The Quest of the Sultana; by J. L. Rothdiener

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MWSA Review
In The Quest of the Sultana, author J. L. Rothdiener succeeds at combining history and fiction. This Christian historical novel begins with a Northern concert pianist and a Southern belle meeting in 1859, when emotions were already running at a high pitch and war seemed a distinct possibility.
Barrett von Weber and Brooke Fortner meet at Harpers Ferry, when he rescues her from possible harm at the hands of John Brown and his sons. As they fall in love during the next year, her youngest brother displays his hatred for any Northerner and his obsession with war. 

Although Barrett appears to be simply a Christian musician, he is also an expert marksman who practices Kung Fu, an heir to a major German winery and a well-educated, multicultural student of history. He and Brooke marry in June of 1860, and are traveling in Europe when the Civil War breaks out.

Barrett feels the need to return to America where his talents are needed to train Union soldiers in the use of new weapons. Throughout the war, this fictional character crosses paths with famous historical figures, new technologies and real economic occurrences of the time.
Rothdiener stays true to history while weaving a story of two people and the people they love. The plot revolves around the New Havens Arms Company (the maker of the Henry repeating rifle), Andersonville Prison and the Sultana. His extensive research is evident in both plot and character development.

The Quest of the Sultana leaves the reader pondering the futility of war and the moral quandaries that arise as well as the atrocities and the heartaches suffered by both sides.
At Harper’s Ferry, Barrett remarks to General Robert E. Lee, “It is hard to bring the future to men who are stuck in the past.” I am still contemplating that statement.

MWSA Reviewer: 

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Author's Synopsis
HE WAS A MAN OF CHIVALRY, JUSTICE, AND LOVE...
Brooke is the daughter of a wealthy Southern landowner. Barrett is a hymnist and a renowned concert musician from the North. They’re from different worlds, but somehow fate has conspired to bring them together.

When the tensions between North and South reach the breaking point, the entire nation is swept into the struggle that will one day be known as the Civil War. Brother pitted against brother. Father against son. Families torn apart, and futures shattered beyond any hope of repair.

Now, separated by distance, and blood, and pain, Barrett and Brooke must find out if their love is stronger than war.

Mark's Special Mission at Arlington National Cemetery; by Gregory Keeney

Author's Synopsis
Strength of a Nation, Honor to Our Fallen, and Healing Through Relationships. Mark’s Special Mission in Arlington National Cemetery epitomizes the character and compassion of the United States in its commitment to honor the Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen who have given the final full measure in service to our nation.

Oink! Only in Korea!: Based on true events that happened in and around the Demilitarized Zone, Republic of Korea circa 1980; by David Osterhout

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MWSA Review
Page turner!  Incredible 1980 Korean DMZ tour of duty

Author Osterhout creates fast pace and intense action, even when freezing on guard duty in the middle of the night on a bridge.  A terrific presentation of the dangerous, sleepless Armed Forces lifestyle at what might be considered by many to be a peaceful assignment.  

The Korean DMZ is a powder keg, with frequent shootings, infiltration attempts, and American patrol minefield death and dismemberment – to name a few.  Intelligence Officer Lt. Osterhout places the reader there in 1980, in a tense page-turner of inspiring, informative grief and humor!  Excellent Army dialogue, lighter moments, and strange encounters expose the cultural tilts of life.  

This book is tightly packaged and full of incredible content with a catchy beginning and ending.  It is well written and creative, with no holes.  Author nails the military experience from this distant, isolated remote assignment that many in the service typically endure somewhere but are never appreciated for surviving… and the author barely did on this one!
I truly enjoyed this book and suggest everyone read it to get a front line view of the sacrifices of non-wartime service that normally go unrecognized. 
MWSA Reviewer: Hodge Wood

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Author's Synopsis
OinK! Only in Korea! 

In 1980, years after Vietnam and even more years before Desert Storm, America was experiencing a seventeen-year period of peace. One of the few places a young army officer could find adventure was on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Korea, Freedom's Frontier. The second day in-country, the lieutenant was no longer a Korean cherry boy. Hours later he found himself inside the DMZ. By the end of the week, he was wounded.

As the intelligence officer for the battalion, he knew the area around the DMZ was a dangerous place. The minefields took many casualties, small arms fire got others, and artillery short rounds claimed even more, leading up to the bizarre episode of a missing severed hand and the search for the diamond ring that was no longer on it. Even something as simple as crossing the Imjin River after the monsoons turned deadly. And then there was the most feared affliction of all, catching river blindness. It's not a disease – it's going down to the river and getting your eyes shot out.

The lieutenant's daily routine was anything but routine. The averages told the story: a shooting incident every ten days with thirty-three combat related deaths during the year. The patrols were long and cold, the guard posts were desolate, and Freedom Bridge operations droned on until enemy frogmen shattered the monotony. Peace, in that part of the world, had a unique definition. As they say, the DMZ isn't hell but you can see it from there.

Those who worked hard also played hard. The parties were so wild that they fell into the category of “that which didn't kill you made you stronger”. The eleven and a half months in Korea provided more experiences than ever expected, especially the ending, when the lieutenant's twelve-month tour was cut short in a most unusual way by a booby trap.
This 'slice of life' novel is obviously military genre and is definitely memoir-ish. The story is steeped in facts because the author is the lieutenant intelligence officer who journeyed to the Korean DMZ – and paid the price with a severe and lasting physical wound and a psychological scar that, to this day, haunts him from time to time.

