2 comments about A Doctor Looks at War: My Year in Iraq.

1. My husband is retired Air Force and I a military wife for more than 20 years so I think we enjoyed this book more than anyone outside of the military or medical would. Well written and appreciated the lack of gutter language!



2. I looked forward to reading this book, having read a number of books on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, from both the troop and medical perspective. What I felt overshadowed this book was the heavy Christian leanings. I'm not one to argue one's belief or faith but it came across (and I later noticed on the back cover the subtext:War, military, Christian Life, General) heavy handed [for me]. Some may gain more from this book than I did and I certainly salute Dr. Hodges service and sacrifice his family had to make. I only wish it was broader based to really reach a wider audience.

5 comments about Back in Action: An American Soldier's Story of Courage, Faith and Fortitude.

1. Rozelle's book protrays an interesting story about his personal journey. Well worth the read.



2. CPT Dave Rozelle is a true hero and American Patriot. This amazing true story is a must read for any of the War on Terrorism's many critics. Whereas many in our great country sit back and point fingers at those making decisions and fighting overseas, CPT Rozelle is actually doing his part. It's easy to sit on the sidelines, but Dave has fought, been severely wounded, and fought again. He now commands amputees at Walter Reed, getting them in shape to fight again. You can't help but feel even greater respect for our men and women in uniform after reading this one. CPT Rozelle and his men are true Americans, and need to be acknowledged by reading this book.



3. This book was tough for me. As a military wife I was drawn to Capt. Rozelle's story. However, his book didn't live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, Capt. Rozelle is to be commended for all that he has accomplished and all that he is still accomplishing. The problem, for me, was that in his attempt to show the military in such a great light he came off as somewhat unrelatable. During the first part of the book, he seemed unable to show any sort of failure or flaw. It wasn't until after his injury that he let the reader see his humanity. He finally told stories of how he let himself down and how he eventually picked himself up and went forward. My only gripe is that he failed to show this same side of himself in the earlier portions of the book.



4. If you believe that troop-morale is low this book should change your mind. I've heard Capt. Rozelle on Laura Ingraham's show telling his story and each time I hear him I'm more confident, proud and optimistic about what we're doing in Iraq. Rozelle provides great insight on what's really going on and is highly critical of the poor press coverage of the War in Iraq.



5. I was eager to read Capt. Rozelle's book and compare with others by combat veterans from previous conflicts as far back as the American Revolution. Though the Captain has been exemplary in his actions as a soldier, and in his determination to overcome his disability, I was dissapointed and offended by the use of profane and vulgar language in the text. I realize the useage is common in the military, (I am a veteran myself), but it is never appropriate in an historical text to be read now and for generations to come.
   
   I am also dissapointed in Regnery for not providing better editing.

3 comments about Down South: One Tour in Vietnam.

1. I have read a lot of Vietnam war paperbacks. Hardwick did a good job for his first book, and I generally enjoyed the read. However, there are many of these books in the book stores. This is the first one that I have read which takes the point of view of a forward observer for arty. I learned some new perspectives from his point of view. Generally in all these books, America puts its young men (and women) at risk. We need to be careful if these policies are just.
   
   Hardwick came to hate the war. He did some pretty stupid things in the war. One was targeting the farmer with bombs. The farmer and his water buffalo may have been in restricted territory, but that didn't give him the right to drop a bomb on him. Hardwick came to realize the hopelessness of this war. An OK read of the Vietnam War.



2. This is a must read for all individuals. For those of us who did not serve in Viet Nam, this book puts you on the front line. Very well written, I couldn't put the book down.



3. This is the single best book I have read yet of the Marine experience in Viet Nam. Hardwick does an outstanding job of communicating the episodes of sheer terror that punctuated the more routine aspects of his tour. Uncommon valor is described as unremarkable, a refreshing change from the current political diatribe.

5 comments about Commander in Chief: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, His Lieutenants, and Their War (Bluejacket Books).

1. This is one of the best written studies on Roosevelt's commanders in WWII. It is detailed and interesting without being wordy. Great read for any WWII buff.



