1 comments about I'm No Hero: A POW Story as Told to Glen DeWerff.

1. One of the few books by a Vietnam War POW written very shortly after the war. A view into history that has not been colored by outside influences. It leaves you with little doubt about the truly patriotic nature of the men who were fighting in the war and how they felt about their captors and those that would defend the North Vietnamese. It is an inspirational life story that uses the author's POW experience to show the inner strength that people have if they can summon it. There are lessons here that go beyond the history.

4 comments about Leadership & Strategy: Lessons From Alexander The Great.

1. This book describes in detail the enduring leadership lessons from the ruler of the ancient world and analyzes what made him so successful.
   
   You will eventually understand why so many leaders in history have been inspired by Alexander the Great and what lessons have they learned from him.
   
   The book does an excellent job presenting Alexander and identifying his "secrets". It shows how Alexander's timeless strategies have been--and can be--applied to gain a competitive advantage. The author carefully explains the skills and principles valuable to leaders, managers, and strategists.
   
   A must read for leaders and for those who aspire to become leaders.



2. This book will teach you lessons of leadership by looking back in history to one of the greatest leaders of all: Alexander the Great. You'll enjoy learning timeless leadership skills through history tales from thousands of years ago, and comparative analyses of some contemporary leaders.. Great read!



3. The author vividly describes the story of this amazing leader's life and battles and masterfully intertwines it with useful tips for today's bussiness life. Enjoyable to read from page 1 till the end. Excellent.



4. 
   This book distills the essence of the world`s greatest leader.Comparing Alexander with other outstanding leaders and modern theories , the author
   explains the most effective ways of leadership and the strategies valuable to modern leaders.

5 comments about Descending From The Clouds: A Memoir of Combat in the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division.

1. It's an excellent war yarn that could have been squared away a little bit better.



2. 
   
   This book has been in The Military Book Club for awhile but I did not buy it. Came across it at the local library and picked it up since the guy jumped into Normandy. Well, the book has a lot more info in it than just Normandy.
   
   Initially his relating his training brought back certain memories of my own basic training, though I was never in the Army nor a 'trooper'. This single book sort of attemps what Donald Burgette accomplished with his four books on the 101st Airborne and the book does it well.
   
   The author's straight forward rekindling his personal history is very satisfying. And on some points his honesty is very refreshing, as when he says he just doesn't remember certain things, or that when two or three guys get together they can remember a certain event in different ways.
   
   His out-of-the way episodes are very interesting: take for instance on page 67 as he relates a major event with a sister regiment, the 504 PIR, being flown into Gela as reinforcements. A German Luftwaffe attack from JU 88 bombers had just concluded a run, as the American C-47s unaware and "full of troopers appeared in the sky." Needless to say as the Air Corp passed over the Navy antiaircraft guns they opened fire on the "low-flying American troop transport planes. "He continues, "Within minutes, 318 American paratroopers and many C-47 crew members lost their lives." Personal stories such as, though very sad, help make this book an interesting read.
   
   Though I have the four volumes on 101st from Burgette on my shelves, I am glad to have read this book on the 82nd Airborne and can readily recommend it to anyone interested in first person accounts in the WWII genre of "I was there".
   
   Semper Fi.



3. This is really one of the better stand-alone books written by an American paratrooper from World War Two. It really sets quite the scene when a young boy, enthralled by the military joins his state's national guard out of pride and hunger. But I won't ruin the book by giving away too many details in this review.
   
   Wurst survived his national guard duty, joined the 82nd Airborne and made three combat jumps in the war and fought in Italy, Normandy and Holland from the platoon level.
   
   Some of the more interesting details regarding this book are descriptions of the 1930s and 40s, the national guard at the time, training, and blistering street-to-street combat. But I also enjoyed his commentary on the state of the guard in the late 30s and early 40s. He makes clear how rapidly we advanced as a military in the 1940s.
   
