2 comments about Letters Home: The Story of an American Military Family in Occupied Germany 1946-1949.

1. Letters Home will be of interest to the history buff and especially to anyone who lived overseas in the years immediately after World War II.
   
   The military family of the title is the Kales, stationed in Würzburg, four of whose seven children attended the Nürnberg (Area) American High School, located at 19 Tannenstrasse in Fürth. "Barby" Kale was one of four seniors in the first NHS graduating class, 1948. Don and Dick Kale were underclassmen. Herbert "Bub" Kale, graduated in the NHS class of 1949. The parents were Major Samuel S. Kale, the Displaced Persons Officer for the Unterfranken area, and Julia Kale.
   
   All of the Kales wrote letters to their relatives back in New Jersey. Dad and Mom's letters are short, mostly personal, dealing with family matters. Barbie, Don, and Dick wrote only obligatory letters to their grandparents. Bub is the prolific letter writer. His letters are lengthy, filled with details, and reflect his many interests. His letters make this book historically significant.
   
   Mark Falzini, son of Barbara (Kale) Falzini and a professional archivist, summarizes the historical backdrop for the letters in Part I of the book. His ten-page account of those first school days in a dependent school will be of interest to any Military Brat, whether from those early days or from the last days in the 90s.
   
   He explains how the Kale children commuted between the town their parents lived in and the town where they went to high school, as did most of the high schoolers. Barby remembers her first dorm room in Erlangen. "There were two other girls that shared my room, and at about six o'clock in the morning, this little German man would come into our room and fix our stove--you know, stoke the coal so that it gets warmer. He used to bump my bed all the time. We had army cots with metal at the end." The families paid $2.00 per month for dormitory expenses. There was a monthly charge for meals, $1.00 per day. In Erlangen the boys ate Sunday dinner at the Kaiserhof. During dinner, a German would stroll among all the tables playing his violin. Some of the boys would put Jello on their spoons and flip them up, trying to get the jello into the chandeliers.
   
   In the much longer Part II of the book, Falzini prints the actual letters, edited only for relevance. In an early letter, Bub gives us a candid portrait of his English teacher: "Miss Leamer is a whopper. She's pretty (etc) but her looks deceive you and she's bowlegged. She laid her cards on the table the first class she had. . . . [S]he told us her pet peeves--1) using pencil sharpeners, 2) forgetting anything, 3) not doing lessons and on and on. . . . She told us that she works all weeks always but on Fri & Sat she quits and goes out and has a swell time--no matter what. She scared us to death right away--but maybe we'll learn something."
   
   In other letters, Bub tells of his bird watching (he later got a Ph.D. in orinthology), his work with the Boy Scouts in the displaced persons camps (he arranged for used Scout uniforms to be sent from the States for the Lithuanian Scouts), three family sightseeing trips (one to Belgium and the Netherlands, a second to Southern Germany and Austria, and a third to France), and much more.
   
   After returning from Holland in the summer of 1947, Bub writes, "It [was] a relief to be out of Germany. You never know how much you dislike Germany until you leave it and go see one of its neighbors! In Holland you do not feel that depressing condition that prevails in Germany, where the people are just plain poor. They have virtually nothing and they stare at you all the time no matter how many times they have seen you. . . . The Germans pity themselves, they wonder why they are starving--and are almost always angry." No, the Germany the Kales experienced was not the Germany that many later residents and visitors remember.
   
   Scholars will find Letters Home a valuable primary source. Many will find it valuable as validation of their time overseas as a Military Brat.



2. Mark Falzini, a noted and respected archivist with an expertise in the Lindbergh kidnapping case, has put into the public hands a valuable look at life in post-WWII Germany. "Letters Home" brings to view the lives of Americans living overseas during the years following the war, a glimpse of life rarely seen in other historical books and documents written about the era.

   For any American who has lived in there, these letters home will bring back vivid memories of Germany, and a fresh outlook on what families of military members went through simply to create a life of normalcy.

   Few books provide the slice of America Overseas that "Letters Home" does. For any history buff, this book is a must-have, providing eye witness accounts of a significant time in history.

2 comments about Sea Wolf: The Daring Exploits of Navy Legend John D. Bulkely.

1. This was a very riveting book. I couldn't put it down. It is a very exciting tale of a true Navy Legend and a national hero. Though there are some chronological gaps, they are minor and the author tells his story well.



2. A biography of remarkable man. From exploits in WWII to making sure our navy personel have the best equipment availible. No shortcuts under his watch. His life reads very nuch like a novel. Many adventures are more exciting than most movies. A thoroughly entertaining and educational account of a remarkable man. Bob

5 comments about Nothing Friendly In The Vicinity.

