children who hardly know him.  

His spends time with a former teammate who is a born-again Christian with a picture post card family.  Then he meets up with another ex-teammate who has become a helpless alcoholic. These visits aren’t going exactly the way he thought they would.

Stub eventually reconnects with Katie Riley, a one-legged Iraq War veteran who works for the movie industry.  Things are getting exciting when he gets an emergency phone call from his sister Tina and must head back to the Midwest to deal with family issues and the need to find a real job.     

He had never envisioned himself becoming a baseball lifer and starting all over as a coach and manager in the low minor leagues.  It’s a life of low pay, long bus rides, cheap hotels and babysitting for rookie players. But, it maybe his only option. He starts his new career in baseball the same way he ended his last career – hitting ground balls to the second baseman.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 190

Word Count: 56,000

Advance To Contact: 1980 by Alex Aaronson / James Rosone

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MWSA Review

Advance to Contact: 1980 is the flagship novel in the series of the same name.
It’s 1980.  The Shah may be falling in Iran, and President Carter and his staff are working tirelessly to keep this US ally in place in the volatile Middle East.  When the Soviets invade Afghanistan while at the same time Iranian fanatics storm the US Embassy, tensions flare.

The world knows what actually happened in the aftermath, but authors Alex Aaronson and James Rosone take us on a marvelous alternative history journey of what could have happened, and the realism is shocking.  Using in-depth knowledge of the historical military dispositions and political personalities, the two weave together an incredible story that shows just how bad things could have gotten, with CIA agent Fred Poole doing everything he can to avoid World War III.

This reviewer was continuously impressed with the military accuracy of the vast weapons platforms mentioned on both the east and west sides. At the same time, there are plenty of “raw grunt” moments that show that any soldier has more in common with his enemies than he thinks.  Fans of Dale Brown, the late Tom Clancy, or any military alternative history series will surely find this worth the effort.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

The Cold War threatens to go hot…

…when American hostages are taken in Iran.

Where will this conflict lead?

The Soviets invade Afghanistan, and the governments of Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev jockey for position on the international stage. CIA operative Fred Poole races against the clock to decode the pieces of a Soviet puzzle that could lead to war.

Will he be too late?

US Marines and Soviet paratroopers advance to contact with the enemy on battlefields across the globe, from the jungles of Central America to the deserts of the Middle East.

Can Poole and his ragtag team untangle the Soviet plans?

Or will skirmishes turn into a global nightmare?

You’ll love this gripping opener of the Soviet Endgame alternate history series because the history you remember takes a turn you never expected.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 329

Word Count: 119924

A Girl's Guide to Military Service: Selecting Your Speciality, Preparing for Success, Thriving in Military Life by Amanda Huffman

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MWSA Review

A Girl’s Guide to Military Service by Amanda Huffman is a must-read for any young woman considering a future in military service. Ms. Huffman walks the reader through the history of each service branch and what they have to offer. She challenges the reader to seek within themselves what they really want for their future and explores that with them. The pros and cons of life in the military are laid out—touching every facet, from basic training and benefits to challenges women still face.

There are testaments from many female service members (past and present) on the issues and stresses they experienced during their careers. The advice they give is worth its weight in gold. The book is a straightforward factual roadmap for joining the military. The author poses deep and insightful questions throughout the book, which dare readers to consider the consequence of each decision they make.

A Girl’s Guide to Military Service is insightful and encouraging. The author provides further resources at every turn and helps navigate the alphabet soup of acronyms of the military. I highly recommend this book to any young woman who feels the military life might be for her.

Review by Sandi Cathcart (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

For any young woman considering a job or career in the military.

With information, tips, and perspective gathered from a variety of women who serve, this introductory guide will help you:

- Discern if military service is the right choice for you

- Evaluate enlisting or commissioning as an officer

- Select a service branch and career field

- Prepare for training, mentally and physically

- Integrate personal life, relationships, and motherhood with military service

- Manage stress and increasing mental toughness

- Navigate unique challenges as a woman in the military

- Thrive in your military career!

Applicable for enlisted and officer careers in any US Armed Forces service branch and type of service commitment, including:

- Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Space Force

- Active duty, National Guard, Reserves

"... a solid, factual, and practical guide to help young women make a major life decision with confidence ... Strongly recommended."