2. I picked this book up not by choice in the beginning. I had to have it for a WWII class; I thought the book was going to put a strain on my already hectic schedule. Not the case at all.
   
   This book was outstanding and Larrabee did an excellent job showing the mental, physical, and emotional strain on our leaders. The book is written in profiles so the book started with FDR and worked its way to Lemay for the ending. The profiles do not have to be read consecutively. The profiles were great descriptions with the Vandergrift profile being my favorite. Larrabee did an excellent job describing the Marines battles through their leader General Vandergrift. The profile on FDR showed that he had more strengths than weaknesses. The only apparent weakness being his health. Larrabee does an excellent portrayal of all the leaders and seemed a bit put off by Macarthur. Macarthur's profile was definately the most damning one in the book.
   
   I agree with the one review that says this book should be read. This was a time when our country was united as one. Larrabee also does an excellent look at the Japanese command in the book. He has an in depth history of the Chinese Burma theatre. The book is a great starting point with WWII because the foundations are laid in leadership. Larrabee shows that the war was one with the competence of many great leaders during that time.
   
   He also lead me to ask myself one question. Could FDR run his type of war in present time. I mean he did intern and imprison thousands of Japanese on the West Coast that had done nothing at all. He attacked Germany who never attacked the U.S. It was Japan who struck us on Dec. 7, 1941 not Germany. FDR saw the impending danger of Hitler and struck his head before there was a chance for attack. Maybe History needs to be read more often so future mistakes are not based on lack of knowledge. Also Larrabee shows that FDR did have enemies and the Chicago Tribune leaked a war plan against the Japanese. Thank God the Japanese did not heed this plan.
   
   Larrabee shows there is always opposition against our leaders. FDR had the fortitude to stand up for what he believed and protect the world. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership or WWII.



3. I purchased this book many years ago when it was first published, but only recently got around to reading much of it. I was extremely impressed at the author's critical analysis of the major players. In terms of detailed biographical sketches and rigorous organization, it lapses from time to time and often spends several pages in diversions about subordinates. What was particularly strong about Commander in Chief, however, was the perspectival discussions on the talents and importance of individual flag officers. I was particularly impressed with the discussion of Eisenhower which was the best I've seen. Larrabee actually gives him more praise and regard than his own son did in the recent Ike: the Soldier. For once, Eisenhower comes across as a powerful and commanding figure in his own right, rather than as a fortunate protege of General Marshall. Indeed, Larrabee explains in a perfectly plausible fashion why Eisenhower was a better choice for overall European command in 1944 and beyond. Although it does tend to wander at times, Commander in Chief is finely written and makes for enjoyable, informative reading. I recommend it highly.



4. Eric Larrabee not only gives the facts about these men and what made them tick, he backs it up with real OFFICIAL memoranda from the time, often from more than just 2 or 3 sources. His study of Douglas MacArthur is outstanding. What MacArthur apologists won't tell you is that this book is required reading at all US military academies. It should be required in all high schools as well. Well written, well done!



5. This is the best book written about the story of World War Two from the perspective of the American military commanders. It won an award from the Society of American Historians called the Francis Parkman Prize for historical excellence. This book is a World War Two classic. You will not find a better one-volume profile of the American commanders in WWII.
   
   Roosevelt was great at picking the right people for the right positions, such as George Marshall, five star general. In Washington D.C., he was the overall commander of the United States military during the war (and later Truman's Secretary of State). His work was superb and, no doubt, ranks him among the greatest American leaders ever. Read about him in the book.
   
   Many expected that Marshall would be given command of the D-Day invasion (and all it's glory), but when Roosevelt told Marshall that he was thinking of hand-picking Dwight Eisenhower and asked Marshall for his advice, leaving the door open for Marshall to lobby FDR, Marshall dutifully told Roosevelt that he should do only what he thought was best for the country. Roosevelt then moved immediately to appoint Eisenhower. It was a great moment of self-sacrifice for Marshall.
   
   The information in this book on Eisenhower is even better. Read about it in the book.
   