   If you liked this book I would recommend any of Don Burgett's famous books, Parachute Infantry by David Webster, Those Devils in Baggy Pants and All the way to Berlin.



4. I really enjoyed this book. I've read dozens and dozens of books about World War Two. What distinguishes Descending from the Clouds from most of the others is the feeling and passion contained in the pages. Col. Wurst recounts not only what he saw, heard, and felt, but also the impression it left on him for the rest of his life. When I finished reading this book I took some time to reflect on what I had read. I came away thankful for the sacrifices men and women like Col. Wurst have made in the history of our nation that allow me to live free and relatively safe.
   
   Honestly, this book is the best first person account of infantry tactics relating to World War Two that I've ever read. I highly recommend it.



5. One really needs more than 5 stars to rate this book. It deserves 7 or 8 stars. I have read many personal accounts from veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division and this is by far the best. If one is interested in knowing what it was like to be a WWII paratroopoer day by day, battle by battle one absolutely has to read this book.

5 comments about So Sad to Fall in Battle: An Account of War Based on General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's Letters from Iwo Jima.

1. This is not at the core of it a war story. It is a biography of a truly outstanding man caught in horrible circumstances. Expect a fascinating, subtle character study (not a "ripping yarn"). Unlike Eastwood's movie, which was a confused jumble of combat seen mostly from the enlisted point of view, this is about Kuribayashi, a 20th Century man serving a Japanese 17th Century feudal mind-set. The author does a good job of conveying the sense of anguish Kuribayashi must have felt at the circumstances.



2. Again, and excellent source for understanding the Japanese mind set on Iwo Jima. The book is a wonderful enhancement to "Pictures" and provides connections for the reader to both of the Eastwood films. Highly recommended!



3. My husband founds this book to be excellent as far as the Japanese version of the war in the South Pacific.



4. This book is based on the letters sent home by General Kuribayashi Tadamichi the commander of the forces on Iwo Jima. This book is the primary source information for Clint Eastwood's movie Letters From Iwo Jima. This book puts a very human face to the Japanese that fought that battle and outlines the strategy General Kuribayashi used for this fight along with the reasoning behind it. His intentions were similar to those used on Okinawa...in fact his strategy was planned a year before the battle for Okinawa began. Kuribayashi like Ushijima intended to fight delaying battles of attrition hoping to delay the Americans and give the government time to negotiate a peace between Japan and America. Unfortunately their resistance only served to cause the Americans to nuke Japan to avoid the necessary invasion that would be required to subdue Japan. Kuribayashi could have stayed on Chichi Jima and committed suicide there after the fight but he knew the Americans would land on Iwo and he elected to share the fate of the men he commanded, directing them from the front to the end. If he had fought the battle in the same manner as earlier island campaigns the American estimate of 1 week might have come to pass making the invasion of Okinawa a little easier in that resources used to complete the Iwo campaign would have been freed up to serve as reinforcements for Okinawa. I've never seen an estimate for the length of the campaign on Okinawa but I'm sure it was much less than actually occurred. A most excellent book well worth reading by historians wanting to see a glimpse of the losing side of a battle.



5. I picked up this book in at Schipol on the way back to the States, and couldn't put it down. I served in the Navy on the tail end of 'Nam and, to be honest, you never remotely considered that the guy lobbing B-40 rockets at you from the bend in the river had a wife and family back in Hanoi or some little village in the North. Certainly the Marines humping across Iwo probably didn't have much time for introspection, either.
   
   Fascinating individual, and a rewarding view through the "other guy's" eyes. Highly recommended.

5 comments about A Wasp Among Eagles: A Woman Military Test Pilot in World War II.

1. Parts of this book were better than others. I think I liked the personal aspect of Ann Carl's life more than the adventures in flight. I just felt her book contained too many details and aeronautical jargon that would not hold a great deal of interest to those of us that have little or no knowledge of aviation. Having said that, though, I believe I will read some other books on these amazing and brave women known as the
   WASP'S.