—Mari K Eder, Major General, US Army (Ret)

"... a perfect guide to help any woman considering life in uniform get straight talk on how it all works ..."

—Jose Velazquez, Sergeant Major, US Army Public Affairs (Ret)

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)

Number of Pages: 176

Word Count: 48,498

Red Markers: The Rest of the Story by Gary N. Willis

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MWSA Review

This is the story of U.S. Air Force pilots and enlisted ground crews performing the Forward Air Control (FAC) mission for the Republic of Vietnam military during the Vietnam War. Artillery and airstrikes in the vicinity of friendly ground troops has always been a perilous operation, especially before our current era of precision guided munitions, GPS, and secure communications. While artillery spotting from aircraft started in World War I, faster aircraft introduced during the Korean War led to development of the FAC concept, which reached a peak during the Vietnam War. The Red Markers operated in isolation and in austere environments, with U.S. Army advisors and Special Forces among the Vietnamese airborne troops. This is the second of two books by the author on the Red Markers and builds on the first book with further information on operations with the Vietnamese airborne troops. Through this story, the reader obtains a unique perspective on the major battles and campaigns of the Vietnam War. Five appendices provide a glossary and rosters of the offices and enlisted who served with the Red Markers, as well as other interesting information. This book makes a great reference for this chapter in U.S. Air Force history that is little known but serves as an outstanding example of service and sacrifice during the Vietnam War.

Review by Terry Lloyd (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Red Markers: The Rest of the Story is a sequel to Red Markers, Close Air Support for the Vietnamese Airborne, 1962-1975, published in 2012. The Rest of the Story expands on the history of the Red Marker FAC detachment with more stories about the 175 airmen who served in the unit. It includes accounts from U.S. Army advisors in MACV Team 162 who fought alongside the Vietnamese Airborne for more than a decade. It also chronicles support provided by other forward air controllers and from Medevac, Cobra gunship, and field artillery units. Stories include the opening hours of the Cambodian Incursion in 1970, the daring rescue of a downed Medevac crew, and fierce battles by the Airborne during the Easter Offensive of 1972. A chapter on Dumb Things in the War Zone captures a lighter side of the unit history. The final story covers the shipboard escape of hundreds of South Vietnamese led by a Catholic seminary student.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 304

Word Count: 100,959

How to Deal with Damn Near Anything by John McGlothlin

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MWSA Review

A former paratrooper, author John McGlothlin, uses the military as his backdrop for presenting inner traits that, if adopted, will help anyone—whether in the military or not—create a life where challenges can be met. The author identifies five essential inner traits: self-awareness, initiative, efficiency, adaptability, and insistence. Backed by studies from multiple sources, the author employs real-life and often first-hand examples from both military and civilian life to demonstrate the traits, why they are necessary, and how they relate to each other. And he does it with just the right amount of humor to make the reader laugh from time to time.

The book is well designed, with a consistent format for defining each trait, identifying the mindset, and explaining the action steps to develop and practice that trait. This approach makes it visually appealing and easy to follow. This book can serve as a life guide for anyone who wants to be purpose-driven, effective, and respected in the workplace and in their personal life.

Review by Patricia Walkow (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

There is a hidden side to the military—behind the stories of leadership and valor is a distinct culture that promotes personal growth and development. In How to Deal with Damn Near Anything: The Paratrooper’s Guide to Life, John McGlothlin shows how this culture can benefit anyone.

Using a mix of research and first-hand experience, McGlothlin distills this culture into five “inner traits” essential to facing any challenge. Each trait is examined in detail: what they mean, how they fit together, how to build them, and why being a paratrooper offers a unique perspective on doing so.

No place fuses personal and professional like the “airborne.” The result is a series of lessons no classroom or regular workplace can teach. You don’t have to enlist to learn them–you just have to embrace the right mix of practical thinking, honesty, and a desire to improve. How to Deal with Damn Near Anything will guide you through that process and put you on the right path for stability and success.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 222

Pearl Harbor's Final Warning by Valarie J Anderson

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MWSA Review

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning by Valarie J. Anderson is a historical account of the message that arrived too late. The book details events leading up to, during, and after the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on the beautiful tropical paradise of Oahu. Anderson weaves a horrific tale of loss and tragedy into the everyday lives of the people on the island who were most directly affected. It was, indeed, a day that lives in infamy.