1. This was a gift to my submariner relative and to quote him "this was at least a 9 out of 10 good read. And for anyone interested in WWII subs and wasn't there, it is a definite 10."
   
   It's the story of the Guardfish, but much more. The day to day operation of the boat is explained, such as "blowing the head," (flushing the toliet) and "Qualification" (passing all the tests that earn you the right to remain on a submarine after a 6-month preliminary trial).
   
   Tragedy is blended with the comedic aspects of living on a sub and told in first-person that lends an immediacy to the action. The only complaint made by my relative "somebody should have told him (Conner, author) about the operations mistakes he made. But they were few.



2. Mr.Connor's book is boring! He recalls his experiences on the "GARDFISH" which was no "experience" at all. That's 1/3 of the book. He then shares his memories on a repair ship. Another 1/3. Then devotes the final 1/3 to the mistaken sinking of a friendly ship..the rescue of the surviors and the boring trial which followed. Don't buy this book in expectation of reading exciting missions of an US submarine..there isn't any!
   I cannot encourage anyone to buy this book.



3. Highly recommend to any one interested in WWII sub warfare. Great stories that read well, easy book to follow, and very entertaining.



4. I try to read most of the submarine books that come along and in the case of this title, I'm glad I did. The author, Claude C. Conner, wrote it for his children,I bet he's surprised to find he has so many of them! Being aimed at those uninitiated to submarine lore, the book is quite easy to read and very easy to comprehend; certainly the glossary demistifies much of the goings-on of the diesel boats of bygone years.
   
   The book is also jam-packed with thrilling stories of The Guardfish's patrols both when the author served on her and when he didn't! The book is easily read in one or two sittings as a result of the author's knack for telling true submarine adventure tales.
   
   The title alludes to an unfortunate "friendly" fire occurence, the only one during World War II in which a US fleetboat sank another US Navy surface craft. Most of the last 4 or so chapters recount some of the slickest brass hat equivocating, obfuscating and ring-knockery to be beheld in naval literature, some things in life never change!
   
   All in all, this is a terrific book, not only for it's portrayal of naval history and heroism but also for it's depiction of human nature. Pick up a copy, and when you're finished, pass it along. Or make your friends buy a copy at Amazon dot com!



5. This is an interesting book for one reason in particular. It is the only first person account of submarine warfare I know that was written by an enlisted sailor in the navy. It's well written a good story and shouldn't take long to finish.
   
   This book centers more on the personal triumphs of the people on board the submarine and less on the strategy of submarines in the war. All in all, a great account of their war patrols.
   
   As a radio nut I think it's particularly interesting that the author was a radio man in the service. I can't think of a book written by anyone in the service who played a role in radio service. As a result of mission he was in a key position to observe everything that was going with the ship and its place in history.
   
   If you liked this book you might like to find War in the Boats, Wahoo, Clear the Bridge, and Silent Running by Calvert.

1 comments about Edward A. Wild And the African Brigade in the Civil War.

1. General Edward A. Wild was one of the more controversial officers of the Civil War. A staunch abolitionist, after losing an arm at South Mountain (prelude to Antietam), Wild aided Massachusetts governor John Andrews in raising all-black fighting units. A number of black regiments were created and together were known as the African Brigade. Sent to South Carolina, Wild and his men arrived only weeks after the action at Battery Wagner that saw the heroism of 54th Massachusetts Volunteers (Colored) and the death of its leader, Robert Shaw.
   
   Wild was an unyielding defender of his black troops and their ability to be the equal of any soldiers in the army. His outspokenness and, at times, disobedience of orders, on their behalf got Wild in trouble. He hated Southern sympathizers and especially guerrilla fighters; his treatment of them was at time horrendous. In 1864 he led a raid through northeastern North Carolina against these "land pirates" (Wild's words). Sometimes prisoners taken (these might include civilians, even women, and not just soldiers) would be tortured, even hanged. Authorities North and South became outraged at Wild's actions. Eventually he was court martialed and demoted (for disobeying orders and not for his treatment of others). Suspended from the battlefield for 6 months, he returned in time to lead the XXV Corps before Richmond in April 1865. After the war Wild stirred up more controversy with his confiscation of private property in Georgia as a member of the Freedman's Bureau. The last years of his life were spent silver and gold mining, first in Nevada, then in Canada, and finally in Colombia, South America, where he died in 1891.
   
   His wife probably summoned up Wild best: "He was very heroic, he would not give up, he had a very strong will and proved it all his life." Sometimes that "strong will" got him in a lot of trouble and prevented him from seeing how his actions might be misconstrued or outright wrong. But it also made him a hero to his black troops, who saw a man willing to fight for his convictions and their rights.
   
