3 comments about Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power (Midland Books: No. 180).

1. The book was pretty much what I expected, but there were some bits of information that I had never read before.



2. "Billy Mitchell: Crusader For Air Power" by Alfred F. Hurley (Professor of History, University of North Texas, publisher of `Air Power History, and a retired USAF Brigadier General) is the biography of the pioneer aviation visionary Billy Mitchell (1879-1936) whose contributions to modern military develop simply cannot be underestimated. The subject of a court-martial in 1925, Brigadier General William `Billy' Mitchell has been celebrated in books, film and television before. But Alfred Hurley's biography of this influential general goes beyond the more sensational aspects of a controversial military career to provide a fuller and more complete picture of the man who dropped out of college in 1898 at the age of 18 to enlist in a volunteer regiment of the army and fight against Spanish forces in the liberation of Cuba, was an avid horseman and hunter, and became the youngest Army captain at the age of 24, and the youngest member of the General Staff at the age of 32. Enhanced with the inclusion of an appendix, notes, bibliography, index, and historic photos, "Billy Mitchell: Crusader For Air Power" is an impressive and strongly recommended addition to community and academic library Military History, Aviation History, and American Biography collections.



3. As an Air Force officer, I read this book because I wanted to learn more about Billy Mitchell and also because it was on the Air Force Chief of Staff recommended reading list.
   
   The book fulfilled my expectations of being a very good introduction to Mitchell and it heightened my appreciation for this amazing airpower visionary. I only gave it 4 stars because it was at times difficult to follow and not exactly a "page-turner." It was, however, very short (less than 200 pages) and thus a fairly quick read.
   
   Before reading this book I didn't know much about Billy Mitchell except that he was old enough to have been around since before there were airplanes and the fact that he was court-martialed. After reading this book, I learned the following on this remarkable airpower pioneer (all of this was amazingly done in the early to mid 1920's):
   
   1. Since World War I, he pushed for a separate Air Force to operate under a new Department of Defense, which he also pushed for. He wanted the Air Force, Army and Navy to all have equal footing under this yet non-existent DoD. This he pushed very hard and was what eventually got him court-marshaled.
   
   2. He was the first one to stress the importance of airpower in future conflicts and basically said that whoever had air superiority would also control the ground.
   
   3. He mentioned having 60% of the force as fighters to gain and maintain air supremacy, 20% strategic bombers, and 20% recon planes.
   
   4. He wrote doctrines on strategic bombardment and stressed, as his Italian counterpart Giulio Douhet originally did, that air forces must target the enemy's vital centers and their capabilities to wage war - factories, fuel, railroads, headquarters, ammo dumps, etc. This went against the early uses and thoughts on airpower - to be used to attack enemy frontline forces only.
   
   5. He foresaw the importance of aircraft carriers and the role they would play in the next conflict.
   
   6. He visited Japan and reported that war with Japan was inevitable. He also posited that the Japanese would attack the US from aircraft carriers and would hit Wake Island, the Philippines, and then finally the islands of Hawaii.
   
   7. He visited Germany and reported back that the Germans were still "militaristic" and that war with Germany was inevitable in the next decade or two. He noted the Germans heavy investment and interest in aviation and foresaw the usage of airpower in the coming Blitzkrieg.
   
   8. He was one of the first to realize the strategic importance of Alaska as a future US state due to it's proximity to Russia, Japan, and the other Pacific islands. He proposed stationing strategic bombers and fighters there - a vision that would be fulfilled in the Cold War. The same can be said for Mitchell's recognition of Guam as a strategic staging island for US bombers.
   
   Nearly all of his predictions would come eerily true in the decade or two after his death in 1936.
   
   The author also handled the court-marshal in a balanced way, in my opinion. He conveyed to the reader that although Mitchell's ideas were revolutionary, and ultimately mostly correct, the means he used to get his point across were less than professional.
   
   Overall, a good read for anyone interested in the origins and development of airpower.

2 comments about The Autobiography of a Seaman.