This is not going to be the next great American novel and it won't win any awards. However, it is an interesting story, like the ones told around the kitchen table or over drinks. When told, people become quiet, and listen. The reader will be completely entertained and amazed at what happened to one man in the Land of the Not Quite Right.

Go to any bookstore and you will see racks of books about Vietnam, World War II and Iraq/Afghanistan. Noticeably missing are books about Korea. This is an exceptional military tale not only because it takes place in Korea, but it is also about a peacetime military and the sacrifices soldiers make even when they are not at war. OinK! Only in Korea! is a must read for a veteran and there are millions of them who have served in Korea during the time of the truce.
This book brings to people a story that should be told and will allow “the lieutenant” to finally lay his peacetime “war” to rest. 

Where Youth and Laughter Go: With "The Cutting Edge" in Afghanistan; by Seth W.B. Folsom

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MWSA Review
The IED war in Afghanistan
Lt Col Seth Folsom received a call in his small cubicle in the bowels of the Pentagon, informing him he had been selected to command the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, The Cutting Edge. Seven months later he assumed command of the battalion,  and Where Youth and Laughter Go is his memory the 3/7’s preparation and seven-month deployment to the Sangin District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 

This was The Cutting Edge’s second deployment to Sangin, but most of the officers and NCOs were new and much had changed since their last deployment. Their mission, like that of their predecessor the 1/5, which they relieved in place, was not only to engage Taliban fighters attempting to regain control and impose their version of Shariah law, but also to stabilize the district by training local law agencies by introducing the people to democracy prior to 2012 elections. Folsom soon learned that , shuras/meetings, with Afghan government and military agencies, ANA, ANCOP, ANSF, and the AUP, not only took up his time, but were often futile – No plan survives first contact with the enemy or the ANSF. [A glossary is included to familiarize the reader with terms used by the author]

More than a memoir, Colonel Folsom’s account of the 3/7’s  mission is the heart-wrenching story of The Cutting Edge’s valiant struggle to follow our government’s strategy to introduce democracy to a people who have no concept of it and no real desire to make the changes necessary to implement it. In recalling his thoughts about Iraq, Colonel Folsom wrote, “They have to want this more than we do if this is ever going to work.” He realized this is also true of Afghanistan.

While Folsom’s recollections of Sangin are not intended to be a critique of the U.S.’s Afghanistan counterinsurgency strategy, as the story unfolds, reasons for the strategy’s failure become apparent. Afghanistan is a country of tribes with an ideology and values incompatible with Western concepts, a country where corruption is endemic and democracy is a foreign concept that is incompatible with Islamic ideology. The author comments more than once that Afghans have long memories for the past, but can only see two weeks into the future.

A book about courage, determination and dedication, Where Youth and Laughter Go is the story of young American men and a few women who followed orders and gave their all while attempting to save a people that could not understand our concept of democracy, and the responsibilities demanded by it. 
MWSA Reviewer: Lee Boyland

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Author's Synopsis

Where Youth and Laughter Go: With “The Cutting Edge” in Afghanistan completes LtCol Seth Folsom’s recounting of his personal experiences in command over a decade of war. It is the culminating chapter of a trilogy that began with The Highway War: A Marine Company Commander in Iraq in 2006 and continued with In the Gray Area: A Marine Advisor Team at War in 2010.

The chronicle of Folsom’s command of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, “The Cutting Edge,” and his harrowing deployment to Afghanistan’s volatile Sangin District presents a deeper look into the complexities and perils of modern counterinsurgency operations in America’s longest war. Charged with the daunting task of pacifying a region with a long history of violence and instability, Folsom and his Marines struggled daily to wage a dynamic campaign against the shadowy enemy force that held Sangin’s population firmly in its grip. With peace and stability always teetering on the brink of collapse, the Marines of “The Cutting Edge” confronted their own mortality as they conducted endless patrols through Sangin’s minefields while fighting to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan villagers.

No other books have been published from the perspective of a Marine infantry battalion commander in Afghanistan. It was Folsom’s job, as the unit commander, to lead his Marines under impossible circumstances. LtCol Folsom made the unusual decision to patrol with his rifle squads every day through Sangin, where his Marines dodged improvised explosive devices and sniper fire from an invisible enemy. As his tour progressed and casualties mounted, he found his objectivity evaporating and the love for his men growing. Where Youth and Laughter Go is more than a blood-and-guts war story, it is a jarring, “boots on the ground”–level examination of the myriad challenges and personal dilemmas that today’s young service members face as the United States approaches its final endgame in Afghanistan.

Dustoff 7-3: Saving Lives Under Fire in Afghanistan; by Erik Sabiston

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MWSA Review

A quick and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Dustoff 7-3 by Erik Sabiston will not sit unread on your bedside table for long. Instead, you'll find yourself tearing through the pages. The book focuses on a short but intense tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2010. Sabiston is pilot in command—or as he puts it, "locked in the cockpit of a big, vibrating sauna"—of a Medevac (or "Dustoff") UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. 

The book's first five words are written in all caps and set the stage for what is to follow:  I AM NOT A HERO. Although the author is documenting his own hair-raising experiences flying Medevac missions in combat, he does not dwell on his own thoughts and actions. Instead, Sabiston goes out of his way to acknowledge others, his fellow crew members and those in the line combat organizations he serves, especially the ones having "the worst day of their lives" and needing his unique set of skills. 