   Casstevens presents a thoroughly researched and detailed account of her subject's life (though 90% of the book deals only with his Civil War years). The information is presented in bullet fashion: short subsections within each chapter dealing with specific events or incidents. Style is not a concern with Casstevens, only presenting the facts in a clear, straightforward manner. In that she succeeds well. The notes, bibliography, and index are excellent; the book is definitely designed for the researcher in mind.

2 comments about A Question of Honour: The Life Of Lieutenant General Valentine Baker Pasha.

1. This fascinating little book tells the life of Valentine Baker, once British General but exiled into the service of the Turkish and Egyptian governments. The story of Baker's family (his brother Samual was a famous African explorer) and his own personal travails is told against a backdrop of life in the British Army from the Crimea to Khartoum. Readers of other works on the individual battles will the find the whole story told here with a unique sense of continuity. The various adventures of British forces in the Crimea, Turkey and Egypt were not unrelated events but part of a foreign policy as complex and tortured as our own today.
   Baker's own personal story is also fascinating, and his interaction with other famous figures of the time (the Prince of Wales, General Wolseley, Gordon, Gladstone, etc.) shows them in a very revealing light. Their relationship with Baker reveals their personal side, something lacking in most history books.
   The only unfortunate thing about the book is that the author does not identify her relationship with the Baker family. One assumes she is somehow related to the subject of the book, based on it's dedication to her husband "Valentine Edward Baker". It would help to put the tale in perspective if we knew a bit more about her point of view.



2. the authour appears to be a distant relative of the subject of this book. I gave the book four stars, not because of any real "depth" to the biography, but solely because of the relative dearth of biographies of this ill-served man, Valentine Baker. for a general outline of valentine baker's life, this is a good read. however, one hopes that someone will do some serious research into the man's life and write the definitive biography of a sad, unsung hero of the late 1800s.

1 comments about In Perfect Formation: Ss Ideology & the Ss-Junkerschule-Tolz (Schiffer Military History).

1. This book discusses the philosophical basis of National Socialism, as a rejection of principles common in Western thought since the Renaissance. It focusses on the intended nature of relations of Germans among themselves, rather than the usual emphasis on relations between the German people and enemies of the state. The role of the Junkerschule Tolz in furthering this philosophy is discussed, along with a brief discussion of military training at Junkerschule Tolz. There is a nice collection of photographs of the Junkerschule Tolz.

No comments about For God and Country: Four Stories of Courageous Military Chaplains (Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)).

5 comments about Ringed in Steel: Armored Cavalry, Vietnam 1967-68.

1. I WAS IN THE SAME UNIT AS COL. MAHLER IN VIETNAM IN 70-71
   WE TRADED IN THE HEAVY/SLOW M-48 AND M-60 TANKS FOR FASTER/LIGHTER M 551 SHERIDANS WITH 152MM GUNS AND MOVED FROM DOWN SOUTH TO THE DMZ AT DONG HA. KNOWN AS THE (...) CAV..
   
   LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE BOOK.. JUST FOUND IT ON THE 3/5 CAV BLACKKNIGHT WEB SITE.



2. The previous reviewer missed the point. As an Executive Officer Mike Mahler was second in command, and often on-site commander of the unit. In this position he also had a lot of day-to-day contact with supporting and supported units. This is not a blood and guts account of fighting tanks, but one of how Armored Cavalry works. As a former Armored Cav Officer it was a great read and Colonel Mahler did a great job of explaining the complexities and challenge of Cavalry Operations. I wish I had had officers as good as he was commanding me.

   As to not ID'ing the unit, that is his choice and I will not fault him for it. Maybe he just did not want to drag up the names of dead or incompetent officers. Who knows.

   If I could I would love to talk with the Colonel one on one about his experiences. Great book for anyone interested in Armored Cavalry.




3. COL Michael D. Mahler served as the personnel officer (S-1) of the 1st Brigade/1st Infantry Division from August-December 1967 and Executive Officer of 3-5th Cavalry/9th Infantry Division from December 1967 to August 1968. The weirdest thing about this memoir is that Mahler never identifies his own unit or any other, or any individuals; everything and everyone is referred to in generic terms. It is very odd to read an account where no names are mentioned. With all this secrecy, I'm surprised that Mahler didn't conceal that this was a Vietnam memoir and instead call it "Orangeland". Essentially, this is a collection of anecdotes, war stories and observations strung together. Some are interesting, some are not. This work is lacking in humanity, since there are no characters (just generic, faceless, company commanders, platoon leaders, etc.) and there are no great lessons here. It is also odd for a non-green tabber (i.e. a unit commander) to be writing a memoir; the actual trigger-pullers might have done a better job. There is not even any of the drama of supporting a combat unit; Mahler could have gotten much more into the specifics of armor logistics but instead he just glosses over it. Overly generalized to a fault. One suspects Mahler is some kind of weenie by the end. Of note, the squadron intelligence officer (S-2) is never mentioned, so I guess intelligence and what the enemy was up to was not a big concern for Mahler. The maps are few and crude. The only slight value of this book is the paucity of other armored unit memoirs from Vietnam. This book is far inferior to Sergeant Ralph Zumbro's Tank Sergeant.



