Pass The Salt Doc, by Mike Mullins & jim greenwald

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MWSA Review

PTSD (Pass The Salt Doc) by Mike Mullins and Jim Greenwald is a book that I believe will speak to everyone. Whether you are a veteran, related to a veteran, or have friends who are veterans, or just care about the results of war, you should spend the time to explore this book to see the perspective of two Vietnam veterans. PTSD has become a “hot topic” in recent years. Mike Mullins and Jim Greenwald say, “real it is, damaging to the lives of those living it and the families that endure it and experience it day in and day out.” They also state, “PTSD is not about overcoming the past but about creating a future.” Mike Mullins and Jim Greenwald have used the tool of writing to help them to create their future and hope that Pass The Salt Doc will enlighten many regarding PTSD, but also will encourage others who may be struggling with their past to use writing/poetry to help them to begin to create their future, or just be able to relate and possibly open up to someone.

Pass The Salt Doc takes the reader right into the heart, mind, and soul of the experience of PTSD. The book is a combination of poetry and prose. It isn’t an “easy” read for the fact that it delves into emotions that some might want to try to ignore. For me, I believe it was enlightening, because I lived through the Vietnam War days, but knew no one involved and my life was pretty much unaffected…but now in my late 50s, I’ve had the honor of meeting and becoming friends of many veterans, and this book has helped me to understand what so many of them are dealing with still today.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

This collection of poetry is about after. After the war, its focus is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), a serious issue among returning Veterans from all wars. Not easily recognized or readily identified. It does not have a set pattern that can be written down and checked off for all, as PTSD has many faces. This book is dedicated to all Veterans, past, present and future. For it is the Veteran we owe everything to, and taking care of each one is a national responsibility. The arts can and do work wonders for those suffering from PTSD and we would suggest that writing poetry is the strongest drug available to each of you and requires no prescription. Writing provides the externalization necessary to overcome traumatic events/experiences. No poetry you write is wrong or right it is simply necessary on the path of recovery. We are not therapists or professionals in this field and do not pretend to have magic cures. We will state that no professional can "cure" you without your coming to grips from within yourself with the issue and using that ability which we all possess to help ourselves. Writing allows the individual to place on paper emotions they find difficult to vocalize. It is this written expression that can bring about the change needed if "cure" is the desired destination.

Code Word: Geronimo, by Dale Dye, Julia Dye, & G. Kissell

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MWSA Review

Readers will be impressed by the illustrations. Graphical books put some people off as they come across to them as just “comic books.”  Code Word: Geronimo will draw the reader in and any thought of “comic book” will disappear quickly.

This is the story of the raid on Osama Bin Laden’s Compound and his demise at the hands of Seal Team 6. History lovers will devour the pages as the story unfolds.  This is one event that will be remembered forever for both its importance and relevance to the war on terrorism.

Excellently drawn and with succinct information it provides a combination of history, entertainment and a feeling of being along with the Team on this extremely hazardous mission. Missions the Seals have come to be known for. 

The last dozen pages of the book provide a perspective on the operation, Geronimo, NSWDG (Naval Special Warfare Development Group) and a time line of Bin Laden’s life, a person not born into poverty but rather wealth  (Written by John M. Del Vecchio).

Less than 100 pages in length but consisting of miles of relevant history, this book is worth your money and your time. So jump on board the chopper and make the trip Seal Team 6 made to Abbottabad.

Reviewed by: Jim Greenwald (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

The leader of SEAL Team 6 uttered, "Geronimo," and the world let out a sigh of relief. The symbol of ultimate evil was no more. Code Word: Geronimo is the amazing, moment-by-moment story of the clandestine raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Told by military insider and Hollywood consultant, Captain Dale Dye (USMC, Ret.), with Dr. Julia Dye, Ph.D., this historic tribute details the bravery and valor of SEAL Team 6 as it descends into a foreign land and achieves the near impossible.

Listen for the Whispers, by Kim Kluxen Meredith

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MWSA Review

The story of love, tragedy, and finding that there is life ahead is told in this personal narrative that has a message for anyone left with grief for a loved one that has died. Listen for the Whispers; Coping with Grief and Learning to Live Again is an excellent book that touches the heart of the reader. Kim Kluxen Meredith’s straightforward approach provides hope that, when life is interrupted by unimaginable grief, the pain can be eased and there is hope that life can continue for the bereaved.

I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with the loss of a loved one. But more, it is a book for us all, for without a doubt at some point in our lives we will be faced with pain that seems to shatter our lives and leave us numb and wondering if we can overcome the loss. Meredith’s story shows that healing can occur and life can become nearly normal again.

Listen for the Whispers; Coping with Grief and Learning to Live Again is well written and easy to read. It’s a book that begs to be read in one sitting as the reader enters and shares the author’s triumph over pain. Despair and anguish are temporary and can be overcome. How the author coped with heartbreak during her journey beckons the reader onward.

Reviewed by: E. Franklin Evans (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

“The whine of the sirens pierced deeply into my soul…” After a tragic one-car accident, a young mother catapults from an idyllic life to one filled with grief and uncertainty. By listening to the guiding whispers within her, Kim Kluxen Meredith’s journey from unfathomable heartache to a life once again filled with love and laughter is the inspiring story of hope for everyone who has experienced the loss of someone beloved to them.

