Get Rich in a Niche, by J.W. Bennett

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MWSA Review

Bennett is an expert on the laws and prcedures of security, especially in relation to security procedures in relation to military-related contracts, to providing security in businesses with Federal contracts, and security at domestic and oveseas Federal facilities.  Having publshed several books on how individuals and companies can obtain ceritfication for Federal contracts or provide security in such settings (see my related review on his INSIDER'S GUIDE to passing a security examination) Bennett now offers his advice on how a person, or firm, could use a self-published book to promote their "niche market."  Using examples like photography and steam railroad hobbying, he argues that there "is no easier or faster opportunity to build your own empire than while in a niche" market.  He does not go so far as to say that wealth and success will come quickly.  Instead, he lays out details for developing a business plan, including a budget, and then marketing your product or service with a self-published book, supplemented  by web sites and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).  As in his previous publications, Bennett explains his steps in clear and simple sentences and offers encouragement throughout -- "choose a good name for your company, pick a name that is easily recognizable and easy to pronounce."  All in all the book is comprehensive and easy to follow, and can be taken as his best example of what to do, although snappier illustrations and charts would have enhanced it. The niche market offers several possibilities for those considering their own business.  There are many competing publications out there (more than two dozen similar works turned up in a quick search on Amazon, but most are more expensive than Bennett's).   Indeed, at a very reasonable $3.99 for an electronic (Kindle) copy, MWSA members who are considering putting their own books out by self-publishing would find Bennett's advice a very useful companion to MWSA's own workshops.

Reviewed by: Terry L. Shoptaugh (2012).

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Author's Synopsis

Get Rich in a Niche shows you how to be a niche expert in three well explained steps 1. Become an expert 2. Publish your book 3. Market your book

Zarbul Masalha, by Edward Zellem

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MWSA Review

In Zarbul Masalha, Captain Edward Zellem has done an excellent job collecting and setting forth 151 Afghan Dari proverbs.  While this may be self evident with the title of the book, Zellem has done a lot more than simply collect a group of phrases.  The book is laid out in a consistent format with the proverb typed in Dari, followed by a literal English translation, and then by a line or two telling the reader what the proverb actually means.  On several pages he includes a drawing done by the students at a local high school.  Besides the collection of proverbs, the book includes a number of pages in which the author provides more of an explanation for a few of the proverbs, talks about the local high school, and a little about his experiences with the Afghan people.  There is also a collection of photographs of the school, students, and others mentioned or affiliated with the book. I liked this book, and I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Afghan culture or in the collection of proverbs.

Reviewed by: Bob Doerr (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Captain  Edward Zellem has served as a United States Navy officer for 25 years. A trained  Dari speaker, he worked side-by-side with Afghans every day for a year and a  half in Kabul and Kandahar, including a year inside Afghanistan's Presidential  Palace. While in Afghanistan he collected and used Dari Proverbs every day in  his professional life, in the streets and back alleys of Kabul, and in other  parts of the country.

He became fascinated by the colorfulness and  cultural relevancy of Dari Proverbs, and began collecting, translating and  transliterating them into English. After art students at a Kabul high school  created illustrations, his collection became "Zarbul Masalha: 151 Afghan Dari  Proverbs"

Silas Soule, by Thomas Bensing

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MWSA Review

For readers looking for a well-researched, informational book regarding the short life of Silas Soule, this book fits the bill. Silas Soule only lived 26 years, but Tom Bensing, the author has been able to dig out and put together facts that share quite the story. He begins by telling us that Silas “seems to have coped by using his wits, comedic ability, and an uncanny knack to mimic and adapt.” An interesting piece of his family’s history was that one weekly event in their lives was that of his mother reading the serialized Uncle Tom’s Cabin to the whole family. It took most of a year for the book to be completed in the National Era newspaper. This was just one of the influences for Silas’s father, Amasa, to have zealous abolitionist tendencies, which lead to their family’s participation in the Underground Railroad.

