Thirty Days with My Father, by Christal Presley

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MWSA Review

Thirty Days with My Father: Finding Peace from Wartime PTSD is a stark portrayal of one woman’s struggle with both her father’s and her post traumatic stress disorder. It is one of several recent books that explore war’s effect on children. “We are reminded once again – when one person goes to war, nobody in that person’s circle escapes wounding, either during service or after,” writes Edward Tick, author of War and the Soul in the book’s forward. True words.

Thirty Days will appeal to children of Vietnam Veterans but also to anyone who has had a parent serve in war. They will connect with Presley as she tries to make sense of her childhood and seeks to know her father, and therefore herself, as an adult.

Presley decides to write about her father after a guest speaker at a writing workshop asked the participants to write about what they fear the most. For her it was truly getting to know her father who suffers from PTSD and thereby confronting her own depression and unhappiness. “Although there’s no ‘official’ illness known as intergenerational PTSD, it is well known and acknowledged that the children of veterans with PTSD may develop symptoms of their own that are related to dealing with their parent’s symptoms, and this is sometimes called “secondary traumatization.”

Throughout the work Presley never holds back and she fearlessly writes about her most personal struggle, never shying away from anything that might portray her in a negative light. Presley's writing is raw and though the subject matter is highly charged, she writes with restraint. This gives her memoir greater impact.

Reviewed by: Cathryn J. Prince (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A soldier's return home from war is often just the beginning of another, more internalized battle. In her memoir, Presley recounts 30 days of interviews with her Vietnam veteran father—conversations in which she attempts to understand her father, his PTSD, and her own lifetime of vicarious traumas. Each day is given a chapter, and each chapter concludes with a "Journal" entry that revisits Presley's tumultuous childhood memories. What emerges from this format is a harrowing portrait of the past's ability to haunt the present; Presley's descriptions of the troubled child she was blend all too easily into the confused and searching adult she becomes. In some cases, she is compelled to go to a Veterans Affairs hospital and even to Vietnam. The book's division into 30 days feels increasingly forced and fragmented with the passing of each chapter. Such a story is, by its very nature, fractured, and by the end of the book Presley's father is no less tormented than he was at Day One. Yet Presley has found stability in her father's story, and her willingness to share it—and her own revelations—will be appreciated by readers who deal with any form of wartime PTSD.

My Special Force, by H. S. Means

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MWSA Review
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Author's Synopsis

A modern day tale of love and war, My Special Force is the true story of a military widow's relationship with her beloved husband and the lifelong impact he made on those around him. Weaving together the letters they wrote to each other while he was stationed in Iraq with her own story, Heather, now a single mother, tells the story of Ryan Means, whose zest for life, bravery, and indomitable spirit changed her forever. After losing his best friend in the September 11 tragedy, thirty year-old Ryan leaves his old life in New York behind to join up with the Special Forces where he meets Heather while in training. After multiple deployments and two lonely pregnancies, Heather must summon unthinkable reserves of strength when Ryan is given thirty days to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer just weeks before the birth of his second child. In this universal story of patriotism, courage, and what it means to be truly transformed by the person you love, we get the devastating yet inspiring story of one single mother's story of what it means to have known and loved a warrior.

Blackhorse Riders, by Philip Keith

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MWSA Review

My immediate reaction to Black-Horse Riders is that its research is complete. The author captures the full scope of who these heroes were, how they joined together, how they overcame adversity, and how they earned their final recognition. Also, the writing is vivid, bringing the reader back to the terrifying wilderness of wartime Viet Nam. The vivid writing combined with the full-circle viewpoints reconstructed from the testimony of a multitude of people paint a valuable and memorable piece of history.

This is the best combat story I’ve read in a long time. It made me feel the fear, the pain, the determination, and the hope that these brave warriors felt. It also invited me to consider the tactical and leadership challenges that Army officers and NCOs face, giving me the best picture of mechanized land combat I’ve had. There were moments where these soldiers needed to be silent, where they needed to slug it out with weapons on full automatic, and moments where they had to stop for a second, reflect, and outthink their enemy.

This is a story that needed to be told, and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Viet Nam War or the broader subject of American combat heroism.

Reviewed by: John Monteith (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Philip Keith's Blackhorse Riders is the incredible true story of a brave military unit in Vietnam that risked everything to rescue an outnumbered troop under heavy fire—and the thirty-nine-year odyssey to recognize their bravery.

Deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry, the famed Blackhorse Regiment, was a specialized cavalry outfit equipped with tanks and armored assault vehicles. On the morning of March 26, 1970, they began hearing radio calls from an infantry unit four kilometers away that had stumbled into a hidden North Vietnamese Army stronghold. Outnumbered at least six to one, the ninety-man American company was quickly surrounded, pinned down, and fighting for its existence. Helicopters could not penetrate the dense jungle, and artillery and air support could not be targeted effectively. The company was fated to be worn down and eventually all killed or captured.

Overhearing the calls for help on his radio, Captain John Poindexter, Alpha Troop’s twenty-five-year-old commander, realized that his outfit was the only hope for the trapped company. It just might be possible that they could “bust” enough jungle by nightfall to reach them. Not making the attempt was deemed unacceptable, so he ordered his men to “saddle up.” With the courage and determination that makes legends out of ordinary men, they effected a daring rescue and fought a pitched battle—at considerable cost. Many brave deeds were done that day and Captain Poindexter tried to make sure his men were recognized for their actions.

Thirty years later Poindexter was made aware that his award recommendations and even the records of the battle had somehow gone missing. Thus began the second phase of this remarkable story: a “battle” to ensure that his brave men’s accomplishments would never be forgotten again.

The full circle was completed when President Obama stepped to the podium on October 20, 2009, to award the Alpha Troop with the Presidential Unit Citation: the highest combat award that can be given to a military unit.