   Another great leader that FDR hand-picked was admiral Ernest King, a tough, demanding and resourceful leader. Roosevelt elevated him to commander of the United States Navy shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, and King proved to be the ideal man at the right time. King was the first aviator to obtain command of the navy, and carrier warfare would emerge as the key to naval warfare during the conflict.
   
   But the best part of this book is how the American commanders led America to victory in World War II. This is great history. It looked very uncertain for years. All of them, including FDR, did a great job. Read the book.

5 comments about Home Fires Burning: Married to the Military-for Better or Worse.

1. As with Tanya Biank's book about Fort Bragg, Houppert is getting criticisms that sound suspiciously the same: supposedly this book is unpatriotic, untrue, and, since she has a connection to the military life, clearly the author has some emotional issues she's trying to deal with -- oh, and she should supposedly "take her own advice" and "suck it up".
   
   Except (did the critics read this book? or just scan other reviews?)... at no time do I recall the author suggesting advice that amounted to "suck it up" -- quite the contrary! She has made a very articulate argument that, instead of attempting to get wives on board through "hearts and minds", so as to keep their husbands to stay in the all-volunteer force... that the military should improve pay, housing, child care, and make it a viable place for families to thrive.
   
   She makes a great point that utilizing spouses as unpaid volunteers in key roles not only thwarts their careers (a place where they can gain confidence and community while their husbands are away), but also precludes a professional staff that could do a more thorough and regular job. Having seen what a mess our own family readiness group was due to poor volunteer leadership, I heartily agree. And by the way, she is very complementary about the work of the mortuary affairs and public affairs officers.
   
   Strangely, the negative reaction to this book perfectly proves the point Houppert is trying to make, which is the pressure families and individuals feel to make the official military position their personal position. A book that parrots the accepted "truths" about family readiness, unit and community cohesion, and the sacrifice military personnel and their families make -- would be accepted glowingly and without hesitation. Again, if our military is fighting for our freedom of speech, of thought, of assembly, why so threatened that someone might not agree? For instance, in one chapter of the book, a wife is upbraided by friends when she admits she has issues with the war in Iraq - even though her husband shares her doubts. She is told by one friend, "I can't say anything because he is a soldier by heart and soul and wants to be there." ... the wife notes, "It's as if she won't allow herself an opinion because it might not be the same as her husband's!" But isn't her husband risking his life for our freedoms, like freedom of speech?
   
   I'm a former military wife, with extended family in three - count 'em - three of the five uniformed services. I have had friends in the other two. I also recognized many of the situations in the book, because either I'd experienced them, or I knew others who had. I have a young relative who is already struggling to manage her passionate love for her career and her husband, with her concerns about the shoddiness and isolation of her base. I only wish that the book had come out before we left the military; I found it heartening. I'm going to send it to my relative in hopes it might help her.
   
   I'm thrilled that some women have found military life to be the great love of their life, but it is often a complex juggling game for most of us, and disillusioning for others. That doesn't mean those who dislike the life are weak, inferior, wrong, or whatever. In describing this world, Houppert's words were well sketched, sensitive, and clear.



2. I only made it halfway through this book and I do not like it at all. At first I found it interesting, as I like reading about the experiences of other military wives. I was a Soldier before I was an "Army wife." It is an awkward role for me, and I am still trying to figure out my place. However, I am very familiar with the other side of the fence and have come across several instances where Houppert gets it all wrong. She paints an inaccurate picture of military life. Post is not some fabulous wonderland where we all get free education, free swimming lessons, and cheap gas. Okay, gas might be a couple of cents cheaper than it is off post. At the gas station on our installation the lines are really long most of the time, the pumps are really slow and several of them are typically out of order. At our last duty station the gas station closed at 1700 every M-F and all day on the weekends. Where we are stationed, our son's swimming lessons aren't free. Lessons and pool passes cost just as much on post as they do at the Y, for both Soldiers and their dependents. The movie tickets are pretty cheap, but the movies are pretty old and the theater is NOTHING like one you'd go to out in town. You're better off going to the dollar theater off post. Tuition assistance and reimbursement are only for Soldiers. The Army's not footing the bill for the whole family's education. Child care is subsidized and the day care center here is one of the absolute best. I have seen really nice gyms on some installations, but the ones where we are now leave much to be desired. We had better gyms in tents in Kuwait than we have here. The Army Family Team Building classes are definitely NOT mandatory for Soldiers, and I have never been encouraged to take them as a spouse. Fortunately, various counseling services are free, but the majority of us do not require them. We're not a bunch of financially irresponsible druggies and alcoholics whose marriages are falling apart.
   