4. Major Mahler served in an Armored cavalry unit in Vietnam before and during the Tet Offensive, and here he relates his experiences during that time.

   One may not associate armor with Vietnam, but armor did play a significant role in the war, as Major Mahler demonstrates here.

   The stories within run the gamut, from the Birddog pilot shot down to the discovery of VC grains hidden along a road that the troopers confiscate, only to find that a nearby village gets pillaged by the VC because the grain was hidden along the road for the VC to take; the troopers gather enough grain to give back to the stricken villagers. There is also the tunnel that an APC falls into - and promptly unearths a surprised NVA general. There are the running shootouts during the Tet Offensive, and children accidently hit by .50 caliber machine gun fire and operated on by Army medics. There is the night an enemy company literally walks into an ambush by armor and a delightfully one-sided battle with an NVA batallion holed up in a large village, a battle that somewhat resembles the climax of Invasion USA.

   There is also Major Mahler's note on the situation on the ground following Tet - of how farmers who could not use roads the year before could now take their crops to market, "and this was progress that could be seen and felt in a war where progress could not easily be quantified."

   Major Mahler takes us to Vietnam through his words and we see what went on.




5. Having served under Major Mahler during a time covered by part of his book, I can say everthing presented in the book is accurate. The book contains a factual account of the actions of the 3rd of the 5th Armored Cavalry in Viet Nam while Major Mahler was Executive Officer. With it lack of blood and guts, or gory details, it is a book which my wife and family can read as a way of getting some insite into what my life was like during those days so long ago. For years I had wondered why our officers had kept bringing us back to the same over-night position. We came back so many times that, as expected, we were attacked in force by a well prepared NVA. Our losses were high, both in terms of men and equipment. Even as a PFC, I had known our repetative use of the same positions, right along the side of Highway 1, was potentially desasterious. Until reading "Ringed in Steel", I had placed the blame opon our officers. Major Mahler exposed the orders, given by the Marines, objected to by our officers, which dictated that our unit return to this position every night. My confidence is now renewed in the decision making capability of the United States Army Officers Corps. For an insite into how our military operates, how decisions are made, what factors enter into those decisions, this book is a must read.

No comments about An Uncompromising Secessionist: The Civil War of George Knox Miller, Eighth (Wade's) Confederate Cavalry.

3 comments about On Wits and Wind.

1. A true adventure story of a round-the-world voyage by four men and a dog on a three-masted schooner. With many ports of call and stays ashore of varying lengths to earn money to continue their journey, provision and repair the schooner's wind-battered sails, have fun, see the sights and explore remote and dangerous areas, William Ward Vicker's account of this epic voyage is a fascination. Lavishly illustrated with 161 photographs, the majority memorably captured by crew member Art Teets, "On Wits and Wind" is a unique five-star treasure.



2. We now live in a very different world than that which existed following the end of World War II. After six years of unimaginable tumult, chaos and destruction, there was a short period of time when much that survived the war but which has now passed forever away was still available to be explored and experienced.
   
   William Ward Vickers and a small group of companions - having served in the military but having never seen combat and knowing that the world and they would soon change forever - were determined to see as much of the world and learn as much as they could about themselves before the forces of change reshaped the world and themselves.
   
   In his book, "Of Wit and Wind", Mr. Vickers tells the story of an unforgettable voyage put in motion by desire and audacity and sustained by an unquenchable spirit of adventure and resourcefulness. He tells it in the first person - and in his telling of his story - it is easy to forget that you are reading words on a page and to feel instead that he is there with you as his tale unfolds - a master storyteller spinning a yarn that enthralls and ultimately exhilarates as you realize that every word of the yarn is true.
   
   The book is handsomely illustrated with photographs that document the various - and at times unbelievable - stages of the voyage and is a wonderful history of places and peoples that are now long gone.
   
   Do yourself a favor and sign on for a weekend with the crew of The Cal - you will be very glad that you did.



3. Unbelievable! When reading this book, the stories and anticipation as to what is going to happen next will leave you questioning whether your reading fiction or non-fiction... yet the story is true! I loved the book since it depicted a crew of 6 relatively inexperienced sailors who embarked on a circumnavigation knowing they did not have sufficient money to complete the voyage. These men were truly risk takers when it came to finances, storms, cannibals, etc... If you like adventure, you'll love this book! Five stars!