Silas Soule fought for the Union working with several companies: at times being a temporary commander. He showed his potential to his superiors. He later was named Acting Assistant Adjutant General to the District Commander. This position opened doors for him to meet many influential people. At one point in his career, he became a recruiter and created recruiting posters. Author Bensing states: “His new job was a match made in heaven for him. It allowed him to tap the outgoing, charming side of his personality as he tried to convince people to see things his way.” He was later promoted to captain in the First Colorado Division.

I cannot sum up the book better than Tom Bensing states in the epilogue: “Silas Stillman Soule experienced much of what engulfed the nation during his lifetime. The turmoil over slavery, the bloody fight in Kansas…, the fallout and sparks from John Brown’s audacious raid, the excitement of a gold rush, the warfare that would change the lives of an entire country…and the beginning of the plains war with the Native Americans…Through all of it, Silas never lost his sense of humor, his outgoingness, or the moral compass that guided his decisions throughout his brief life.”

For this 150-page book, Author Bensing includes 50 pages of endnotes and bibliography. He certainly has done the research to put together a very interesting telling of the life and times of Silas Stillman Soule. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Bensing brought in many personal facts, stories, and insights because it makes my “pill” of history go down much better. Those who follow my reviews have learned that it is only in my recent years of life that history is finally becoming palatable. Thank you, Tom Bensing, for giving me another dose of history in a form that increased my knowledge and which I was so easily able to swallow.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Silas Stillman Soule, who grew up in the decades just before the Civil War, created an unforgettable legacy in his tragically short life. This courageous young man transported slaves via the Underground Railroad, aided in the jailbreak of a doctor accused of aiding slaves, participated in an attempt to rescue John Brown's men after Harpers Ferry, and fought for the Union at the little-known but very important Battle of the Glorieta Pass. Most significantly, he refused to take part in the slaughter of Native American women and children during the Sand Creek Massacre, one of the blackest moments in U.S. history, and was the first to testify against the man who led the assault, Col. John Chivington. 

Historian Tom Bensing chronicles for the first time a comprehensive look at Silas' life, combining historical fact with human elements. The result is a fascinating snapshot of U.S. history rich with intensely researched details. Born in 1838 to an ardent abolitionist father, Silas eventually moved to Coal Creek in the Kansas Territory. His family home became a well-used stop on the Underground Railroad in Kansas, which straddled the line between free and slave states. Silas, known for his wit and charm, also showed strength of character, becoming a true hero on the frontier. Time spent in the Union army in Colorado - when he took his stand against the brutal Indian massacre - only strengthened his resolve. 

Those who only know Silas for his heroic stance at Sand Creek will be astonished at everything this Jayhawker/adventure-seeker/soldier accomplished in his 26 years. The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes continue to honor Silas today, holding a peace run each Thanksgiving. The book also reveals, in never before published detail, the life and final fate of Charles Squier, the man who ended Silas' life in a shootout. Squier, a decorated veteran, ironically received a hero's burial himself four years later.

My True Course, by Suzanne Simon Dietz

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MWSA Review

Fascinating Insights into a Monumental Time inUnited StatesHistory- Circa World War II

Dutch Van Kirk came from a small town inPennsylvaniawhere his early years were spent living as a child of the Depression. Raised near theSusquehanna River, he was an adventurous kid, as well as a river rat.

In the summer of 1940, now a young man, Dutch saw signs around town about becoming an aviation cadet. Knowing the war had started inEurope, he applied to take the “Aviation Cadet Exam.”

Van Kirk passed the exam, as well as the physical. This was surprising, as he had only one kidney. But from that time on, it seems his life course was set.

On December 29th, 1940, with theUnited States facing the advance of Hitlerism, President Roosevelt declared “I want to make it clear that it is the purpose of the nation to build now with all possible speed every machine and arsenal and factory that we need to manufacture our defense material.”

And so it was that Van Kirk, by then an Army aviation cadet, was sent to Sikeston, Missouri, at the end of September 1941, to begin flight training. Three days later, he was up in an airplane. By October 25th, he’d made 44 landings; 25 of them solo. But by December, Dutch had washed out as a pilot and was steered toward navigation.

On December 7th, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and on December 8th, theUnited States declared war onJapan. This turn of events would eventually lead the young navigator to be a part of the first atomic strike mission in the history of civilization.

