Steel Soldier: Guadalcanal Odyssey by James J. Messina with Charles Messina

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MWSA Review

In Steel Soldier, Guadalcanal Odyssey, author James Messina tells a fascinating account of his tenure in the marines with a special focus on his experiences during the invasion of Guadalcanal. James grew up in Pittsburgh, and just weeks before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he enlisted into the marines. As soon as he finished his training, James found himself on a ship heading to the Pacific. After a brief period of preparation in New Zealand, his unit led the invasion into Guadalcanal to take the island back from the Japanese. James recounts the invasion and months of fighting as only someone with firsthand experience could.

Charles Messina, James's son, adds historical perspective and edited his father's work to make this book a truly interesting read. I recommend it.

Review by Bob Doerr (January 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

My father, the most influential person in my life, passed away on March 20, 2008. As an intimate gift to his children, he wrote and illustrated his life story.

In the end, it took him eight years to complete his autobiography, and I was so impressed with his storytelling and artistic talent that I reached out to a journalist who had an interest in regional history. Following an interview with my father, the local newspaper ran a two-page article chronicling his life growing up in West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and his time serving as a Marine in World War II. The journalist applauded his work as an enormous achievement and an important part of history. He encouraged me to publish his story and share it with the public, which is something I had wanted to do for a long time. However, my dad was not interested and said it was merely a token of love for his children to remember him by.

This is an American tale about a working-class man who lived an honest life, believed strongly in God, and fought for his country. He represents thousands of other hardworking Americans with untold stories of integrity and honor. It’s also a compelling story of survival that begins in a gritty Pennsylvania steel town during the Great Depression and then transports the reader into the steaming jungles of Guadalcanal, where a young Marine faces death in one of the most pivotal and bloodiest battles of World War II.

Steel Soldier serves as a testament to the special man my dad was. It’s not a gripping mystery that concludes with a thrilling climax. Rather, it is a series of vignettes with some entertaining moments of a bygone era, which have been compiled by a very talented storyteller.

To look at him, you’d never guess this mild-mannered, unassuming, and kind man had once been a fierce warrior. He was loved by everyone who knew him, and to me he is a true American hero. Semper Fi, Dad

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 306

Word Count: 93,670

The Dog Soldier by Kim Kinrade

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MWSA Review

The Dog Soldier is a novel set in the closing years of the Vietnam War, during the chaotic period of “Vietnamization,” as seen through the eyes of Canadian volunteer “Nucky” Benson, and to a lesser extent, his Native American friend Jimmy Whitebull. Dog Soldiers are a warrior tradition from Jimmy’s Northern Cheyenne nation, who when forced to make a stand in battle pin themselves to a spot with a ceremonial “dog rope” and fight till their death.

Benson enlists in the U.S. Army after blowing a hockey scholarship, seemingly his only ticket out of his hardscrabble Alberta mining town. He becomes buddies with Whitebull when their basic training Drill Instructor christens Benson “Canucklehead” during a drill field formation. Unable to restrain himself, Whitebull laughs out loud. Turning his attention to the Native American, the DI assigns Jimmy, much to his chagrin, the nom de guerre of “Whitey,” and group punishment for all courtesy of Benson and Whitebull.

The two continue their training through Airborne and Ranger schools and are assigned to Vietnam, ironically into the 7th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, the unit commanded by George Armstrong Custer at the Little Bighorn and wiped out by Jimmy’s ancestors, many of whom he is happy to name. Nucky and Whitey become the mainstay of an infantry squad faced with declining U.S. military resources in country and communist forces going over on to the offense. This leads to a date with destiny for the two in the elephant grass of a hot, improvised helicopter landing zone.

The book, at over 400 pages, is long, but the action is fast-paced. The combat action is intense and realistic, no doubt assisted by a bevy of veterans the author acknowledges, including Vietnam veteran and author of The Thirteenth Valley, John Del Vecchio. The book avoids most of the cringy cliches often associated with the genre and turns several of them on their head. Some of the scenes in the book can be quite emotional, even to a seasoned reader of military history and lore. The perspective of the Canadian author is insightful and serves to highlight both the valor of the 30,000 Canadians who volunteered for the U.S. military and served in Vietnam and the ambivalence of many Canadians and the hostility, at the time, of the neutral Canadian government.

Readers with an interest in the Vietnam War, especially the closing years of that war, the history of southeast Asia during that time, and Native American culture will enjoy this book.

Review by Terry Lloyd (February 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

In bestselling author Kim Kinrade’s ninth book, The Dog Soldier, Jackie Benson, a seventeen-year-old runaway from Southern Alberta, leaves behind a shattered life to join the American army during the last throes of its involvement in the Vietnam War.

Impressed with Jackie’s heroism, his best friend, Jimmie Whitebull, teaches him the philosophy of the Dog Soldier clan of the Northern Cheyenne and tells Jackie of his forefather’s involvement in fighting Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. On a trip home, Jackie visits his friend’s family in Montana and, because of his heroism in staying behind to fight the enemy so that a helicopter of wounded comrades can escape, Jackie is given honorary status in the Dog Soldier clan.

After returning to Vietnam, Jackie uncovers a Chinese and Soviet connection to help the North Vietnamese army capture Saigon and end the war in North Vietnam’s favor. After capturing a Soviet colonel, he becomes embroiled in a political tug-of-war that goes directly to the White House.