Stories of Faith & Courage from the Home Front, by Jocelyn Green

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MWSA Review

This is an amazing book in that it covers hundreds of years of war history. Its primary focus is on those who have stayed behind and “kept the home fires burning.”

It is a daily devotional book of true stories. It highlights the hardships they have faced, and shows that faith in God was the touchstone that many needed to make it through.

The book is organized into themed weeks which may include excerpts from letters, journals, or news articles. Each section ends with a prayer.

There are stories of real people who survived their war, and were able to live with courage, while personally enduring great personal sacrifice on the home front.

The authors were able to interview dozens of those who experienced the wars in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan. For older wars, they relied on primary documents. Throughout the book, it becomes very apparent that God’s word was relevant and instrumental in providing the necessary hope and inspiration to “keep on keeping on.”

The book contains over 600 fascinating pages, as well as resources for veterans and their families. How I wish I’d had it when I was “waiting at home” for my Vietnam veteran, and for the many trying years afterward.

A real treasure that can provide comfort for military families, I highly recommended this book.

Reviewed by: Charlene Rubush (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

This devotional book contains 365 true stories of struggles, courage, and actions of women, children, and men involved in the home front of American wars, in chronological order, from the French Indian War through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These stories illustrate effective prayers, heroism, volunteer efforts, and daily courage. Special weekend devotions consist of original words from a journal, newspaper, letter, or newspaper, and glimpses into life during that era, such as fashion, pastimes, work, and celebrations. Each story includes a coordinated Scripture and a prayer for today’s military, families, or individuals encountering struggles.

Stories of Faith & Courage from the Vietnam War, by Larkin Spivey

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MWSA Review

Something needed; something done.  The stories of faith and courage during and after the Vietnam War are stories you can devour by reading through the book entirely, or reading day by day to grasp each story’s worth with applicable Holy Bible verses alongside.  You’ll read personal accounts from the lowest ranking “new guy” or the battle-hardened general officer about the frustration of fighting an invisible enemy; of praying for “One more day, dear God. One more day.”  You’ll read stories from those who saw disturbing sights and questioned God about the meaning and what their purpose was for being there.  You’ll read that the sound of helicopters meant to some that help was on the way and to others that casualties were on the way. You’ll read about how lives were touched at just the sight of the cross on a chaplain’s cap.  The POW endurance stories and stories from families who lost loved ones will touch your heart and strengthen your soul.

Indeed, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Vietnam War is something needed for those who have endured any war as well as those who care about loved ones that hurt because of war.  It is something done for anyone who seek answers.

Reviewed by: Fran McGraw (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

In a new collection of true stories from the Vietnam War, Larkin Spivey reveals the violence and danger faced by a generation of young Americans that answered their Nation's call and rose to the challenge.

Many stories show the power of faith under the stress of combat and separation from loved ones, while others show the complex spiritual journey of men forced to confront the dark side of human nature for the first time. Ultimately, the power of God to redeem every human life and event shines forth in this amazing collection.

Project Seven Alpha, by Leland "Chip" Shanle Jr.

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MWSA Review

The United States of America was caught with its' military pants down when the Japanese attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941.  Our standing military was pretty much reduced to nothing after the First World War, and there were no reserve or National Guard units on standby as became the case after world war two. These passive forces were created precisely because of where we found ourselves in 1941. Given what was going on in Europe prior to Pearl Harbor, one wonders why we did not start building up our own armed forces well before the Hawaiian catastrophe. Looking back, such a buildup would have been just as effective a way to address the sorry state of the economy as the New Deal, and other government programs were designed to do. But, we were caught flat footed, and had to play catch up right out of the starting blocks. The alarming spread of the Japanese war machine throughout all of Asia, and the South Pacific called for an immediate response, preventing the Japanese from establishing bases in strategic areas that would be next to impossible to take away from them. One of these fronts was in China where the Chinese army was trying to keep the Japanese army from pushing further west, and eventually south into India. Supplying the Chinese with war material to fight the Japanese became a major priority for the United States immediately after Pearl Harbor, but the only way to accomplish this daunting task was to fly the supplies out of India over the Himalayan Mountain range. There were no aircraft up to this task, but the job was nevertheless undertaken using American airliners, specifically the DC3, which would later be military, rigged to become the vaunted C47, which would become the workhorse for Army Aviation in every theater of the war.  Not able to make the long, grueling flights at extremely high altitudes that later C46's would make over "The Hump" in one trip, C47's performed miraculously by hopping along the southern range of the Himalayas, and getting to the other side to supply the struggling Chinese army as it valiantly held off the advancing Japanese. Without the service of an American civilian aircraft, the DC3, and the heroic flying of civilian pilots gone military almost overnight, the Rising Sun would have swept over a much larger geography in southern Asia, making the retaking an almost impossible task.

Fighters, and bombers got most of the press, and glory in World War Two's air war, but as any of those pilots would have quickly told you, long distance cargo flying at extremely high altitudes, with winds up to 200 mph, over the most treacherous terrain on earth was the most trying, grueling piloting that air crews have ever faced.  The monumental logistical undertaking of air supply over The Hump might never have materialized if not for the early, quick response of the original DC3's and their awesome pilots, and crews. Their efforts remain as one of the most astonishing military feats in the history of our country.