Anderson provides an account from the archives of her grandfather, George Street, who was the District Manager of RCA-Honolulu. In addition, the author had access to many documents, decoded messages, and family memories from her uncle George Street, Jr. and her mother, Barbara Street. These documents demonstrate the many errors in communication that resulted in the awful consequences of the Japanese airstrike.

On that fateful day, Washington sent a message about a potential Japanese attack to its Pacific outposts—all except Pearl Harbor. All who received the message had time to prepare for an assault. Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning, subtitled A Man, A Message, and Paradise Lost, documents in detail the flaws of governmental bureaucracy that resulted in the carnage that day. The Street family was immediately embroiled in this historical boondoggle.

This book is an example of the importance of communications and good intelligence. The story illustrates weaknesses of politicians and leaders at every level of government, including the military. The flawed decisions they made affected not only the service members but all civilians living in the islands of Hawaii.

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning is a well-researched book about America's military preparations and/or lack of preparation, communications, and coordination between the U.S. Armed Forces leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

On 7 December 1941, Washington sent a message to its Pacific outposts about a potential Japanese attack. All but Pearl Harbor received it in time to prepare. 

New information from the archives of George Street, District Manager of RCA-Honolulu, exposes the fatal flaws that resulted in the surprise attack. Operational snafus, collusion, and spies weave a web of misdirection that entangles George Street and his children in one of history's biggest mistakes. Pearl Harbor's Final Warning amends the historical record by presenting unpublished material, including the original copy of Marshall's coded message.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 354

Maritime Unmanned by Ernest Snowden & Robert F. Wood Jr.

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MWSA Review

For those of us outside the government and defense industry, Maritime Unmanned is a golden nugget of information. Authors Ernest Snowden and Robert F. Wood do a superb job of giving a historical perspective on 100 years of Naval aircraft deployment, and pointing to the next new challenge, all on the first page. It’s an intriguing outline for what is to come in this book.

Maritime Unmanned is a fascinating story for anyone interested in Naval aircraft or the US Naval service and is a historical account of the growth in UAV development, both from an amalgamation of program convergence, innovation, and development and the politics of people coming together to forge a new military program.

Due to the 100-year scope of the story, detail can get a bit overwhelming. But this work provides a comprehensive investigation of the details surrounding Naval aviation history, which is a compound undertaking. The intrigue of politics, inner-workings of the military/industrial complex, technology advances through the years, and continual paradigm shifts present a deep subject in a brief retail format. The authors succeeded in telling their story with adequate protagonist and antagonist depth of character while not losing sight of the storyline—definitely a good read for someone interested in Naval aviation and/or military drone development.

Review by Robert Lofthouse (May 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Maritime Unmanned recounts the promising beginning, demoralizing setbacks and ultimate success experienced by teams of Navy and Industry visionaries who committed themselves to bringing revolutionary UAS technology to a legacy Navy mission – the very first time in the history of naval aviation that an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was adopted into frontline squadron inventories, in this instance as an enabling component of the maritime patrol and reconnaissance mission. What should have been a fairly uncomplicated cross-service transition of a DARPA and Air Force-developed UAS (Global Hawk) took twenty years to nurture and mature through introduction of the concept to realization of its initial operational capability. 

The authors take the reader deep inside the machinations of aerospace & defense industry leadership, strategy development and execution; alongside industry representatives and Navy counterparts socializing an unfamiliar and unconventional concept of operations in their effort to cultivate new adherents; and into the dialogues of senior government acquisition officials, who either advocated for the concept or purposely road-blocked its advancement, revealing the motivations for those actions.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 262

A Hoot in Hell's Island by Col. Kirk Gibson Warner (USA, Ret.) and Robert D. Gibson

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MWSA Review
A Hoot in Hell's Island is more than one man's experiences as a Navy dive bomber pilot. It is an emotionally moving account of history as it was being made in the South Pacific theater of World War II. The credibility of the book is extremely high due to the author's excellent blending of one man's account with newspaper and public
media accounts and official war records.