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 450

Word Count: 175,000

If I Had a Baby Elephant... by Nancy Panko

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MWSA Review

If I Had a Baby Elephant by Nancy Panko is a children’s picture book written in rhyme. Children will enjoy the cadence and rhyming as well as the imaginative ideas about what you could do with a baby elephant as a pet. The book is geared toward young children and portrays activities that are familiar to them like singing, swinging, having tea, playing hide-and-seek, and puddle jumping. The pictures are fun-loving and consistent, with facial expressions that will appeal to children. The unusual font is whimsical and I thought it might be hard for young readers to recognize the words, so I visited a neighbor with a first grader. She had no problem reading the text and laughed out loud on at least every other page. She loved the book!

The back of the book includes three pages of facts about elephants in general, with characteristics of baby elephants listed separately. This is a great addition and adds to a child’s knowledge base and vocabulary without interrupting the reading of the book. A recipe is included at the end of the book as a project for young children to make with an adult. It is simple enough that I might whip up a batch of “Elephant Ears” myself.

Review by Randy Beard (January 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Who hasn't daydreamed about having an exotic pet? For a child, baby animals have a unique appeal. "If I Had a Baby Elephant..." personifies the dreams of a little girl playing with her pet, a baby elephant. Catchy rhymes and colorful illustrations are bound to enchant any reader, young or old.

This whimsical story is followed by fun facts about baby elephants and their life within the herd.

You're not done until you've tried the yummy recipe on the last page. Elephant Ears are a delicious pastry that any child can help a grown-up make in the kitchen.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 38

Word Count: 900

Chicken Scratchings: Fifty Inspirational Stories from a Mother Hen by Nancy Panko

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MWSA Review

Chicken Scratchings is an inspirational collection of short stories by the award-winning author, Nancy Panko. This anthology includes many of Nancy’s stories published in the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series, plus several personal recollections of Nancy’s daily life and family. As a backyard chicken keeper, I must confess I was intrigued with the title and thoroughly enjoyed each little “nugget” of inspiration.

I was brought to tears by Nancy’s recollection of the death of her brother and the impact it would make on her future as a registered nurse and eventually the impetus of her writing career. The stories are personal and intimate. You feel as if Nancy is sitting across the table from you imparting the wisdom gained over many years throughout her rewarding career. As Nancy has, many of us face challenges in our day-to-day lives. How we face those challenges is up to each individual. Nancy’s stories focus on the positive. They exhort divine intervention of God in the face of adversity. Nancy’s strong faith is an ongoing theme throughout the collection and will make a wonderful addition to one’s daily devotional.

Review by Rebecca O’Bea (January 2024)

 Author's Synopsis

This collection of short stories can make you laugh and cry, give you the life advice you've been looking for, or inspire you to do something you've always wanted to do.

Chicken Scratchings is a great book to tuck in your purse for a read while in a waiting room or as an easy-breezy beach read. From the first chapter about a miracle in the Intensive Care Unit to another where firemen have to extricate the author's husband from the bedroom ceiling, Panko draws the reader into her reality.

Nancy Panko's short stories have been published dozens of times in Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Guideposts magazines have also published her work.

Chicken Scratchings draws all of her short stories together to give readers a snapshot of this award-winning author's life and a glimpse of her family and the depth of her faith.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Other—Anthology

Number of Pages: 150

Word Count: 38,322

Down a Dark Road by H. W. "Buzz" Bernard

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MWSA Review

Down a Dark Road by Buzz Bernard is the fourth in his World War II historical fiction series When Heroes Flew. While based somewhat on a real person and some of his experiences, additional characters bring the story to life. The characters and the setting were superbly done and quite believable. Many of the descriptions are not only creative and different with the use of literary devices, but they also have a memorable quality.

The characters were written so that I cared about them and was sad when any of them died.  
The author uses language that is precise and paints a picture that is easily understood. He uses repetition only for effect (scenes of the death camps). The death camp scenes are well told, although a difficult subject, and may seem overdone to some, but I find that the repetition pointed out exactly how horrible they were.

World War II aficionados will find new material relating to some of the less well-known missions.

Review by Betsy Beard (January 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

DOWN A DARK ROAD, based on a true story, hurls readers into the shadowy forests of WWII Austria where a weary and battle-worn Army platoon is about to discover the war’s most horrific secret.

As the war in Europe draws to a close, young Army lieutenant, Jim Thayer, finds himself and his platoon on the point of the American advance into Austria. Jim and his men are no strangers to the horrors of war. But what they find hidden in the forests of western Austria plunges them into the true heart of darkness.

Battling remnants of the legendary Waffen SS, Germany’s elite fighting force, Jim and his men come face to face with the cruel brutality of the Nazi regime. They bear witness to the fields of death left in its wake.

Determined to catch the architect of this atrocity, Jim dispatches an unofficial team of unlikely allies—an American bomber pilot, a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot, and a young Austrian woman—to track him down.

The war may be ending. But for these strange comrades in arms, the final battle is only just beginning.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 220

Word Count: 65,000

The China Connection by Timothy Trainer

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MWSA Review
Kellie Liang (Chinese name - Kaili) and Aaron Foster embark on a combination business/pleasure trip to Hong Kong. Kellie has two days of meetings with a Chinese business group, and on the second day, she is offered a ride back to her hotel by one of the attendees, Hsieh Liwei. Kellie accepts, and the presumed ride to her hotel evolves into a kidnapping. Liwei takes her to his lavish country home in southern China, determined to get the information he believes she has in order to aid his business exports. Liwei drugs Kellie’s tea and holds her captive in his home, guarded by two young thugs. Liwei searches the young woman’s briefcase and removes her passport and other travel documents to ensure she does not leave mainland China.
Liwei instructs his thugs to return to Hong Kong to retrieve Kellie's belongings for her stay in China. They are not expecting to run into Aaron, Kellie’s boyfriend, waiting in their hotel room for Kellie’s return. The men overcome Aaron at knife point, and he watches while one of them gathers all of Kellie’s stuff. Helpless, Aaron enlists the aid of his friend, Roger, a retired customs attaché in Hong Kong. Aaron and Roger cobble together a group of people to rescue Kellie.