1. The autobiography of Admiral Lord Cochrane was first published in 1860, the year Cochrane died at the age of 85. Richard Woodman has added an introduction to the present edition. Cochrane only covers the period of his life up through 1814 when he was 39. Consequently, he covers nothing of his later career in Chile, Brazil, and Greece; nothing of his reinstatement in the Royal Navy; and nothing of his immediate family other than a brief account of his marriage to Kitty Barnes (about 20 years younger than Cochrane) by whom he had 5 children.

   Autobiographers always have a bias as the authors are presenting their side of the case (see, for example, Bligh's "Mutiny Aboard the H.M.S. Bounty"). While presenting the details of his early naval career, the main thrust is his campaign against corruption in the Admiralty Courts, the Royal Navy, and the Government in general. Some accounts are almost like comic opera, e.g., the Admiralty Court in Malta.

   Cochrane's service commanding the Speedy from 1800 to 1801 has been fictionalized by Patrick O'Brien in the novel "Master and Commander" in which he replaces Cochrane with the fictional James Aubrey. All the major details are the same, but O'Brien added considerable color to the account.

   Like many good military commanders, Cochrane lacked tact and was not a diplomat. He was promoted to command the Speedy at the age of 25 without having the experience to deal with the protocols of the Royal Navy. He could best be described as a loose cannon. He was unwilling to compromise when a little tact, a closed mouth, and a small amount of back scratching would have achieved major results. His lack of diplomacy caused others to reject well thought out plans simply because he proposed them. Cochrane damaged others around him simply by trying to be their champion, undoubtedly being responsible for Parker's ruin - people in power who Cochrane had offended would naturally take it out on his proteges.

   While not great literature, the autobiography is both a good account of naval service from 1793 to 1809, and a good first-hand account of corruption within politics and the government. The writing style is somewhat like Churchill's history of World War II.




2. Readers familiar with Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series will immediately recognize the source of many of those novels in Admiral Lord Cochrane's "Autobiography of a Seaman."

   Admiral Lord Cochrane was born into a noble Scots family whose fortunes had declined by the time of his birth (1775). Through family connections, he secured a berth as a midshipman at the age of 17 on a British man-of-war in the early years of the Napoleonic Wars. Thereafter, he rose through the ranks of the British navy on the strength of several truly daring and remarkable attacks, capturing or destroying many French and Spanish vessels in a small sloop, and later, a frigate.

   This book tells the stories of those triumphs.

   The romantic aspect of the Napoleonic era is here too, and the tales abound with numerous examples of the dubious military notions of honor among combatants. Moreover, Cochrane moved in the highest circles of the navy and government, and it is surprising to see many prominent names in naval history, (e.g., Admiral Nelson, Captain Bligh) appear casually in these pages.

   Lord Cochrane's exploits - at sea, in politics and in business - are clearly the source of O'Brian's Jack Aubrey. However, whereas O'Brian presents his tales in a highly-polished narrative style similar to Jane Austen, Cochrane croaks out his stories with bombastic self-apology, and delivers the narrative in a choppy and archaic military style, viz., by attaching copies of his despatches to superior officers to explain the events.

   Anyone interested in naval warfare or anyone who likes a good adventure story should read this book. Napoleon's characterization of Cochrane as "le loup des mers" is well deserved. It is unfortunate, however, that Cochrane did not spend more time at sea. The last 100+ pages of this book (except for a trip to Malta) are tedious. Cochrane, perhaps at the peak of his career as a naval officer, became embroiled in reform politics, the court martial of a superior officer, and a stock fraud trial. These three episodes ended his career in Britain, (although he did go on to great success in Chile commanding its revolutionary navy.) Cochrane whines and complains about the most minute details of each case in an attempt to prove his innocence. As a practising litigator, I have represented a few clients who became obsessed with two or three facts which the client believes proves his or her innocence, in the face of dozens of facts which indicate guilt. It is difficult to listen to this type of complaining, but Cochrane takes it to new heights: this autobiography, written in 1865, spends a score of pages reviewing the 1814 testimony of witnesses on whether one stock-fraud participant wore a red or a green coat. Dreary stuff.

   Readers who hope to glean some Freudian insight into his psychological make-up, or anyone hoping for a character like Diana Villiers will not enjoy this work. Although Cochrane says of himself, "my life has been one of the most romatic on record", (p.316), it is not the romance a modern reader might think. The section dealing with his marriage comprises three pages. His wife and mother are the only women mentioned, and only in passing.