This book is quite realistic. So much so that the reader will be immersed in the action and introduced to all the acronyms and lingo used by Army medical evacuation units: PC, TOC, Wobbly One, Meat Servo, to mention just a few. Keeping track of it all can be a bit daunting, but worth the effort, especially when combined with the author's unique sense of humor. For example, I've read many similes for what it's like to hover a helicopter; but none quite like the author's. He likens hovering to "riding a unicycle on top of a bowling ball while juggling three rabid raccoons and reciting the alphabet backwards while you're half-drunk."

The author's sense of humor and matter-of-fact writing style combine to make his highly-skilled and dangerous job seem almost routine. He fairly easily inserts the reader into near-unbelievable situations. Despite his self-depreciating humor and understated style of writing, the author's (and the others with whom he serves) bravery and professionalism come through loud and clear in Dustoff 7-3. 

I recommend this book for readers who want to learn about today's U.S. Army Medevac mission, and especially their role in the battles taking place in Afghanistan.
MWSA Reviewer: John Cathcart

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Author's Synopsis

This book is for heroes.

Dustoff 7-3 tells the true story of four unlikely heroes in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, where medics are forced to descend on wires to reach the wounded and helicopter pilots must fight wind, weather, and enemy fire to pluck casualties from some of the world’s most difficult combat arenas. Complete opposites thrown together, cut off, and outnumbered, Chief Warrant Officer Erik Sabiston and his flight crew answered the call in a race against time, not to take lives—but to save them.

The concept of evacuating wounded soldiers by helicopter developed in the Korean War and became a staple during the war in Vietnam where heroic, unarmed chopper crews flew vital missions known to the grateful grunts on the ground as Dustoffs.

The crew of Dustoff 7-3 carried on that heroic tradition, flying over a region that had seen scores of American casualties, known among veterans as the Valley of Death. At the end of Operation Hammer Down, they had rescued 14 soldiers, made three critical supply runs, recovered two soldiers killed in action, and nearly died. It took all of three days.

Ralph The Tallest Elf; by Karl Boyd

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MWSA Review
Trouble at the North Pole

Ralph, the Tallest Elf by Karl Boyd is a whimsical Christmas tale with a serious side. Written as a poem, children of all ages will delight in the playful poetry and engaging illustrations. Along the way, they will learn some lessons in working cheerfully, respecting others, and interacting in a positive way.

It seems that Ralph, measuring at more than six feet, has taken to bullying the other elves, mocking them in song and pointing out their physical disadvantages. When Santa is away, Ralph lords it over the smaller elves, creating an atmosphere of tension and disrespect…until the Clauses discover what is going on and take measures to “even” things up.
Although written as a Christmas story, Ralph, the Tallest Elf makes for meaningful discussions year round. 
MWSA Reviewer: Betsy Beard

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Author's Synopsis
A Children's poem by Karl Boyd
Ralph, the Tallest Elf began in a very strange way. One Christmas season I purchased a t-shirt that said, "I have had it with elves up to here!" There was a line about the height of my belt. At the time, I thought it was funny, and the words to an old Christmas song kept playing in my mind, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas..." And so, much like Ralph in the poem, I changed a few words to those you will hear him sing. But then, it struck me - it wasn't funny to a short person, and how would I feel if it were me?

My mother loved to write poetry, and I guess some rubbed off, because over the next few days, I wrote "Ralph, the Tallest Elf" to redeem myself in my own eyes. To my surprise, with invaluable assistance from a good friend and editor, Joyce Gilmour, the poem took on a life of its own. I sent a copy as a Christmas gift to all those on my email list and received many replies stating how much they enjoyed the poem by sharing it with their children or grandchildren. With a little good luck, I was put in touch with Erica Missey in San Antonio, and she agreed to do the artwork you enclosed within these covers. Fantastic! With bullying being so prevalent in our schools today, I believe the message Ralph brings is told in two of my favorite lines: "You can be big, no matter your size." And "What really matter is Christmas in your heart." I hope your young ones will remember these words and the moral of "Ralph, the Tallest Elf" all through the year. Now open the cover and enjoy! - Karl Boyd

"Here Karl Boyd goes again, in his own sweet whimsical way to remind us of a lesson worth repeating. A beautiful story of how all people should be treated, with a carefully woven message that appeals to all ages. Thanks Karl for yet another treasure. - Mary Grammar, Redlands, CA

Karl Boyd is a retired US Air Force Master Sergeant. Much of Karl’s writing is taken from personal experiences while serving with the military in such locations as Bermuda, Iceland, Saudi Arabia and Hawaii, plus the Middle and Far East. Karl and his wife, Carol, now reside on the Gulf Coast of Texas where he enjoys fishing and writing.

A WWII Flight Surgeon's Story; by S. Carlisle May

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MWSA Review
A heartfelt account of a young doctor’s service during WWII

S. Carlisle May’s recounting of Dr. Lamb Myhr’s service is a warm and genuine story of one good-hearted man trying to do his best to ease suffering during a war.  It is filled with personal tales painted on the backdrop of the European air war which eventually ground the German offensive to a halt.

The author does a good job of balancing personal stories with important unit and historical events so that the reader can see the “big picture” while at the same time being able to focus on Dr. Myhr’s smaller piece of it.  These personal stories are supported with pictures and other evidence which lends credibility to the story.
Oftentimes, a biography is written about someone who has done something extraordinary. In this case, this story illustrated the wonderfully ordinary service of an ordinary man, called to nothing more than his job.  It sheds light on the medical picture across the European theater, what challenges the medical personnel faced, how they dealt with wounds, what made them laugh, what made them cry.  It is well done, personal, informative, and memorable.