In this rather lengthy story, author Timothy Trainer illustrates the vast cultural differences between Chinese and Western business relationships and the lengths the Chinese will go to achieve their goals.

Review by Nancy Panko (January 2024
 

Author's Synopsis

It’s a year after Hong Kong’s reversion to China. Aaron and Kellie’s dual purpose Hong Kong trip for business and pleasure descends into chaos when Kellie fails to deliver the blueprint Chinese entrepreneurs seek in hopes of greater riches in the U.S. market. After a day-long meeting, she awakes the next morning across the border in southern China without her travel documents. Aaron, while waiting for Kellie’s return, is attacked in his hotel room. He panics.

Helpless, Aaron enlists the aid of Roger, a retired Customs attaché in Hong Kong. Roger questions the nature of the contents of millions of containers leaving Hong Kong and wonders how he can profit from it. Aaron and Roger cobble together a group of people to rescue Kellie from across the border. This small group of government and non-government people engage in questionable tactics to find Kellie.

Can the group come together to save Kellie or will their personal ambitions prevail?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 281

Word Count: 110,000

The Outlaws: In Pursuit of Gold by Tim Deal

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MWSA Review

The Outlaws: In Pursuit of Gold is a young adult novel by Tim Deal. This novel is stand-alone in the Colin, Gert, Gannon, and Tye Adventure Series. The story is a fictionalized account of Marshall Bass Reeves and the search for lost gold in the Utah Territory in 1884.

The novel opens in the past when Bass Reeves, a compelling character of historical significance, tracks down a pair of bank robbers, siblings James and John Reynolds. Reeves captures one brother while the other one escapes and hides the gold. Fast-forward to a present-day when a distant relative of the bank robbers is determined to track down the gold he claims is rightfully his.

Enter the main characters, Colin, Gert, Gannon, and Tye, a tight-knit group of friends united in their loyalty from their prior adventures together. When the group find an old journal among the effects of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, they embark on a classic treasure hunt across the Old West. Whether by jeep, train, horseback, or boat, they follow the clues through a series of misadventures. Along the way, they learn the most valuable treasure of all is the one found in their friendship with one another.

Review by Rebecca O’Bea (February 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Rocky Mountain News, May 6, 1888 Outlaw John Reynolds, leader of the Reynolds Gang, died at the end of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves’ famous revolver!!! Witnesses say that on his dying breath he told the marshal the location of the stolen gold from one of Colorado’s greatest heists. Reeves, the West’s most feared and cunning marshal denied the claim. Present day - Colin, Gert, Gannon and Tye stumble upon an old, black book owned by the late Marshal Bass Reeves. The discovery leads them on a hunt for long-ago hidden treasure deep in the vast, unforgiving landscape of the American West. Unraveling century-old clues, the four adventurers must follow the footsteps of the notorious bandit John Reynolds, on a journey fraught with danger. In a race against time, they must battle a deadly foe from their past, Abigail Younger who is ruthless, smart and deadly. In the high stakes gamble for treasure, Colin, Gert, Gannon and Tye team up with the marshals of the Four Corners Region to find the gold and bring Abigail and her posse of criminals to justice. They must be as fearless and cunning as Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves to survive and return home.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Young Adult (Fiction or Nonfiction)

Number of Pages: 302

Word Count: 70,540

Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry by Jim Tritten, Dan Wetmore, and Joe Badal, editors and contributing authors

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MWSA Review
Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry is a moving book with a diverse collection of short stories and poems. Compiled by SouthWest Writers and edited by Jim Tritten, this anthology weaves together the written perspectives of a group of New Mexicans.

This anthology provides a glimpse into what it means to serve one’s country—from the perspective of those who served as well as their family members and caregivers. Within these pages, you’ll find a wide variety of emotions. Some pieces are humorous, while others are gut-wrenchingly personal. Fear, camaraderie, loss, and resilience are all explored. The searing honesty of these narratives is both moving and enlightening.

I recommend Holes in Our Hearts to anyone who is interested in hearing the authentic voices of New Mexico veterans.

Review by John Cathcart (February 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Holes in Our Hearts provides snapshots of military life and how the military has affected lives. It is written from the perspective of New Mexico active-duty military members, veterans of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, as well as their family members and caregivers. Eight of the authors had never been published before, and another dozen had only seen minor letters or book reviews in print. Two of the veterans do not own computers, and one is legally blind.

Some of the writing represents the first time many authors have revealed their innermost thoughts to anyone. Some of the stories are written by established authors with numerous publishing credentials. All are worth your time to learn why we continue to honor the military on behalf of a grateful nation.

Very few of the original submissions were camera-ready. Jim Tritten fully edited all prose. Dan Wetmore oversaw all poetry submissions and adjusted text as needed. Joe Badal assisted with prose editing and wrote the Foreword, which was used as the back cover material and the book description on Amazon. Jim researched military affiliations and terminology where necessary to ensure the correct acronyms, names, and dates were used. Jim also recruited additional volunteers who converted hand-written submissions. Jim then fully edited the digital versions produced by those volunteers. Note: all poetry formatting was as submitted by the author - many poems do not have traditional punctuation or formatting, as desired by the authors.

The anthology was funded by New Mexico Arts (NMA), a state government organization in the Department of Cultural Affairs. Copies were provided by NMA to all public libraries in New Mexico.