   For our family and so many others, the military works. There are good days, bad days. Good assignments, horrible assignments. The experience varies for every person and every family. One book, written by an author who is obviously biased and does not have her facts straight, cannot begin to tell the stories of the families who choose to make the military their life. I would not recommend this book for anyone, military spouse or otherwise. It will leave you misinformed and possibly frightened, depending upon your familiarity with Army life. Your best bet is Jacey Eckhart's "The Homefront Club." Eckhart offers good advice and a realistic outlook, based upon her own experience.



3. As a military spouse for over 10+ years, and having been in the position as an "outsider" and "insider", having survived deployments living off-post, having been involved in "good" FRG's and "bad" FRG's, having gotten the call that my spouses plane had to make a "forced landing" or had "been injuried", you can easily say I've "been there done that". Consequently, I can relate either personally or through the experiences of other spouses I know to each individual interviewed for this book.
   
   Having said that, I find the book to be extremely subjective and one-sided. I can't help but feel that the author is excerising pyscho-self analysis to reach the root of or "cure" her own misgivings about her personal experiences as a military child.
   In some shape or form each woman's story is overshadowed by her own experiences all of which are portrayed in a poor light.
   
   Military life is like life in any other society- you take the good with the bad, you adjust and overcome. All societies have issues that could use some improvement, and all societies also have thier high points or areas of perfection if you will. The United States military has worked extremely hard over thier 200+ year existance to exceed and reach perfection in all areas especially those of the families. This is LIFE in general. Personally, I think the author should follow her own advice which she so often quoted in her book, "suck it up". Military life is what you make of it.
   
   As a military "career" spouse, the only enjoyment I received from the book was the mention of places I've been or bumper stickers that I own, and not on a mini-van, thank you!
   
   And with the exception of a few years that I CHOSE to be a stay-at-home mom, during a time of deployment, I have always held a career oriented job and have never been on the receiving end of any type of critism, etc. from Command for working outside of the home.
   
   This is not a publication I would ever consider recommending to a new spouse, as the "true" story of how a spouse keeps the home fires burning is overshadowed with the authors personal "smoke".



4. Home Fires Burning really does look at military family life for better or for worse. Ms. Houppert does not sugarcoat the life of the military spouse like so many other books do, nor does she claim that military wives have made their own bed by choosing to marry someone in the military and therefore deserve to be unhappy. Given that such a small proportion of the population is being asked to carry the entire burden of the current conflicts - a book like this is important for civilians (particularly civilian defense leadership) to read so that they might understand the impact of the demands that conflict has on the society and way of life they claim to be protecting. I'm glad to see that Ms. Houppert is mature enough to say critical things about the military in a way that does not demean or patronize servicemembers or their families. We need more than parades, yellow ribbon magnets, and other trite penitance dished out by a complacent and disinterested civilian public. Military families need decent housing, good schools, and most importantly, the safe and speedy return of their loved ones.
   On a personal level, this is the first book I've found that acknowledges the emotions and trials of women undergoing the strains of deployment. Other books, such as the oft-reccomended "Surviving Deployment" prattle on for paragraphs about keeping a log of your daily activities (as if any woman with a husband out of the country has the time) but offer only a parched sentance that vaguely addresses the nagging fear, lonliness, and frustration- feelings which the Army culture teaches us to keep to ourselves at great cost to our marriage and our own sanity. This book was a great catharsis.