2. I enjoyed reading the story of Ann Baumgartner Carl, an aviatrix that challenged the bigotry and mysoginy of the 1940s United States in order to serve her country. The book, as it was, was interesting and enjoyable. Its problem is that it is too short and sometimes only brushes subjects that a reader may wish to know more about. I would have liked in particular to learn more about the personalities of a few people described in the book and who played important roles in the aviation career of the author. This book is still a good bet however to pass some quiet time at home or during a trip.



3. Ann Carl's book tells what most male pilots know.
   That is that the laws of physics apply equally to both genders.
   During WW II special women took the challenge during special
   times. Prior to WW II special women, such as Aline Rhonie
   Hofheimer of Warren, NJ. tested various Luscombe models after
   investing in the company. But during WW II the rigors
   of testing became extreme. I think that no child can
   say that they had a good education without knowing about these women who gave not excuses only their all. When you look at
   all of the superficial celebrities in Hollywood.. all of them
   would not add up to one of these women pilot of WW II.



4. Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.



5. Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.

1 comments about Stories of Service: Valley Veterans Remember World War II.

1. well done; well organized into war theatres, easy to follow; great "cast og characters" a "must have" addition to library of anyone interested in ww II history.

5 comments about "And I Was There": Pearl Harbor And Midway -- Breaking the Secrets (Bluejacket Books).

1. As the Fleet Intellegence Officer of Admirals Kimmel and Nimitz Edwin Layton was in a unique position to see and to understand what was going on regarding the battles at Pearl Harbor and Midway. This welcome reprint to the 1985 book has to be considered one of the more definitive books of the couple of hundred on the subjects.
   
   Layton was a language officer stationed in Japan before the war to learn Japanese. He followed Japan and the Japanese developments closely. He was at Pearl before the attack and remained there throughout the war. He was on the Missouri at the Japanese surrender.
   
   There are a series of revisionist history books that propose such things as Roosevelt and Churchill conspiring to let the Japanese attack at Pears. Yes there is evidence that we had some intelligence pointing to the Japanese attack. But you have to look carefully at how much material there was, how many messages had been intercepted, how few had been translated and you come up with the basic understanding that it just hadn't been put together. A lot like the situation with 9/11, Monday morning quarterbacking is much easier than being in the midst of the game.
   
   Layton was there, he knew what Kimmel and Short knew, indeed he had briefed them with the material on hand. Could they have been better prepared, yes, Layton says, if Admiral Richmond K. Turner had forwarded the information. But like any inter-departmental power struggle, Turner held the information to himself.
   
   I was also surprised by the relatively little animosity shown towards the Redman brothers who bounced Rochefort and Safford out. Indeed Layton points out that the do it themselves style of Rochefort and Safford probably wouldn't have done a very good job of managing the Navy Radio Intelligence activities that grew to almost 8,500 people by the end of the war.
   
   All in all, a must read for anyone interested in what happened at Pearl and Midway.



2. And I was there.
   This is a great book by one who was there, Adm Layton. He was Adm Kimmels intelligence officer at Pearl Harbor.
   He shows how the incompetence of the Navy in Washington led to the surprise attack at Pearl, by the Navy, specifically adm Stark and Kelly Turner, not giving Pearl the vital information they had about Jap intentions, but refused to give Pearl. The Navy also had 2 intelligence groups fighting for the information, and control, evaluating, and dissemination of the information. This too sabotaged the intelligence efforts, and does to this day.
   Gen Marshall is also responsible for the debacle. He was reprimanded, but Roosevelt set aside the Congressional verdict on him.
   Kimmel was judged not guilty of any wrongdoing by the Navy, but found derelict by Congress, a tragic miscarriage of justice, due to lies under testimony by Stark, and Turner.

   The Redmon brothers are faulted too for ousting the most brilliant Navy intelligence officer, Rochefort, who correctly guessed the time and location of the Midway battle.