Fans of military biography or medical biography will definitely take something from this worthwhile book.
MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister  
 

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Author's Synopsis
In the brutal and deadly conflict that swept the world in the 1940s, the newly formed United States Army Air Forces played a crucial role. The inherently dangerous missions relied on pilots in peak mental and physical condition. Dr. Lamb Myhr spent the Second World War as a flight surgeon working tirelessly to “keep them flying.” From Africa to Normandy and beyond, Myhr cared for injured and sick pilots, delivered civilian babies, and tended to the survivors of the Nazi concentration camps.

Written by Myhr’s great-niece and drawn from his personal letters and recollections, this portrait is a window into the lives of the everyday participants in World War II. His personal photos are included and feature the historic meeting between Gens. Mark Clark, George Patton, and Dwight D. Eisenhower before the invasion of Italy, as well as Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest after it was captured. Insightful detail about the many different injuries and diseases Myhr faced in his service provide a perspective on the diverse challenges brought by each stage of the conflict.

Hover: A Novel; by Anne A. Wilson

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MWSA Review
In the Navy's world of men, water levels the battlefield of love. 

In her romance, Hover: A Novel, Anne A. Wilson crafts a story of romance, guilt, forgiveness, and bravery in the wake of nightmares.

Lieutenant Sara Denning's goal as a Navy helicopter pilot is to remaining "a small dot,” get in and get it done without stirring the waters. Little does she know in her quest to do her best without creating waves, both happen naturally.

As a woman living in a predominantly man's world, Sara finds herself often floating her actions against the prejudices and biases of her peers and commanders. She recognizes that, although her reasons for attending the Naval Academy and becoming a pilot were in penance to drown her guilt, she actually enjoys her career. If only she can step aside and allow happiness to ebb in. 

When Lt. Denning meets an unassuming, strong, yet kind, colleague, the feminine qualities Sara tried so hard to submerse start rising to the surface.  Now, if only they can all manage to stay buoyant in the company of a traitor.

Anne A. Wilson casts a net over her reader and reels them aboard one word at a time, in Hover: A Novel.
MWSA Reviewer:  Sandra Miller Linhart
 

Author's Synopsis
Helicopter pilot Lt. Sara Denning joins a navy battle group with little fanfare—and that's just the way she likes it. After her brother Ian's tragic death, her career path seemed obvious: step into his shoes and enter the Naval Academy, despite her fear of water. Sara's philosophy is simple—blend in, be competent, and above all, never do anything to stand out as a woman in a man's world.

Somewhere along the way, Sara lost herself—her feminine, easygoing soul is now buried under so many defensive layers, she can't reach it anymore.

When she meets strong, self-assured Lt. Eric Marxen, her defenses start to falter. Eric coordinates flight operations for a Navy SEAL team that requests Sara as the exclusive pilot. This blatant show of favoritism causes conflict with the other pilots; Sara's sexist boss seems intent on making her life miserable, and her roommate and best friend, the only other woman on the ship, is avoiding her. It doesn't help that her interactions with Eric leave her reeling.

The endgame of the SEALs' mission is so secret, even Sara doesn't know the reason behind her mandated participation. Soon, though, the training missions become real, and Sara must overcome her fears before they plunge her into danger. When Sara's life is on the line, can she find her true self again and follow the orders of her heart before it is too late?
Anne A. Wilson's Hover is a thrilling, emotional women's journey written by a groundbreaking former navy pilot.

Consequence by Pat Avery

MWSA Review
A nagging desire for the underlying truth in her brother's death fuels the protagonist, Michaela (Mick) Riley, on a dangerous journey of discovery and ultimate personal growth, in Pat McGrath Avery's Consequence.  

Avery draws the reader in with the first passage, and doesn't relinquish the reins until well after the last page is turned.  The author builds on layers of interactions and near-misses, to reveal a web of deceit and mystery in Consequence.  Her characters are real and engaging, which adds integrity to the story as it unfolds and long-hidden secrets are revealed.  

Consequence is a tale of regret, forgiveness, and redemption, full of action and intrigue, which touches the reader through myriad emotions.  I found myself crying, shocked, laughing, and perched on the edge of my seat.  I couldn't wait to see what happened next.  Consequence is a worthy addition to Pat McGrath Avery's other written accomplishments.
Review by Sandra Miller Linhart, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
Murder and greed always have consequences. Michaela stood by her brother as he was gunned down on a street corner. She flees to South Padre Island, Texas, knowing the killer is looking for her. In a failed robbery attempt, Betty's newly found half-brother kills her friend and coworker. She buries herself in depression and shame. Through Hap Lynch, a retired Kansas City cop, the two women become friends. Can friendship and good intentions overcome the consequences of violence and deception?

A thousand miles away, Jose plays his own game of deception, motivated by blackmail, fear and love for his family. Even if he saves his wife, Lourdes, will he be able to save their marriage or will the truth destroy them? 

Meanwhile, two ruthless businessmen, who have built a lucrative smuggling trade, care nothing for the consequences of their actions.

Chita Quest: One Man’s Search for His POW/MIA Father ; by Brinn Colenda

MWSA Review
Enthralling actions against surprising adversaries.