It was an early morning, August 6 of 1945, when Special Mission No.13, flying in a Boeing Silver-plate B-29 Super fortress named the Enola Gay, took off from Tinian Airfield, with Dutch Van Kirk plotting the course across a vast expanse of thePacific Ocean. The mission’s purpose was to drop an atomic bomb onHiroshima,Japan, in the hopes of shortening the war.

While the horrific destruction and death that befell onHiroshimathat day was tragic, it led to the beginning of the end of the war. Dutch notes (p.487) that after Hiroshima, the Air Force dropped several million leaflets over about a dozen cities before telling them what was going to happen if they didn’t surrender. But nothing happened until the second bomb was dropped days later onNagasaki.

Finally, on August 15, Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender of the Empire of Japan to the Allies.

Today, Dutch is the last living crewman of that mission. The book contains a huge amount of personal correspondence back and forth between Dutch and family members. These letters provide great insight into day-to-day life, both home and abroad, during those difficult times.

This is an important book that adds Van Kirk’s personal footnote to WWII. It also  highlights the bravery of the millions who fought and served to bring an end to the Second World War, as well as showing the sacrifices made by those left to “stand and wait” at home.

Reviewed by: Charlen Rubush (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

He looked like the boy next door, a Depression-era kid. The now ninety-year-old gentleman with a remarkable memory and a sharp wit became in 2011 the only living crewman from the Silverplate Boeing B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, on August 6, 1945.

A debate continued for more than half a century with his former commanding officer, Paul Tibbets, until his death about how Dutch Van Kirk came to navigate the Enola Gay from Tinian to Hiroshima. The answer is part of Dutch's biographical chronicle. 

The navigator of the Enola Gay's biography is an authentic "greatest generation" story told through his unedited letters to and from home, Van Kirk's vignettes from his Army Air Corps training through Europe, Africa, and the Pacific to the first atomic strike in history.

Life on a $5 Bet, by Linda Swink & Maj. General E.J. Mechenbier

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MWSA Review

Life on a $5 bet is the story of MG Edward J. Mechenbier’s Air Force career, from before he lost a $5 bet with his father about his chance to get an appointment to the Air Force Academy, to his retirement from the Air Force as a pilot with 40 years of service.  Written with Linda D. Swink, it nevertheless is written in the first person, which gives its tale a gritty and humorous reality, letting us get to know MG Mechenbier as a person.

The book is not a chronological history, but starts with how he wound up as a Vietnam Prisoner of War, being shot down after bombing a railroad yard, and continues for the next 15 chapters on his thoughts of his life to that point while undergoing numerous incidents of torture and his life as a prisoner.  He reminisces about his birth family and the circumstances that led to his entry into the Air Force, his marriage to the love of his life Jerri, thoughts of his kids, , and his friends in the Air Force and numerous antics that determined his life as “the best fighter pilot”. After his release, the stories were still interesting as it described his life as an Air Force pilot. The last part of the book describes his life “after Air Force” as a retiree with his wife of many years, Jerri.

I really liked his outlook on life; even when at his lowest points, he managed to pull himself up and remain true to his integrity. I especially liked his description of the antics he and his fellow POWs used to surreptitiously thumb their noses at their Vietnamese captors, while appearing to be model prisoners.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of history, military memoirs, the Vietnam era, and just a plain good story.

Reviewed by: Darlene M. Iskra, (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

When Ed Mechenbier retired from the United States Air Force Reserve in June 2004, he held the distinction of being the oldest former Vietnam POW and Air Force general still in uniform on flying status.
One of eight children made attending college financially difficult. When his father bet him $5 that he could get an appointment to the Air Force Academy, Ed accepted the challenge. That decision set the course for a career that lasted forty years.

During those years, Ed went from being a high-spirited fighter pilot full of hopes and dreams to a prisoner of war, held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He lived through hell at the merciless hands of prison guards and tortuous interrogators, but never lost his sense of humor or duty to his country.