The Bad Boy Bert Hall, by Blaine Pardoe

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MWSA Review

Blaine L. Pardoe thanks many people in his acknowledgments for helping him to pull off his book titled: The Bad Boy, Bert Hall: Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies. It is obvious by the extensive amount of endnotes and the bibliography, that this author has done his research. According to the book jacket, “Blaine Pardoe calls on previously untapped archival material to uncover the fascinating truth behind the myth of one of America’s greatest daredevil adventurers.” Readers will be impressed with all they will learn about Bert Hall. I found it interesting that Pardoe decided to research Hall’s life because while working on the book Lost Eagles, he learned about Frederick Zinn’s lifelong friendship with Bert Hall. And because the men seemed so opposite, the quest to learn more began and has resulted in this book.

Bert Hall desired to seek adventure and new challenges. He was born in 1885, named Weston Birch Hall. It is not clear when/where he picked up the nickname of “Bert.” At the age of 21, he joined the Sells-Floto Circus, but apparently only for a short time. He told people that he was a human cannonball, a stunt rider, and/or a wild animal trainer, but records show that he most likely was more of a “greeter” or helped to put up posters around towns. The importance of this…it was the beginning of the difficulty in sorting fact from fiction when it comes to Bert Hall’s life. Blaine Pardoe had a huge task in sorting out all of those details with the sources he was able to locate.

One could find Bert Hall driving a taxi in the city of Paris and the Bert Hall of the French Foreign Legion. It appears that during this time, he “honed his skills at reinventing himself, weaving tales about his life and experiences. Testing those tales with the men in the trenches” (or in his taxicab) “gave him a good feeling for what stories would work and what wouldn’t.”

Hall trained in the French Air Service, and many details of this process and experiences are included in the book. Readers wanting to learn about aviation history will enjoy this book. We also learn that Hall received his first medal in 1916. The citation read: “The Médaille Militaire is conferred upon W. Bert Hall, sergeant of Escadrille N.124 and engaged volunteer for the duration of the war. After having served in the infantry, been twice wounded, transferred to aviation. Has very rapidly become a pilot of the first class and very outstanding gunner. Very intelligent, energetic, and most audacious. Has fulfilled his demanding mission of great peril and danger over German lines on many occasions. On 22 May 1916 he engaged the enemy in severe combat and destroyed two adversaries within a few hundred metres of our trenches. This nomination carried the Croix de Guerre and one palm leaf.”

Bert Hall arrived in the United States at a time when our country was “hungry for war heroes.” Since America was at the beginning of the war, and he had experienced war, he was called upon to do benefits and speaking events. It was during this time that he wrote his autobiography En l'air! Bert Hall managed to get around and his travels produced both a number of wives and children. One might say his personal life was quite “colorful.”

Beginning in 1921, Hall worked for 20th Century Fox as a writer, actor, and aviation consultant. From there on out, he was always looking for ways to make money and work deals, always taking chances. Pardoe says of him: “His knack for being in the right place at the right time in history is almost uncanny. He came to define what a mercenary—an aerial soldier of fortune—was in the eyes of many people.” He certainly was a man of flaws/faults. In summary, Pardoe writes: “Bert did not try and correct his personal flaws, he simply reinvented himself. From pilot to Chinese General, from gun-runner to businessman, from bestselling author to movie producer, Bert always found a niche for himself and stepped into it.”

So for readers who enjoy learning history “one person at a time,” or through the life and times of one very colorful character, The Bad Boy, Bert Hall:Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies could be the book of choice. Kudos to Blaine L. Pardoe and all those who contributed so that it was possible for him to write this informative biography of a man that might otherwise not receive his due in history. 

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Bert Hall was one of America's first combat aviators and went on to become a film director, actor, and writer. The author has unearthed new material including photographs and incredible details on the amazing exploits of Bert Hall.

George 3-7th Marines, by James Nicholson

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MWSA Review

After leaving it virtually untouched for 46 years, Dr. James “Nick” Nicholson, M.D., began to annotate his wartime picture album at the request of his daughters.  He immediately decided he needed to validate the story with his former Korean War comrades, for they “were integral to my life, [and] my children could not know me without knowing my friends.”  Thus began a 14-year effort of networking, traveling, and writing as he tried to hammer out an accurate and meaningful story of George Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, focused mainly upon the events of 1951.

I confess that I was slightly dismayed when asked to review a book of war memoirs, for past experience had led me to believe that such things can sometimes be rough sledding:  collections of minute details, parochial views, poorly written, and poorly edited.  However, much to my delight, Dr. Nicholson’s book is not at all in that category.   Sure, it has considerable detail, but the writing is elegant, the organization is logical and facilitates understanding, and overall it “is told as aging warriors would talk among themselves or to their grandchildren.”

And, yes, you get to know the very specific thoughts, fears, and feelings of Nicholson and his comrades and thereby get to know them pretty well.  But he also sets things in context, provides overview, and delivers perspective and nuance to enable broader and deeper understanding of what, unfortunately, has become “The Forgotten War.”

Private First Class Nicholson, USMCR, arrived in Korea in March, 1951, and fought almost continuously until being seriously wounded in the following September.  This included Operation Killer, Operation Ripper, the incredible Chinese spring offensives, Operation Mousetrap, and the Punchbowl Operations.  Tall and strong, Nicholson was assigned to carry his fire-team’s formidable Browning Automatic Rifle, and thus became known as “Nick the BAR-man.”

During the war, George Company suffered some 70 KIAs and over 150 wounded.  They also suffered terribly from the harsh climate, incredibly rugged terrain, unreliable supply, and insufficient and often low-quality food.  At times they even had insufficient water.  The only things they were never short of was the enemy (unfortunately) and ammunition (fortunately).

I was immediately captivated by the story, and had difficulty putting it down.  It might sound ridiculous to say, but Dr. Nicholson had me laughing at some points, teary-eyed at others, and at all times mesmerized.  I was further captivated by Nicholson himself.  As a very young man coming from a rough childhood, now 7,000 miles from home under horrifying circumstances, he was brave, steadfast, and resolute—all the while maintaining a good sense of humor.  Returning from the war, he put this terrible experience behind him, addressed civilian life with the same determination and tenacity with which he had faced combat, worked hard for an education, and ultimately served for 50 years as a family-practice physician.  The fact that he was recognized with the Silver Star some 60 years after he left Korea is just and fitting, but you don’t need to know that to know he is doubly a hero for a lifetime of remarkable service to his country and to his community.  And, to be very clear, Dr. Nicholson never intended this book to be just about himself and he certainly did not write it that way; his voice and his story is but one of many, and when he does talk about himself it is with modesty and with self-deprecating humor.

