Missions of Fire and Mercy by William Peterson

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MWSA Review

There's not much difference between Missions of Fire and Mercyand other combat memoirs. Bill Peterson decides to drop out of college and join the Army in 1967. He must explain his decision to worried parents.  His father is a World War II veteran and understands Bill's need to find himself as a warrior. His girlfriend of four years may or may not understand -- but he feels her support and knows that she will wait for him. So, eager to do the right thing, Bill signs up for helicopters,  goes through training, makes close friends, and volunteers for Vietnam. The Army accepts Bill's offer and off he goes on the first real adventure of his adult life. 

I've read the same story a thousand times...in fact, I can't stop reading these stories. These were the friends of my youth and each time one left, I watched them go with a combination of anger, fear, and frustration.  Why was it that as the daughter of a combat veteran, I began grieving the day they left for basic training?  

However, there's something about this rendition that's especially heart-rending. Maybe it's Bill Peterson's considerable talent as a writer. Perhaps it's because I can remember exactly what I was doing on the days that he was risking his life to insert and extract other grim young soldiers in and out of hell. The throbbing beat of the Rolling Stones blend with the whop of helicopter rotors in the ears of my generation like a rock and roll anthem of confusion, pain, bravery, anxiety, and good intentions. Bill's year in Vietnam played out against societal chaos where right and wrong no longer seemed so pristinely white and black--only Bill saw it all up close and personal while I heard about it from boys with the eyes of old men.  

As the tale unfolds in Missions of Fire and Mercy, Bill allows the reader to watch as his innocent eagerness melts away like a Hershey bar in the back pocket of my jeans. Perhaps because he is up front about his fear and horror, we understand why he is compelled to fly day after day. Bill and the other helicopter crews flew long after it was no longer fun. They flew not because they were ordered to. They flew not even because they were brave -- although they were most assuredly that. They flew because their friends and comrades relied on them. The wounded needed them. Those under fire needed them. No, they flew because they knew they must--and other young men are alive today because they did.  

And after it was all over, some came home and others didn't. Families and friends grieved for those that were lost. However, for most, life went on. Some things changed and others didn't. The worst that could have happened never did, and bad things we never dreamed of came to pass. No one knows if it was right or wrong, worth it or not -- but we do know that these young men were magnificent like their fathers before them. It's impossible to read Bill's book and not know this.

Reviewed by: Joyce Faulkner (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Memoir of my Vietnam tour with C/227th AHB, 1st Air Cavalry in 67-68 as a Huey crew chief/door gunner. This book relates both missions of fire and missions of mercy. This will put the reader in the crew chief seat and take him/her on the ride of their life that they can't possibly experience anywhere else. "White Robe Six" (the aircrew's call sign for God), is given praise often as He protects the flight crews from almost certain death. The subject of PTSD is touched on and highly recommends that Vets seek the free help that is out there. The purpose of Missions Of Fire And Mercy is not only to reach Vets and assure them that they need not have the guilt complex that many have. In addition, it teaches the loved ones of the Vet what they not only experienced, but what they are still haunted with in so many cases.

My Last War by Charles Grist

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MWSA Review

Charles M. Grist has written the story of a young man who served first as an officer in Vietnam, a career public servant (police officer), and last as a non-commissioned officer in Iraq. His life has been dedicated to serving his country but his words are humble and appreciative. Grist writes about his C.O.B.R.A. team in Iraq, formed and trained to protect a general officer he learned to respect tremendously. His mission was to protect the general and keep his team safe; he did both.  He loved his team like extended family. Grist pays homage to the greatest hero in his life as well--his wife. Grist tells a story with the experience and wisdom of an American soldier and servant to a country he loves--and it is his own.  His "last war" is contrasted with memories that linger from his first experience with war. I highly recommend this book for the intellectually mature reader.  

Reviewed by: Mike Mullins (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Central Florida police officer Charles M. Grist is one of the few Vietnam veterans to have served as an enlisted soldier in the Iraq war. In 2004, he volunteered to be the sergeant-in-charge of the Protective Service Detail for an Army Reserve general in Baghdad.
 
Grist and his unit, the C.O.B.R.A. Team, were based inside Baghdad's Green Zone, but their travels with the general led them along the deadly roads of Baghdad, to the throne of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, and through the picturesque hills of Kurdistan. It was a fast-paced life of high adventure, filled with convoys, mortar or rocket attacks, and the constant threats of ambushes or improvised explosive devices.
 
As a Vietnam veteran, Grist knew that Operation Iraqi Freedom would be his last war. He used his daily journal to record his team's wartime experiences, to document the events that shaped Iraq in 2004, and to preserve the heroic deeds of some of the Army Reserve and National Guard warrior-citizens with whom he served. That journal became the basis for this book.

The Burntwaters Cook’s Kitchen Guide by David Michaelson

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MWSA Review

Could have been titled The Complete Cooking Guide for Idiots. This is as simple as it gets proving one can be a good cook without spending a small fortune on ingredients requiring an 1/8th of a teaspoon and toss the rest away.  Tired of recipes requiring tons of special ingredients, then this book is for you. The authors approach was to keep it simple this creates more interest and improves the families' culinary experiences without great expense, time or trouble.