5. Upfront I have to say that I have been a military wife for almost 20 years, so I speak from a voice of experience. Ms. Houppert didn't write this as a documentary, she wrote it as a political statement. I do not have blinders on nor am I a military version of the Stepford wife, yet I found this book riddled with Ms. Houppert's own agenda. Her anti-war bias comes across very strong, yet personally I am not worried about whether she is pro or anti war, as it is her portrayal of the military wife that matters. Her one example of a successful working military wife in the beginning shadows the rest of a very dark and depressing saga. Next in line is the ONE example of a stay at home mom, a high school dropout teenage Mom who sits her developmentally challenged child in front of the television 24/7. Of course this stay at home Mom is also a self confessed soap opera addict, and it is suggested she is only staying at home because she is trapped. Then comes the horrible SECRET of domestic abuse, and stories of our guys coming home from the war riddled with questions, amputations, and the urge to kill all their loved ones. This book is a slap in the face to most military wives I have known in my just shy of 20 years experience. I know wonderful, successful working wives, and smart, gutsy stay at home wives and mothers, who are staying home because they WANT to. Our lives are difficult and have more challenges, especially with long deployments and the job we face coping with work, children, and household responsibilities with our loved one away for very long periods of time. But the truth is...we are DOING it! And doing it alot more gracefully and bravely than Ms. Houppert shows! I have never been a robot who kept my mouth shut...I know wives who don't agree with everything their Commander in Chief decides to do with their loved ones...i.e. Somolia under Bill Clinton...but we are proud of our men and women regardless. Ms. Houppert further makes her political ideology known by referring the reader to the "helpful" anti-war Cindy Sheehan promoting website Moveon.org, in the cloak of providing help for military wives and families. Yeah, right!!! We already have the help we need....each other!!!! And we are alot stronger and braver than you give us credit for, Ms. Houppert!!

2 comments about A LEADER BORN: The Life of Admiral John Sidney McCain, Pacific Carrier Commander.

1. An excellent story of one of the senior commanders of the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. It also covers a lot of the interplay between the admirals as Admiral King selected men for high command positions.
   
   This book is a lot more forgiving of King than a lot of recent history that talks instead about his refusal to institute convoys along the American coast and left it open for U-boats. Cain was a King man. He knew, worked with, supported, and in turn was supported by King.
   
   Cain also appears to have been a supurb commander, and to have instituted a great set of attributes in his children and even grandchildren. This is particularily interesting as Cain III appears to be making a decision about running for Congress.



2. A LEADER BORN: The Life of Admiral John Sidney McCain, Pacific Carrier Commander
   by Alton Gilbert.
   
   Captain Gilbert has shown a keen insight into the leadership qualities of Admiral McCain. He also captures the complex interrelationship between Admiral McCain and his contemporary Naval commanders during World War II.
   Clyde T. Turner Jr.

1 comments about The Real Guardians: Five True Stories of Coast Guard Heroes and Their Rescues in New Orleans Following Hurricane Katrina.

1. Anyone who sat glued to CNN during the aftermath of Katrina will appreciate these personal tales of rescue participation from Coast Guard personnel. Written in a casual, conversational style, this book will appeal equally to adults and young adults. It would make an excellent gift for any student considering there future career options, since the book outlines a variety of vocational choices within the organization. While showing how challenging it is to become a member of these rescue teams, it also illustrates the variety of choices which led each of these individuals to their vocation, and makes the challenge seem attainable. In this day and age, when truly valuable role models appear to be in short supply, these profiles provide a useful counterpoint to rap stars and rock bands. This book would be equally useful on the shelves of career counselors, and in classrooms studying Katrina.

5 comments about Undertones of War.

1. "A pleasant summer-evening read"? So says a negative reviewer. Huh?
   
   Undertones of War is, with those by Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves, one of the best English memoirs of the First World War (John Lucy's 'There's A Devil in the Drum' is by far the best British memoir, and perhaps the best of all time). Blunden is, however, more subtle than they. An intellectual and poet, he portrays himself as a "pastoralist at war," and pays especial regard to the sacreligious impact of war on the countryside--and life. And while his style may not provide the in-your-face appeal so dear to many American readers, it rewards the careful reader with an elegant, insightful view of the meaning of war.
   