Life on a $5 Bet tells how he survived those dark days and went on to become a general officer by holding to values learned at the Academy: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Ed gives the reader a glimpse into his zany life as a test pilot, lobbyist, squadron commander, spy, member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, golfer, syndicated television air show commentator, sales engineer with major aircraft companies, devoted family man, and pilot of the C-141, dubbed the Hanoi Taxi, on a repatriation flight to Vietnam in 2004. And the world's greatest fighter pilot

Still Having Fun, by Candace George Thompson

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MWSA Review

When receiving Still Having Fun as my latest Military Writers Society of America’s review assignment, I was excited because I had actually met the author, Candace George Thompson, at the MWSA conference in Dayton, Ohio. I also enjoy reading biographies and memoirs, so it seemed a perfect fit. I imagined I’d be reading a sweet story about a family and would be “just getting to know” Rex and Bettie George and their family. Still Having Fun is more than that, however, true, it is a book about the lives of the George family, but it also brings us into the world during the 1940s and brings us up to the year 2007. My first thought was that this book might just prove interesting to people who know the George family, but this proved not to be true.

Still Having Fun proved to be a very enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening book. The letters that are included in the book bring the reader right into the family and make the story “oh-so-real.” The great thing that Author Thompson does is put her family story “into” the larger story of the world’s happenings during those times. Learning about some of the history of the Air Force is a plus to this book. The photos truly are a special addition, which helps the reader to connect to the George family.

When I finished the book, I felt as if I had traveled back in time and experienced the ups and downs shared within the book. I learned more about the world before I was around to experience it myself, and related to the times that I lived through, but Still Having Fun, opened my eyes to what other families, namely our military families dealt with, while I was enjoying my stable life not having to move from place to place. The tenderness of Rex George as he dealt with Bettie’s Alzheimer’s reminded me of what my mother lived through during the last years of my father’s life. Books that can take us through so much historically and emotionally deserve the accolades that Still Having Fun is receiving. Thank you, Candace George Thompson, for sharing your family’s story.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

This remarkable biography of a military marriage which lasted from 1941 until 2007 includes everything from letters written in war zones to photographs that chronicle the lives and romance of Rex and Bettie George. Written by their daughter, Candace George Thompson, after their deaths, "Still Having Fun" is a moving testament to the character and resilience of American military families.

Sketches of a Black Cat, by Ron & Howard Miner

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MWSA Review

World War II was the major historical event of the 20th century and much has been written about it.  Movies by the hundreds and books by the thousands have been done in recording these historic events.  Names such as Churchill, Eisenhower, Stalin, Roosevelt, Hitler, and Stalin along with the heroes such as Audie Murphy likes of the Band of Brothers are all well-known and documented.

However it has taken over one to two generations for stories of how the common soldier endured WWII for the “duration” as it was so-called during these turbulent and trying times.  In the case of “Sketches of a Black Cat” it took the efforts of a curious son to bring forth a refreshing and insightful look of what it took to be a Navy pilot in the Pacific during WWII.

In the words of Ron Miner “I think this is a story of  heroes, not in the sense of an Audie Murphy or a Congressional Medal winner, but rather of  countless, otherwise average people plunged into an impossible situation.”    It is Ron Miner who is the son of Howard Miner (Our book’s hero) who in fact coaxed his father rather late in life to tell his story.  Ron Miner upon further digging and investigation brought us the story in a delightful and easy read reflecting the adventures and times of his father during WWII.  From Howard Miner’s training to his drinking habits and formation of lifetime friendships Ron Miner weaves a down to earth and honest portrayal of his father.

It should be noted that Howard Miner was an excellent artist who sketched hundreds of pictures of these times in the Pacific.  These artist’s renderings are tastefully scattered throughout this book.  Along with these artful depictions are plentiful photographs of Mr. Miner and his Navy friends as they advance through the Pacific Islands during WWII.

In this book one can see the times and stresses put on our young citizen soldiers and we see how they are trained and disciplined to accomplish their vital missions.  As Ron Miner says these men can’t all be of Audie Murphy caliber but rather are indicative of your average Joe Schmo who honorably served when our country needed them and returned home as average citizens to pick up the pieces of civilian life.  Many of these stories are left untold.  Fortunately Ron Miner has brought forth a least one gem for us to follow and cherish.