George - 3 - 7th Marines is a fascinating and gripping book about a subject sorely in need of illumination.  As such it deserves the widest possible readership.

Reviewed by: Steve Maffeo (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

In the four years of the Korean War, America lost almost 54,000 men, roughly the same number who lost their lives in Vietnam, yet this war has almost disappeared into American history as the "Forgotten War". George-3-7th Marines tells a story of the bloody Marine infantry campaigns fought in the deadly mountain ranges of Korea; it is a story told by the men who fought there-and died anonymously-in an unknown and bloody war. 

The never-before-told tales of the battle-hardened Marines of G-3-7 were collected and recorded by one of their own. Described by those who experienced the action firsthand, these accounts blend the shocking details of savage, bloody, killing with gentle, almost heartbreaking prose seldom seen in a chronicle of war. Jim Nicholson paints a brutally accurate picture of America and the Valhalla culture that shaped the toughness of soldiers in the fifties. 

He examines the events and mistakes that led to a collision of the free world with the rapidly expanding Communist military machine. He reminds us that history does, in fact, show clearly that the sacrifice of young American boys saved the South Koreans, who now live freely in their beautiful "Land of the Morning Calm".

My Corps: Short Stories & Reflections; by Z. Rackovitch

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MWSA Review

Gene Rackovitch joined Marines in 1944 and mustered out a sergeant in 1947. He worked in dairy industry diriving a milk truck in NYC. “My Corps” is his short stories and he put them in book form.

In 1944 Gene Rackovitch enlisted in the Marine Corps. He had to “fight to get them to take me” because he was “five foot seven, short, skinny for the marines, a physical challenge, one hundred and thirty pounds.” While he mustered out a sergeant in 1947, he thankfully never mustered out in his mind; because if he had readers wouldn’t have the privilege of “My Corps.”

This memoir, written nearly 70 years after Rackovitch enlisted, is filled with details that feel fresh and vibrant. It’s as if Rackovitch is telling his story to a friend over a hot cup of coffee rather than writing it down on pages. Throughout the work Rackovitch paints vivid pictures of what it was like to be scared upon arrival in boot camp to what it was like to sail on a tramp steamer. “Canvas bunks stacked ten high, held by pipes welded ceiling and floor, three hundred in all, an awaking for the men, reality in a harsh form… The berths close to deck of the ship were constantly inundated with seepage were to be avoided. Water layered on the floor sprayed to the second level of the bunks as the ship rolled.”  (p. 71)

Readers can follow Rackovitch from boot camp and training to the end of war and beyond. He allows people to get a taste of the camaraderie and esprit de-corps of the US Marine Corps. They see a family of brothers who sometimes bicker but, as the cliché goes, always have each other’s backs.

The author uses words to paint scene upon scene or to describe someone. In one passage he describes a Marine. This passage (100-101) is a perfect example of the author’s imagery: “His fatigues, too large, fell from his arms, stopping crumpled past the elbows, showing thin sinewy muscles... The bones of his skull were accentuated by taut oily yellowish skin. He smiles; an overly big mouth, with thick lips, showing gapped stained teeth; the mouth so full it gave the bearer a look of a clown on a poster above the gateway to the house of fun in a carnival.”

In the years after the war Rackovitch attended several reunions. In September 1992 he traveled to San Antonio, Texas to visit members of 4th Marine Division of WW2. He wanted to find out more about the men of his company and how they “withstood the carnage and tenacity of the foe they encountered.” He persisted – at first no one wanted to talk but eventually they open up and tell him stories and fill him in on details of their service.

The book is arranged chronologically and that contributes to the reader being able to feel the passage of time. Of course it’s hard to know whether the dialogue is accurate, but that seems unimportant for the intent of this memoir.

“I think of the men who went to Okinawa and wonder how many of them died there taking my place and I feel for them,” Rackovitch wrote in 2009. “Of all that has happened to me I wonder why I am still here.” (pp. 292-293)

Reviewed by: Cathryn J. Prince (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Mr. Rackovitch gives you his fears and joys in his short stories about the Marine Corps. There is humor and pathos in his recollections. There is also underlying feeling of pride in the men who gave all they had to their country in time of need. He reminisces and draws from memory as he creates both good and evil from that association. From the beginnings in boot camp through the training and the final cessations of hostilities he draws you into the life style and esprit de-Corp of the United States Marines.

Tying Up Water & Other Stories, by R. MacKenzie & M. Todd

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MWSA Review

Ross Mackenzie's newest set of short stories is a poignant collection of Man vs. Random. These three well-written stories showcase both the author's experience as a Navy helo-pilot and his love for rock-climbing. Just armed with that background alone Mackenzie could weave some decent stories. But when he adds the element of experience vs. life's random curve balls, he really hits a home run.

"Tying Up Water and Other Stories" deals with a young Navy pilot who crashed just minutes before, losing his helicopter crew and waiting for a rescue that may or may not come.

"Remembering Christmas" describes a rock climber who is focused both on a dangerous ascent and on a Christmas past spent with a lover.

"Truth in Advertising" is a story about your every day Navy sailors trying to help one of their own who just had his leg shattered in an operational accident.

The last is the most memorable to me, because it could be on any ship at any time on any day in the Navy, and as career Navy myself it really hit home.
Mackenzie is a gifted story teller. These short reads are worth the time invested.

Reviewed by: Rob Ballister (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A helicopter crash leaves Stuart adrift with unreliable memories, foggy recollections, and bittersweet realizations. Through this catastrophic experience, Stuart must rely on his strength, his family, and his faith to try and persevere. Sensual passion, exhilarating rock climbs, and tender hope for a legacy combine to define this remarkable story as not only a harrowing adventure, but also a touching love story.

The collection delivers other stories equally captivating in arenas varying from Australian rock climbing to high-sea Navy adventures. Ross H. Mackenzie is an award-winning author best known for his Patriot Kids children’s book series that positively impacts military families every day.