   Another tragic aftermath of Pearl, was the loss of Wake Island. Kimmel had a carrier task force sailing to resupply and relieve the garrision that was under attack by the Japs. This would have surprised the Japs and could have sunk many Jap ships, saved Wake Island, and kept open the supply lines to the Phillipines. Unfortunaely, Kimmel was relieved, and Adm Pye replaced him Pye lost his nerve and cancelled the mission.

   MacArthur is noted, as being in charge of the Phillipines, and being under orders to attack Formosa with his B17's when Pearl was attacked. He had a 9 hour warning after Pearl had been attacked, and had been told to attack. It was not until years after this book was published that the records of why Mac did nothing in the Phillipines were found. He was paid $650,000 by Pres Quezon of the Phillipines to do nothing, as he wanted to be neutral. MacArthur lost the Phillipines, a far more important strategic outpost than Pearl, as well as half the B17's we had, and 1/5 of our fighters, on the ground, just as what happened at Pearl, only 9 hours later, after he had multiple phone calls from Washington to attack the Japs.

   The battle of Guadalcanal and other Pacific battles is also gone into in some detail
   It was Nimitz, not Mac Arthur that devised the island hopping idea.
   A great book by a hero who was there.




3. Edwin T. Layton served as Fleet Intelligence Officer for Admirals Kimmel and Nimitz. He, along with the other members of station Hypo, were assigned the task of breaking into Japan's secret codes, especially their JN-25 cypher. Through exhausting efforts by its members, they were finaly able to penetrate enough of the JN-25 code to make reasonable assumptions as to what the Japanese navy was planning. "Magic" was the term used for the intercept and decryption of these secret codes.

   However, no decoding was actually done at Pearl Harbor, because there was no "Purple" decoding machine there. All intercepts had to be sent to Washinton for decryption, and Hawaii relied on Washington for their information. Layton's thesis is that Pearl Harbor was denied vital intelligence which, if issued in a timely fashion, could have alerted Pearl Harbor to the impending attack which occurred on December 7, 1941. Although I agree with some of his thesis, I also believe that the Pearl Harbor commanders made terrible mistakes of their own which also contributed to the unpreparedness of Pearl Harbor.

   One message that Washington failed to send Pearl Harbor which I believe, along with Layton, could have alerted the fleet to the attack was the so-called "bomb plot" message. In a nutshell, this message divided Pearl Harbor into several sections and placed ships in each section; almost like laying an invisible grid over the harbor. Of all the messages that Pearl Harbor failed to receive, this was probably the most important.

   However, with this stated, I also believe that the commanders made grievous errors of their own. On November 27, 1941, a "war warning" message was sent to both commanders at Pearl Harbor. Both seemed perplexed and unsure of the course of action to be taken. Why was this? Both Admiral Kimmel and General Short were high ranking members of the military, yet they both dragged their feet when they received this message. Short simply ordered defense against sabotage instead of ordering an all-out alert, while Kimmel failed to order any further long-range patrols, plus he didn't order the battle force to sea. They seemed incapable of making any independent judgement of their own. Instead, they needed to be told directly what to do. These omissions are unforgivable.

   Inter-service rivalry also played a role in the failure. As pointed out by Layton, there was very little inter-service cooperation or sharing of messages, so most of the time, one usually didn't know what the other was doing. Further, during the Midway operation, a rivalry betwen station Hypo and the Washington-based intelligence unit nearly cost us the battle, but fortunately, Layton and commander Joe Rochefort were able to convince Nimitz that Hypo, not Washington, was correct.

   I thought this was a good book, but I disagree with Layton's assertion that Kimmel and Short were scapegoats and had no clue what was happening. Granted, there was some intelligence that was definitely denied to them, but they should have been able to interpret events on ther own, namely the war warning message. This book is a good counter-argument to other works, such as "At Dawn We Slept". The information about the battle of Midway is especially interesting, plus the story of the codebreaking activities was well-done.