Recipes are easy to follow and place the emphasis on how and taste, taste after all is an individual experience, different strokes for different folks. How is approached like a campaign; example -- cut into quarters or cube, wow, great but not for me or my family.  Or melt the chocolate in a double boiler, what a great idea, how about adding hot cream to prevent it from seizing.  

Explanations abound, kid friendly recipes, what to stock and how to measure, it's all in here.

Looking for a cooking guide or another cook book for your kitchen, but tired of all the multi page instructions and exotic or seldom used spices, this is your book, trip over yourself on the way to the local book store and get your copy before the 'Chefs Union' bans it sale.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

A cookbook for the overworked, the overwhelmed and the inept.

A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotion by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

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MWSA Review

Retailers and anyone selling anything need more than hope to reach their customers.  Carolyn Howard-Johnson has written an excellent "How-To" guide that even a novice can follow.  In-Store promotions is not as it sounds, but rather a method to follow regardless of where or how one sells.

Promotion is the key to success, do none and you stand small chance of succeeding.  If all you do is write a book you are performing half the job.  This book can be set out in a simple formula; promotion = recognition = sales = success.  If success is your goal then doing something to improve your business is essential and in this book it is made easy, and key parts offer inexpensive methods for doing so.

I recommend this book to anyone in any business, fixed store location or web-business.  The ideas and approaches have application to both and more; it is not just for the corner stationary store or the local tire shop.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Retailers need more than crossed fingers to get and keep customers. In-store promotion--everything from in-store branding to events--is the most effective and economical way to do that. This book gives retailers the benefit of Carolyn Howard-Johnson's nearly three decades experience as founder and manager of her own chain of stores, a stint as a New York publicist and as a retail consultant and journalist. It is the first in the Survive and Thrive series for retailers in her USA Book News award-winning HowToDoItFrugally.com books. 

MST: Military Sexual Trauma by Miette Wells

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MWSA Review

MST: Military Sexual Trauma provides an excellent introspective review of the unique aspects affecting sexual trauma victims.  The book focuses both on the victims and the culture of the military community that is the environment in which the victims live.

The author does a very good job of describing the characteristics of life in the military with its camaraderie, command structure, lack of freedoms, discipline and loss of privacy.  The book then expertly describes how that culture accentuates the dilemma for someone who has just survived an MST.  In the process a number of resources for counseling, healing, and even disability claims are identified for the reader.
The author covers a lot of ground in a rather short book discussing a topic that has been the focus of many lengthy studies.  It provides a compelling case that the issues surrounding MST have not been resolved.

While the author does an excellent job identifying the extraordinary set of complicating factors a victim of MST faces, I had a hard time believing that victims' situations were so universally mishandled in the military.  

The book is well presented and maintains an excellent focus.

Reviewed by: Bob Doerr (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Military Sexual Trauma is a traumatic event from which many victims never fully recover. There is a uniqueness to MST which separates it from other traumas, even other sexual traumas. This book is the result of personal experience and research into the reality of thousands of US soldiers, past and present that encountered MST.

MST: Military Sexual Trauma provides an introspective and eye-opening look into a world that few survive unscarred.

Miette Wells joined the Air Force after high school in 1987 with an aspiration for a career in the military. Like so many others her ambitions were bashed when she has her first encounter with MST. After her military memoir authorship, Crossing the Blue Code and Beyond The Blue Code, numerous accounts of similar experiences flooded her email inbox. She decided there is much more she can do to bring MST to the knowledge of the general public.

The Politics & Security of the Gulf by Jeffrey Macris

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MWSA Review

THE POLITICS AND SECURITY OF THE GULF delivers an excellent, in-depth, hundred year history of British and American involvement in the security of the Arabian Gulf Region.  After a short historical perspective, this scholarly work provides outstanding insight into the basis of that involvement. 

Jeffrey Macris does a superb job in illustrating the changing British and American security and political objectives in the area. Concurrently, he describes how this Western involvement helped shape the region into what it is today.  The author's focus on detail along with his extensive notes and bibliography section make this book a superb resource for students of Middle East history and security.  His narrative approach in setting forth that history makes it an enjoyable, informative read for anyone wanting to learn more about the subject.

I was very pleased that the author kept a sharp focus on historical facts, while leaving political opinions and biases out of the book.  In doing so, he has made this book a far more valuable resource.  I was also impressed that the book included dozens of photographs and the original text of numerous military and political documents to help elaborate and substantiate the author's reporting of historical events.

The book is very well presented.  I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in learning more about this topic.  I would classify it as a must read for students of Middle East history and military history. 

Reviewed by: Bob Doerr (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

The United States and its military have fought in three hot wars in the Persian Gulf over the past generation -- the Iran-Iraq War, Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom -- but what do we know about what brought our nation to this turbulent and unforgiving region? "The Politics and Security of the Gulf," written by a Permanent Military Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, looks at two centuries of Persian Gulf history, and how the armies and navies of Great Britain and the United States have shaped the region. The book examines how both London and Washington's leaders tended to three enduring missions in the Gulf: maintaining interstate order, protecting trade, and keeping out other Great Powers. For over a century Britain did this with a relatively modest amount of power -- primarily naval -- while drawing upon its vast Indian army when needed.  After World War II, however, the loss of Britain's empire ultimately forced London to withdraw, and the last of its ships and aircraft withdrew from inside the Strait of Hormuz in 1971. Offered the keys to British military bases, the Americans declined to replace the British as security guarantors for the Gulf. In the vacuum that followed, two decades of political, economic, and military chaos ensued: the 1973 oil crisis, the fall of the Shah, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan that portended a possible further thrust toward the Gulf, the Iran-Iraq war, and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.  After each of these foreign policy catastrophes, the United States took an incremental step toward the region. When Washington elected to set up a permanent military presence in the Gulf following 1991's Desert Storm, the U.S. essentially had assumed the same missions that the British had fulfilled in the 19th and 20th centuries: maintaining interstate order, protecting trade, and keeping out other Great Powers.