Reviewed by: Bob Flournoy (September 2011)

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Author's Synopsis

In late 1941, President Roosevelt agonized over the rapid advances of the Japanese forces in Asia, they seemed unstoppable. He foresaw their intentions of taking India and linking up with the two other Axis Powers, Germany and Italy, in an attempt to conquer the Eastern Hemisphere. US naval forces had been severely surprised and diminished in Pearl Harbor and the army was outnumbered and ill-prepared to take on the invading hoards. One of his few options was to form a defensive line on the eastern side of the Patkai and Himalayan Ranges, there he could look for support from the Chinese and Burmese. It was to be the only defence to a Japanese invasion of India.

To support and supply these troops, fighting in hostile jungle terrain where overland routes had been cut off, he desperately needed to set up an air supply from Eastern India. His problem was lack of aircraft and experienced pilots to fly the dangerous 'Hump, over the world's highest mountains. Hence came Operation Seven Alpha, a plan to enlist the aircraft, DC-3s, and pilots, veterans of World War One, of American Airlines. This newly formed Squadron would fly these medium-range aircraft in a series of long-distance hops across the Pacific and Southern Asia to the Assam Valley in India. They would then create and operate the vital supply route carrying arms, ammunition and food Eastward to the Allied bases and return with wounded personnel. This is the story of this little-known operation in the early days of the Burma Campaign.

This book is based on the true experiences of those who were involved and is a fitting tribute to the bravery and inventiveness of a band of men who answered their country's desperate call at the outset of the war against Japan in Asia.

Peaceful Bones by Samuel Axelrad

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MWSA Review

Author Samuel Axelrad tells a fascinating story in his book, Peaceful Bones. It's not enough to tell you that his story made it into Ripley's Believe It or Not; you should read the book and learn more about this interesting man's life in Viet Nam. 

As a doctor assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division in 1966, Sam Axelrad became the Company Commander for Company A 15th Medical Battalion and witnessed all the horror war can throw at you.  He and his troops treated the war wounded and the sick on a daily basis. These patients included not only U.S. military wounded, but also local Vietnamese civilians as well as enemy combatants.  One such enemy soldier arrived in his operating room with an arm that had been shot and left untreated in the jungle for days. The arm had become severely infected, and Dr. Axelrad had no choice but to amputate.  In the harsh killing environment that was Viet Nam, Dr. Axelrad not only saved the soldier's life but helped him stay at the clinic and trained him to do light duties at the clinic.  When it came time to move him back into the local environment, he made sure to find him a job at a civilian clinic.  

The book tells this story and goes on to focus on their reunion fifty years later, when Dr. Axelrad returned the bones from the amputated arm to their rightful owner. An interesting read!

MWSA Reviewer: Bob Doerr (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

The book is based on the true story of Dr. Axelrad’s experience as a Vietnam War army surgeon where he finds himself helping not only American soldiers but hundreds of Vietnamese citizens both wounded and ill. Peaceful Bones is about one special patient named Hung Nguyen aka "Charlie" who becomes an unlikely friend on the battlefield. Dr. Axelrad saves Charlie’s life, forging a bond that crosses cultural and enemy lines. Their reunion, 46 years after losing touch in 1967, was a moving and inspiring moment that made history around the world. Peaceful Bones is Dr. Axelrad’s stories of the war, his life, and the uncanny "coincidences" that brought him and Charlie together twice in one lifetime over several decades and thousands of miles. Dr. Axelrad’s son, Chris, and Rabbi Ranon Teller co-authored the memoir.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-692-79458-6
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 205
 

Rapscallion Summer, by David Michaelson

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MWSA Review

When an author states in his “Forward” he changed the names of people mentioned in his book to avoid a well-deserved beating, the reader knows he/she is in for a wild ride. And so it proves with David Michaelson’s Rapscallion Summer.

If even half of the stories Michaelson narrates are half true, he must have indeed been a “rapscallion.” Laugh out loud funny, he’s a parent’s worst dream come true. This twelve-year-old boy is only interested in adventure. His parents and other adults, however, see it as mischief, to put it mildly. Looking back, Michaelson admits he might have toned things down, but you can just see the wicked glint in his eyes as he says this.

Who else could get himself and his sister thrown off ride after ride of the newly opened Disneyworld for misbehavior? Who else could get a friend landed in the hospital after a boulder crashed onto his head? Who else got sent time after time to cut a “switch” (yes, children were swatted in that summer of 1955) and got sent to bed without dinner for what he’d been caught doing? Of course, that was only when he was actually caught. He didn’t hold it against his father for swatting his behind for the street lamp he didn’t break because he’d done so many other things to deserve it instead.

Not all the stories reek of devilry. Some, like the tale of his dog, Tippy, are sad. Some, like his first attempt to sit next to a girl at a movie are wistful. Occasionally, even, Michaelson, the arch imp, turns law abiding citizen, as when he and his family confronted and ran off a fishing poacher.

Rapscallion Summer  definitely keeps one’s interest. While I would never recommend this book for middle school, boys lest it give them some wrong ideas with details how to do it, I would heartily recommend it for adults. It’s a pleasant romp in a time when naughty boys still tured out to be solid (we hope) citizens.  

Reviewed by: Barbara Peacock (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A humorous romp thru a 12 year-old rascal's glorious summer.