A Quest for Skye, by John Rothdiener

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MWSA Review

“A Quest For Skye” is a well written, heartwarming novel about faith, mystery, intrigue, science and the power of prayer.It centers on a precocious nine year old girl who seems to be the perfect child.

While on a vacation cruise, Doctors Tammy and Morgan Hamilton meet Skye who quickly take on the Hamilton’s as her substitute parents while her birth parents conduct a medical continuing education seminar aboard the ship.The Hamilton’s became enamored with the girl’s curiosity, bubbling energy, infectious smile, photographic memory, artistic talents, instant rapport with everyone she meets and a strong commitment to Jesus.But before the cruise ends, the parents and Skye leave the ship without explanation.

Six months later, the Hamilton’s are mysteriously called to a secluded island near Greece after Skye’s parents, one a medical researcher, the other a wealthy entrepreneur, died in a laboratory explosion under circumstances shrouded in secrecy.They are offered not only to become Skye’s adopted parents and help oversee her vast fortune, but also management of a unique research and treatment facility dedicated to treating and finding a cure for Batten disease, a lethal childhood illness, with a 100 percent mortality rate.

The efforts to find the miracle cure are thwarted by the explosion that destroys all research findings.Further complications come from harassment by sensationalist news reporters and a power hungry Greek politician determined to close down the facility.

Skye’s unselfish inspiration cheers not only the two-dozen dying patients, but also the entire staff.Her devotion makes the Hamilton’s reexamine their own faith as they take on the cause started by Skye’s parents and work feverishly to save the lives of the young patients, including Skye who is also a victim of the dreaded Batten disease.

Although the plot is slow in developing, the pace speeds as new situations grab and hold one’s interest to the conclusion. It is refreshing to read a good book void of mayhem, cursing, substance abuse and/or excessive sexual shenanigans.

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Doctors Morgan and Tammy Hamilton take a vacation from their pediatric clinic in Saint Paul, Minnesota to board a cruise ship for the Caribbean. Devastated by Tammy’s third miscarriage and the news that she will never be able to bear children, the couple hopes to use the fourteen day cruise to regain their emotional footing. But life has other plans for them. Among the passengers is Skye, a nine-year old girl with an irrepressible spirit, and a passion for living that touches everyone around her. Infused with hope and a belief in a loving God, Skye becomes the daughter that the Hamiltons could never have. But despite her open and honest nature, Skye is surrounded by ominous questions. Was the accident that killed her parents truly an accident? Or was it sabotage? Why are news reporters hounding this innocent child? What secrets are concealed in the laboratory clinic on the island of Kardia? The truth—if they ever find it—can bring a government to its knees, and thrust national power into the hands of men who will not hesitate to shed the blood of innocents. The Hamiltons are drawn into a struggle to protect the little girl they’ve come to love. As everything they value begins slipping away from them, these hardnosed and pragmatic doctors suddenly find themselves praying for a miracle. When the miracle comes, it’s not at all what Morgan and Tammy have in mind. Because Skye has been praying too...

CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge, by Wilbur "Bill" Rambow

MWSA Review

CIB: Combat Infantry Badge, book one of the Philip Lawson saga, introduces us to Specialist Fourth Class Philip Lawson, an Army infantry soldier initially assigned to be a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam. As often happens in the military, his assignment is changed and he winds up instead in a mechanized infantry company, an assignment initially not to his liking. After the shock of knowing he is not going to be in a helicopter, he sets out to prove himself to his fellow soldiers.

Philip has a domineering brother named Captain Paul Lawson, who shows up in the combat zone. It’s Paul’s influence that he has tried to avoid. Now, without anything to say about it, Paul is back in his life and Philip must deal with it.

The interaction between the characters is plausible. So is the banter, sometimes hilarious, that makes the characters come alive. Like many of those who did a tour of duty in Vietnam, the soldiers find ways to take up their time while waiting for the next life-threatening battle. Odd pets wind up in the story. Rambow shows this interconnection between the men well.

The unbreakable bond between soldiers who depend on each other for their lives stands out in this novel. Bill Rambow has written a very good book that is a page turner.

Reviewed by: Lawrence, Mindy (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Specialist Fourth Class Philip Lawson arrives in Vietnam after re-enlisting with the promise of assignment as a helicopter door-gunner. But when he arrives in country he is assigned as a replacement to a mechanized infantry ­company and his dreams of action in the sky over Vietnam evaporate in a haze of red dust and sweltering humidity.

Phil sets out with a youthful desire to prove not only who he is to himself, but also to earn the confidence and respect of the more experienced men around him. It's not long before action finds him and he discovers the immense physical, psychological and mortal toll he must face to gain his comrades' respect and quiet his own lurking fears. The misery and daily quest for survival are leavened by the combat soldiers' unbreakable bond, and a cast of eccentric pets and mascots that ride the M113 "tracks" with the mechanized grunts. But further complicating Phil's life is the unexpected
arrival in the combat zone of Captain Paul Lawson, the domineering older brother whose influence he has been trying to escape for years.

During his R&R in Sydney, though worried that the war may have forever hardened and brutalized him, Phil finds love and the promise of a bright new future-if he can survive his tour of duty. Ultimately he must fight alongside the hardened soldiers who will become his brothers, against an unseen and ruthless enemy to earn the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge.