   Once again, a major flaw with this, like other nautical books, is the absence or inadequacy of maps. The action at Basque Roads would be much more comprehensible if the reader knew the position of the British fleet, the French fleet, Isle d'Aix, etc.

   This book is a good read to the extent it focuses on Cochrane's naval actions, but that portion of the autobiography that focuses on politics and trials is no more interesting to readers now than it was when it was written.

No comments about Valor: A Gathering of Eagles.

3 comments about By Duty Bound: Survival and Redemption in Vietnam.

1. Thank You General Ware! - Sir!
   This book should be required reading for high school and, or college students.
   This is an amazing story of survival, and of the two men who had to over come enormous obstacles to save themselves.
   I don't want to say to much about the story. So, I'll just say Mr Ware (his title when he was shot down) and his pilot at the time they are forced down in the jungle and must find a way to survive for longer then I thought possible in that jungle.
   That being said, this is not just a war story. This is the story of a man who refused to be told he wouldn't be able to accomplish his long held goal/dream. And the opposition to his aspirations started very early in rural Mississippi.
   This much more then a war story this is lesson for all young people about how to reach those goals you have set for yourself.
   I can't recommend this book to highly. I found it hard to put down, but by the same token I hated to see it end. I will be reading again.
   General Ware has joined a small group of people I consider my heroes.
   
   91B20 1967



2. This is the most gripping suspense-filled book that I've read in years.
   I honestly couldn't put it down. And it's hard to believe that it's a true story.
   Brigadier General (ret) Ezell Ware's story will hold your interest from
   page one to the very end. His heroism and courage will inspire whether or not you're a military fan.
   I highly recommend this book.



3. Oh man! i just kind of happened on this book and real glad I bought it. He is a black officer, shot down in the jungles of Vietnam, with him is only one other person. That person HATES blacks. So they have to try to work together. Oh yeah, the racist is injured and can't walk by himself. Very good read.

No comments about Chief of Staff, Vol. 2: The Principal Officers Behind History's Great Commanders, World War II to Korea and Vietnam.

5 comments about The Last Parallel: A Marine's War Journal.

1. I first read this book when I was nineteen, I am now 55. I must have read it at least twenty times since that first time. What draws me in every time is that this author is very similar to me. We both have an approach to life that wavers between the philosophical and to finding humor in all situations. It's like you are always standing outside any situation you are in, observing it. The approach is similar to Appocalypse Now, where Martin Sheen is exposed to a bewildering array of experiences, that astound, fascinate, repel and induce deep thought trying to comprehend. Humor is the salve that prevents implosion. Standing on top of a pillbox, with the possibility of getting shot, and yelling "What, after all, is art?" is the type of goofy thing I did, and still do. When they go out on patrol, in the middle of the night, in no man's land, it is like entering dream/nightmare world. I was pleased to find an article about Martin Russ, in the "celebrity" section last page of Parade magazine, that magazine included in the Sunday paper, maybe seven years ago. Very satisfying was the revelation that Stanley Kubrick the director had optioned the book, and had spent six months working with Russ on a script. Sadly never produced. Perhaps it's better there are no-one else's big-screen visions that don't match my inner screen's take. This book has it's share of the exciting shooting stuff, but it is not the main focus. The part when they are in no-mans land, in the middle of a confused nighttime firefight, and the young liutenant is dying, in a muddy field, asking for his mother in delerium, well, that gets to me. The true essence of war. I highly recommend this book.



2. to the universe of memoirs that came out of the Korean War but like many similar books the reader is forced to wade through lots of personal rememberances and vague references to encounters with various women to find the interesting parts about serving as a combat infantryman. Perhaps a re-editing of the book to about 100 pages would help. Also I would his 'hipster' 50s style tone rather grating.