The Military Father by Armin Brott

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MWSA Review

An excellent reference for dads, The Military Father covers issues pertinent to men. Much broader than the title implies, the book covers military and civilian fathers who face a "long-distance" relationship with their wife and children.
 
The book encompasses a wide spectrum of possible reactions to deployment -- from the view of the dad being deployed, the spouse, children at various age levels, single dads, dual military families and the dad at home when the mom is deployed. It covers active-duty military, reservists and civilian/government workers.
 
What makes this book exceptional is Brott's attention to the details of family life. Written is an easy-to-read and easy-to-follow format, the author lays it on the line. His advice ranges from telling fathers to record their voices for their unborn children and planning online games with teenagers to comforting and preparing spouses.
 
He deals with fathers from pre-deployment through coming back home and facing PTSD. Appendices cover a wide aspect of issues including a pre-deployment checklist, stages of childhood development and available resources.
 
Brott writes with respect for all family members, their emotions and the problems they encounter. He is straight-forward and specific, addressing tough and personal issues. He never assumes that all dads, marriages, children and situations can be "buttered with the same knife." He speaks of regret, guilt and loneliness as well as independence, commitment and love.
 
Dads will relate to the preparation, feelings and problems addressed. Mothers and children will better understand that deployment is as hard for the one far away, as it is for those waiting at home.
 
I would recommend this book to every person facing the deployment of a spouse or partner.

Reviewed by: Pat McGrath Avery (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Fathers today play a greater role with their families and children than ever before. However, military dads and dads-to-be are often separated from their families for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, there are very few resources for military (and deployed civilian) fathers, who are looking for guidance on how to be in close touch with their families back home. The Military Father, written by the country's leading authority on fatherhood, will fill that gap, providing deployed dads with everything they need to know to stay (or become) involved with and connected to their family regardless of the distance that separates them. 
 
Part I of this essential sourcebook covers pre-deployment and explores the profound effect a dad's absence will have on his spouse, his children, and himself. It also provides extensive pre-deployment checklists and detailed tips aimed at preparing the dad and his family for separation and long-distance communication. Part II, During Deployment, explains how to stay involved and connected when you're far away, and includes specific strategies and activities designed to help dads and their family remain close across time and distance. Part III, Coming Home, offers advice on post-deployment times from preparing to come home and surmounting the challenges of returning to military or civilian life. In addition, the book includes a chapter on how dads can support a spouse when she's the one being deployed, and a comprehensive listing of resources available to soldiers and their families. 
 
Flavored with the author's trademark wit, warmth, and intelligence, this guide combines a wealth of knowledge from experts, scientific studies, and interviews with scores of military fathers and their families. 
 
The Military Father includes cartoons that complement the text, solicited from deployed military or civilian fathers and family members, ranging from those on active duty to veterans. 

A Quiet Reality by Emilio Marrero

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MWSA Review

A Quiet Reality opens the door to the often un-thought, unspoken part of war, that of God at work.  Emilio intertwines combat and prayer in a manner that makes the story worth reading to Christians and non-Christians alike. This is a powerful and insightful journey into the war in Iraq. This is a different kind of war, calling on talents civilians do not generally think of the military possessing and Chaplain Marrero tells their story as he shared it, a very emotional journey that provides a window of discovery to the reader and will tug at your heart as you share the emotions, message of redemption, death, salvation and tears of loss.  The perspective presented is different from that of a book of "war." A story you will not see on your local news, eye opening and refreshingly honest.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

A Quiet Reality is a heartwarming and hopeful story that invites you to join Chaplain Marrero in this exciting journey through Iraq as he ministered to U.S. Marines. Join him through an exhilarating tactical convoy during his first night in Iraq, through the painful ministry to the wounded and dead. Reflect with him as he ponders on this quest as a man in uniform and a pastor. Walk with him through the ancient ruins of Nebuchadnezzar's Palace in Babil and join him on an exciting quest to open biblical history to his Marines while he seeks to care for the Iraqis around him. A Quiet Reality is a hopeful commentary on a selfless quest to be true to ones faith and one's calling in the most trying of times. A wonderful Christian inspirational story that provides deep insight into how Americans and Iraqis touched one another.

Faith Deployed by Jocelyn Green

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MWSA Review

I think the title of the newest book by Jocelyn Green "Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives" really sums up the content and the purpose of her book. However, I think it is not just for wives and could just as well be for husbands with spouses overseas, or mothers and fathers and even children. There are some fundamental truths and thoughts through the book that lends it to a great audience of readers. And that is my only negative comment about a delightful and much need book. 

This book would make a great gift to give to those who have relatives overseas in the war areas or not. The book is heavy with biblical quotes and lots of real life advice from wives representing all the military branches of service. Green does a good job of weaving in her writing with those of the contributing writers to form a emotional and spiritual foundation from which the reader will find some inner strength and peace from. 