Chita Quest is an action-packed thriller that keeps one up all night, compelled to read the next page…and the next page…and the next page…

More than thirty years after his father went missing following the crash of his F4 Phantom fighter along the Laotian-Vietnamese border, U.S. Air Force Colonel Tom Callahan’s hopes soar when a journalist friend brings a photo of what looks like a 70-year-old Caucasian working a rice field in Vietnam.  Despite discouragement from the Pentagon and the murder of the photographer on the streets of Washington, Callahan takes leave from his White House job and recruits his estranged brother to go with him to Southeast Asian to find clues of MIAs who may still be alive.
Along the way, several attempts by unknown assailants are made on the lives of the Callahan brothers, and in Washington, on their wives and Tom’s young daughter. The mystery is why and what connection to the search for a missing warrior from a long ago war.

The quest leads the Callahans on a dangerous, surreptitious, and illegal trip through China and Mongolia to Chita, Siberia, where they meet new adversaries—agents of the Russian Security Services.  The China-Siberian trip is unauthorized by and unknown to U.S. government officials.

Author Brinn Colenda draws from his own experiences in the Air Force as he provides a detailed look at the military’s Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command operations in Washington, Hawaii, and in the Southeast Asia as Colonel Callahan seeks the agency’s help for his quest.  

For those who love fast paced action and dramatic surprises in a well written book, Chita Quest is most satisfying. 
Reviewed by Joe Epley, MWSA Reviewer

Author Synopsis:
Were American POWs left behind at the end of the Vietnam War—either by accident or design?
Colonel Tom Callahan is driven to find out—his own father is still listed as Missing In Action. What Callahan doesn’t understand is how politically explosive the issue is, domestically and internationally. As he begins his quest, friends and associates meet violent deaths. Aided by his Australian-born wife, Colleen, his journey takes him halfway across the world to Vietnam, China, Mongolia, and ultimately, Siberia. He is helped and hindered by unexpected friends and cunning, deadly enemies.

Bestselling Author, William B. Scott states:
“Chita is a unique, fast-paced thriller that weaves nasty Washington cover-ups with assassinations, international intrigue, and air combat”

Walter E. “Buck” Buchanan III, Lt Gen, USAF (ret) tells us:
“Brinn Colenda once again proves himself to be a master storyteller”

Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood; by Valerie Pfundstein

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MWSA Review
Valerie Pfundstein's picture book, Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood reminds us a hero isn't necessarily a stranger who lives far away.  Our neighbors, the grocer, the butcher, our coach - all could be a part of the growing and honorable group of heroes - Veterans, who don't wear badges or medals on their regular work clothes, and are not readily noticed to stand out in a crowd.

Each generation gives a portion of its numbers in service to our country. Pfunstein's book brings home awareness and appreciation of these unassuming heroes who work and walk among us daily. Through her book, she shares their sacrifices new generations of Americans who may one day join their ranks.

Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood is a must for every school library in the United States.
Reviewed by: Sandra Miller Linhart

Author's Synopsis
Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood is an engaging rhyming picture book for readers of all ages that fosters mindfulness of and appreciation for the brave service men and women who are also our family, friends, and neighbors.  These are the men and women who bravely served our great country and now humbly serve in our communities.

All Came Home: A World War II story told through the letters of Boat Group Commander, Joseph B. McDevitt; by Paul K. McDevitt

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MWSA Review
WWII Fast Attack Transports in the Pacific theater

I have read many novels and nonfiction books dealing with the Pacific war against Japan. They mostly dealt with combat ships, airplanes, and ground troops. But how did the troops and required supplies get to the island beaches? Where did the landing crafts come from? How were so many men and supplies delivered to the correct beach so quickly? Who moved the Army and Marines from island to island and then returned them to the U.S.? The answer is: Fast Attack Transports.

All Came Home is a story of life in America in the late 1930s and 1940s. A nation mired in the great depression where people struggled to survive — a land that young Americans in the 21st Century can hardly imagine. It is part of one page of the story of the Greatest Generation, the men and women, military and civilian, who through determination and sacrifice won World War II and turned America into a mighty nation, a superpower. 

One such young man was Joe McDevitt. While this is Joe’s story, compiled by his son through copies of personal letters, newspaper articles, and official documents, it is also his family’s story and the story of his ship, one of the ships that helped win the Pacific naval war, the USS Leon (APA 48), the “Lucky Leon” and her crew who all came back. 
I highly recommend this book and will retain my copy for my grandchildren when they are old enough to understand.
Reviewed by Lee Boyland
 

Author's Synopsis
"All Came Home" is a true story of junior reserve officer Joe McDevitt during WWII, as told through letters mailed home to his family. This is a quintessential American story about a youngster of German and Irish ancestry striving to achieve the American dream. Then comes WWII, and Joe postpones his driving personal ambition in order to enlist in the Navy. He joins the Pacific Amphibious Forces where men wage war on the open water in small boats. Could the Navy really make a warrior out of him… someone who thinks of nothing else but the sea and the war? A romance flourishes, and, like many of his peers, Joe must choose: marry now, and leave a young war bride behind, or wait to wed his true love when, and if, he returns? At war, he endures one bloody assault after another: ground-shaking bombardments, thundering artillery and mortar barrages, and the conviction that chance alone determines who lives and who dies. One way or another, all came home…

PAYBACK TIME!: America's Veterans Unite to Challenge VA for Overdue Benefits; by Earl "Dusty" Trimmer

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MWSA Review

Vietnam Vet Trimmer cluster bombs the VA

Author “Dusty” Trimmer delivers this credible PAYBACK TIME message across the VA’s minefield of issues that get stepped on by veterans deserving proper healthcare access and benefits.  Aging Trimmer still brings the fight!  Taking careful aim and switched to automatic fire, Dusty sprays and stitches the VA with valid complaints from every direction, with a major focus on the dying Vietnam-era veterans’ horrific dilemmas.  