Flashes of War, by Katey Schultz

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MWSA Review

Katey Schultz in Flashes of War totally surprises her readers by the ability to share short stories from many perspectives: those of both military and civilian—American, Afghan, and Iraqi. She shares the consequences of war “on all sides.” The author tells her readers that she “spent 31 out of 36 months traveling across the United States while she wrote Flashes of War.” Her research and passion shine throughout this book. Many readers marvel that someone who has no experience with war can write so astutely on the topic. This book doesn’t bring judgment to the war, but the individual experiences and emotions of people affected—“bringing us closer to a broader understanding of war by focusing on individuals, their motivations, and their impossible decisions.” Readers will find these short stories very powerful. Anyone wanting insight into the War on Terror will want to read Katey Schultz’s Flashes of War.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Information provided by the author. Illuminating the intimate, human faces of war, this unique series of short stories by award-winning author Katey Schultz questions the stereotypes of modern war by bearing witness to the shared struggles of all who are touched by it. Numerous characters-returning U.S. soldier and pragmatic jihadist, Afghan mother and listless American sister, courageous amputee and a ghost that cannot let go-appear in Flashes of War, which captures personal moments of fear, introspection, confusion, and valor in one collection spanning nations and perspectives. Written in clear, accessible language with startling metaphors, this unforgettable journey leaves aside judgment, bringing us closer to a broader understanding of war by focusing on individuals, their motivations, and their impossible decisions. Flashes of War weaves intimate portrayals of lives affected by the War on Terror into a distinctive tapestry of emotional resonance. It builds bridges, tears them down, and sends out a universal plea for reconnection. "Katey Schultz has written an amazing book. What emerges from these stories is a chorus of voices-American, Afghan, Iraqi-and this chorus enlarged my sense of a war that has defined an American decade. Flashes Of War is the work of a bold, ambitious, and brilliant young author who is writing stories few others in American fiction have really yet tackled." - Doug Stanton, author of New York Times Bestsellers Horse Soldiers and In Harm's Way Katey Schultz grew up in Portland, Oregon, and is most recently from Celo, North Carolina. She is a graduate of the Pacific University MFA in Writing Program and recipient of the Linda Flowers Literary Award from the North Carolina Humanities Council. She lives in a 1970 Airstream trailer bordering the Pisgah National Forest. This is her first book.

Navy Rules, by Geri Krotow

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MWSA Review

Winnie had carefully planned how she’d tell Max the news about baby Maeve. Unfortunately, she didn’t follow her own script.

Navy Rules is a romance with a naval aviation backdrop. Winnie Armstrong feels she has finally regrouped after her husband’s death. Five years after his fatal attempted landing aboard an aircraft carrier, she heads successful knitting and yarn concern and balances single parenting her two daughters. Then Commander Max Ford returns to Whidby Island. Winnie’s late husband, Tom, was the father of their oldest daughter, Krista. Max, however, is the father of eighteen month Maeve, something Winnie never told him. Complicate this with Max’s recovery from shrapnel wounds and PTSD from a tour in Afghanistan, add in Winnie’s therapy dog, Sam, and watch the old chemistry between Winnie and Max try to break through both their respective hurts.

Geri Krotow’s novel neatly handles the romantic tension between Winnie and Max. Both her main and supporting characters are sympathetic and their reactions to Max’s reappearance understandable. Krotow blends in the service aspects of the story well, never overloading the reader with too many acronyms or arcane references. The title itself refers to the core of Winnie and Max’ dilemma, that Navy buddies don’t steal each other’s sweethearts, while they are still alive. But afterwards, that is another matter. All in all, Navy Rules is a satisfying and easy read. 

Reviewed by: Barbara Peacock (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

Wounded during a military rescue, Commander Max Ford returns to a naval base on Whidbey Island to recover. And part of his treatment involves working with a therapy dog. Max is surprised to learn that the dog's owner is Winnie Armstrong, widow of his closest friend. She and Max were close in those months following her husband's death. But they drifted apart, until that one night two years ago. The night friendship turned to passion…

Now he's even more shocked to learn that Winnie has been keeping a secret from him. A baby girl. His daughter. It's even more important he heal so he can be a part of his child's life—and Winnie's. Because all the attraction that pulled them together that one night is still there…only stronger.

The Donors, by Jeffrey Wilson

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MWSA Review

The Donors by Jeffrey Wilson is probably not a book that I would have picked off the shelf to read, but when presented the opportunity to read it for MWSA, I chose to “get out of my box” and try a genre outside of my comfort zone. The cover alone would have scared me away, however, I am glad to say that I accomplished the reading of The Donors. I found myself wanting to constantly get back to reading this book…it drew me into its pages—scary as they tended to be.

Jeffrey Wilson created believable characters that pulled me into their story. Nathan, a young boy, abused by his mom’s ex-boyfriend, ends up in the hospital where Jason works, and this is how these two are drawn into the action together. Nathan and Jason “are bound together by their common legacy, and they alone seem to share the ability to see the demons for what they are.” They must work together to stop the evil creatures.

If you have strong visual abilities, you might want to be careful where and when you read The Donors. Author Wilson does a fantastic job of describing scenes and events—however, readers beware! You will “see” things that you will want to forget and definitely won’t want to take them into your dreams. So if you enjoy the dark and scary, then The Donors is a book for you.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

An evil force is at work at the Hospital where Nathan is recovering from injuries he received at the hands of his Mom's abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows. Someone is harvesting skin and organs from living donors against their will. 

In his dreams, Nathan can see these demons in their true form -- evil creatures who feed on the fear and hatred they create in their victims. Nathan's only ally is the Doctor who cares for him. Bound together by their common legacy, they alone seem to share the ability to see the demons for what they truly are. 

Together they must find a way to stop these creatures before they, and their loved ones, become the next victims.

The Rendition, by Albert Ashforth

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MWSA Review

The Rendition explodes into action when Alex Klear, a veteran U.S intelligence officer, is captured, imprisoned, and tortured while attempting a rendition in Kosovo—all before the first chapter ends.  Rescued by his partner Buck, Alex eventually mends and retires from service, only to get sucked back in for a related op by those who had poorly planned the initial rendition. Alex consents to the new mission in Germany despite misgivings but bolstered by the thought of payback to those who had nearly killed him in Kosovo.

Albert Ashforth spins this yarn flawlessly, using his extensive background in the military, his tours of duty in the Balkans, and his experience as a NATO trainer overseas. The plot drives this international spy thriller and keeps you turning the pages. The action is fast paced and the story line is believable. Perhaps too believable… Suspenseful to the end, this book has the ring of authenticity.

Ashforth’s characters in The Rendition are well developed and forceful. Protagonist Alex Klear brings ingenuity, knowledge, and persistence to his job, as well as a romantic love interest to his life. His faithful former partner, deceitful superiors, shadowy underworld bosses, drug lords, freedom fighters, terrorists, and prostitutes keep you guessing about what will happen and who will do what to whom until the very end.