I learned new things from this book about the growth of a weak American military presence to a world leading presence. That growth occurred in an incredibly short time, notably due to the civilian war effort and the gallantry of the American fighting personnel. I appreciate my own father, a WWII U.S. Navy veteran, more now than ever.

This book will be enlightening to any reader, whether a "war buff" or not. It would be particularly relative to prospective members of the military. Not only was this book informative and credible, it was enjoyable.

Review by Jerry Burton (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

In the dark days of 1942, the battle for the Solomon Islands was very much in doubt. When carrier dive bomber Robert D. "Hoot" Gibson sighted the Japanese fleet heading for "Hell's Island," he attacked the vanguard ships, sinking the heavy cruiser Kinugasa and two loaded Japanese troop transports in a battle royal that earned him the Navy Cross.  He was also credited with the sinking of an I-Class submarine and shooting down two Zeroes, after going toe-to-toe with Japan's premier ace pilot, and he alone accounted for the deaths of thousands of Japanese soldiers and sailors.

Hoot was a hero when America needed heroes and when America needed to turn the tide of the war from defense to offense. He was on the Yorktown at Midway and the Enterprise at Guadalcanal.  Hoot was in three of the five carrier battles of the war, the first and last amphibious invasions of WWII, and thirteen major battles. A Hoot in Hell's Island tells Hoot's dramatic story and that of the American navy in the crucial battles of the Pacific War.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 240

Edge Of Armageddon by Brad Graft

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MWSA Review

Book Three of the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy, Edge of Armageddon, leads up to and then describes the actual battle of Armageddon on September 3, 1260. Military historians will appreciate the strategy, tactics, and preparation for battle as well as the advancement in weapons – the Mamluks have figured out how to shoot an arrow every second and a half by holding up to four arrows in each hand. The book shows how hard it is to field, arm, feed, and communicate with thousands of soldiers. While modern armies must provide fuel for their vehicles, the 13th century army had to find fodder and grass for their horses, mules, and camels—not easy on the mountain and desert terrains they crossed. Along the way, they captured and raided for both food and additional fighters. At one point, the Mongols had 80,000 troops heading toward Cairo, their ultimate goal. Throughout the book, the value of intelligence gathering is seen for both sides. This battle, according to Eric H. Cline in “The Battles of Armageddon: Mediddo and the Jezreel Valley from the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age” halted the westward advance of the Mongols and shattered the myth of Mongol invincibility (page 151) and is a battle that cannot be overestimated.

The story moves smoothly back and forth in time with the dates, places, and main characters clearly listed as chapter headings and includes detail after detail of life in the 13th century. The book begins with maps of the battle area as well as list of characters grouped by loyalty. The major players (Cenk, Leaner, and Baybars for the men and Else and Jacinta for the women) each have chapters detailing their struggles, past and present. The excellent cover photo is replicated in silhouette on each page beside the page number—reversed on the left-hand page so that the warriors are charging toward each other, bow and arrow at the ready.

In the acknowledgements, the author thanks the scholars worldwide who spent whole careers studying this period and this sect of warriors as well as those who translated works from Arabic.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Set during the 13th century, Edge of Armageddon is the stirring climax in the Brotherhood of the Mamluks trilogy. The story brings together characters from Books I and II: Duyal, the enslaved nomad boy who rose to command a reconnaissance unit; Leander, the French soldier who abandoned the Crusades to join the devout Islamic warriors he admired, and Baybars, a Kipchak from the Eurasian steppe who is now the charismatic leader of the elite Bahri Mamluks of Egypt.

The novel introduces us to Esel, a respected bowmaker in her nomadic tribe who is seized, enslaved, and sold to a wealthy arms merchant in Syria. Overhearing her master plotting against Baybars, a nephew she has not seen since his adolescence, Esel risks her life to flee Damascus and warn Baybars of the coming betrayal.

Embraced in Baybars’ camp, Esel plunges into the hazard and intrigue surrounding her ambitious nephew. Soon, she is aiding Baybars in his quest to win the sultanate and countering the efforts of a female spy who stalks the roving Bahri.