The contributions are organized alphabetically with memoirs, poetry, essays, humor, fiction, etc. mixed. A total of ninety-five written contributions were accepted from fifty-four New Mexicans. Each represents a tale worth reading, internalizing, and contemplating the experiences we as a nation expect our young men and women, their families, and their caregivers to deal with — sometimes long after their military service has ended, and nothing is left but holes in our hearts.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Other—Anthology

Number of Pages: 332

Word Count: 77,000

Cheerful Obedience by Patrick McLaughlin

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MWSA Review

Patrick McLaughlin walked the walk in Vietnam, and he does a great job of talking the talk in his first novel about the Vietnam War.

Although fiction, it's not hard to tell that the experiences of the hero McKall were experienced first-hand by a young McLaughlin during his year as a "grunt" in 1967-68. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like he is on patrol with McKall and his squad. Most of the time they dish out death; sometimes it's dealt to them, but they work and live and survive and execute the mission not because it's their job, but because they don't want to let each other down. The action is vivid, the dialogue believable, and the situations will resonate with anyone who has served on the ground in a war zone. McLaughlin is already working on a sequel, and most of those who read Cheerful Obedience will be looking forward to it.

This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction about Vietnam and also those who enjoy books about ground combat from the "grunt's" perspective.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Ignoring his 2-S selective service deferment, Conor Patrick McKall volunteers for the draft, and Uncle Sam promptly deposits him in the Big Green Machine.

Six months later McKall is walking point in jungles, rice paddies, and rubber plantations. In nine short months, he's made an infantry squad leader responsible for a dozen other grunts. In the "boonies," life is lived one day at a time.

Joining McKall's squad is Jack "Red" Sheridan whose near-death encounter with a black panther presents challenges to his credibility from other members of Lima Platoon. When McKall stands with Sheridan, an unbreakable bond develops. They meet Red Cross Donut Dollies and together experience the infamous Black Virgin Mountain where the good guys control the top and the bad guys the rest.

Escaping Vietnam for a handful of days on R&R in Sydney, Conor experiences Aussie hospitality and the attention of a green-eyed beauty who offers him a chance to escape the war. Loyal to his oath and to his men, Sergeant McKall barely has time to supplant the fading scent of Chanel before he and his squad must face their determined and deadly adversaries. The arbitrary gauntlet of Vietnam offers no guarantees.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 378

Word Count: 109,000

Shadow Sanction by Steve Stratton

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MWSA Review

Only one minute into the read of Shadow Sanction by Steve Stratton, I was on the edge of my seat. Lance Bear Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, travel to the Crow Indian Reservation for the funeral of a friend, and discover an active drug problem. They are brazenly followed onto the reservation and attacked by bad guys from the Sinaloa Cartel, intent on eliminating them both. Wolf’s number one priority is the safety of his people from cartel activity. That is, until the President of the United States orders Wolf and his organization, Shadow Tier, to drop everything to stop the Taliban’s opium trade, or risk losing his black ops funding.

Wolf and his extraordinary Shadow Tier operators must stop the re-emergence of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. With infiltration operations on three continents, including the cartel, Wolf’s squadrons track various opium connections, putting together an intertwined network of drug trafficking that all need to be busted.

Shadow Sanction is a complex story that is surprisingly easy to follow, despite a wide array of characters and locations. Steve Stratton is a masterful storyteller, and I can’t wait to read his next installment.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Lance Bear Wolf and his Shadow Tier operators must stop the rebirth of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. By any means necessary.

When the resurgent Sinaloa cartel attacks Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, on the Crow Indian reservation, the safety of his people becomes Job One—until the president of the United States orders Shadow Tier to stop the Taliban’s opium trade. The president’s underlying message: The drug war is a failure. Fix this now, or your black funding disappears.

Torn between saving his people and the president’s demands for direct action, Wolf sends Shadow Tier’s Bravo Squadron to Afghanistan to infiltrate the Taliban drug organization. He sends Kieran Kennedy, his executive officer, to stand up and train a new international Charlie Squadron in the U.K. While Wolf bends the rules to protect the reservation on the home front, the squadrons track opium with a mysterious United Nations connection out of Afghanistan to a new “French Connection” in Marseilles, France.

The teams identify a likely distribution hub and its leadership. But going deeper will take initiative and innovation. Kennedy takes the dangerous decision to operate in the open … as a drug cartel. The operation yields results, but there is a piece missing. Parker and Kennedy believe a government contractor providing logistics flights into and out of the war zones is involved.

Plans are made by the fake cartel for a large shipment of heroin to go to the mafia in New York City, where wholesale arrests will be made if all goes as planned. As the data pours in from three continents, the heroin network unfolds and things to do not go as planned. The takedown of a multi-national drug production, shipment, and sales operation is unlike any operation Shadow Tier has attempted.

For the president, it’s a no-fail mission or his administration is doomed.

For Shadow Tier, it’s time to bring the war back into “the war on drugs.”

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 452

Word Count: 109000

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by L. Logan Sharrar

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MWSA Review

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot: The Blue Zoo Boogaloo by L. Logan Sharrar is a combination of the author’s recollections of his years at the Air Force Academy, his life-long friendships formed there, and an imaginary plot formed against the institution. With the first eight chapters of narration to lay the groundwork, Author Sharrar finally incorporates witty repartee among three old friends. When the action picked up, I found myself laughing out loud.
Larry, Frank and Richard are 1972 Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When the Academy is taken over by a whacked out right-wing Militia led by Major General Stonewall Jones, the three old friends, in their 70s, decide to play commando to save the Superintendent, who is being held hostage. The militia, intent on making Colorado a White Only Zone in the middle of the United States, will stop at nothing to achieve their destructive goals.
Larry, Frank, and Richard arm themselves to the teeth, dress in makeshift combat gear, and sneak onto Academy property via a seldom-used back road. Reaching a specific building, they access the tunnels they explored as cadets. In the process of dispatching tunnel guards intent on killing them, the men discover that not only is the “Supe” a hostage, but one hundred fifty cadets are being held in the dining hall as well. Their plan becomes fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants, with input from the “Supe,” to include saving the cadets.