4. Before you jump on some revisionist books about Pearl Harbor, like Stinnet's Day of Deceipt, you should get it from the horses mouth! Layton, et al, tell a little known side of the war in the pacific. His opinions of some famous naval personalities like Stark and R.K. Turner will really have you thinking about how war is run when powerful, ambitious officers are running the show. It's a shame that lives had to be wasted while the U.S. got its act together to finally win the war in the pacific, but Layton's tale will give you a new perspective and supports much of what was previously written, like Prang's "At Dawn We Slept", about the debacle of Pearl Harbor and the genius that followed at Midway. Buy it!



5. First and major portion of book covering Pearl Harbor is excellent. However, after Layton's death, the book was continued from his notes and descriptions of campaigns after Pearl Harbor suffer in quality by comparison.

1 comments about Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memories of Major Dick Winters (Thorndike Paperback Bestsellers).

1. This informative book gives first hand information of a great American, who served his country extremely well during WWII.!!! It gives additional clarification to the historical experiences that Major Winters had during and after the war. If you enjoyed the Band of Brothers book, you will greatly enjoy Dick Winters' recollections!

5 comments about WOODEN HORSE (Military Classics).

1. This amazing escape episode involved three men, and was not part of the much-publicized Great Escape, but took place from the same camp (Stalag Luft III). This review is an expansion of an earlier one that I had written.
   
   The original Trojan Horse contained soldiers in the process of sneaking into a city. This real-life WWII thriller describes a Trojan Horse used by Allied POWs to tunnel their way out of a German POW camp. While the horse was ostensibly being used for vaulting exercise, a small group of men hidden within the horse dug a tunnel underneath. Eventually it led them to freedom. Years later, "Eric Williams" was surprised that a mere plywood box could have fooled the Germans for so long. Indeed, the Germans apparently never became suspicious of the fact that the horse was always placed at the identical location, and not far from the wire.
   
   The idea was conceived out of the frustration of digging tunnels long distances from the huts to past the camp wire, and the Germans expecting the traps to originate from the huts and finding them. What if there was some way to get much closer to the wire, to dig a tunnel from there, and to conceal the trap from that unexpected location?
   
   The Trojan Horse episode came to mind. It would be a long and laborious tunneling process, as only a few tunnelers and relatively small amounts of sand could be concealed within the horse per exercise session. Otherwise, the horse would be too heavy to be carried.
   
   The vaulting horse was at first used without any tunnelers concealed in it. In fact, the vaulters purposely knocked it over a number of times so that the Germans would see nothing on the inside of it. The Germans were told that the vaulting stemmed from the English craze for exercise.
   
   After innumerable episodes of vaulting and tunneling, the tunnel was past the wire. Three escapees went from inside the horse down the tunnel, and, after many hours, dug there way to freedom. All three made it safely to the Allied lines.



2. There are two editions of this book. In the original edition and in subsequent reprints there is a last desperate moment where all the remains between Williams and freedom is a German guard on a bridge. He kills him and escapes...
   
   Only as Williams admitted years later in an anniversary update - that part never happened and was put in to satisfy the publishers who wanted a more "exciting" ending.
   
   ...and he is right to come clean on the point - the story was exciting enough without needing tweaking - ingenuity under strain of captivity is well portrayed in the book and after the frightening journey across Germany - his debriefing by an Intelligence Officer counterpoints what went before in a very British and understated way.



3. Eric Williams' The Wooden Horse is another military classic which shouldn't be missed, even though it first appeared over fifty years ago. Here's the story of a daring escape during World War II in an expanded, revised edition that tells of a break from one of Germany's most escape-proof camps. The account doesn't just tell how they did it - it covers the aftermath of the break-out, which involved getting out of Germany entirely. It may read like fiction with high drama, but The Wooden Horse is pure fact and an important chronicle in the history of the war.



4. A Gripping True WWII POW Escape Story!!

   This book took me over until the very last page.

   I usually don't care for reading as a past time and especially novels that take too long to get through.