   Yet it can also be brutally honest. Who can forget the eyeball on the duckboard?
   
   Read it while listening to Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'Pastoral Symphony' #3, which was composed behind the front lines of WWI. It goes with the book.
   
   I have read hundreds of World War I memoirs. This book remains in my top five. Take your time reading it. Ponder it. You won't be disappointed.



2. The writing is too flowery for what it is about. There are times that it is difficult to imagine that he is in a battlefield of carnage, waste, and mud rather than out on a rambuctious hunting party. He seemed to be somehwat disconnected from the fighting; he rarely mentioned his own emotions or fears and his descriptions of battle are somewhat vague. If you don't reagrd it as a book about WWI and think of it as strictly literature it can be a pleasant summer-evening read.



3. This is a great book. Unlike Seigfried Sasson's "Memoirs of George Sherston" or Robert Graves "Good-Bye to All That" or Vera Brittain's "Testament of Youth", Blunden's book has no non-war introductory chapters. You are simply in the war from the outset of the book. Blunden arrived on the scene - the Western Front - at age 19 in time for the Somme offensive of July 1916. His writing has a poetic sense to it and sometimes the beauty of nature and Blunden's recording of it appear as a wonderful counterpart to the killing and agony going on almost everywhere Blunden happened to be. Although nature doesn't make-up for the horrors of World War I with its poison gas, rat filled trenches, relentless artillery, murderous machine guns and loss of friends and comrades, it is a tribute to Blunden's mind that he could take the time and remind us of the resolute qualities of nature. It also gives us an opportunity to get a sense of what soldiers on that front may have experienced by way of gettting away from the battles and wondering how they still lived. From the Somme offensive - a terrible slaughterhouse in its own right - Blunden is moved to Ypres just in time to be part of the Third Battle of Ypres. In this battle the blunders, the rain, the mud, the death, the confusion are everywhere on display. Fortunately Blunden survived it all and was able to chronicle this sad, sad war in a most poetic manner.



4. I was inspired to read this book by a visit to the Thiepval War Memorial this past Spring.
   
   During World War I, Blunden served as an officer in the Royal Sussex regiment. He fought through the war to its end, serving in the battles of both Ypres and the Somme.
   
   Undertones of War is the memoir which he wrote about that period.
   
   Delicately written and insistent, Undertones of War focuses on both the nostalgia for the countryside left behind and on the deep sorrow of trench warfare. It is a lovely and haunting little memoir. The Penguin edition is bound with a selection of Blunden's poetry. This works well for the overall effect of the book.
   
   Recommended, particularly for those with an interest in World War I or military memoirs.



5. Right up there with Graves' Good-Bye To All That, Undertones takes you right into the trenches of the Western Front. I re-read every few years.

5 comments about To Fly and Fight: Memoirs of a Triple Ace.

1. When I first bought "To Fly and Fight", I expected a book mainly about World War II aviation. Instead, there was much more. Colonel Anderson has a great amount of experience in many aircraft since World War II, as well flying F-105s as the 355 TFW commander at Takhli RTAFB in Thailand in 1970. If you are a military aviation buff, this book is a must



2. This is a well-written memoir which covers a great deal of World War Two combat flying and ranks among the best books on that theatre of war that I've read -- and believe me, I've read an awful lot of them. The writing style is simple yet evocative and we quickly move from the author's training days to the moment when he first meets an enemy plane in combat. What I particularly appreciated about the book was the focus on Anderson's family and the stresses they suffered and the continual reference to the brutality of war and the number of the author's flying colleagues who died. The World War Two reminiscences end about two-thirds of the way through the book and then we have to wade through perhaps too much about his post-war experiences as a test pilot, a desk-bound bureaucrat and then a commander in the Vietnam war. But do buy the book for the World Wat Two material alone, which is excellent.



3. Although this book has a different feel to it than the book to which it will invariably be compared, namely Chuck Yeager's "YEAGER" autobiography, I must say it stands on its own feet without any apologies. In this book, Anderson details a life full of accomplishments and adventure.