Tension builds as the Mongol army slashes a bloody path through Mesopotamia and northern Syria, eyeing Cairo as its prize. In a fateful battle on the wide plain just east of the biblical site of Armageddon, Egypt’s Mamluks come face-to-face with the seemingly unconquerable Mongols, who sacked their Kipchak tribes twenty-four years prior. At stake for Esel and the Mamluks is the survival of their people, preservation of their fledgling empire, and the continuance of Islam itself.

A gripping tale of betrayal and love, retribution and mercy, and abandonment and redemption, Edge of Armageddon is also a compelling account of the historical Battle of Ayn Julut—an unheralded clash whose outcome leaves crucial repercussions still felt today.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 529

When the Beaches Trembled by Zach S. Morris

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MWSA Review

When the Beaches Trembled is a riveting story about the men who served on small landing craft infantry (LCI) ships during World War II. The author, Zach S. Morris, demonstrated his strengths as both a tremendous historian and a gifted writer. This book is particularly interesting as Morris personalized the story from the eyes of his grandfather, Steven Ganzenberger, who served on LCIs in the grueling Pacific campaign in constant combat conditions for two years.

Morris tells the tale of not only the island-hopping campaign but also the toll life on the LCIs took on the individuals assigned to these flat-bottomed floating corks. LCI missions included amphibious assault landing craft, gunboats, and rocket ships to name a few. The author shares details including lack of fresh water or laundry facilities, appalling bathroom and hygiene conditions, minimal food rations, no liberty, and frequent seasickness caused by the ship's shallow draft and small size. Top this with kamikaze attacks, perpetual general quarters, and non-stop operations, and this did not make for an easy life. Despite all this, the Greatest Generation pulled through to victory, and many remembered those days of camaraderie and brotherhood as “the best days of their lives.”

This story is meticulously documented, and it shows in both the author's heartfelt introduction and in his final research notes. The many citations portrayed in the men's own words gathered from personal interviews and extensive research made this story read more like a movie. The reader got to know and empathize with those courageous men and wonder how they kept going day after day, battle after battle. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in learning about World War II in the Pacific and a group of its sailors who received little notoriety.

The author sums it up perfectly in his final words:

“For when the beaches trembled, it meant that the mere mortal men of the LCIs like my grandfather were taking their stand against tyranny and oppression that will forever echo through the corridors of immortality.”

Review by Valerie Ormond (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

When Stephen Ganzberger enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the outset of World War II, he never imagined what would await him and his shipmates in the Pacific Islands, as they journeyed aboard a newly-designed ship called a Landing Craft Infantry (LCI). American sailors like Ganzberger—who answered their nation’s call and fought on the tiny LCIs—had the perilous job of delivering troops directly onto enemy-held beaches, in some of the fiercest combat of the war. As part of General Douglas MacArthur’s South Pacific campaign, Ganzberger faced death from Japanese bombers, torpedoes, and kamikaze attacks. All during the largest naval conflict in history.

In this long-awaited, richly-illustrated new book, Zach S. Morris weaves a vivid narrative of the World War II Pacific Theater, drawn from declassified military documents, maps, photos, and over a decade of interviews and research. Through his grandfather Stephen’s journey and the deeply personal accounts of other veterans, When the Beaches Trembled brings to life the incredible true story of the LCIs in the Second World War: a story rarely told, until now.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 368

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Enter the Shadow

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MWSA Review

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Enter the Shadow by Angel Giacomo is a mystery/thriller that takes place after 9 / 11, utilizing worldwide terrorism of that period as its plot line. Jackson MacKenzie is a “super warrior” – a medal of honor winner who has served in the Army and the Marine Corps. He is now a retired Lieutenant General (Marines) living on a ranch in Montana. He and his wife become victims of terrorists taking over a cruise ship. MacKenzie almost single handedly and heroically foils the plans of the bad guys and saves the ship’s passengers and crew.

Later, the terrorists try to even the score with Jackson by poisoning his cattle and kidnapping his wife and friend. Once again Jackson comes to the rescue. The terrorists in both scenes—on the cruise ship and at the ranch—turn out to be humorously incompetent villains.

Other scenes take place at the United States Military Academy at West Point as Jackson is honored for his cruise ship heroism and then returns as his twin sons begin their plebe year as members of The Long Gray Line. The author recounts the traditions, the rituals, and legacies of the academy and cadet life.