I highly recommend this book and suggest that all those who have any military connections buy a copy and keep it in your personal library. It is good insurance against all those worries that may grip you when you are waiting for your loved ones to return home. 

Reviewed by: Bill McDonald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

As a military wife, if you have ever felt overlooked and undernourished as you strive daily to meet the needs of everyone around you-in a culture that largely does not understand your stressful lifestyle-this book is for you.
 
Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives is not a guide to long-distance relationships or a how-to on navigating through the military culture. It does not offer "ten easy steps" for an easier, painless life. Instead, through squarely addressing the challenges you face, Faith Deployed will equip you to respond biblically to the daily struggles that threaten to wear you down.
 
The book is written by 15 Christian military wives from all branches of service.

Tear in the Desert by Father Ron Camarda

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MWSA Review

Navy Chaplain Father Ron Moses Camarda reflects upon his active duty in Fallujah, at the heart of the battle for the city in 2004. As a Catholic Priest in Florida at age forty-four, the author is almost retired as a reserve chaplain with twenty years of non-war assignments, when a stunning order changes everything. Called to active duty and assigned to Bravo Surgical Company at Camp Fallujah with our Marines, Camarda recounts the horrific carnage faced and his own frailties, while ministering to casualties. He comforts in the most hideous settings; 81 die before him as another 1500 are physically wounded. While standing in blood and with guts exposed, Camarda serves the spirit of the dying and critically wounded, using impromptu prayer and ceremony. The author shares his accounts of providing last rites in the "potato factory" morgue and holding Mass inside the heart of the demolished city. Tattoo's and pocketed paper notes shed light on the spiritual desires of the fallen and connections are made with families of the deceased.  These details provide the reader an even deeper insight into the challenges faced by those who serve and pay the ultimate price.  Much of the book is set around the November 2004 offensive by the First Marine Expeditionary Force in their effort to regain the city from insurgents in the largest urban assault since the Korean War. I admire how Chaplain Camarda exposes his own emotions and salute his courage. He uses scripture, journal entries, and prayers to bring into focus how men pass into eternity after war. I recommend the book for anyone who has interest in a real-world battle of unreal proportions.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Tear in the Desert is a journey into the Heart of the Iraq War with Navy Chaplain Father Ron Moses Camarda, a Roman Catholic Priest. Father Ron was recalled in July of 2004 to serve with the Marines in Bravo Surgical of 1st FSSG. He reluctantly went and received over 1500 casualties and 81 deaths in which at least 12 died as he prayed with them. Col Mike Shupp, Commanding Officer of Regimental Combat Team-1, Fallujah 2004-2005 writes an afterward, "Father Ron Camarda is one of those quiet heroes, who made a difference in so many ways. Through his enthusiasm and compassion, he strengthened and developed our moral courage to face the horrors of war. When injured physically or emotionally, his strength and commitment held us up to face each day with dignity and courage. I will never forget him or his service to the Regiment. God is Good, All the Time!  Semper Fi!"  
The book also begins to follow how Chaplain Camarda met with the widows, parents and friends of our fallen heroes. He concludes with the story of how he met with the widow of a Marine who died at the exact hour that she gave birth.

Battlefields and Blessings Iraq/Afghanistan by Jocelyn Green

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MWSA Review

This newest installment in the wonderful series of books on faith on the battlefields, deals with the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Three very gifted authors worked together to deliver a powerful series of stories that show courage and faith. It also demonstrates and shows the spiritual connections between these warriors and God through their individual experiences. 

The full title of this inspiring book is Battlefields & Blessings: Stories Of Faith And Courage from The War In Iraq & Afghanistan.Truly a lot of loving work went into putting these personal stories together. It is not just about what takes place on battlefields but it is also about people: veterans, mother's and fathers and chaplains and even non-veterans such congressman, contractors, and missionaries. 

This book is definitely good for the soul of the reader. It is an easy to read accounting of those who lives have been touched by this current war on terrorism. It is heart warming, as well at times, a little heart wrenching. 

This is one book that I proudly display on my won personal bookshelf. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has military people in their lives. I even recommend it to those who are just patriotic or love a book of great faith. 

Reviewed by: Bill McDonald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan, part of the Battlefields & Blessings series, is a 365-day collection of inspiring stories of courage perseverance and faith-based on firsthand accounts of more than seventy who have been connected to or involved in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through never-before-told stories, readers will uncover the personal challenges of the battlefield. You'll hear about the experiences and perspectives of deployed soldiers; chaplains; military wives, widows, parents and siblings; organizers of humanitarian efforts; veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; missionaries to the Middle East and more. Each story is accompanied by a Scripture verse and a brief prayer.

If You Fly Don’t Crash by Charles Bailey

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MWSA Review

In a story that begins in 1969, Air Force Pilot Charles E. Bailey discusses his experiences flying aircraft for the United States Air Force. Bailey gives readers an insightful, humorous, and complete account of life inside and outside the cockpits of many aircraft operated by the Air Force. These stories shed light on the important responsibilities military pilots undertake each time they fly and how their knowledge and expertise are often overlooked and underestimated. 

This book meets all of the qualifications of non-fiction. Throughout the story, the author discusses personal stories and experiences (complete with personal anecdotes) that provide the reader a perspective on the responsibilities an Air Force Pilot has along with the variety of skills and training required of the position of pilot.