Reviewed by: Dick Geschke (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Howard Miner was a student at a small Midwestern college when the War broke out. His journey through training and tours of duty as a PBY pilot in the South Pacific are skillfully captured in his art and narratives, framing a wartime drama with a personal coming of age story. This memoir has been reconstructed from a small library of unpublished artwork, journal entries, and writing, providing an enjoyable behind the scenes look at the Navy Black Cats. The descriptive verse from the artist’s viewpoint gives us a creatively told and intriguing portrayal of WWII’s Pacific Theater.

Back to Vietnam: Tours of the Heart, by R.B. Logan & E. Heart

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MWSA Review

Bruce Logan’s poignant journey of healing and redemption began during the war years, with two tours of duty to Vietnam as a young infantry lieutenant (1966-67 and 1970-71). Years of fear and loss of friends, loss of innocence, fighting an enemy on their home turf fiercely determined to drive out the Americans. Logan tells the story of those two years in a straight forward, unabashed manner, neither overplaying nor underplaying the war’s horror, always willing to acknowledge his unintended cultural missteps there. In similar spare, non-dramatic style he recounts his struggles with “soldier’s heart,” what is now known as post-traumatic stress syndrome. It is only when his second wife, Canadian Elaine Head, takes up the tale that one begins to see why he needed to return to Vietnam. Indeed, it was at her urging that they join Tours of Peace group to Vietnam in 2006, a year which changed the course of both their lives.

They most amazing thing they found there was the overwhelming forgiveness and acceptance given to them wherever they went, be it by former enemies or foes. The gentleness and hospitality they received seemed never-ending, no matter the economic statues of their hosts. Experiencing love where hatred would have been expected, and wanting to give back love and help in return, the two began planning how they would return year after year to bring supplies and encouragement to a country where poverty and official corruption exist despite momentous moves forward, and socialism requires mandatory education of the young at their parents’ expense. Thus they returned with books, pencils, and whatever else they could year after year, dealing with medical crises of their own in the bargain as well as the Vietnamese they came to help. Ultimately, their cycle of love bred yet more love.

The book is highly detailed, not only weaving in and out of the war and the lives of its participants, but also of its survivors, their children, and grandchildren as well. The reader is literally taken into the homes of these people and made to experience what they did. Likewise of other Americans who came seeking peace from continued for many to be a horrible recurrent dream. The text is rich with pictures of Logan as a young soldier and later with his wife Elaine and their new Vietnamese friends. The clarity of the photos is superb; their subject matter both warming and heartrending. The appendices at the end, with their timelines and glossaries of military jargon, were most appreciated. This is a wonderful book, which can be helpful to anyone trying to understand the war and most useful to those still trying to get over it.

Reviewed by: B. N. Peacock (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Back to Vietnam: Tours of the Heart, by R. Bruce Logan and Elaine Head is a memoir written in two voices. This literary duet sweeps the reader back through the battle-torn history of beautiful, bewildering Vietnam and across the now recovering nation. Lauded in early reviews, the writing is vividly alive with detail. At times painful passages are softened by the warmth and humor of the writers. The characters who people the pages; frightened young soldiers, forgiving survivors, heroes in wheel chairs, hungry villagers and proud grandmothers become friends to the writers and their readers. Veterans, Boomers, and travelers of all ages will be drawn into the ancient culture and rich folklore of Vietnam. The authors Bruce Logan and Elaine Head, Canadian retirees, have crafted an intriguing tale of their struggles and delights in becoming volunteers in a third world country. They traveled to Vietnam to retrace Bruce’s steps as a young US Army Lieutenant in the 60’s and found their new purpose.

Love at First Flight, by Captain Stewart Orr & Fran Orr

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MWSA Review

This book won me over with fascinating, behind the scene details of everything from catapulting off or landing on aircraft carriers to the even riskier but possibly more exciting persuit of a lasting romance. Captain Orr made me FEEL like I was in and around the jets he flew. He educates the reader about interesting specifics from his twenty-seven year career as a Navy Aviator that I am sure I would never have heard about. I identified with his male strength and frailty. Wife Fran reflects on the couples shared experiences with encouraging insight from an adorable female companion we men dream about but rarely find. Neither author sanitized events, and, as an author, I know how hard it is to write with such naked honesty. These two came from different universes but joined in a magnetic attraction that held together  for   good, through the the tragic and terrific days ahead. Strap in and fly through Bud and Fran's adventures to see the courage, sacrifice, love, humor, and romance ... this book is truly a top notch read!