Armed heavily with research, a useful index, and an extensive glossary, Trimmer shoots-scoots-communicates through multiple VA obstacles that returned warriors face.  He lays down suppression fire to cover current-era war fighters, provides insight into the political landscape that has/will create the VA obstacles, and triggers through multiple other VA fights, including insightful views on current VA Secretary Bob McDonald.  From a very personal perspective, Dusty Trimmer empties his heart out to help our veterans in a VA system that lacks much.  Way to take up the battle!

MWSA Reviewer: Hodge Wood
 

Author's Synopsis
Author Earl "Dusty" Trimmer was a Combat Infantryman in the Vietnam War. This Vietnam War Veteran's reason for writing his memoir is to bring awareness to Vietnam War veterans wounded in action (WIA), killed in action (KIA), missing in action (MIA), the plight of those veterans who are still living or those who have lost their battles to survive after coming home, and those war veterans struggling to live another day. Written from the heart and experiences of a combat infantry soldier in the Vietnam War, Condemned Property? takes a raw look at the Vietnam War and Vietnam War veterans. Author Dusty Trimmer believes the Vietnam War's biggest battle wasn't fought in Southeast Asia, but is currently being waged against the Department of Veterans Affairs in the United States. Author Dusty Trimmer's purpose of this book is to expose the system's mistreatment of Vietnam War Veterans. War is hell. Every war battle is bad for who is in it. The Vietnam War was a twilight zone.

Hook Up: A Novel of Fort Bragg; by William Singley

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MWSA Review
Life as a paratrooper in the peacetime 1950s
Hilarious, irreverent, irrelevant, racist, profane, vulgar, tragic: all describe the lives of teenage paratroopers in William Singley's Hook Up, a novel about of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in the late 1950s. 

For those who served at Fort Bragg during that spit-polish era between wars, it is a nostalgic read as one remembers similar characters as those skillfully portrayed by the author. He was there, experiencing the agony of jump school and the thrill of leaping from a high-performance airplane, hoping that a canopy pops open to carry him safely to the ground. 

Most of the young men were draftees in those days, yet volunteered for the Army's elite only to count the days until their enlistment's end. There's Patterson, the kid from New Jersey who emerges as the lead character, struggling with maturity and proud to be a private first class. Margolin, the ROTC second lieutenant, is intimidated by everyone older and questions his sanity for joining the paratroopers, but somehow excels. Martin, the marionette first sergeant, treats his company as a private fiefdom. The cast goes on. Some you love, some you hate, some you admire, some you wonder how they ever got in the Army, much less the Airborne. 
The dark side of  Hook Up illustrates blatant racism in an Army barely ten years into desegregation, alcoholism, drugs, and disregard for individual responsibility.

Barracks humor that permeates the book may not be for everyone, especially uptight sergeants major who bristle when anyone tarnishes the image of their beloved 82nd or mothers horrified their precious son was exposed to such antics (but, God forbid, never participated). They too will chuckle when reminded of life back in the day of the OD uniform, spit-shined boots, and raucous bar hopping along Hay Street and Combat Alley in downtown Fayetteville... before the city cleaned up its image.

Singley describes his book as a historical novel. But for those who were there, the situations and attitudes happened. I recommend Hook Up. All the Way!
Reviewer: Joe Epley
 

Author's Synopsis
It was an Army between wars. Korea was a fresh memory for some soldiers and Vietnam was only an insignificant blip on the military radar. It was an Army in which reluctant draftees mixed with aimless volunteers looking for adventure and ways to test or confirm their manhood. In those days and in that Army, “hook-up” was a jump command for paratroopers rather than a romantic liaison.

Hook Up: A Novel of Fort Bragg takes us inside that Army and introduces fascinating characters who are struggling to become paratroopers and survive in a starch-stiff U.S. Army airborne regiment based at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Side-by-side in that demanding trek are officers like Lieutenant Sy Margolin, a potential nebbish who instead becomes a strong leader, and enlisted men like Privates Willie Patterson and Scott Breslin, who challenge authority every step of the way to winning their paratrooper wings.

In Hook Up we get a close-up, very personal, and fascinating look at an Army that no longer exists—an Army populated with soldiers who have either learned hard life lessons or are about to learn them in a crucible where failure can land you in the stockade or in the morgue. From the rigors of barracks life to the raucous off-post adventures to the thrilling jump sequences, Hook Up is a fast-paced, thrilling story of military excellence pursued and human innocence lost.

Harnessing the Sky: Frederick "Trap" Trapnell, the U.S. Navy's Aviation Pioneer, 1923-1952; by Frederick M. Trapnell Jr. and‎ Dana Tibbitts

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MWSA Review
In all the years I have been following aviation, only a few of the early pilots in my library were Navy. So I eagerly read  Harnessing the Sky about Frederick M. "Trap" Trapnell's incredible experiences in test flight in the 1930s and 1940s. Since the book was written by family members, I expected more sentimentality than most biographies. However, while the tone was warm and the book was definitely an easy read, it was well-researched and competently indexed. It covered not only the man but also his era and will make an excellent source for other historians.

Military uses for aircraft were identified during World War I, only a few years into the era of flight. Ensign Trap was assigned to the USS Marblehead when he saw the potential for airplanes to support the Navy's most basic missions. As a result, he volunteered for flight in 1924, just as airplanes were beginning to be viewed as weapons. Aircraft carriers came of age with the help of pilots like Trap who helped perfect air/sea strategies and techniques.