The story soon becomes intense with rampant hilarity. Larry, Frank, and Richard challenge the idea that, with cunning determination, old guys can’t be heroes.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2023)

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

 

Author's Synopsis

Larry and his friends Frank and Richard are minding their own business drinking beer at a local microbrewery, when they see a news story about the violent take over of the U.S. Air Force Academy by a right-wing militia.  The announced goal of the militia is to hold the Superintendent and some cadets hostage at the Academy, until Colorado is declared a "Free, Whites Only country in the middle of the United States.  The militia commander promises to execute the female Superintendent of the Academy if his demands are not met within 48 hours.  Larry, Frank and Richard do the only thing three old grads could possible under the circumstances, the decide to sneak onto the Academy, enter the steam tunnels which they explored as cadets, and rescue the Superintendent.  Long retired from the Air Force, their work for the last 30 years before retirement had been as Lawyers and Doctors.  Armed to the teeth, they go in.  What could possibly go wrong?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 173

Word Count: 51,276 words

Conduct in War, A Guide for the Ethical Warrior by David B. Land

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MWSA Review

In Conduct in War, author David B. Land, has given us a critical review of current published war fighting policies and the law of armed conflict. A combat veteran himself, the author witnessed the practical realities of warfare. He applauds and understands the high standards set by national leaders and legal experts, but also acknowledges the serious discrepancies between the ideal and the real. Author Land does not advocate any radical revisions. Rather, he points out several examples where the "rules" of war, if followed, could result in the death of many of our soldiers and the failure to achieve critical objectives. Furthermore, these rules usually turn good young soldiers into "war criminals" for taking steps to save their troops and accomplish the mission. Not all readers will agree with his positions, but they are most worthy of consideration by military and government leaders at all levels. Although like any manual, Conduct in War is a long and sometimes tedious read, I recommend it be considered as required reading at our services Command and Staff level schools.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2023)

 Author's Synopsis

Conduct in War, A Guide for the Ethical Warrior (the “Manual”) is a redrafting of the law of war and U.S. military manuals as an unofficial, unauthorized guide for combatants as to responsible, ethical conduct in war. Active-duty military, veterans, lawyers, and those with no legal or military background contributed to that found in its pages.

Unlike official manuals which tend to require full compliance with the formal law of war, this Manual recognizes that an action which violates the law as written may be morally and operationally permissible if it might better achieve the purposes for which the law was established.

The Manual is not intended to be an all-encompassing scholarly or legal reference work or textbook. It should not be considered legal advice or opinion provided by an attorney. It simply reflects the beliefs of one combat soldier based on his experiences, readings, training, education, conversations, and reflections.

Nonetheless, that outlined in the Manual is conduct a combatant has a moral and operational right to at least consider—and then possibly follow. Hopefully, it will provide combatants a basic understanding of the law and how, when making decisions, they might at times deviate from it and be aware of the possible legal risks of doing so.

While the Manual often differs materially from FM 27-10 (The Law of Land Warfare), FM 6-27 (The Commander’s Handbook on the Law of Land Warfare), the DOD Law of War Manual, and the Operational Law Handbook, generally this is not due to their professional or legal shortcomings. Rather this Manual’s purpose is different. Official manuals delineate that required under the formal law of war based on U.S. interpretations and policy. This Manual presents that which may better reflect how ethical combatants might believe the law, policy, and regulations should be written.

The Manual is not ideal as a quick reference for combat commanders and NCOs given its length; blend of international law, U.S. policy, and positions of the Manual; and commentary as to differences. Yet, its positions are believed to be more relevant for combatants than other manuals and texts now available.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference

Number of Pages: 427

Word Count: 218,000

Operation Tailwind: Memoirs of a Secret Battle in a Secret War by Barry Pencek

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MWSA Review

This detailed memoir/history is divided into three distinct parts. The first is a true memoir, briefly covering the author's youth and early years as a Marine aviator in the Vietnam era. The main part of the narrative is an exhaustive accounting of a then-secret 1970 military raid into southern Laos, in which the author played a supporting role. The last part comprises the author's critical analysis of a discredited CNN investigative report that was broadcast some 28 years after the raid.

At a period when opposition to the Vietnam War was reaching its high point, the author doggedly pursued his goal of becoming a Marine aviator. Assigned in country to an attack helicopter squadron, he provided close air support for Operation Tailwind, a four-day CIA-led raid against North Vietnamese forces on a segment of the Ho Chi Minh Trail deep in southern Laos. Since Laos was a neutral country, the use of US ground forces there was highly classified. The action was met with fierce opposition, and ended with a costly withdrawal and limited success. The author provides a day-by-day account of the raid, which was conducted by a small contingent of American Special Forces soldiers and a company of Montagnard troops. By the time the team was extracted, all sixteen Americans had been wounded and three Montagnards had been killed.

Operation Tailwind might have become a minor footnote to the Vietnam War, but 28 years after the incident a controversial TV documentary entitled "Valley of Death" alleged the use of deadly poison gas by United States forces. "Valley of Death" arose from a perfect storm of over-eager journalism, questionable sources, and slipshod oversight. A joint venture of the fledgling Cable News Network and TIME Magazine, and narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Peter Arnett, the 18-minute show was quickly discredited but nonetheless cast a shadow over the integrity and heroism of the original raiders and their leadership. The fact that the operation was highly classified added to the difficulty of countering the accusations of the documentary. Nonetheless, the sponsors and promoters of "Valley of Death" were ultimately forced to withdraw their claims and in many cases professionally disgraced.