The Night Sky, by Maria Sutton

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MWSA Review

In “The Night Sky: A Journey from Dachau to Denver and Back”, Maria Sutton focuses on two major points. For the first three quarters of the book she describes the finding of her biological father and for the last one quarter of the book she delves into finding her uncle and many other biological relatives.

Maria Sutton dances between place and time, while clearly stating when and where she is for each section of her book. “The Night Sky” is in reference to her looking into the night sky and wondering where on the earth are her relatives. She gives details to finding Josef Kurek her father. There are many photos and copies of forms and papers throughout her work. If looking for information on how to find a relative lost during WWII, this is a good book for ideas. 

Many thousands today still do not know who or where their families are. Maria wanted that connection, a connection broken in time and circumstance. The journey is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. A journey of decades on a road back through history on roads scattered with atrocities 

Reviewed by: Julie M. Giguere (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

This extraordinary and unflinchingly honest memoir takes us on a riveting journey into the hearts and souls of three enigmatic people whose destinies are forever changed by the events of World War II. The secrets of misguided love and passions are revealed as the author journeys between the past and the present to solve the mystery of a handsome Polish officer with piercing blue eyes and sun-colored hair. Maria Sutton takes us to the dark green hills and valleys of the ancient Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, where the woody fragrance of birch trees and new-mown hay fills the fresh, crisp air after a heavy rain. Vicariously, we see a sunrise over Poland obscured by brightly colored swastikas on warplanes and then we will be taken into suffocating cattle cars, lice-infested stalags, and to the Dachau death camp. Further down a country road, the hearty laughter and beer steins clinking with each salute to the Fuhrer s astonishing victories can be heard. 

As Maria takes us on this odyssey to solve a decades-long mystery, she learns the family secrets of untold heroism, quiet courage, and a mother s love and of tragedy, disillusionment, and heartbreak. At the end of her long journey, Maria uncovers a shattering and painful truth. But the secret, however heartbreaking, would also become the greatest gift she would receive.

Letters to Logan, by Debra Bastian

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MWSA Review

This collection is intimidating with the awe and love people showered upon our fallen protector, Captain Derek Argel.

After digesting the first letters, I knew I was reading about an ace among the elite, and his death angered me. I must trust God’s plan, but I see Captain Argel’s death as an unconscionable loss of a national asset. If you read this book, you’ll agree with me that you wished you had known him, and you’ll feel cheated if you didn’t.

Picture a powerful six and a half foot tall dynamo with a will of steel, a heart of gold, and a lifetime of wisdom. Picture him making leadership look easy among the nation’s top officer candidates at the United States Air Force Academy, picture him exemplifying resiliency and strength among the nation’s elite special forces, and picture him pouring love and compassion upon friends and family.

If you’re perplexed and enticed by these apparent contrasting images, you’ll want to pick up Letters for Logan and get to know Captain Derek Argel. Reading his story may sadden you or anger you, but it will ignite a spark in you to be a better version of you.

Reviewed by: John Monteith (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

Letters for Logan is the heartfelt story of a mother's timeless love for her son, and the legacy she is compelled to leave her grandson. Air Force Capt. Derek Argel, 28, was larger-than-life-athletic, loving, dedicated, loyal and above all, a son to Debbie, husband to Wendy and father to Logan. Within days of his tragic death in the line of duty on Memorial Day of 2005 in Iraq, the first letter to Logan arrived. Then another came, and they kept coming, from friends, colleagues, warriors and family. They still arrive, even years after the Combat Controller's death, each one weaving an enduring portrait for a little boy of his fallen father, gone too soon. Proceeds from this book will go to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, rated as a four-star charity by Charity Navigator. The foundation provides full scholarship grants, educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions, and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families. The family of Capt. Derek Argel believes wholeheartedly in the mission of the foundation. "First there, That Others may Live" Nora Wallace

Insider's Guide to Security Clearances, by J. W. Bennett

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MWSA Review

Bennett's book is a detailed handbook for individuals and companies that wish to obtain Federal security certifications and/or conduct security investigations.  Given the significant increases in security regulations, especally in relation to security-related contracts involving Federal monies, and the increase in security needs at American military facilities at home and abroad, this book is both timely and useful.  Bennett has published several books on this and related subjects, including the "DOD SECURITY CLEARANCES AND CONTRACTS GUIDEBOOK."  After laying out his credentials as a security expert, Bennett explains in a clear and well-organized fashion the Federal regulations that a person would neede to understand to gain a security clearance or certification in security organization.  The remainder of the book gives tips for learning the regulations and the 'rote' of modern security, and advises the reader on how to prepare for and pass the required security examinations, in particular the Industrial Security Professional Exam. Because of the topic, the book is not a page-turner, and likely will not be of much interest to many readers of military history or military memoirs, nor military fiction (although it could be of use for a novel involving base security).   But as a handbook, it is a solid work, easy to follow and understand.  It will appeal to its target audience for this reason.

Reviewed by: Terry L. Shoptaugh (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

Turn your passion for business into work for the US Government. Discover what you need to know about how to get a security clearance and perform on classified contracts. This book explains how to obtain such clearances.