Charles Bailey's If You Fly... Don't Crash! was one of those books that I could not put down, and I thought about for a long time after I finished it. There is humor mixed in with the story of one man's determination to succeed in achieving his goals and become an Air Force Pilot. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for an inspiring story. The story takes readers through many real landscapes: the training and experience required to become a pilot and how those experiences translate into success high above the skies in the cockpit. The book breezily moves through the author's life and situates pictures and photographs of various aircraft seamlessly into the body of the narrative. Sometimes, non-fiction stories can be overwrought with jargon that distract a reader from the overall message. However, Charles does a fantastic job of explaining complex aviation terms in a clear, concise manner. This was an excellent book and would recommend it anyone looking for a poignant true story about some of America's true heroes. 

Reviewed by: Elliot Parker (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

The author piloted Air Force heavy jets for over two decades, in peacetime and wartime. If You Fly...Don't Crash! (Confessions of a White-knuckle Pilot) highlights some of the good, the bad, and the simply silly aspects of aviation experienced during his thousands of hours airborne.

Of War and Weddings by Jerry Yellin

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MWSA Review

"And so the enemy became my friend, I felt his warmth across the ocean and he felt mine."  

A quote taken from the book, which sums up Mr. Yellin's story for me. I enjoyed the story with its vivid descriptions of Mr. Yellin's experiences in the war, the wedding of his son, the beauty of Japan and its people, a beauty that the writer discovered many years later. The reader will appreciate the journey Mr.Yellin takes in his life, to finally allow himself to heal from the war and release from his heart the hatred he felt for the Japanese people, he was then able to let go of his hatred and live a life of forgiveness and peace. It took many years of travel to Japan and the joining of two families from very different cultures to appreciate the people and true beauty of Japan. I personally appreciate a book where I can picture myself in the story; this book achieved that for me and will for other readers. If you have an interest in Japan, WW II fighter pilots, you will enjoy this book. I found it to be an easy flowing story that will leave you appreciating life, another culture and realize that true love can exist despite obstacles. It made me quite interested in seeing for myself the beauty of Japan someday.  

Reviewed by: Mary Sullivan (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

A memoir. World War 2 service as a fighter pilot over Japan, raised during the depression, The wedding of his youngest son to a Japanese woman in Japan, the daughter of an Imperial Japanese air force veteran. The reconciliation between the two fathers.

So That Others May Live by Martha LaGuardia- Kotite

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MWSA Review

So Others May Live is the story of the U.S. Coast Guard's quiet but resolute rescue swimmers.  The heroic stories, told through the eyes of the heroes, reveal an understanding of how and why the rescuer risks his or her life to save a stranger. 
 
Author Martha J. LaGuardia-Kotite is a graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy. Her affection for the service is evident in the massive amount of research that went into creating this book.  On top of providing students and researchers with Coast Guard history, Ms. Kotite presents a series of action-packed stories that move and intrigue the reader. Packaged so that they can be appreciated in approximately hour long sessions, she shares the adventures, mishaps, mistakes, and successes of the various rescues the Coast Guard has attempted -- from the victim trapped in an Oregon cave as the water rises to the drama of people struggling to survive in an oil slick. The latter part of the book is about the thousands of rescues in Katrina. The author discusses the emotional trauma suffered by the rescuers when rescue wasn't possible. 
 
She also explores the evolution of rescue techniques over time. The Coast Guard trained with the Navy at first, then built their own school for the specialized jobs they needed. For example, at first they used the standard air-sea helicopter technique of dropping lines or baskets to men flailing about in water. Then they realized that many are too weak or scared to be plucked from their tenuous situations by those methods. They developed an approach that involved dropping a swimmer to tether the victims to the hoisting devices. They also tried dragging the harnessed rescuer through the waves from person to person.  All these techniques have problems associated with them, but all have been used when situations allow.
 
The sad reality is, of course, that while everyone wants to save those in danger, there is a cost to such endeavors. The goal for those who deal in the tragedies of others is to not make things worse. It does no good to jump into boiling seas when the chances of recovery are low and the risk of losing the rescuer is high. Bodies, equipment, helicopters have limited capacities. The author introduces the real people behind these dilemmas -- they have lives and significant others and kids. This fact is sobering and makes the work of these everyday folks all the more impressive.
 
The publication is slick and professional. The cover shows a helicopter lowering a figure into heavy seas at night. Moody in hues of gray and blue, it attracts the reader and the book delivers its promise. This book is appropriate for military historians and those who are interested in the Coast Guard and the Navy.

Reviewed by: Buddy Cox (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

So Others May Live is the untold story of the U.S. Coast Guard's quiet but resolute rescue swimmers, pilots and flight mechanics.  From deep ocean caves on the Oregon coast to the panicked and chaotic streets of post-Katrina New Orleans, here are their stunningly heroic stories, some the greatest maritime rescues attempted since the program began in 1985.  These feats, told through the eyes of the heroes, reveal an understanding of how and why the rescuer, with flight crew assistance, risks his or her own life to reach out to save a stranger.

They Were Ready: The 164th Infantry by Terry Shoptaugh

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MWSA Review

Terry L. Shoptaugh's narrative of the 164th Infantry history designed for veterans and history scholars. The author used unit records, diaries, and interviews involving more than seventy veterans, in addition to including 50 photographs and 10 maps brings this book to life for the readers. The author also specified 14pt type for the text so that those he interviewed, could read the stories more easily.  This is the story of the 164th Infantry, a North Dakota National Guard regiment, in the words of over seventy of the unit's veterans who were sent to Guadalcanal in 1942, during the darkest days of America's Pacific War. 
 