3. Russ hits the nail on the head when it comes to the boredom and then instant terror of war. The smells, sounds and foolishness of what we went through is already being glossed over by the liberal revisionists of our history. I was there, a good 11 months before Russ, and we had just come from Chosin and 1st Mar Div units were sectoring to the west. God (and a Navy Corpsman) kept me alive to at least read this narrative and comment on it. From where Russ begins his story he is right on, as scores of Marines I've talked to who were there in '52-'53 corroborate his view. We lost as many dead and wounded during his period as the Inchon to Seoul to the Yalu and back to Pusan period. As the "notebook" diary he kept was a no-no, at least he can quote times and places that I have long since refused to remember. A must-read book, along with Brady's "The Coldest War" narrated from an officer's perspective. Both books tell it as it was. In case anybody wants to store a trivia fact,
   there is no such label as an "ex-Marine". Semper Fi---



4. This is the third first-person account of the Korean War I have reviewed here during the last year (the others were James Brady, The Coldest War : A Memoir of Korea, review date May 27, 2000, and James R. Owen, Colder Than Hell : A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir. review date December 8, 2000), and I have enjoyed all three. No war is pretty, but the Korean War was especially ugly: Most of the fighting took place over cold and barren ground from World War I-style trenches; the enemy, North Koreans and Chinese, was tough and relentless; and the conflict ended in a cruel stalemate that essentially persists to this day. The author of this memoir, Corporal (later Sergeant) Martin Russ describes Seoul, the capital of South Korea, as "a huge trash heap," and the countryside as "a frozen patchwork of fields and rice paddies."

   By the time Russ arrived in Korea in December 1952, the war had been in progress for two and one-half years. Although Russ was trained to be a small-arms mechanic, he informs us that all marines underwent advanced infantry training before being sent to Korea, and he spent most of his time as a rifleman in trenches. Five days after he arrived in at his post in the field in January 1953, he wrote: "I consider it an honor to be here." It was, however, a hard life. An occasional chocolate chip cookie is balanced by "an obscene putrescence in one of the cans which is labeled `Ham and Eggs.'" According to Russ: "It is impossible to keep anything clean; showers of dirt fall each time an incoming shell lands anywhere nearby." At one point, Russ describes himself and his fellows as "bearded, filthy, and stinking." As a result, Russ writes: "The portable showers [were] a real luxury."

   The trenches of the Chinese forces were no more than 200 yards away, and firefights occurred every night. The fighting often lasted only for a few minutes (in one instance, Russ writes: "The fire fight lasted for at least five minutes - a hell of a prolonged encounter for this type of situation"), but it could be terrifying. Even when they weren't fighting, the marines were almost continuously exposed to danger. They often patrolled through heavily-mined rice paddies, looking for "line jumpers,...Korean or Chinese spies that had gotten through" the Allies' main line of resistance. The possibility of imminent combat was so great that it was, according to Russ, "mandatory to carry one's weapon when outside" at all times. On one occasion, a Chinese mortar round lands in the middle of a group of marines, and Russ reports that another marines described the scene as a "slaughterhouse." On another occasion, after "heavy assaults" by the Chinese on several successive nights, Russ characterizes the marine casualties as "appalling." Russ's crude drawings and diagrams help to illustrate the points he is making.

   Russ writes revealingly about his peers: "As a marine, one almost feels obliged to conceal any emotion except anger;" and "The average marine...hates sailors, is not averse to beating up homosexuals, and loathes civilians." It probably was inevitable that some marines would turn that anger inward, and Ross reports: "Suicide is not a rare occurrence in the Corps." According to Russ, "the men of the Corps are the most skillful killers in the world." Russ describes one instance in which a marine is killed while hunting for souvenirs, and this is the verdict of one of his peers: "He was a fool. I don't feel sorry for him; only for his folks."

   Russ's writing often is colorful, and he clearly has a gift for observation. However, like the Brady and Owen books, his account makes few references to the geopolitical struggle at the heart of the Korean War. And readers wanting to learn about the big picture of the early Cold War also must look elsewhere. But I now believe that there is considerable value in reading about the individual infantryman's experience in this or any other conflict, and Russ's battlefield memoir is one of the best from the Korean War. Thanks to Brady, Owen, and Russ, this is no longer the "forgotten war."




5. For people who want to get a good idea on what it's like to be a Marine, I think that this is a great book. The book takes the reader through not only the excitement in war, but also the mundane parts of it. Very few books that I've read do this, and I was pleased to find one that did.