Get Rich in a Niche, by J.W. Bennett

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MWSA Review

Bennett is an expert on the laws and prcedures of security, especially in relation to security procedures in relation to military-related contracts, to providing security in businesses with Federal contracts, and security at domestic and oveseas Federal facilities.  Having publshed several books on how individuals and companies can obtain ceritfication for Federal contracts or provide security in such settings (see my related review on his INSIDER'S GUIDE to passing a security examination) Bennett now offers his advice on how a person, or firm, could use a self-published book to promote their "niche market."  Using examples like photography and steam railroad hobbying, he argues that there "is no easier or faster opportunity to build your own empire than while in a niche" market.  He does not go so far as to say that wealth and success will come quickly.  Instead, he lays out details for developing a business plan, including a budget, and then marketing your product or service with a self-published book, supplemented  by web sites and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).  As in his previous publications, Bennett explains his steps in clear and simple sentences and offers encouragement throughout -- "choose a good name for your company, pick a name that is easily recognizable and easy to pronounce."  All in all the book is comprehensive and easy to follow, and can be taken as his best example of what to do, although snappier illustrations and charts would have enhanced it. The niche market offers several possibilities for those considering their own business.  There are many competing publications out there (more than two dozen similar works turned up in a quick search on Amazon, but most are more expensive than Bennett's).   Indeed, at a very reasonable $3.99 for an electronic (Kindle) copy, MWSA members who are considering putting their own books out by self-publishing would find Bennett's advice a very useful companion to MWSA's own workshops.

Reviewed by: Terry L. Shoptaugh (2012).

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Author's Synopsis

Get Rich in a Niche shows you how to be a niche expert in three well explained steps 1. Become an expert 2. Publish your book 3. Market your book

Zarbul Masalha, by Edward Zellem

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MWSA Review

In Zarbul Masalha, Captain Edward Zellem has done an excellent job collecting and setting forth 151 Afghan Dari proverbs.  While this may be self evident with the title of the book, Zellem has done a lot more than simply collect a group of phrases.  The book is laid out in a consistent format with the proverb typed in Dari, followed by a literal English translation, and then by a line or two telling the reader what the proverb actually means.  On several pages he includes a drawing done by the students at a local high school.  Besides the collection of proverbs, the book includes a number of pages in which the author provides more of an explanation for a few of the proverbs, talks about the local high school, and a little about his experiences with the Afghan people.  There is also a collection of photographs of the school, students, and others mentioned or affiliated with the book. I liked this book, and I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Afghan culture or in the collection of proverbs.

Reviewed by: Bob Doerr (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Captain  Edward Zellem has served as a United States Navy officer for 25 years. A trained  Dari speaker, he worked side-by-side with Afghans every day for a year and a  half in Kabul and Kandahar, including a year inside Afghanistan's Presidential  Palace. While in Afghanistan he collected and used Dari Proverbs every day in  his professional life, in the streets and back alleys of Kabul, and in other  parts of the country.

He became fascinated by the colorfulness and  cultural relevancy of Dari Proverbs, and began collecting, translating and  transliterating them into English. After art students at a Kabul high school  created illustrations, his collection became "Zarbul Masalha: 151 Afghan Dari  Proverbs"

Silas Soule, by Thomas Bensing

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MWSA Review

For readers looking for a well-researched, informational book regarding the short life of Silas Soule, this book fits the bill. Silas Soule only lived 26 years, but Tom Bensing, the author has been able to dig out and put together facts that share quite the story. He begins by telling us that Silas “seems to have coped by using his wits, comedic ability, and an uncanny knack to mimic and adapt.” An interesting piece of his family’s history was that one weekly event in their lives was that of his mother reading the serialized Uncle Tom’s Cabin to the whole family. It took most of a year for the book to be completed in the National Era newspaper. This was just one of the influences for Silas’s father, Amasa, to have zealous abolitionist tendencies, which lead to their family’s participation in the Underground Railroad.

Silas Soule fought for the Union working with several companies: at times being a temporary commander. He showed his potential to his superiors. He later was named Acting Assistant Adjutant General to the District Commander. This position opened doors for him to meet many influential people. At one point in his career, he became a recruiter and created recruiting posters. Author Bensing states: “His new job was a match made in heaven for him. It allowed him to tap the outgoing, charming side of his personality as he tried to convince people to see things his way.” He was later promoted to captain in the First Colorado Division.

I cannot sum up the book better than Tom Bensing states in the epilogue: “Silas Stillman Soule experienced much of what engulfed the nation during his lifetime. The turmoil over slavery, the bloody fight in Kansas…, the fallout and sparks from John Brown’s audacious raid, the excitement of a gold rush, the warfare that would change the lives of an entire country…and the beginning of the plains war with the Native Americans…Through all of it, Silas never lost his sense of humor, his outgoingness, or the moral compass that guided his decisions throughout his brief life.”

For this 150-page book, Author Bensing includes 50 pages of endnotes and bibliography. He certainly has done the research to put together a very interesting telling of the life and times of Silas Stillman Soule. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Bensing brought in many personal facts, stories, and insights because it makes my “pill” of history go down much better. Those who follow my reviews have learned that it is only in my recent years of life that history is finally becoming palatable. Thank you, Tom Bensing, for giving me another dose of history in a form that increased my knowledge and which I was so easily able to swallow.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Silas Stillman Soule, who grew up in the decades just before the Civil War, created an unforgettable legacy in his tragically short life. This courageous young man transported slaves via the Underground Railroad, aided in the jailbreak of a doctor accused of aiding slaves, participated in an attempt to rescue John Brown's men after Harpers Ferry, and fought for the Union at the little-known but very important Battle of the Glorieta Pass. Most significantly, he refused to take part in the slaughter of Native American women and children during the Sand Creek Massacre, one of the blackest moments in U.S. history, and was the first to testify against the man who led the assault, Col. John Chivington. 