The 164th fought in five campaigns across the Pacific. Its members were preparing to invade Japan when the enemy capitulated in 1945. The 164th spent more than 800 days in combat and received more decorations than any other Army unit.
 
Terry L. Shoptaugh met his goal of writing the 164th history. He describes the heroics and sheer determination of the members of the 64th to defeat the enemy. With over 60 pages of endnotes, the author detailed his interviews, located documents, and improved his contacts and then wrote the story. 
 
Terry L. Shoptaugh is a professor of History, and University Archivist at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Reviewed by: Bob Ruerhdanz (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

A narrative history of the 164th Infantry Regiment's experiences in the Pacific War, from its activation and training to its service at Guadalcanal, Bougainville and the Philippines. The 164th (North Dakota National Guard) reinforced the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal in October 1942 and subsequently served in some 600 days in combat in the Pacific. The book is based on unit records, correspondence and diaries, and interviews with over fifty of the veterans.  

A Hill Called White Horse by Anthony Sobieski

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MWSA Review

Using interviews and documented history, the author successfully places the reader right in the middle of two specific days of this ten day battle. Written in present tense, this is such a fast paced story that the reader will catch himself reading faster and faster in an attempt to get a glimpse of what can possibly happen next. The true real life heroes that you feel you are right beside in the FO (Forward Observation) position are desperately hanging on to life as they perform their duties expertly in the most trying of times.
 
I appreciated the nearly absent use of offensive language throughout the book, but that didn't take anything away from the very clear image of the carnage and devastation all around them. By the time the enemy is walking on top of the FO (forward observation) bunker after they had overran the unit, the reader will wish he had a weapon at the ready.
 
 This well written account deals with a part of the Korean War I knew nothing about. This is a good history lesson of ROK (Republic Of Korea) infantry being supported by US Artillery.  
 
I believe any reader would enjoy this book; however those readers without some understanding of military terminology will find some difficulty keeping up. The reader will want to be armed with some Military phonetic knowledge before starting the book and then hang on to a hair raising, gripping and factual ride. 

Reviewed by: Don Arndt (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

The battle of White Horse lasted ten days, with many lives lost. This story concentrates on the first two days of the battle, as recounted by Joe Adams, Jack Callaway, and the rest from the 213th Field Artillery Battalion who were there. These two days coincide with the letters and personal remembrances of these men and this story is based on their real life experiences. The events and people are real, coming from those personal interviews, declassified documents and historical reference. What they went through is real, documented history. Not one of them has ever bragged about what they did or thought of themselves as some great warrior soldier. Everyone simply did what they had to do, and that there was no glory in it. 
 
Not just another war story, this is an attempt to put the reader "there" in the thick it, to be a participant in battle and to feel what it was like to be in the Forgotten War. Exploding artillery shells, bullets striking targets, the eeriness of flares drifting down over a battlefield, breathing the dust of trenches on a hill in the middle of a far off place. Taking the reader out of their seat and putting a rifle in their hands, this story transports you a thousand miles away from your surroundings to an artillery battery receiving "incoming mail", trench lines where death is around every corner, and a bunker on a hill where some of the most violent combat takes place. This book lets you feel, taste and smell it like it was, brutal, unforgiving, and above all, a cold hard reality for those that were there.

Porcelain on Steel by Donna McAleer

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MWSA Review

The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, admitted, for the first time, in 1976, female cadets. Porcelain on Steel is their story, and the stories of the hundreds of women who have graduated from there since.  It is a story of obstacles overcome that is unique in American education.

In a straight forward manner, the author paints a stark picture of the prejudices encountered by the first women who attended, and how they coped. We are given a glimpse of their courage, and resoluteness. The reader gets to know West Point, what makes it unique, and how it changed, for the better, as a result of a gender integrated corps. We see women who became all that they could be, and much more than they originally aspired to be as a result of their army experiences, which began as plebes in that intimidating establishment that has no equal in the vast expanse of colleges across the land.

The book encapsulates stunning career success stories of many of these women graduates, both in and out of the military, and the reader's heart cannot help but be warmed by the unanimous, graceful, gratitude of these strong ladies for the chance that their West Point education and experience gave them. 

A professionally produced and published book, Porcelain on Steel is a captivating human interest read about a transition time in our military's history that changed the face of the army, forever. Mostly in their own words, the very real personalities of these remarkable ladies are revealed in the pages of this book, and they are quite compelling. It is believable, because it is true, and few women in the history of our country have stories as unique as theirs. Few women have contributed as much to the growth of our nation, none more. I wanted to stand up, and cheer when I finished reading.

Reviewed by: Bob Flournoy (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Porcelain on Steel is an insider's tour of one of America's most storied institutions and shares with the reader what it takes to succeed in the high-pressure, high-performance, high-testosterone lab that produces leaders for the Army and for our Nation.
 
In an era where the American public is saturated with women selling sexuality, this book highlights those who, blessed with strong character traits, use them to make a positive contribution to society. Leadership is a matter of character; leadership is matter of how to be, not how to do it. Leadership is something that is instilled in you--and great leaders in turn instill the ability in others. The women in Porcelain on Steel exemplify this--for all ages and wisdom for all time. Their qualities and strength of character would lead to success in any era but most importantly, their stories are especially relevant now, in today's times.
 