If you are interested in aviation at all, this biography is a must.
Review by Joyce K Faulkner

Author's Synopsis

Harnessing the Sky is one of the best untold stories in 100 years of naval aviation. This biography fills an important void in the history of flight test and explores the legacy of the man who has been called “the godfather of current naval aviation.”

Vice Admiral Frederick M. Trapnell’s calculated courage advanced the frontiers of Navy test flying more than any other aviator during one of the most perilous and thrilling periods of aviation history. “Trap” entered the Navy at a time when flight testing was still in its infancy- when test pilots were more likely to be stunt men than engineers; when airplanes served an ancillary and undeveloped role in the fleet; when the airplane had not yet come into its own as a weapon of war. His vision and leadership shaped the evolution of naval aviation through its formative years and beyond.

When the threat of war in 1940 raised an alarm over the Navy’s deficiency in aircraft—especially fighters—Trap was brought in as head of the Flight Test Section to evaluate and direct the development of all new Navy airplanes. Trap expedited the evolution of two superb fighters that came to dominate the air war against Japan – the Corsair and Hellcat—by dramatically shortening test and development cycles for new prototypes.

This remarkable feat was repeated after World War II when Trap returned as Commander of the Naval Air Test Center to lead the Navy through the challenges of transitioning to jets. Recognized for defining the operating requirements for carrier-based jet propelled aircraft, Trap personally conducted the preliminary tests of the Navy’s first generation jets.

Over the course of two decades (1930-1950), Trap tested virtually every naval aircraft prototype and became the first U.S. Navy pilot to fly a jet. He pioneered the philosophy and perfected many of the methods of the engineering test pilot, demanding aircraft that pushed the performance envelope up to the limits of safety in all flight regimes. He insisted on comprehensive testing of each airplane with all of its equipment in all missions, conditions and maneuvers it would face in wartime fleet operations.

These innovations advanced the tactical capability of naval air power that have kept it at the forefront of modern aviation and stand as an enduring legacy to the man who is regarded as the foremost test pilot in a century of naval aviation.

Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr.; by Bob D'angelo

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MWSA Review
Author Bob D’Angelo delivers a well-researched and informative story about a remarkable athlete who stormed Omaha Beach and paid a heavy price over 70 years ago.  Thanks to NEVER FEAR   The Life and Times of Forest K. Ferguson, we learn of a giant among men, Forest Ferguson.  
The author gathers infinite details about this man and our greatest-generation culture.

Small town legend Forest Ferguson becomes a Florida All-American football player and later plays football for the Army against NFL teams,  as was the style in the early forties.  In these and other sports like track, boxing, and basketball, “Fergie” excelled.  Without the author’s exhaustive research, this wonderful American leader’s walk in life and those he knew may have been forgotten.

Leaders were destined to storm the German pill boxes on D-Day.  D’Angelo reveals how Lt. Ferguson earned the Distinguished Service Cross on that grim day, June 6, 1944.  Although neurological deficits from battle injury on D-Day limited Ferguson for life, he still served… and his brand of discipline can be appreciated by any reader.  Thanks to the author, we are given the opportunity. 
MWSA Reviewer: Hodge Wood
 

Author's Synopsis
The story of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. is one of athletic greatness at tiny Stuart High School in the late 1930s and at the University of Florida in the early 1940s. "Fergie" was a World War Ii hero who won the Distinguished Service Cross on D-Day, and paid dearly for his bravery as his promising athletic career -- and life -- would be cut short by his sacrifices. Longtime Florida sports journalist Bob D'Angelo digs into the past and presents a fresh look at a man whose skills and courage were evident on the playing field -- and on the field of battle.

Fiddler's Green; by Jack C. Stoddard

MWSA Review
Jack Stoddard introduces the reader to a special final resting place known as Fiddler’s Green.  About halfway along the road to Hell, there lies a side road cut-off open only to members of the U.S. Army’s cavalry corps. It leads to a lovely encampment where these soldiers, both those who died in a battle somewhere, and those who have died after living for many years with the memories of their wars, can spend eternity with their comrades. Around their nightly campfires and in their six-man tents, the ghost-soldiers come to terms with the horrors of war and with the manner of their own deaths.

The story of how Sergeant Frank Saracino met his death in Vietnam in 1969 plays out against two backdrops. We meet the sergeant himself in his camp at Fiddler’s Green, where he can compare his experiences with those of men who fought in every conflict from the Civil War to Desert Storm. We also meet his family, a sister and a father struggling to understand why he died, and two of the surviving men from his unit who hold the answers to the family’s questions.

As in the case of a theater production that asks the playgoer to suspend his disbelief, so in this book the reader must accept the initial premise of the existence of a special kind of heaven reserved for cavalry soldiers, and their horses, too. If that idea offends, this may not be the book for you. The story itself, however, will ring true to every soldier who has survived the horrors of battle, and it will move those who have lost a loved one in warfare.
MWSA Reviewer: Carolyn Schriber
 

Author's Synopsis
Most soldiers like Jon learned to keep his mouth shut and silently toast his fallen comrades once a year at the dinner table, or maybe even manage to slip away and journey to the nearest local veteran's cemetery on Memorial Day to see all of those tiny American flags lined up dress right dress, waving row upon row across the grassy manicured fields. Jon didn't listen to the speeches being made, but rather just looked glassy eyed across the green covered memorial park as his mind searched for the faces that he had long ago forgotten... Yes there is a special look in a soldier's eye that tells another soldier that he has been there and has been baptized by fire. We call it seeing the tiger. Jon has seen the tiger, and as Jon's hair turns gray, and his body wrinkles from age, his dear friend Frank who lives at Fiddler's Green will always remain that twenty-two year old kid wearing his black beret and flashing that big smile.