If you enjoy international intrigue, political skullduggery, and military mysteries, put this book at the top of your list.

Reviewed by: Betsy Beard (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

The brutal secret war to win Kosovo's freedom from Serbia is in full swing when The Rendition takes readers behind the headlines for an inside look at the United States' involvement. Alex Klear, a veteran intelligence officer, is sent to the Balkans on a hastily planned rendition which goes terribly bad. Alex decides it's time to retire. However, when he is persuaded to go to Germany as part of an operation connected to the rendition, he finds himself caught between two dynamic women, an old girlfriend and the female colonel running the 'op.' While there, he becomes a target of the Kosovo Liberation Army, a murder suspect to the German police, and for his superiors the perfect fall guy to take the heat for a badly botched secret operation. With Kosovo's independence declaration coming closer by the day, the secret war heats up and Alex comes to realize that he is at the center of a murky conspiracy aimed at making the United States an international pariah.

Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor, by G. Galdorisi & D. Couch

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MWSA Review

The shadowy worlds of drug cartels and terrorism collude in this fast past novel. Dick Couch, former Navy SEAL and Captain George Galdorisi, USN retired, bring together their considerable experience to craft a novel based on the motion picture of the same name.

In Coronado, California, Navy SEAL Lieutenant Roark Engel shares the news of his wife’s pregnancy with his platoon Chief, Dave Nolan. Across the world, an ice cream truck stops outside the Jakarta International School. As always, the students, children of ambassadors and the like, flock to it, including the son of the American ambassador and his father. Only today, the ice cream attendant is accompanied by Abu Shabal. With a remote device, Shabal detonates the explosives inside the truck, killing scores of children and the U.S. ambassador, then walks away. In Puntenaras, Costa Rico, Christo watches happily as his daughter Solano swims in his luxurious pool while his wife makes lunch. He cavorts with his daughter in the pool, enjoying the fruits of years of drug smuggling, all the while plotting his and his family’s disappearance.

Three separate instances, yet the players will meet. Act of Valor vividly depicts the SEALs in action. When a CIA operative is killed in Costa Rico and another kidnapped, Engel and Nolan and the Bandito Platoon are sent to rescue the kidnapped woman. They succeed, only to be briefed that the kidnapping and killing were part of something much more than the usual drug scene. The man responsible, one Christo, is involved in something even more sinister, terrorism. Couch and Galdorisi put Engel and Nolan through their paces as they track Christo and his old friend, Shabal. With a thorough knowledge of the weaponry and landing craft used, the authors present highly realistic scenes. The close bonds between the SEALS are compellingly shown, even to one man sacrificing his life to save the mission and what remains of his men. The ending, bittersweet and sad, serves as a reminder of the high cost of duty. Act of Valor is well done.

Reviewed by: Barbara Peacock (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

Behind the secret missions. Beneath the official stories. Beyond the brotherhood…
The Navy SEALs have been fighting terrorists around the world for more than a decade. And for all that time, the Bandito Platoon from SEAL Team Seven have been on continuous combat rotation. Now they have drawn a shipboard assignment off Central America—an easy day.
But for a Navy SEAL, the only easy day was yesterday.

Act of Valor goes deep into the secret world of today’s most elite and highly trained group of warriors. When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the United States, a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitments to country, Team, and their families back home.

But each time they accomplish their mission, a new piece of intelligence reveals another shocking twist to the plot, which stretches from Chechnya to the Philippines and from the Ukraine to Somalia. The widening operation sends the SEALs across the globe as they track a terrorist ring to the U.S.-Mexico border—where they engage in an epic firefight with potentially unimaginable consequences for America…

In a powerful story of global anti-terrorism—inspired by real-life missions, Act of Valor combines stunning combat scenes, up-to-the minute battlefield technology, and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate in action adventure.

The Renegades, by Tom Young

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MWSA Review

The Renegades by Tom Young takes the reader into the heart of Afghanistan after an earthquake ravaged the country. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Parson, an Air Force adviser to the Afghans, called in his interpreter, Sergeant Major Sophia Gold to assist him with the rescue efforts to deliver aid and attempt to reach the trapped and injured.

Tom Young shares the story behind The Renegades to let readers know the realities of how our service members handle the issues they have to face on a daily basis within a war zone. My personal opinion is that this book might be too realistic for readers who have experienced the impact of IEDs and suicide bombers, or for readers who can’t handle the realities of war. I would give a word of warning to anyone dealing with flashbacks/ PTSD. Young is graphic with many details of war. He doesn’t sugarcoat the story, and gives the reader a real picture of just what those fighting for freedom experience. Some will praise him for this, others will shudder…I wouldn’t call it “easy” reading.

Learning some about the female military team known as the Lionesses was interesting. Sgt. Major Gold portrays a brave woman who works with two of the Lionesses. In a conversation with one of the pararescue jumpers, a discussion ensues regarding being able to make peace with what he does, and doing all that he can do in any situation presented to him. Gold wonders if she has spent so much time in Afghanistan that a part of her won’t ever leave…that it has taken hold of her. That reminded me of the answer a Vietnam vet gave when asked when he was last in Vietnam. His answer: “Last night.” Gold’s mind absorbed the language, the customs, and the history to the point of it all becoming a part of her. She proved that in her service to both her country and the country of Afghanistan. And she acted on her internal beliefs to the point of putting her life at risk, which brings one of the most intense parts of the book.  

The intensity of this book comes from the fact that Author Young doesn’t keep his characters, hence his readers, out of harm’s way, which gets complicated by the fact that knowing just who to trust is a major problem in the war in Afghanistan. They are trying to fight a Taliban group, called the Black Crescent, which is attacking medical workers, shooting down helicopters, and killing those who are accepting aid. Without enough troops, supplies, or information, Parson, Gold, and Parson’s crews do the best possible to fight what seems to be an invisible evil force.