Porcelain on Steel is a book for your daughter, your sister, your best friend, and most of all, yourself.
 
The women in Porcelain on Steel are genuine role models. America's youth, whether male or female, as well as parents in search of stories of inspiration, courage, loyalty, public service and leadership that set a positive direction for our young people, should read this book.
 
Porcelain on Steel is a powerful and inspirational portrait of the women who serve--not just our country, but their families, their communities, and their own commitment to a purposeful and meaningful life. These women, like the author Donna McAleer herself, had the courage and strength to attend West Point--the toughest and most elite military school in the nation--and have the heart and soul to be role models for women everywhere. We can find courage in their courage, faith in their faith, and our own best selves in them. Porcelain on Steel is a book for your daughter, your sister, your best friend, and most of all, yourself.
 
West Point is an indispensible institution that has helped sustain our democracy for more than 200 years.

The Texas Gun Club by Mark Bowlin

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MWSA Review

The 36th Division of the Texas National Guard (also known as the Texas Army, and sometimes as The Texas Gun Club), was part of LG Mark Clark's 5th Army, and was the first American unit to hit the beach at Salerno, Italy on 9 September 1943. Night amphibious landings are fraught with danger, and this assault was no exception. Italy declared an armistice as the Allied fleet was approaching the Gulf of Salerno, leaving the German forces to scramble to defend the beaches. The 5th. Army G-2 did not think there were many Germans in the area; however, the 1st Battalion's S-2 didn't agree. 
 
The Texas Gun Club is the story of the Battle of Salerno, told through the eyes and experiences of two cousins, both outstanding platoon leaders assigned to Able Company of the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment: 1LT. Sam Taft; and 1LT. Perkin Berger, usually referred to as Perkin throughout the book. Their mothers, twin sisters, had been killed by a hurricane in 1919. Perkin's father died in the Battle of the Marne the year before. Both were raised by Perkin's grandparents as their children, and Perkin's grandfather is referred to as "Old Perk."
 
1LT Taft, a huge man whose size earned him the nickname "Bear," inherited a large ranch which he was expanding. Bear and Perkin enjoyed fishing for trout in the warm Gulf waters. When his father died, Bear dropped out of college to run the ranch. Fiercely devoted to his wife, Margaret, Bear is the most cautious of the pair.
 
1LT Perkin Berger, smaller than Bear, but still a large man, was a student of history working on his doctorate degree, when he talked Bear into joining the Texas National Guard. Perk is the wild child of the pair. Part daredevil, he is usually too quick with a retort. Both men are natural combat leaders. The author does a good job of filling in both men's history in clearly delineated sections in a manner that does not break up the rhythm of the story.
 
Able Company, part of the 1st Battalion, 141st Regimental Combat team of the 36th Division was assigned to land on Blue Beach. Things quickly began to go wrong. An ensign led part of the 141st's landing crafts to the wrong beach, which became known as Blue Beach South. General Clark, acting on his S-2 opinion that the Germans weren't ready, expected to achieve surprise and landed his troops with no pre-landing bombardment. Perkin planned to be the first American soldier to set foot on the continent. When his landing craft dropped its ramp, the Germans greeted with, "Soldiers! Come on in and surrender. We've got you covered." Perkin shouted to the men in his 1st Platoon and charged through the shallow water and onto the beach. While Perk was becoming the first soldier to step on dry land at 0330 hours, the company commander was having difficulty motivating the coxswain to take his landing craft through the wall of German shells falling along the beach. By then the ensign had found Blue Beach, and the remaining elements of the 1st Battalion had landed there. Forcing the battalion commander and Able and Baker Companies to fight their way north through 500 yards of German territory to Blue Beach. Vivid descriptions of squad and platoon battles carry the reader into the heat of the battle. Perkin climbs onto a German Panzer IV tank with the intention of dropping a grenade into it, but the hatches are locked. Not easily deterred, Perkin uses a sledgehammer mounted on the tank as a weapon.
 
The next day, Able Company is tasked to send a reconnaissance patrol south through German and fascist territory to make contact with General Montgomery's 8th Army. 1LT Perkin Berger is selected to lead the patrol. Italy is in turmoil. The fascist Italians support the Germans and will use any opportunity to betray the patrol. Patriotic Italians help. After the armistice is declared, some Italian soldiers return home, some join the Germans, and some become looters who rape and pillage the countryside. Using the patrol as his vehicle, the author takes the reader on a journey through a war-torn country, telling the story of Italy�its people, soldiers, police, clergy, and of course the Germans. Perkin and his men encounter fascist German sympathizers, Italians who welcome Americans, German patrols, and have several realistic experiences that give the reader a real world view of conditions in a country hosting a war. Perkin leads the patrol to British 5th Division Headquarters, meets several interesting British officers, and then starts back to join Able Company. On the return trip the patrol has more adventures. The author develops several enlisted men characters. Private Kluis, a small, bookish man becomes another Audy Murphy and appears throughout the story.
 