5 comments about Taking Fire: The True Story of a Decorated Chopper Pilot.

1. This is one of the best vietnam-era non-fiction books that I have read. The book describes the Vietnam War experiences of Ron Alexander, who enlisted in the U.S. Army out of high school in 1963 and ended up in the 82nd Airborne Division. Later, after getting a good score on an Army aptitude test, he was invited to go to OCS school and ultimately became a 2nd Lt, then volunteered for helicopter flight school and finally became a helicopter pilot enroute to Vietnam in 1969. Once in Vietnam, he was sent to join the 1st Cavalry Division and fly a UH-1 "Huey" to transport combat troops to and from 'LZ's in combat areas. He served a 12-month tour and was promoted to Captain after 6 months in-country. Alexander recounts numerous anecdotal stories of his experiences during his 12-month stint and interlaces those with an overview of the Vietnam War. Alexander never presents himself as a gung-ho warrier but he did believe in the overall Vietnam mission when he arrived in-country. By the time he leaves 12 months later, he no longer does, although he remains in the Army after Vietnam and serves in the reserves for many more years.
   
   The stories in this book are fascinating and very well written. Alexander (and presumably Sasser) do a remarkable job of painting a picture of life at the helicopter base, the types of missions, the people, the conditions, etc, in a way that no other Vietnam War book has done. This kind of portrayal can probably only be written at a distance of many decades when the painful memories and emotions dull and an overall perspective is possible. There is no sugar-coating here, but it is a very readable depiction. One thing that comes through is the utter hopelessness of the mission. The authors describe strategic missions carried out in the early years of the war, before Alexander arrived which had, as their objective, to reduce the war-making ability of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). By the time of Alexander's arrival, however, the emphasis in Alexander's AO is on intelligence-gathering patrols, support for Fire Support Bases (FSBs), and staying alive until they could rotate home. No one believed that the war was 'winnable' or even knew what 'winning' would look like. Most of the missions that Alexander describes flying are to carry small numbers of troops into patrol areas or to extract those troops from 'hot' LZs when they have made contact with the enemy and are in danger of being wiped out by superior numbers.
   
   I was very suprised to see negative reviews on this book. The people writing the negative reviews seem to generally feel that Alexander embellished his own role and/or inaccurately depicted events they were familiar with. I found specific objections to the book at two sites:
   
   http://groups.msn.com/ApacheHeadhunters/booksonapacherecommendationsandcriticscorner.msnw
   http://www.9thcav.com/Trashing%20A%20Troop.htm
   
   Generally, though, even his critics seem to agree that Mr. Alexander was a decorated UH-1 pilot (they take issue with the moniker 'second most decorated), that he served in the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam from 2/69 to 2/70, and that he returned home under honorable conditions after serving in combat in a highly dangerous job. Alexander does not always present a flattering portrayal of the people he works with and it is understandable that some of those people thus described would disagree with Alexander's point of view. In particular, Alexander describes a fellow pilot with weak piloting skills who endangered lives on several occasions, including once when he was flying as co-pilot with Alexander and flew directly into a dead tree projecting above the forest canopy. Fortunately, the chopper was able to limp back to base. Another such person was a new Captain, recently out of West Point, who was in line to become the commander but had little understanding of operations. This individual was badly wounded by enemy fire after two weeks in-country and was sent home to a huge sigh of relief from Alexander. Alexander does not use the real names for these individuals, and others, in his book but they could certainly recognize themselves and understandably disagree with Alexander.
   
   There is no way for anyone who was not there to be an arbiter of truth for the stories that Alexander tells so well. Some of the objections of the critics seem downright silly, such as their taking offense at the racist implications of Alexander's use of the word 'gook.' Yes, the word is racist but so is 'Kraut', 'Chink', 'Jap' and the like. The word 'gook' was widely used in Vietnam and it is hard to believe that the 1st Cavalry Division didn't use it as well. What can be said with certainty, though, is that the book is extremely well done and a good read.



2. As a former Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, I could appreciate and understand where Ron was coming from. His experience paralleled mine in several ways. Recommended reading for those who want to know what a Vietnam helicopter pilot's life was like.