Review by James Elsener (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

Jackson MacKenzie’s life is about to change. After retiring a second time, the Marine Corps general takes his wife on an ocean adventure as a homecoming to renew their marriage vows. But he never expected what would happen next. He finds himself hip-deep in international intrigue. Who is after him? The Russian GRU, the FSB, maybe even someone closer to home. Will he be able to save his family, his friends, and himself? Or will the villains defeat him in the end? And he joins the fallen at Arlington.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 149

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Broken Valor by Angel Giacomo

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MWSA Review

This installment of the Jackson MacKenzie series focuses on the ordeals of one of its principal characters, Army Major Harry Russell after he suffers a debilitating combat injury in Vietnam. While struggling to recover from the loss of his left foot, Harry also takes on the challenge of helping his best friend – Lieutenant Colonel Jackson MacKenzie, falsely charged with treason.

The book is a flashback that fills in the backstory for one of the MacKenzie series supporting characters, Major Harry Russell. The period setting is the waning days of US engagement in the Vietnam War. Russell's opening challenge is the aftermath of a crippling combat injury. He is initially overwhelmed by the physical and mental trials of the loss of his left foot. The pain and setbacks of his long recovery are complicated by bouts of self-doubt and the abrupt end of his promising Army career.

Russell's personal trials are soon eclipsed when he finds out that LTC Jackson MacKenzie has been imprisoned with the members of his Special Ops team on trumped-up charges of treason. His efforts to contact MacKenzie are met with covert deterrents by government officials trying to sustain their cover-up.

A happy ending for all of the characters—except, of course, the bad actors—sets the stage for follow-on books in the series.

The Kindle version is well laid out and readable, but lack of a Table of Contents makes it difficult to navigate the text. Chapters are identified by dates and locations, assisting the reader in keeping track of the setting in time and space. Listings of previous works by this author would also help the reader know where this book fits into the series.

Review by Peter Young (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

Duty. Honor. Country. The motto by which Major Harry Russell lived as a United States Army Special Forces officer. How does he move forward when his entire life has been turned on its head? Everything Harry worked toward all his life is gone. Gone like his foot in a nighttime mortar attack. Gone like his career since the Army kicked him out as worthless dead weight. Gone like his friends, missing on a secret mission. All he has now is himself. And as a Vietnam veteran, that may not be enough.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 153

LUPTON: Last Man Standing by William A Lupton

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Author's Synopsis

To outfox his draft board, Lupton enlists to get his duty station in Hawaii. He joins 2nd platoon A/1/27 Wolfhounds where fatigue of jungle in Kahuku Mountains sucks life-blood out of you. The 25th Division sails from Hawaii; a month hence arrives at Cu Chi, Vietnam. Endless patrols, ambushes, always tired. Red ants and lifers. Ho Bo Woods, Boi Loi Woods, the Iron Tri-angle, tunnels galore! VC lizards mock green troops, “ruck roo, ruck roo, ruck roo…” steps in the night; a mad-minute at dawn. Calamity strikes 3rd squad ambush, all wiped, 12 hootch mates gone. No victory this day, A-Company finds Viet Cong in a big way, survival a fluke. General Weyand’s contrition, “you are men of steel.” Eagle Flights, air assaults, bivouacs, FNGs. An Early Out! Survival! Déjà vu, Schofield Barracks again, B/20/11th Brigade, same room, different day. Garrison life, Kahukus, red mud, thirst, fatigue. Kitchen Police, guard duty, much boredom. Go on the wagon. Big Island, live fire, rainy, windy, cold. Amphibious landing on Molokai, descending ropes, assaulting island, reboarding ship, return to Pearl. D-Company, clerking, vain XO, insolent, “That is MUTINY, LUPTON!” USS Gordon, same ship, different cruise, better chow, same-same to Vietnam. Duc Pho, Bronco, LZ Charlie Brown. The TET Offensive. Transfer to Chu Lai, Aero Scout Infantry, Warlords, Scorpions, Skeeters, Animals. 300-kills, 300-captures, and jaunts to Chu Lai, “you, GI, boom boom me?” Lieutenant Calley, Captain Medina, Mr. Thompson, Colburn, My Lai Hill 85, been there, saw that. Commander crashes, almost burns, we have a real hero when needed. Easy war LZ Dottie, horseshoe games, ennui, beers on the beach, grab-ass hootch maids, and toking Marjee Wanna. Special Forces camps, Minh Long, Hà Thanh, Tiên Phước. O6-LOACH, Slicks, Cobras, miniguns, rockets, friendly fire. Spooky ops in mountains, anxiety big time, capture three 4-duce mortars, maverick pilots fly our asses out, the thrill of night flight. Warlord’s worst day, NVA kill two Animals, a Skeeter gunner, five gunships down, plus a Marine jet. At last, out of infantry into the rear, with the beer! REMF-dom! I have arrived! R&R Bangkok, getting short, mortars walk bunker line. I am out! I survived! Finally, a cure for the nightmare of Vietnam.