A Dusty Boot Soldier Remembers by Larry A Redmond

MWSA Review

A primer in leadership, duty, and determination

When I began to read A Dusty Boot Soldier Remembers, I quickly felt Colonel Larry Redmond was sitting beside me, relating in a verbal folksy manner the many stories of his amazing career as a Special Forces qualified Airborne Ranger infantry officer who never strayed far from a paratrooper's billet. These were not cold words on a page, but a warm, factual portrayal of a quarter of a century of challenging experiences.

Redmond’s memories provide an insider's view of Army history from 1962, when he got his gold bar as a second lieutenant, through his retirement as a colonel and senior planner for Central Command in 1986.  In addition to two tours as a company commander with the 101st Airborne in Vietnam where he received the Purple Heart and Silver Star, he commanded a battalion in the 82nd Airborne and served as United Nations observer on the Golan Heights following the 1973 Israeli-Arab war. He also spent several years as a Green Beret in Panama.  One of his more interesting assignments was testing the fledgling Detachment Delta to ensure its readiness to become operational as the Army's elite counter-terrorism force.

He explains how all of the assignments brought new understanding to the author's evolution as an extraordinary officer. Scattered throughout the narrative are "Redmond's Rules," some witty lessons learned that any soldier can benefit by following. These range from "Things get worse under pressure. Stay cool." to "Think it through, don't do dumb things." Sage advice from a man who took meaning from all life's experiences and excelled in his chosen profession.

He led by example, put his troops first, and credits his success to the friendship and advice from his sergeants as well as senior officers. He spoke the truth, even when it was counter to the thinking of higher brass. While some saw him destined for a general's star, he shunned the Pentagon and other assignments usually required to reach a flag rank. He preferred to stay on jump status with his beloved Airborne.  

A Dusty Boot Soldier Remembers is an easy read, not cluttered with a plethora of acronyms that plague many military histories and biographies. For the military reader, Redmond's memoir is a must for your library. The casual reader will also find it enjoyable, entertaining, and informative.

I give this book a lusty "Airborne All the Way, Sir!"

Reviewer: Joe Epley
 

Author: Larry A. Redmond
ISBN-10: 1555717780
ISBN-13: 978-1555717780

KINYAMASWA: An Epic Poem by Andreas Morgner

MWSA Review

Kinyamaswa, by Andreas Morgner, is truly “an epic poem.”  The author dragged painful memories from people who survived the genocide in Rwanda that bled the life from a nation in 1994.  He uses masterful images that compel the reader to live the experience with them. His research had to be written with tears as he made notes of the stories he heard.  Every word, every line, every image Morgner shares has meaning, undeniable meaning, that compels the reader to experience their pain. It is a book intended for adults.  Youthful readers would confuse reality with science fiction, for truth is surely more impactful than fiction in this case.  Morgner paints a picture that imprints on a reader’s mind, with images that cause frequent gasps for air.  We don’t want to believe mankind can be this cruel or sink to the levels that genocide excavates. 

Many years ago I listened to a masterful telling of Beowulf in the Celtic dialect.  The fires of hell were in the words of that storyteller and I feel them still.  I experienced war first hand, but not the kind of thing described in Kinyamaswa, which means “merciless.” The book is written for history lovers, people who enjoy free style poetry, and others who simply want to step into a seriously talented storyteller’s world. 

I found myself saddened that the story is applicable to current events. When I began the journey through Morgner’s “cantos” I did not expect it to leave the impression it did. I applaud his work and respect his incredible command of our language.  

I wholeheartedly recommend Kinyamaswa: An Epic Poem. 

Reviewer: Michael D. Mullins
Author: Andreas Morgner
ISBN-10: 1627200746
ISBN-13: 978-1627200745

The Cards in the Deck by Robert Stanek

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MWSA Review

The blaring alarm awoke Scott Evers in his bunk on the Sea Shepherd, a 201 foot ship with a crew of 45 operated by an organization similar to Greenpeace. Its mission was to disrupt illegal Tuna fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.

On his way to the topside Evers, whose job is security, discovered Libyans had sunk a sister ship, the Bardot III. When he reached the top deck he saw the ship was circling one of five Tunisian fishing boats and their crews were hurling links of chain at the Sea Shepherd, whose crew was responding with fire hoses and stink bombs, a repeat of previous battles. Then things went south.

David Gilbert, a NASA senior data mining and analysis specialists at a super secret National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center (DC), Camp Williams, Utah was a troubled man. Gilbert was early because he wanted to review the latest D-Wave test results from the latest generation of supercomputers employing quantum computing. Gilbert’ supercomputer was one of three with super-cooled niobium chips. After studying the results he realized something was amiss in the Med. Now Gilbert had two things to worry about: What was not being reported in the Med, and his long time concern about supercomputers exceeding human intelligence and enslaving the human race. 

The “director” enters the story and Scott Evers and his gal pal Edie have rollicking, fantastical adventures as they chase the bad guys across the Mediterranean to Malta with the help of the CIA, NSA, SEALs and the Sixth Fleet. 

Reviewer: Lee Boyland

ISBN-10: B00TBFNFFC
ISBN-13: 978-1511983631