Historian Tom Bensing chronicles for the first time a comprehensive look at Silas' life, combining historical fact with human elements. The result is a fascinating snapshot of U.S. history rich with intensely researched details. Born in 1838 to an ardent abolitionist father, Silas eventually moved to Coal Creek in the Kansas Territory. His family home became a well-used stop on the Underground Railroad in Kansas, which straddled the line between free and slave states. Silas, known for his wit and charm, also showed strength of character, becoming a true hero on the frontier. Time spent in the Union army in Colorado - when he took his stand against the brutal Indian massacre - only strengthened his resolve. 

Those who only know Silas for his heroic stance at Sand Creek will be astonished at everything this Jayhawker/adventure-seeker/soldier accomplished in his 26 years. The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes continue to honor Silas today, holding a peace run each Thanksgiving. The book also reveals, in never before published detail, the life and final fate of Charles Squier, the man who ended Silas' life in a shootout. Squier, a decorated veteran, ironically received a hero's burial himself four years later.

My True Course, by Suzanne Simon Dietz

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MWSA Review

Fascinating Insights into a Monumental Time inUnited StatesHistory- Circa World War II

Dutch Van Kirk came from a small town inPennsylvaniawhere his early years were spent living as a child of the Depression. Raised near theSusquehanna River, he was an adventurous kid, as well as a river rat.

In the summer of 1940, now a young man, Dutch saw signs around town about becoming an aviation cadet. Knowing the war had started inEurope, he applied to take the “Aviation Cadet Exam.”

Van Kirk passed the exam, as well as the physical. This was surprising, as he had only one kidney. But from that time on, it seems his life course was set.

On December 29th, 1940, with theUnited States facing the advance of Hitlerism, President Roosevelt declared “I want to make it clear that it is the purpose of the nation to build now with all possible speed every machine and arsenal and factory that we need to manufacture our defense material.”

And so it was that Van Kirk, by then an Army aviation cadet, was sent to Sikeston, Missouri, at the end of September 1941, to begin flight training. Three days later, he was up in an airplane. By October 25th, he’d made 44 landings; 25 of them solo. But by December, Dutch had washed out as a pilot and was steered toward navigation.

On December 7th, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and on December 8th, theUnited States declared war onJapan. This turn of events would eventually lead the young navigator to be a part of the first atomic strike mission in the history of civilization.

It was an early morning, August 6 of 1945, when Special Mission No.13, flying in a Boeing Silver-plate B-29 Super fortress named the Enola Gay, took off from Tinian Airfield, with Dutch Van Kirk plotting the course across a vast expanse of thePacific Ocean. The mission’s purpose was to drop an atomic bomb onHiroshima,Japan, in the hopes of shortening the war.

While the horrific destruction and death that befell onHiroshimathat day was tragic, it led to the beginning of the end of the war. Dutch notes (p.487) that after Hiroshima, the Air Force dropped several million leaflets over about a dozen cities before telling them what was going to happen if they didn’t surrender. But nothing happened until the second bomb was dropped days later onNagasaki.

Finally, on August 15, Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender of the Empire of Japan to the Allies.

Today, Dutch is the last living crewman of that mission. The book contains a huge amount of personal correspondence back and forth between Dutch and family members. These letters provide great insight into day-to-day life, both home and abroad, during those difficult times.

This is an important book that adds Van Kirk’s personal footnote to WWII. It also  highlights the bravery of the millions who fought and served to bring an end to the Second World War, as well as showing the sacrifices made by those left to “stand and wait” at home.

Reviewed by: Charlen Rubush (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

He looked like the boy next door, a Depression-era kid. The now ninety-year-old gentleman with a remarkable memory and a sharp wit became in 2011 the only living crewman from the Silverplate Boeing B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, on August 6, 1945.

A debate continued for more than half a century with his former commanding officer, Paul Tibbets, until his death about how Dutch Van Kirk came to navigate the Enola Gay from Tinian to Hiroshima. The answer is part of Dutch's biographical chronicle. 

The navigator of the Enola Gay's biography is an authentic "greatest generation" story told through his unedited letters to and from home, Van Kirk's vignettes from his Army Air Corps training through Europe, Africa, and the Pacific to the first atomic strike in history.

Life on a $5 Bet, by Linda Swink & Maj. General E.J. Mechenbier

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MWSA Review

Life on a $5 bet is the story of MG Edward J. Mechenbier’s Air Force career, from before he lost a $5 bet with his father about his chance to get an appointment to the Air Force Academy, to his retirement from the Air Force as a pilot with 40 years of service.  Written with Linda D. Swink, it nevertheless is written in the first person, which gives its tale a gritty and humorous reality, letting us get to know MG Mechenbier as a person.

The book is not a chronological history, but starts with how he wound up as a Vietnam Prisoner of War, being shot down after bombing a railroad yard, and continues for the next 15 chapters on his thoughts of his life to that point while undergoing numerous incidents of torture and his life as a prisoner.  He reminisces about his birth family and the circumstances that led to his entry into the Air Force, his marriage to the love of his life Jerri, thoughts of his kids, , and his friends in the Air Force and numerous antics that determined his life as “the best fighter pilot”. After his release, the stories were still interesting as it described his life as an Air Force pilot. The last part of the book describes his life “after Air Force” as a retiree with his wife of many years, Jerri.