Format(s) for review: Paper

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 531

Into the Stars by James Rosone

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MWSA Review

Into the Stars is an excellent combination of the trajectory of humankind on Earth with familiar players, their conflicts, and resolution—forecast into futurism and the surprising unknown.

Written with a believable plot that has relatability to the current world, the book takes us to a future geopolitical landscape here on Earth. It places the reader in a world with exciting and challenging but very plausible events. What happens to mere earthlings when introduced to a broader universe that includes a technically advanced race that is not open to peaceful coexistence? This page-turner introduces the characters, threads, and settings that make the reader want to turn the page straight into the next volume.

Review by August Uhl (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

The stars are within mankind’s reach…but what awaits in the void may end humanity…

Mars and the Moon have been colonized, piracy runs rampant in the asteroid belts, and a thriving society grows in the depths of space. Humanity prepares to embark upon its greatest journey—the colonization of Alpha Centauri.

Then everything changes…

A deep space reconnaissance probe discovers a new Earth-like planet twelve light-years from Earth’s sun. The probe also finds something unusual, something…unnerving. A new mission is created, a space fleet is formed, and humanity embarks on unraveling the greatest mystery of all—the origins of life itself.

Can the factions of Earth remain united, or will old rivalries and animosities destroy the fragile peace in the face of this terrifying existential threat?

Will exploration prove to be a fatal mistake?

If you love new technologies, fast-paced action and gut-wrenching turns of fate, you’ll love this first book in James Rosone’s military sci-fi series, The Rise of the Republic.

Author Note -- This is not a standalone book. This is book one of what will become a 12-book series once it's completed.

Format(s) for review: Kindle and paper

Review Genre: Science Fiction

Number of Pages:  528

Cardinal Virtues by R.G. Roberts

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MWSA Review
R.G. Roberts is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. She served on three ships, taught at the Surface Warfare Officers School, and graduated from the U.S. Naval War College with a master’s degree in Strategic Studies & National Security, with a concentration in leadership.

In her book, Cardinal Virtues, Roberts writes about the U.S. Navy in 2037. The main character, Alex Coleman, has had the unfortunate assignment to work as XO under the command of power-seeking Admiral Kennedy. After becoming embroiled in controversy, Alex is assigned to an underwater mega-station to carry out concierge tasks while marking time until his retirement.

Alex Coleman’s wife Nancy is the commander of a naval destroyer tasked with leading a strike group through the Strait of Malacca. When a lapse of judgment causes a trigger-happy admiral to fire upon an Indian submarine, all hell breaks loose and World War III seems to be underway.
Forces of evil nations conspire to trap the Americans and destroy every one of the ships in the area.

In this technical mystery/thriller, a reader experiences vicariously what it’s like to be under relentless attack. The main characters struggle to outwit a cunning collaboration of enemies both on and under the sea. The ending will leave you wanting to pick up the next book in the series.

Review by Nancy Panko (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Every nation wants territory without war. Until the shooting starts...   

Alex Coleman is on the way out.   

The year is 2037, and Commander Alex Coleman’s career is on the rocks. He’s been exiled to Armistice Station, an underwater megastation where you can buy everything... except success in the U.S. Navy. Here, he awaits retirement, doling out supplies and keeping an eye on unruly sailors. All his career aspirations have sunk lower than the ocean floor that surrounds him.  

Nancy Coleman is on the way up.   