   The chapters that focus on his World War II exploits are clearly the most interesting, although his post-war adventures (including missions in Vietnam) were entertaining in their own right. My only complaint is that he did not write more about this period of his life. It seemed that Yeager's book was a bit more balanced in that he covered his career from beginning to end with an even hand. Anderson (or his publisher) chose not to do so, and that is unfortunate, for I am sure there is much to be learned from this period of his remarkable life.

   Despite these minor shortcomings, this one is definitely worth a look. The beginning may be slow to some, but keep going. It is well worth it.




4. I found "To Fly and Fight" to be an excellent biography of man who grew up with an intense love of flying, and who fulfilled his dreams. The book chronicles his growing up in the rural foothills of Northern California, and his growing love of flying. It gives a very personal accounts of his early days days with the Army Air Corps from training to activation in England. I enjoyed the accounts of his early friendships and escapades.

   The descriptions and events as a P-51 pilot flying in the ETO are first rate. The first chapter grabs hold of you and doesn't let go with his account of a high altitude duel with an ME-109. It is a classic. He describes many of his combat missions and describes his growing friendship with Chuck Yeager. The story of his final mission with Yeager is priceless.

   The book also includes some revealing sections about his tedious days as a recruiter and several stints with the Pentagon to heady days as a Test Pilot at Wright Field and later at Edwards. He also gives us some excellent insights into his days as a Squadron Leader flying F-86's in Korea and a Wing Commander flying F-105's from Okinawa and Thailand during the Vietnam Conflict.

   I had the opportunity recently to meet Col. Anderson and his lovely wife Ellie. We spent several hours together discussing his flying days. It was a real priviledge. He is truly a humble man but has that touch of steel of man who has lived through a lot. He is still a hearty and it's great to think of him still tearing up the skies at Air Shows flying the Old Crow along side Chuck Yeager.

   I highly recommend "To Fly and Fight" to all WWII aviation enthusiasts.

   ...




5. As an avid reader of World War Two History. And being a Viet Nam Veteran; I found this book to be a most fascinating history; Of "Not Only the Man"; But his recollections of his life growing up oin Rural California in the 1930's & 1940's. His enlistment in the Army Air Corp; And his experiences in England during the war. This is "No dry" mundane slow reading military text book. Colonol Anderson, tells of his love for flying and his vivid discriptions of Europe during World War Two; Help the reader to picture what it was like for an average guy; Who has a love for flying and trying his best to stay alive in a extremly hostile environment. He does not dwell on the sadder aspects of war. But trys to explain how he learned to cope with these stressors; And still fullfill his dream of flying. He also go's to great lengths to discuss the other aircraft he had flown. His adventures in P-39's and T-6 Texans. I found his book to be non-judgemental; But very fair to all the persons good and bad that he had come to know in his life. He only briefly discusses his flying career during the Viet Nam Conflict. But then this book was not written with Viet Nam in mind solely. This book is about the man; His love of flying.

   I found this book to enlightning; refreshing; funny; sad; extrordinary; And written with a smooth tempo and hums along like the engine of a P-51 Mustang. The Book and the Man are unseperable. He takes you up in his Mustang with him through his rememberences. And brings you home to the runway just as a good pilot would do today. I would recommend this book to anyone who has not only an intrest in World War Two. But an intrest in a "Great Man" who lived an extrordinary life. Fighting for all of us; Flying for all of us. This man is a "TRUE"; American Hero.

5 comments about Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union.

1. Like his companion book, Life of Johnny Reb, this book looks at how soldiers were recruited and kept by the Army. The Union had the advantage of an army already in being but its expansion to meet its wartime needs changed the very nature of the Federal Army. This is a fine book and one that any real Civil War buff should have.



2. Just as informative about the life of the Common Soldierwho served in the Northern ranks as his book The Life of Johnny Reb is of the soldier who apposed him thoughcleary better developed by the author's experience.
   
   Very informative. Very well written.
   
   A must have for anyone interested in the Civil War.