I really liked his outlook on life; even when at his lowest points, he managed to pull himself up and remain true to his integrity. I especially liked his description of the antics he and his fellow POWs used to surreptitiously thumb their noses at their Vietnamese captors, while appearing to be model prisoners.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of history, military memoirs, the Vietnam era, and just a plain good story.

Reviewed by: Darlene M. Iskra, (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

When Ed Mechenbier retired from the United States Air Force Reserve in June 2004, he held the distinction of being the oldest former Vietnam POW and Air Force general still in uniform on flying status.
One of eight children made attending college financially difficult. When his father bet him $5 that he could get an appointment to the Air Force Academy, Ed accepted the challenge. That decision set the course for a career that lasted forty years.

During those years, Ed went from being a high-spirited fighter pilot full of hopes and dreams to a prisoner of war, held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He lived through hell at the merciless hands of prison guards and tortuous interrogators, but never lost his sense of humor or duty to his country.

Life on a $5 Bet tells how he survived those dark days and went on to become a general officer by holding to values learned at the Academy: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Ed gives the reader a glimpse into his zany life as a test pilot, lobbyist, squadron commander, spy, member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, golfer, syndicated television air show commentator, sales engineer with major aircraft companies, devoted family man, and pilot of the C-141, dubbed the Hanoi Taxi, on a repatriation flight to Vietnam in 2004. And the world's greatest fighter pilot

Still Having Fun, by Candace George Thompson

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MWSA Review

When receiving Still Having Fun as my latest Military Writers Society of America’s review assignment, I was excited because I had actually met the author, Candace George Thompson, at the MWSA conference in Dayton, Ohio. I also enjoy reading biographies and memoirs, so it seemed a perfect fit. I imagined I’d be reading a sweet story about a family and would be “just getting to know” Rex and Bettie George and their family. Still Having Fun is more than that, however, true, it is a book about the lives of the George family, but it also brings us into the world during the 1940s and brings us up to the year 2007. My first thought was that this book might just prove interesting to people who know the George family, but this proved not to be true.

Still Having Fun proved to be a very enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening book. The letters that are included in the book bring the reader right into the family and make the story “oh-so-real.” The great thing that Author Thompson does is put her family story “into” the larger story of the world’s happenings during those times. Learning about some of the history of the Air Force is a plus to this book. The photos truly are a special addition, which helps the reader to connect to the George family.

When I finished the book, I felt as if I had traveled back in time and experienced the ups and downs shared within the book. I learned more about the world before I was around to experience it myself, and related to the times that I lived through, but Still Having Fun, opened my eyes to what other families, namely our military families dealt with, while I was enjoying my stable life not having to move from place to place. The tenderness of Rex George as he dealt with Bettie’s Alzheimer’s reminded me of what my mother lived through during the last years of my father’s life. Books that can take us through so much historically and emotionally deserve the accolades that Still Having Fun is receiving. Thank you, Candace George Thompson, for sharing your family’s story.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

This remarkable biography of a military marriage which lasted from 1941 until 2007 includes everything from letters written in war zones to photographs that chronicle the lives and romance of Rex and Bettie George. Written by their daughter, Candace George Thompson, after their deaths, "Still Having Fun" is a moving testament to the character and resilience of American military families.

Sketches of a Black Cat, by Ron & Howard Miner

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MWSA Review

World War II was the major historical event of the 20th century and much has been written about it.  Movies by the hundreds and books by the thousands have been done in recording these historic events.  Names such as Churchill, Eisenhower, Stalin, Roosevelt, Hitler, and Stalin along with the heroes such as Audie Murphy likes of the Band of Brothers are all well-known and documented.

However it has taken over one to two generations for stories of how the common soldier endured WWII for the “duration” as it was so-called during these turbulent and trying times.  In the case of “Sketches of a Black Cat” it took the efforts of a curious son to bring forth a refreshing and insightful look of what it took to be a Navy pilot in the Pacific during WWII.

In the words of Ron Miner “I think this is a story of  heroes, not in the sense of an Audie Murphy or a Congressional Medal winner, but rather of  countless, otherwise average people plunged into an impossible situation.”    It is Ron Miner who is the son of Howard Miner (Our book’s hero) who in fact coaxed his father rather late in life to tell his story.  Ron Miner upon further digging and investigation brought us the story in a delightful and easy read reflecting the adventures and times of his father during WWII.  From Howard Miner’s training to his drinking habits and formation of lifetime friendships Ron Miner weaves a down to earth and honest portrayal of his father.

It should be noted that Howard Miner was an excellent artist who sketched hundreds of pictures of these times in the Pacific.  These artist’s renderings are tastefully scattered throughout this book.  Along with these artful depictions are plentiful photographs of Mr. Miner and his Navy friends as they advance through the Pacific Islands during WWII.

In this book one can see the times and stresses put on our young citizen soldiers and we see how they are trained and disciplined to accomplish their vital missions.  As Ron Miner says these men can’t all be of Audie Murphy caliber but rather are indicative of your average Joe Schmo who honorably served when our country needed them and returned home as average citizens to pick up the pieces of civilian life.  Many of these stories are left untold.  Fortunately Ron Miner has brought forth a least one gem for us to follow and cherish.