Young states that he had two goals in writing The Renegades: 1) to write an entertaining story, and 2) “to convey something about the motivations and mind-sets of American servicemen and –women.” As a reader of The Renegades, I feel that Tom Young has definitely met both of his goals.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A catastrophic earthquake ravages Afghanistan, and American troops rush to deliver aid. In his new role as an adviser to the Afghan Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Parson faces one of the biggest challenges of his career, aided by his interpreter, Sergeant Major Sophia Gold. The devastation facing them is like nothing they've ever seen--and it's about to get worse.

A Taliban splinter group, Black Crescent, is conducting its own campaign--shooting medical workers, downing helicopters, slaughtering anyone who dares to accept aid. With the U.S. drawing down and coalition forces spread thin, it's up to Parson, Gold, and Parson's Afghan aircrews to strike back. But they're short of supplies, men, experience, and information--and the terrorists seem to be nowhere...and everywhere.

Hamfist Down, by George Nolly

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MWSA Review

Hamfist Down picks up where Hamfist Over the Trail left off, with Hamilton “Hamfist” Hancock trying to survival and escape after being shot down over Laos. We follow Hamfist as he makes it to safety, only to experience new dangers as he takes to the sky again as a forward air controller. On every mission, he worries about his true love waiting for him in Japan and whether or not he’ll ever see her again.

G.E. Nolly's writing kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. The author’s experience as a pilot shines through every page. The language is authentic, which is to say occasionally there are expletives. If you like a good action-packed adventure tale, this one is for you.

Reviewed by: Ed Cox (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

It's August, 1969. Hamilton “Hamfist” Hancock has been shot down over Laos, and must use all his skill, and luck, to avoid capture and certain, violent death. To facilitate his rescue, he must become a ground FAC and direct airstrikes against North Vietnamese targets on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. And, to survive, he must engage in hand-to-hand combat. But Hamfist may face his greatest battle after his rescue. Back in Vietnam, while recuperating at the hospital at Cam Ranh Bay, he experiences a sapper attack. And, following his return to the air, Hamfist is tormented by a flying error, an error which may have cost a comrade his life. Only time will tell if Hamfist can regain his self-respect and passion. On his final flight, Hamfist faces a brutal enemy in a life-or-death duel that will determine if he will be shot down once again or return home to his soul-mate. The rescue, the airborne mistake and the final battle force Hamfist to reevaluate his priorities in his career, in his flying, and in his life.

The Girl Who Swam to Atlantis, by Elle Thornton

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MWSA Review

“The Girl Who Swam To Atlantis” is well written story of a twelve-year-old losing the naivety and insecurities of childhood as she struggles to find her mother, succeed as a competitive swimmer and win the confidence of her father who wants to send her back to a boarding school.

Gabriella lives a sheltered life until the summer of 1957 when she spends the summer from boarding school with her father, a rigid Marine general at a base in North Carolina.  Her mother is away until, the young girl is told, “she’s ready to come home.”

p; Hawkins, a black NCO and house steward for the general, befriends the pre-teen and helps her develop greater self confidence and swimming skills in the river bordering her home, but that relationship with Hawkins is frowned upon by some neighbors. During the course of that summer, Gabriella begins to recognize and question the racial bias that exists among some of the families living in the officers housing area. She also becomes obsessed with the murder of Emmett Till who was lynched in Mississippi two years earlier. Thinking of the bravery displayed by young Emmett when he faced his killers motivates her to go to extra lengths to prove her worth to the general who seems to only tolerate her.

Gabriella struggles to understand what has happened to her missing mother who her father repeated says ‘has some problems,’ but will nott explain what those problems were. Without her father’s or Hawkins’s knowledge, she sets out on the river to find her mother.

Ideal for teens, “The Girl Who Swam To Atlantis” will delight anyone who enjoys a heartwarming story of a self-willed girl who doesn’t shirk from challenges and treasures the value of friendship and family love.  

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Nearly everything important in twelve-year-old Gabriella's life that summer of 1957 can be traced to the river. On the North Carolina military base where she lives, she meets the African-American Marine Hawkins by the river's brown-green water. Hawkins, a servant in the kitchen of her father's quarters, becomes her swim coach and a person she can talk with--even about the tragedy of the youth Emmett Till. The fourteen-year-old was lynched two years earlier, his body thrown into Mississippi's Tallahatchie river. But this river, her river, isn't a place of death. Emmett's spirit is alive in its waters. It's a place of magic.

At the river Hawkins helps her find her strength and her place in the world. Emmett helps her find her heart.

Emmett had been murdered for whistling at a white woman. Could her friendship with Hawkins endanger the tough Marine? It doesn't seem possible. Until a sudden storm on the river changes Gabriella's life--forever.

Pass in Review--Honor, by Brain Utermahlen

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MWSA Review

A compelling, well-written and thoroughly enjoyable World War II yarn

“Pass in Review—Honor” is the second book in Brian Utermahlen’s “Pass in Review” trilogy. Having finished reading this book, my only regret is that I didn’t start with the trilogy’s first installment: “Pass in Review—Duty.”

The book is centered on the lives of the members of the fictional Nolan family—all of whom were drawn into the maelstrom of the Second World War. The story begins to unfold before the US entry into the war. Family patriarch, Dave Nolan (a West Point graduate and combat veteran of the First World War), is asked to leave his highly-successful job in industry to once again don his Army uniform in service to his country. This presents the senior Nolan with many challenges—both in his new job and on the home front.

The two Nolan sons, Mitch and Glenn, also serve in the military; but each of them begin—and eventually end—their service in very different ways. Utermahlen weaves together a fascinating and detailed description of each of the Nolan boy’s combat experiences—lasting from before the war, through the D-Day invasion, all the way to the final Allied victory.

Utermahlen will bring you along for the terrifying ride from bases in England and eventually parachute drop you deep behind enemy lines as part of the D-Day invasion. Again, the author’s description of the fighting is intense, realistic, and gripping. If you enjoyed the classic movie, “The Longest Day,” you’ll definitely appreciate the author’s expanded treatment of these iconic battles.

Depictions of air combat are riveting and realistic, likely due to author’s background in military aviation. So are the portrayal of behind the scenes in-fighting and friction between military and political figures (both amongst Americans; as well as between Americans and their wartime allies—especially the British).