3. Bell Irvin Wiley (1906-1980) enjoyed a distinguished career as a professor at the University of Mississippi and Emory University and as the author or editor of over 20 books on the Civil War. His "The Life of Billy Yank: the Common Soldier of the Union" (1952) is, together with its companion volume "The Life of Johnny Reb, the Common Soldier of the Confederacy (1943), Wiley's best-known work. It presents an outstanding history of the day-to-day life of the soldier in the Union Army.
   
   As Wiley stated in the preface to the book, his focus was "social rather than military". The book offers little of the military history of the various Civil War campaigns and little of the political aspects of the War. Rather, Wiley discusses soldering in the Union Army in all its detail and drudgery. It is an indispensable source for those wishing to understand the Civil War. The book would be of interest as well to reenactors wishing to get inside and recapture life in a Civil War Army.
   
   The book is well-researched and documented. It draws upon the letters and diaries of innumerable Union soldiers, both published and unpublished and on other first-hand accounts. Much of the discussion is anecdotal, but Wiley makes good use of census and statistical data as well. The book is clearly written with an obvious empathy for the life of the Civil War soldier. The book leads the reader beyond its specific subject and encourages reflection of the Civil War, its terrible human cost, and its continuing importance to our country.
   
   Wiley begins with a discussion of the recruitment process into the Union Army following the attack on Fort Sumter. The book gives a good picture of the complex relationship between state militia units, the regular army, the volunteers and the draftees -- the various units that uneasily combined to form the Union army. Bell discusses -- in a subject that continues to fascinate historians -- the motivations of the soldiers who served in the conflict. In particular, he discusses the Emancipation Proclamation and considers the extent to which Emancipation was or became a goal for a large number of Union troops. Wiley sees the many sides of this question, and the issue remains one that is vigorously discussed.
   
   The book describes well the rigors of training and camp life, the diseases and unhealthy living conditions which plagued the army, the boredom and enforced routines, the bad food, temptations to vice, and experience of combat. There is excellent material in the book on the organization of the Union Army. Much of the material in Wiley's study is either presupposed or otherwise not covered in other well-known studies of the military of political history of the War. The book considers the morale and fighting spirit of the men and how it varied with the fortunes of war and with the support of people at home. Again, anticipating more recent studies, Wiley discusses the ambiguous, complicated relationships that developed during the War between the Union troops and their enemies in gray. This relationship, and the instances of fraternization during the midst of a total conflict, presaged the way for reconciliation, at long last, at the conclusion of the conflict. There is a brief discussion in the book of women soldiers who enlisted in the Union army and sometimes managed to avoid detection. This subject too has received much recent attention and it is interesting to see Wiley deal with it in his early account. The book ends with reflections on the way in which the Civil War helped forged the United States into a nation.
   
   This is a study that wears its age well. It will bring the reader face-to-face with the life of the Union soldier during our nation's greatest combat.



4. Bell Irvin Wiley seems to have been the first historian/writer to realize that the Civil War was not just about Lee, Pickett, Grant or Stuart or any of the other guys with stars on their shoulders. The real truth about what happened on those battlefields had to do with the guys in the tattered uniforms and the rotted shoes, trying to fight with defective rifles.
   As in his companion book, "The Life of Johnny Reb", "The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union" is an unflinching look at the constant struggles of a Union soldier. This is a very sobering account, and some of the letters the soldiers wrote home are nothing short of heartbreaking. This is a truly admirable account of men who were more than common soldiers. I believe they were really common heroes.



5. The late Bell Wiley had an advantage that many researchers of the Civil War did not have: FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS FROM THE VETERANS THEMSELVES. Starting his research in the 1940's, Wiley was able to interview the aging veterans of the War. You can imagine what was going through these warriors minds as they recalled their past. Wiley also spent countless hours combing through letters, diaries, official documents and other papers to get his facts. Billy Yank tells the story of the Union soldiers as few have been able to capture. It covers more than just what the soldier wore, ate, used, etc. From his reasons for fighting, opinions of Lincoln, emancipation (pro AND con) officers, the Southern people, the topics are well covered. Reenactors of the conflict would benefit from this book. This is a gold mine of information for the "first person" impression. Even Southerners will gain insight into their former foes.