While Perk is leading his patrol southward, Bear is in the village Ogliastro Cilento, where Able Company is waiting for its next assignment. The 141st is an all Texan unit, and the men have personal relationships that extend beyond the Army. Captain Ronald Ebbins, a long time foe of Bear and Perk enters the picture. Ebbins is a rear echelon officer who pointedly avoids going to the sound of battle whenever possible. Ebbins attempts to use his position to harass Bear and Perkin. While in the village, Bear meets Antoniette Bernardi, a stunningly beautiful five foot-three, hot tempered, Italian fascist and German spy. Antoniette obtains most of her information by sleeping with enemy officers and Ebbins wastes no time climbing into her bed.
 
The entire story takes place between 9 Sept and 14 Sept. Ebbins' and Antoniette's stories are not resolved, however, I am confident they will appear in the next book in the series. Antoniette has the makings of a fine villainess.
 
The Texas Gun Club is an excellent WWII war novel. Realistic, well plotted, and contains many actual events. It has found a place on my bookshelf. It describes the successes and failures of command and battle. Friendly fire, poor communications, death, destruction, courage, and valor. My only criticism is the title. I would have titled it: The Battle of Salerno, or Blue Beach South, and then added the tag, "a Texas Gun Club Novel." I am looking forward to the author's promised next novel in the series based on the 36th Division's exploits.

Reviewed by: Lee Boyland (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

The Texas Gun Club is the story of two cousins' journey from south Texas to wartime Italy in 1943.  Perkin Berger and Sam Taft are officers in Able Company, 141st Infantry Regiment of the 36th Division, Texas National Guard.  Although the cousins are closer than most brothers, they have differing views on the war and their role in it.  Perkin is excited to test himself in combat; Sam just wants to survive the war and return to Texas.

D-Day was a shambles, and then the battle went from bad to worse.  While Perkin is dispatched on a reconnaissance mission down the Italian peninsula, Sam is left to shore up crumbling defenses and prevent Salerno from becoming another Dunkirk. 

And My Mother Danced with Chesty Puller by Bruce Hoffman

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MWSA Review

This read is an open reflection of a teenager turned Marine, set in the sixties. Author Bruce Hoffman candidly shares his transitions from "the rear with the beer" to the door gunner's seat in Vietnam.Hoffman had dreams of being an embassy guard in dress blues, but the role never materialized. Instead, he writes about grazing on the beer and women while evolving into the combat arena, with all its horrors, during a politically divisive time. I enjoyed this author's balanced blend of adventures from his young service life. He honestly relates to the mundane times, where drinking alone in the bowling alley or oriental bar are common place.  Then, with brief orientation to the duties he would need to abruptly perfect, his story advances to the spectacular, where you kill or get killed.This book shares spicy details of what is sadly becoming forgotten or was never known. I recommend this decorated veteran's book to anyone who can handle a mature theme and find interest in a young man's journey to serve. 

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Bruce Hoffman spent four years in the United States Marine Corps from 1964 to 1968. Two of those years were in Vietnam and Okinawa. This is a story about his adventures from Parris Island, serving in the rear with the beer, to flying as an Aerial Gunner in UH-1E Huey Helicopters. These four years left a lasting impression, some good some bad. It is a story worth telling.

The Road to Iwo Jima by Tom McGraham

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MWSA Review

Tom McGraham is very proud to have served his country and the Marine Corps, but he humbly tells his story in The Road to Iwo Jima. I see him as a hero, but I doubt that he would call himself one. I appreciate the quote that Jerry Yellin (Iwo Jima survivor and author) has put on the back of Mr. McGraham's book: "Tom thought about home every day of the twelve days he was on Iwo before he was wounded and he has thought about Iwo Jima nearly every day of his life since the war ended." This book is Tom's story about those twelve days, and quick glimpses of where life's journey has taken him beyond Iwo Jima to the year 2010 when he attended a 65th anniversary of the landing on Iwo Jima in Washington, DC.  Mr. McGraham states: "I felt an overwhelming sense of closure at last. However, I will always respect and honor all the Marines who died for our country."
 
This book is a tribute to all who have served our country, and we should be grateful to people like Mr. Graham who took the time and effort to put their stories into print for us. Many of us can not even begin to imagine what our fellow countrymen have experienced and how they have had to carry that with them the rest of their lives. The first half of The Road to Iwo Jima tells us the brutal story of the twelve days Mr. McGraham spent on the island and the last half of the book he calls "The Return from Iwo Jima." 
 
This book is a quick read but gives us a window on the days of Iwo Jima, not a window that we all would want to see through, but I feel it is honoring to "see into" this time and realize how this history has impacted so many lives.  We don't have a lot of time left with these heroes so people like Tom McGraham have given us a gift by taking the time and going through the pain of writing their stories and sharing them with others. For those readers like me who are not history buffs, the footnotes that Mr. McGraham added are very helpful in that he doesn't assume that all of his readers will have that background knowledge. Readers who enjoy learning more about our history through memoirs and/or appreciate the real-life journeys of American heroes would want to read The Road to Iwo Jima.

Reviewed by: Joyce Gilmour (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Tom McGraham joined the Marines the day after Pearl Harbor.  Throughout the next few years, he served in the Caribbean, but after he participates in the capture of a German Submarine crew, he is reassigned to the 4th Division in Hawaii. With his new buddies, he trains for some unknown but obviously big assault to come.   It's not until he is on the ship, that he learns they are headed for Iwo Jima.  This book is the story of that fateful event in his life -- and the years afterward.