Through it all, the author skillfully and seamlessly combines fictional and real characters and world events into his storytelling. The reader will enjoy the interactions with historical figures such as: Winston Churchill, Omar Bradley, George Patton, “Wild Bill” Donovan, and Chuck Yeager. You can just feel the detailed research that Utermahlen has done in every chapter... but “Honor” is much more than a retelling of history. Characters are well-developed and totally believable—so much so that you'll find yourself completely immersed in the story. It’s only after you finish reading, that you begin to wonder which part was fiction and which historical fact.

Highly recommend this book—especially for World War II enthusiasts—but also for anyone looking for well-written and action-packed storytelling.

Reviewed by: John Cathcart (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

This is the second book of the 'Pass in Review' Trilogy - a saga of the Nolan family spanning the 20th Century. HONOR follows on the heels of Pass in Review - DUTY. This second book covers the WW II years as the son of DUTY's protagonist takes center stage militarily as a fighter pilot in Europe. Pass in Review - HONOR is primarily, though not exclusively, the story of Mitch Nolan, the first born of the second generation. To him the Army and flying Air Corps fighters over North Africa, Italy, and Germany are a grand and glorious adventure, though not his entire life or existence. He is a symbol of the Greatest Generation to whom winning was everything, and who effortlessly made the transition from winning the victory on the battlefield to winning for themselves in the economic boom and the tenuous peace of the Cold War. The second generation protagonist is a young man different in many ways from his father. He is more the adventurer and less the committed soldier and family man compared to his father. His passions for excitement and adventure revolve around flying fighter planes and conquering the hearts of many women. Interwoven with the fictional characters are historical figures including: Wild Bill Donovan, FDR, Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, George Patton, Donald Bennett and many others whose paths the Nolan famiily and their friends cross during WW II.

Tullykillane, 1943 by David Andrew Westwood

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MWSA Review
Missing In Action
MWSA Reviewer: 
 

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Author's Synopsis

A young American, who only signed on as a seaman to forget the humiliation of his football career's disastrous end, is shipwrecked in neutral Ireland three months before Pearl Harbor. He soon becomes entangled with the IRA and the Nazis, but he's determined to get his revenge.

For God and Country, by Mark Bowlin

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MWSA Review

New readers of Bowlin will find this third installment of the Texas Gun Club series to be strongly reminiscent of the best of W.E.B. Griffin - and every bit as satisfying. For God and Country tells the story of the 36th Division’s tragic assault across the Rapido River in January, 1944 - a bitter and controversial episode in American military history that resulted in Congressional hearings over Lt Gen. Mark Clark’s (Commander of Fifth Army in Italy) conduct of the battle.

Closely following the actual history of the “Texas Army” during the Allied advance through Italy, For God and Country begins as the 36th Division halts at Monte Cassino to recuperate from their epic battle at San Pietro - having taken 1400 casualties, and providing the subject matter for John Houston’s Academy Award-winning documentary, “The Battle of San Pietro,” (almost censored because of its graphic illustration of the plight of the ordinary infantryman). While the rest of Fifth Army prepares to resume its advance towards Rome, Captain Perkin Berger and First Lieutenant Sam Taft are sent to the Adriatic for a week, where they quickly become involved in a covert battle between the German Abwehr and a secret Vatican network evacuating Allied troops out of Italy (also based on historical events). After considerable adventures, the two officers find their way back to their unit in time for the Rapido River assault.

The German retreat through Italy was methodical and punishing for the Allies, who now waited behind the Gustav Line - considered by both sides to be an impregnable last line of defense. The brilliant German commander, Feldmarschall Albert Kesselring, had more than twenty dug-in and prepared divisions, many of them elite and hardened units, including the Herman Goring SS Division and the First Parachute Corps. The Germans occupied the high ground and commanded the flat open plains of the Liri Valley, traversed by three fast-flowing rivers (all mined) and dominated on both sides by sheer mountains from which the Germans fired preregistered artillery on all Allied movement.

Knowing the futility of trying to break through such a formidable defensive line by frontal assault, the Allies planned a flank attack with an amphibious landing at Anzio, to the north of the Gustav Line - an operation considered so important that it postponed the D-Day invasion from the first week of May until June so that the Anzio invaders would have enough landing craft available.

However, despite the knowledge that a frontal assault would be a slaughter, the Supreme Allied Commander in Italy, British General Alexander, ordered an assault across the Garigliano and Rapido rivers by Fifth Army as a method of holding the German forces in the Liri Valley and preventing them from reinforcing the relatively light defenses at Anzio. The crossing of the Rapido River was given to The Texas Gun Club, with predictable, and devastating results.

Bowlin handles the seriousness of his subject with alacrity. There is no romance in his retelling of the slaughter, but neither does he turn this book into a tale of carnage. Rather, he humanizes the characters and pulls us into the story, making the reader hope against hope (and history), that this time the boys will somehow manage to break through. Moreover, the lighter tone of the first half of the book and the Vatican subplot ensure that the book doesn’t get overly heavy or morose. Bowlin’s characterization is outstanding, and we can forgive him for making his heroes larger than life -- both physically as well as in their embodiment of the best qualities and values of military service. The real villains in the story aren’t the enemy forces, rather, they are the usual weaknesses and incompetencies found among servicemen and women whenever a nation fields an enormous force to fight wars of such magnitude on short notice.

Bowlin is a fine writer and For God and Country is an enjoyable, engaging, and enlightening read. You won’t want to put it down, and when you do, you’ll want to do more research on the 36th Division and the Battle of the Rapido River. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by: Robert Schaeffer (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

In Mark Bowlin's third installment of the award-winning Texas Gun Club series, the chronicle of Sam Taft and Perkin Berger's journey into the hell of the Italian campaign continues. The Fifth Army remains stalled before the formidable German defenses at the Gustav Line, and the prospect of reaching Rome has never seemed as remote. In an attempt to break the stalemate, and against all sound military judgment, the exhausted and under-strength Gun Club is ordered to cross the Rapido River and breach the Gustav Line...alone.