   I read this book over 20 years ago (and only did so by chance after finding it in the school library), because I had to submit a book report during my junior high school years.

   I enjoyed the book so much I eagery and ultimately compiled a great book report and was awarded 9/10 as a grade.

   Funny enough, I did so well with it that I took the liberty to re-submitted the same book report the following year and again was awarded another high mark (of course it was a different teacher and I had to re-write and date it).

   In fact here I am over 20 years later I plan to get my very own copy. That's how much I enjoyed it!

   "The Wooden Horse" by Eric Williams is a fabulous book and would make a perfect gift to that person who you think should read more...but doesn't.

   They'll thank you for it!




5. Don't be put off by the recent "out of print" status, this book is a great true story of a prison breakout in WW2. You can also easily pick it up through Amazons second hand bookstores for a relatively cheap price.

   Written by the escapee himself, it retains all its charm and spirit since it first received rave reviews in the late 1940s to early 1950s.

   The breakout came from a novel, yet brilliant idea inspired by the Legend of the Trojan Horse- ie to use a gym vaulting horse as cover to hide an inmate who dug a tunnel to the nearest concentration camp fence. It succeeded, but I won't ruin the story with all the details, you will have to read it yourself! Rest assured the book is well written, and as it is told by one of the escapees himself it has a certain charm, readability and authenticity about it.

   Getting out was just the first part, the escapees still had to travel across most of Germany to reach home, right amidst the heartlessness and desparation of WW2. I found the description of the lives of everyday German people within a major war as soulful, revealing and harrowing as the concentration camp itself.

   A remarkable story, a great and uplifting novel, sure to inspire for many years to come. No mundane "political correctness" here, truthfully told and recorded with all the desperation, fear, and courageous spirit of many involved in the war-on both sides.

   There was a film also made in the 1960s I think, which was almost as good as the book, but not quite. Of similar genre to The Wooden Horse is "the Great Escape", also made into a film, but the Wooden Horse is more realisitic and better done overall in my opinion.

   Uplifts the spirit.

5 comments about As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Escape from a Siberian Labour Camp and His 3-Year Trek to Freedom.

1. A tremendous film that attempts to capture the trek made by those rounded up during Stalins collectivazation. I dont think there are any other movies that are so emotional and hard hitting as this that deals with the gulags. One of the best movies I have ever seen.



2. I was very, very dissapointed with this book. After having read the amazing story of Theodor Kröger (a German who survived not only the Tsarist prisons but also the communist gulags) I wanted more of this and so I ordered this book. But what I got was a kind of telegram-style book with so much ommisions in the story, that you wonder why did somebody write it at all. If you can't get the story right, then don't tell it. Also, this is supposed to be a non-fiction story, but the dialogues between the lead character and his captors and/or fellow-prisoners are put on paper like they were held yesterday. If you're looking for a Papillon story, you better look somewhere else. I didn't even finish the book, it was a waste of my time.



3. I found this book to be inspiring and motivational. It is the amazing tale of a daring escape and a treacherous journey across the frozen Siberian north. They only thing that disappointed me was that the ending was anti-climactic in my opinion. Just a simply amazing book, there is a reason why it has been translated in to 15 languages and sold more then 12 millon copies.



4. All the superlatives belong to this tale: remarkable, daring, unbelievable, amazing, incredible, beyond belief, extraordinary. That a person could 1. escape from a Soviet labor camp, 2. in the dead of winter, 3. from the farthest eastern point of Siberia, 4. after suffering from hunger and brutal treatment for three years, and still 5. make it home to Germany safely after another three years is a story for all lovers of survival dramas. The author expertly and faithfully chronicles Josef Bauer's account without glossing over the details of what it took to survive. I didn't come to like Mr. Bauer from this telling, however, I did feel a deep respect for his perseverance and stamina. Two other books of escape and survival that I recommend even more highly are: The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz and We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth.



5. Incredible story of survival and the will to live.