The author is reluctant to let the conclusions of the many critics of "Valley of Death" stand and spends the third part of his book addressing the many inconsistencies and outright falsehoods in the documentary.
The book provides excellent background on the political and military challenges presented by North Vietnam’s covert invasion of its neighbor to the west and the vital role of the Ho Chi Minh Trail as the lifeline for the communist fighting forces in South Vietnam. The story of Operation Tailwind provides a vivid example of the intensity and desperation of combat in the shadows of a little-known sideshow to the greater Vietnam conflict.

Review by Peter Young (February 2023)

 Author's Synopsis

The Studies and Observations Group was a covert American military unit in Vietnam that specialized in clandestine cross-border operations in Laos and Cambodia. In September 1970, sixteen Green Berets and one-hundred-twenty Montagnard mercenaries departed on Operation Tailwind, the largest and deepest raid in SOG history. Their mission was to disrupt and distract the enemy in support of a larger CIA operation that originated in the White House.

Over the next four days, as their ammunition dwindled and casualties mounted, these soldiers, and the aircrews overhead that went to extraordinary lengths to keep them alive, achieved the improbable if not the impossible.

Twenty-eight years after Tailwind concluded, CNN produced a documentary about Tailwind, called “Valley of Death,” accusing the participants of war crimes, specifically using nerve gas to kill women, children, and American defectors. This broadcast created a media firestorm that reached around the world.

In Operation Tailwind: Memoirs of a Secret Battle in a Secret War, Barry Pencek gives an incredibly detailed account of the four-day running battle and does a thought-provoking deep dive into the failure of journalistic ethics at CNN that created a media debacle. Besides being one hell of a war story, Operation Tailwind provides a great example of the need for the highest integrity in journalism and should be required reading for all J-school students.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 339

Word Count: 87,600

Hogs in the Sand: A Gulf War A-10 Pilot's Combat Journal by Buck Wyndham

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MWSA Review

In Hogs in the Sand, A-10 Warthog attack pilot Buck Wyndham's journal takes the reader into the cockpit on training missions over Great Britain and into combat during Desert Shield/Storm. The technical details, descriptive prose, and aerial accounts are a testament to A-10 pilots' talent and bravery, the awesome destructive power of the Hog, and the critical role they played in this conflict.

While the adrenaline-inducing combat sorties are the highlight, the recurring accounts of foul-weather flying and technical failures are equally riveting. The author and his squadron rely on constant vigilance, artful teamwork, and brazen courage to survive each mission.

While the aerial outings read like an action novel, "Hogs" slows down in parts to detail the day-to-day tedium and monotony of a deployment, delve into a love interest, and provide an unabashedly honest look into the warrior psyche as it processes near-death, killing, and doubt. Some readers may find the ground time a lot less interesting than the combat, but it's part of the author's story. The introspective parts reveal a patently human story of self-reflective humility that provides an interesting contrast to the prevailing "cocky pilot" attitude.

Military history and aviation buffs will likely enjoy this book's highly detailed aerial combat accounts.

Review by Ingo Kaufman (February 2023)

Author's Synopsis

"I am awed by my destructive power. With a small squeeze of the gun trigger under my right index finger, I can rip the turret off a thirty-ton battle tank and throw it 200 feet across the desert, while the rest of the tank burns in an explosion of white-hot, burning phosphorescence. But the cold, morbid reality of it does not exist from where I sit and watch it happen. There's no dramatic chord. No deafening explosion. No screams suddenly stifled. The soundtrack of a pilot's war is mostly silent."

The mighty, iconic A-10 Warthog was first thrust into battle in Operation Desert Storm. The men who flew it through walls of flak and surface-to-air missiles to help defeat the world's fourth-largest army were as untested as their airplanes, so they relied on personal determination and the amazing A-10 to accomplish their missions, despite the odds.

Hogs in the Sand is the epic and deeply-personal year-long journey of one of those pilots as he fights an increasingly terrifying war, all the while attempting to win over a woman and keep control of his internal demons. For anyone who has admired the Warthog, seen it in action, or called upon it to be their salvation, this story will fulfill a desire to virtually strap into the cockpit, while gaining unprecedented understanding of the mind of a modern combat pilot.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 440

Word Count: 142,400

Heart Songs by Dennis Maulsby

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MWSA Review

Heart Songs is a tour de force of a poetry collection by Dennis Maulsby. Songs of the heart can be expressed in a wide array of emotions, and this book handles all of them well, ranging from euphoria to abject depression. The author uses a variety of poetic forms to convey emotions and experiences, using sophisticated imagery to engage all the senses. The poems range in length from haiku of 17 syllables to longer poems and poetic essays. Powerful and effective word selection ushers the reader into realms he may not have been familiar with, from the wildly sensuous to the stark brutality of combat. There is even a playful limerick to tickle the funny bone. While it is impossible to choose just one favorite poem among many, I was enchanted by the eight-part offering that explores the different kinds of love.

Review by Betsy Beard (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Heart songs come from many sources. We welcome those of love, whether romantic or platonic. Our life experiences evoke other songs, whether bawdy, prideful, humorous, sad, happy, terrifying, or in joyous dance — the heart’s percussion, riffs, and chords changing in response to each experience.