Commander Nancy Coleman, on the other hand, is in command of a brand-new destroyer and leading a strike group through the Strait of Malacca. China’s getting frisky, and the U.S. Navy has long-standing ties with Taiwan. China might start the war, but Nancy knows her navy will finish it.   

Neither Nancy nor Alex know of the dark forces at work around them. French marines allied with the Indian Navy in a plot to remove US influence in the Indian Ocean. A trigger-happy admiral lands Nancy’s strike group in the middle of a shootout with the wrong enemy. World War III threatens with every misstep.  

Nancy battles to keep her ship in one piece and her sailors alive. Alex fights to get his band of misfits off the station before they end up prisoners of war. Neither Coleman set out to be a hero. Yet, the bullets are flying... and they both have a job to do.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 386

Monroe Doctrine Volume I by James Rosone

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MWSA Review

Monroe Doctrine: Volume One is such a scary thrill-ride that the readers will wonder how much of it is really fiction.

Four years after COVID-19, China builds a supercomputer like nothing ever seen. Programmed to collect and find patterns among billions of individual data points, it draws up a path to lead China to world domination. At the same time, the world economy and the US economy are both failing, creating the perfect time for a new leader of the world to emerge. The Chinese government initiates a scenario scripted by the computer that uses deception, deepfake technology, and China’s extensive resources to start a war with the United States, and all is going to plan. But has the computer really thought of everything?

This book is an incredibly interesting read that mixes machine learning technology, espionage, and modern-day military action to create an eerily plausible tale that doesn’t seem too far in the future at all. I particularly liked how the authors used pop-culture references to the “Terminator” franchise to further heighten the tension surrounding so much power being given to an artificial intelligence.

Plenty of action and well-written, this book will be a big hit for fans of Larry Bond, Tom Clancy, or Dale Brown.

Review by Rob Ballister (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

It was called Jade Dragon…

…and it threatened to destroy the West.

Was an attack on the U.S. imminent?

In a lab deep in the heart of China, a brilliant engineer had a breakthrough. It was the most powerful AI ever created. Ma Young believed the Jade Dragon could solve the world’s most dire challenges. There was just one problem…

The president of China had other ideas.

Was this their chance to conquer?

The war began at the speed of light. The entire NATO alliance stood on the brink of destruction. Cyber-attacks, deepfakes, and a wave of social media disinformation wrought fear and desperation across the globe.

The sleeping giant was awake.

Could Ma stop his creation?

You’ll love this fast-paced techno-military-thriller because we live in a world where this fiction could be truer than we suspect. It will keep you turning the pages.

Get it now.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 360

Point Option: A Time-Travel Military Thriller by Ian A. O'Connor

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MWSA Review
For those of you who enjoy a good science fiction thriller, Ian A. O'Connor's book Point Option: A Time-Travel Military Thriller may fit the bill. The story begins with our protagonist, Air Force Major David Fleming being assigned duty with the Navy on board the aircraft carrier Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), operating in the Mediterranean Sea. What is supposed to be an opportunity of a lifetime turns into somewhat of a nightmare when an unexplained anomaly starts sending a variety of ships at sea and planes in the sky back in time.

As the story unfolds, the main characters don't understand what is happening, and they struggle to come up with an explanation to a number of seemingly inexplicable events. As you might imagine, time-travel would not be on top of the list of rational explanations. When the entire carrier is sent back in time, the answer becomes apparent; however, the solution to their predicament is not. I found this book to be a fun, easy read.

Review by Bob Doerr (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

United States Air Force Major Dave Fleming lands a dream job most men would kill for. As one of three exchange fighter pilots chosen to fly with a premier US Navy attack squadron aboard America’s newest aircraft carrier, the Lyndon Baines Johnson, (LBJ) little does he know that his life is about to be changed forever!

While flying a mission in the Mediterranean Sea, Fleming finds himself inexplicably transported through a time portal back to Italy in the year 1463. Soon joined by the LBJ and its entire crew, the prospect of being trapped forever in the Middle Ages becomes a terrifying reality, but three days later the ship uncovers the wherewithal to execute its return to the present day. Joined by the carrier’s senior officers, and armed with irrefutable scientific evidence, Fleming convinces a disbelieving US Navy Board of Inquiry that the historical journey indeed took place.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 246