Reviewed by: Dick Geschke (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Howard Miner was a student at a small Midwestern college when the War broke out. His journey through training and tours of duty as a PBY pilot in the South Pacific are skillfully captured in his art and narratives, framing a wartime drama with a personal coming of age story. This memoir has been reconstructed from a small library of unpublished artwork, journal entries, and writing, providing an enjoyable behind the scenes look at the Navy Black Cats. The descriptive verse from the artist’s viewpoint gives us a creatively told and intriguing portrayal of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

Back to Vietnam: Tours of the Heart, by R.B. Logan & E. Heart

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MWSA Review

Bruce Logan’s poignant journey of healing and redemption began during the war years, with two tours of duty to Vietnam as a young infantry lieutenant (1966-67 and 1970-71). Years of fear and loss of friends, loss of innocence, fighting an enemy on their home turf fiercely determined to drive out the Americans. Logan tells the story of those two years in a straight forward, unabashed manner, neither overplaying nor underplaying the war’s horror, always willing to acknowledge his unintended cultural missteps there. In similar spare, non-dramatic style he recounts his struggles with “soldier’s heart,” what is now known as post-traumatic stress syndrome. It is only when his second wife, Canadian Elaine Head, takes up the tale that one begins to see why he needed to return to Vietnam. Indeed, it was at her urging that they join Tours of Peace group to Vietnam in 2006, a year which changed the course of both their lives.

They most amazing thing they found there was the overwhelming forgiveness and acceptance given to them wherever they went, be it by former enemies or foes. The gentleness and hospitality they received seemed never-ending, no matter the economic statues of their hosts. Experiencing love where hatred would have been expected, and wanting to give back love and help in return, the two began planning how they would return year after year to bring supplies and encouragement to a country where poverty and official corruption exist despite momentous moves forward, and socialism requires mandatory education of the young at their parents’ expense. Thus they returned with books, pencils, and whatever else they could year after year, dealing with medical crises of their own in the bargain as well as the Vietnamese they came to help. Ultimately, their cycle of love bred yet more love.

The book is highly detailed, not only weaving in and out of the war and the lives of its participants, but also of its survivors, their children, and grandchildren as well. The reader is literally taken into the homes of these people and made to experience what they did. Likewise of other Americans who came seeking peace from continued for many to be a horrible recurrent dream. The text is rich with pictures of Logan as a young soldier and later with his wife Elaine and their new Vietnamese friends. The clarity of the photos is superb; their subject matter both warming and heartrending. The appendices at the end, with their timelines and glossaries of military jargon, were most appreciated. This is a wonderful book, which can be helpful to anyone trying to understand the war and most useful to those still trying to get over it.

Reviewed by: B. N. Peacock (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Back to Vietnam: Tours of the Heart, by R. Bruce Logan and Elaine Head is a memoir written in two voices. This literary duet sweeps the reader back through the battle-torn history of beautiful, bewildering Vietnam and across the now recovering nation. Lauded in early reviews, the writing is vividly alive with detail. At times painful passages are softened by the warmth and humor of the writers. The characters who people the pages; frightened young soldiers, forgiving survivors, heroes in wheel chairs, hungry villagers and proud grandmothers become friends to the writers and their readers. Veterans, Boomers, and travelers of all ages will be drawn into the ancient culture and rich folklore of Vietnam. The authors Bruce Logan and Elaine Head, Canadian retirees, have crafted an intriguing tale of their struggles and delights in becoming volunteers in a third world country. They traveled to Vietnam to retrace Bruce’s steps as a young US Army Lieutenant in the 60’s and found their new purpose.

Love at First Flight, by Captain Stewart Orr & Fran Orr

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MWSA Review

This book won me over with fascinating, behind the scene details of everything from catapulting off or landing on aircraft carriers to the even riskier but possibly more exciting persuit of a lasting romance. Captain Orr made me FEEL like I was in and around the jets he flew. He educates the reader about interesting specifics from his twenty-seven year career as a Navy Aviator that I am sure I would never have heard about. I identified with his male strength and frailty. Wife Fran reflects on the couples shared experiences with encouraging insight from an adorable female companion we men dream about but rarely find. Neither author sanitized events, and, as an author, I know how hard it is to write with such naked honesty. These two came from different universes but joined in a magnetic attraction that held together  for   good, through the the tragic and terrific days ahead. Strap in and fly through Bud and Fran's adventures to see the courage, sacrifice, love, humor, and romance ... this book is truly a top notch read!

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Love at First Flight is the memoir of by two outstanding Americans: a courageous naval pilot, Bud Orr, whose career spanned twenty-seven years, and his loving wife, Fran. This volume is an honest, beautifully crafted story of Bud and Fran's inspiring relationship, a testament to their deep love and service to their country. It is a page-turning account of a sterling military career, complete with adrenaline-filled descriptions of a daring pilot flying many dangerous missions in advanced warplanes. Love at First Flight is a powerful reminder about the real sacrifices that men and women in the Armed Services must make to preserve a relationship, and the incredible rewards that come with that sacrifice. Like a catapult launch off an aircraft carrier, Bud and Fran's story will propel readers through recent history—from the Vietnam War to current day America. A tender, moving, and inspiring volume, Love at First Flight is the perfect gift for any military member, military family, or military historian.