Poetry can capture them all, permitting the intimate sensual and intimate virtual to blend. In this book, think of the poems as the author’s sheet music — records of the heart’s songs.

blonde girl’s earbuds throb 
heavy metal guitar chokes 
peppery symbols

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 77

Word Count: 5639

The Hawk Enigma by J.L. Hancock

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MWSA Review

Author J. L. Hancock has given us a fast-paced thriller in his book, The Hawk Enigma. The Chinese and the North Koreans are racing to steal a new secret formula that is predicted to merge a person's mind with existing and future artificial intelligence systems. The formula and necessary vials of serum are kept locked in an American controlled laboratory in Japan. However, that is not enough to keep our antagonists from resorting to murder and theft to get their hands on the formula and serum. Bring in the Yakuza and U.S. military special operators, and the author has created quite the mix for a good read. Even the Russians join in at the exciting climax. I couldn't help but cheer for the good guys in this one, and I encourage anyone who enjoys thrillers to read it.

Review by Bob Doerr (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Voodoo, a gifted military technician, struggles with harrowing memories of war and the emptiness that comes with loss. To cope, he's thrown himself into his work for a secretive military research organization, purposefully leaving little time for anything else. Until one night, a familiar voice from Voodoo's past interrupts his recurring nightmares with a cryptic prophecy.

At the same time, across the ocean in Japan, two world-renowned scientists go missing along with the secrets behind a powerful form of artificial intelligence called the "God Algorithm".

To Voodoo's surprise, he soon finds himself on the front lines of an AI arms race with the future of freedom at stake. Will Voodoo find the scientists in time? Or will the "God Algorithm", a piece of code so terrifying it has the potential to shift global power, fall into the wrong hands?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 472

Word Count: 110,000

When Heroes Flew: The Roof of the World by H. W. "Buzz" Bernard

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MWSA Review

When Heroes Flew: The Roof of the World by H. W. “Buzz” Bernard is a fictional account of the brave pilots in WWII who flew “The Hump” in Burma. The dangerous airlift mission cut through the unforgiving Himalaya Mountain terrain in harsh, unpredictable weather. Pilots who flew in the China/Burma/India theater of operations have often gone unrecognized. Imagine the bravery of these flyers knowing there was so much blood and mangled aircraft strewn across northern Burma that it was referred to as the “Aluminum Trail.”

One aviator was heard to say, “I would rather fly a fighter against the Japs three times a day than a transport over the Hump once.”

Aviator Major Rod Shepherd, a C-46 aviator and Army Air Forces weather officer, pilots his aircraft into the unpredictable skies to fly critical missions over the Hump time after time. He braves not only the extreme—even impossible—flying conditions but commanders who believe weather support is useless and unnecessary. He fears for himself but even more for the less experienced pilots coming into the base.

Early on, Rod encounters a beautiful, frosty flight nurse who seems to dislike him intensely. Each subsequent encounter with “Nurse Nasty” is fraught with verbal barbs and sarcasm. Rod goes out of his way to avoid her until they have a flight mission together. The rest is a harrowing, life-altering adventure.

On the edge of my seat during gripping scenes in the story, I could appreciate and enjoy Major Rod Shepherd’s cynicism and dark humor.

Author Buzz Bernard has done a magnificent job of verbally painting a picture of what it’s like in the cockpit of a C-46 flying over the snaggle-toothed Himalayan mountain range. Fasten your seatbelts, folks. You are in for the ride of your life.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

A legendary WWII airlift route cuts through the snaggletoothed Himalaya Mountains, where both the terrain and weather prove uncommonly savage.  And where American airmen leave a trail of blood and mangled aircraft.

Major Rod Shepherd, a C-46 pilot and Army Airforces weather officer, flings his airplane into the tumultuous skies to fly critical missions over the Hump--the Himalayas. He braves not only the extreme--even impossible--flying conditions, but commanders who believe weather support is useless, and a flight nurse who, for reasons unknown to Rod, dislikes him intensely.

Rod risks incredible danger with every flight.  But when a mission of grave importance is imperiled at high altitudes, Rod faces an unthinkable dilemma.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 302

Word Count: 76,000

Testing Michael: A Civil War Novel by Linda Loegel Hemby

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MWSA Review

In 1910, Yale professor Michael Mueller treats his history class to his childhood experience as a messenger in the Civil War. Were this TV, the picture would go wavy as he transports all of us to his house in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1856.

Michael has always pushed the envelope and has very fast legs. Fueled by a Yankee frame of mind, he begs his parents to allow him to join the war effort. They acquiesce and in 1861, at age 13, he becomes a messenger for the North. Linda Loegel Hemby’s Testing Michael is a slightly sugar-coated view of war, making it a historical novel for all ages.

Don’t get me wrong—these young “soldiers” saw their share of war. Ammo in, wounded out. Soldiers cut down in front of them. Michael, like all soldiers, grew up fast and hard, summoning unfathomable courage, but the author never lets us forget that he is a child. One of the touching bittersweet scenes is when Michael is in Virginia, his mother is at home in Connecticut, both singing the same Christmas song at the same time. Later, safely at home, “Mike let the horrors of war slowly slip from his mind, replacing past thoughts with the perfect and enduring love of his family. He was home, the sweetest place in the world.”

For me, the biggest shudder of the book is when, now back in 1910, one of Michael’s students asks, “Could we ever be that divided again?”

Linda Loegel Hemby’s Testing Michael: A Civil War Novel holds a refreshing perspective, appropriate for adults and a younger audience: an easy-to-read and comprehend, historic account of the children of the Civil War.