3. If you liked Chickenhawk, by Robert Mason, you don't have to read this book by Alexander and Sasser, because you already read the good bits, which were copied word-for-word from Chickenhawk. Check out the Wikipedia article on Chickenhawk for the low-down.



4. As the aviation columnist for the 1st Cav's newpaper, SABER, I would describe this book as bologna, for lack of a more vulgar term. "Most highly decorated American helicopter pilots of the Vietnam War" I think not.



5. One of the best true Vietnam stories in a long time. The sort of book you can't put down till you finish it.

5 comments about Going Overboard: The Misadventures of a Military Wife.

1. I, too, am a Navy Pilot's wife with 2 young children who's been through a couple deployments. I recently came across Sarah Smiley's columns and just adored them and her. I found them to be witty and honest and true to life. I expected similar from the book! It let me down. I wanted to admire her, as I did reading her columns, but instead I just got annoyed! I have had so many of the same feelings. There have been so many times I've been unmotivated to get anything done. I have felt loneliness and even helplessness. I have wanted to just check out and let someone else take care of me. But I was disappointed in how she handled those feelings. I don't want to judge her. I respect her for her honesty and her ability to express her story in such a humorous way. But it was not as inspiring for me as I had hoped. I don't think I will recommend this book to anyone, but I will definitely continue reading her columns!



2. I was so excited to read this book, especially after meeting Sarah Smiley when she was a guest speaker at a military spouses group I was a part of. However, after reading the book, I was disappointed. While I admire her honesty (although I wonder how much of that "honesty" is driven by the need to spice up the book to improve with sales"), I would be so embarrased if I were Sarah. I am a military brat AND a military wife and have dealt with my own deployments. My husband deployed when our son was just 5 weeks old and our daughter was 2 1/2. I DID NOT FALL APART!! Nowhere near!! It's difficult, yes but there's no honor in the way she behaved! I'm teetering between sympathy for Sarah and disgrace. What a mess! I really expected more from the book though! I'm glad I didn't spend much on it!



3. I love Sara Smiley! This book is so refreshing after reading so many serious or do this and not this military wife books out there. I think my experiences with military life and deployment are funny. It is what it is but I knew that getting married to my soldier. This book entertained me so much i bought it twice (one to pass around) and the other I have to keep to read again. Thanks for the great book!! HIGHLY recommended. You can find a lot of how to's and guides online but for entertainment on what it is REALLY like to be a military wife is right in the book!



4. This book was written for idiots! Should be considered a fiction novel. Don't waste your time if you want to read a book about military wives read either "Under the Sabers" or "Home Fires Burning". This author should stick to writing magazine columns.



5. Sarah Smiley does a wonderful job of relating military family life. It's great to know that there are other women and families out there who are dealing with the same everyday issues. I love that she's unafraid to put her feelings and actions out in print for the rest of us to read. It's great knowing that I'm not the only one who hates waiting at Pass and Tag or who has family and friends who have no clue about our lives as military spouses. I can't wait to read more from this entertaining writer!

1 comments about Stephen Decatur: A Life Most Bold And Daring (Library of Naval Biography).

1. Each period of history has seemed to produce a naval officer that has characterized the period. In the Revolutionary War it was John Paul Jones. In World War II it was Nimitz. During the period around the War of 1812 (which also included combat with the Barbary pirates, it was Stephen Decatur. This is his story, well written, and able to place Decatur in the story of the United States of the time.
   
   Decatur entered the navy in 1799 (well after the Revolutionary War) and served until he was killed in a duel in 1820. This was a duel that appears to be even more stupid than most. And the author goes to some effort to describe the failings of their seconds who probably could have prevented the duel from happening.
   
   During his brief career, Decatur rose rapidly in the ranks and with a combination of skill and luck was able to do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time. His promotion was fast, and he was the most famous officer of his day. His is quite a story.

1 comments about Dearest Ruthy: A Soldier's Love Letters from the Battlefields of World War II.

1. Dearest Ruthy portrays not only amazing passion for life and love, but also gives an insiders look at World War II. It's hard to believe these words are from the mouth of a young man, but it tells much of the "Greatest Generation" and of an extremely special man. I may be biased in my passion for this book, it's auther and subject, but I know this story will move any reader.