Review by Sue Rushford (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

In the Prologue and Epilogue, the year is 1910 and Professor Michael Mueller is teaching his Yale students about children who served in the Civil War. When they ask, "Did you know any of them?" he answers, "Let me tell you my story." The story then moves to 1856 with young Michael learning the events leading up to the war. In 1861 Michael joins the war as a thirteen-year-old messenger, much to his mother's dismay. He makes friends and travels to places far outside his New Haven home, and has experiences he never thought possible--some exciting and some that give him nightmares. 

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 196

Word Count: 36,000

Life Dust by Pam Webber

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MWSA Review

Life Dust is an enthralling account of a young, engaged couple in 1971. Andy, an Army lieutenant, gets deployed to Vietnam for a year. Nettie is a nursing intern at an ER in Virginia. Seemingly completely different situations, Pam Webber does a superb job at artfully keeping their lives parallel. It is a refreshing Vietnam story.

Conducting reconnaissance, Andy and his men tread lightly in the jungle, to survive the enemy and the jungle itself. “[D]on’t fight the jungle. . . . It provides food, water, and cover against the enemy and the elements. Its noise, as well as its silence, warns you if someone or something is approaching. It even has medicines for some of our most common ailments. However, if you ignore or disrespect it, the jungle will kill you.” Despite also fighting human limitations, fatigue, and military bureaucracy, Andy and his men morph into a cohesive squad. After a daring reconnaissance mission, when they’re catching their breaths back at camp, they’re assigned to a secret operation. The mission’s intricate plan is dangerous but Andy’s men would follow him anywhere. Fait accompli (albeit, with repercussions), Andy goes home.

Meanwhile, Nettie finds a friend in an elderly, cranky patient with a bad heart. “He’s been angry since he woke up and realized he wasn’t dead.” She inspires him and he credits her with buying him more time. Their friendship and her dedication to him flourishes, despite the constant obstacles Nettie’s superior throws at her. Like Andy, Nettie stands up for herself and others in the face of intimidation, is a loyal friend, and feels the heartache of losing a friend.

Webber weaves flowers into both characters’ lives. In his youth, lotus blossoms were the saving grace of Nettie’s dying friend, and he introduces her to the healing powers of gardens. In Vietnam, in addition to offering a spiritual lift, the eloquent lotus blossoms and the ritual of steeping tea in the flower overnight play a logistical role in resistance operations, and in Andy’s secret mission.

We’re transported to Andy’s and Nettie’s simultaneous adventures, worlds apart. I highly recommend you stop and smell the lotus blossoms, and read Life Dust.

Review by Sue Rushford (March 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

Nettie and Andy have been soul mates since childhood. While planning their wedding, Andy must deploy to South Vietnam for a year. To deal with the loss, Nettie dives into her work as a nursing intern in a busy Northern Virginia emergency room. When she inadvertently walks in on a nursing supervisor and surgeon during a late-night tryst, the couple begins a campaign to discredit her and sabotage her internship. Nettie's only respite is a reclusive old man with an extraordinary secret.

Meanwhile, Andy is leading a jungle reconnaissance squad when he receives orders to escort a high-ranking female freedom fighter, Bien, to a clandestine meeting with an enemy officer who wants to defect. Bien hopes the officer is the younger brother the North Vietnamese conscripted into their army as a child. However, Andy thinks his unit is walking into a trap that could cost them everything.

Struggling to survive in different worlds, Nettie and Andy navigate the best and worst of human nature as they try to find their way back to each other. Along the way they learn what real love, respect, and caring are about-- what duty, honor, and country really mean.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 312

Word Count: 83,504

The Boys of St. Joe's '65 in The Vietnam War by Dennis G. Pregent

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MWSA Review

Dennis Pregent’s The Boys of St. Joe’s 65 in the Vietnam War is a very personalized account of twelve people from a small school in a small town in Massachusetts. They all did what they did for different reasons, all bonded together by their school and the Vietnam War.

Eleven men and one woman are featured. The eleven men all served; seven in the Army, three in the Marines, and one in the Navy. One was an officer, the rest enlisted. Most saw combat. All were from blue collar families, and every one of their fathers was a World War II veteran.

One of the eleven was killed in action; two were seriously wounded, with one of those paralyzed from the waist down. Most of the rest carry significant scars seen and unseen, including PTSD and Agent Orange exposure. The lone young woman found herself on the opposite side, protesting the war, much to her veteran father’s chagrin. Though she hated the war, she loved her classmates who fought in it, and their wounds hurt her deeply.

The information was gathered after long sessions with each of the survivors, or in some cases their families. The author does a great job of tying the stories together; one section about one of the young men might mention two of the others featured in other parts of the book, tying them together and adding a poignant depth to the book. These were intertwined lives, not numbers on the evening news, and their stories are told in a well-written and very personal manner. I especially liked how the author made a point to highlight the similarities and differences between those featured, both as people and as members of the military. The book includes a glossary of military terms and many clear photos to help further the understanding of those whose stories are told.

Those who served in the Vietnam War, or who are interested in memoirs from that war, will find this book valuable and well worth the read.

Review by Rob Ballister (February 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Eleven high school friends in idyllic North Adams, Massachusetts, enlisted to serve in Vietnam, and one stayed behind to protest the war. All were from patriotic, working class families, all members of the class of 1965 at Saint Joseph's School. Dennis Pregent was one of them. He and his classmates joined up-most right out of school, some before graduating-and endured the war's most vicious years. Seven served in the Army, three in the Marine Corps, and in the Navy. After fighting in a faraway place, they saw the trajectories of their lives dramatically altered. One died in combat, another became paralyzed, and several still suffer from debilitating conditions five decades later. Inspired by his 50th high school reunion, Pregent located lhis classmates, rekindled friendships, and-together, over hours of interviews-they rememberd the war years.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 248

Word Count: 90,000+