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Love at First Flight is the memoir of by two outstanding Americans: a courageous naval pilot, Bud Orr, whose career spanned twenty-seven years, and his loving wife, Fran. This volume is an honest, beautifully crafted story of Bud and Fran's inspiring relationship, a testament to their deep love and service to their country. It is a page-turning account of a sterling military career, complete with adrenaline-filled descriptions of a daring pilot flying many dangerous missions in advanced warplanes. Love at First Flight is a powerful reminder about the real sacrifices that men and women in the Armed Services must make to preserve a relationship, and the incredible rewards that come with that sacrifice. Like a catapult launch off an aircraft carrier, Bud and Fran's story will propel readers through recent history—from the Vietnam War to current day America. A tender, moving, and inspiring volume, Love at First Flight is the perfect gift for any military member, military family, or military historian.

Thirty Days with My Father, by Christal Presley

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MWSA Review

Thirty Days with My Father: Finding Peace from Wartime PTSD is a stark portrayal of one woman’s struggle with both her father’s and her post traumatic stress disorder. It is one of several recent books that explore war’s effect on children. “We are reminded once again – when one person goes to war, nobody in that person’s circle escapes wounding, either during service or after,” writes Edward Tick, author of War and the Soul in the book’s forward. True words.

Thirty Days will appeal to children of Vietnam Veterans but also to anyone who has had a parent serve in war. They will connect with Presley as she tries to make sense of her childhood and seeks to know her father, and therefore herself, as an adult.

Presley decides to write about her father after a guest speaker at a writing workshop asked the participants to write about what they fear the most. For her it was truly getting to know her father who suffers from PTSD and thereby confronting her own depression and unhappiness. “Although there’s no ‘official’ illness known as intergenerational PTSD, it is well known and acknowledged that the children of veterans with PTSD may develop symptoms of their own that are related to dealing with their parent’s symptoms, and this is sometimes called “secondary traumatization.”

Throughout the work Presley never holds back and she fearlessly writes about her most personal struggle, never shying away from anything that might portray her in a negative light. Presley's writing is raw and though the subject matter is highly charged, she writes with restraint. This gives her memoir greater impact.

Reviewed by: Cathryn J. Prince (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A soldier's return home from war is often just the beginning of another, more internalized battle. In her memoir, Presley recounts 30 days of interviews with her Vietnam veteran father—conversations in which she attempts to understand her father, his PTSD, and her own lifetime of vicarious traumas. Each day is given a chapter, and each chapter concludes with a "Journal" entry that revisits Presley's tumultuous childhood memories. What emerges from this format is a harrowing portrait of the past's ability to haunt the present; Presley's descriptions of the troubled child she was blend all too easily into the confused and searching adult she becomes. In some cases, she is compelled to go to a Veterans Affairs hospital and even to Vietnam. The book's division into 30 days feels increasingly forced and fragmented with the passing of each chapter. Such a story is, by its very nature, fractured, and by the end of the book Presley's father is no less tormented than he was at Day One. Yet Presley has found stability in her father's story, and her willingness to share it—and her own revelations—will be appreciated by readers who deal with any form of wartime PTSD.

My Special Force, by H. S. Means

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MWSA Review
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MWSA Reviewer: 
 

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Author's Synopsis

A modern day tale of love and war, My Special Force is the true story of a military widow's relationship with her beloved husband and the lifelong impact he made on those around him. Weaving together the letters they wrote to each other while he was stationed in Iraq with her own story, Heather, now a single mother, tells the story of Ryan Means, whose zest for life, bravery, and indomitable spirit changed her forever. After losing his best friend in the September 11 tragedy, thirty year-old Ryan leaves his old life in New York behind to join up with the Special Forces where he meets Heather while in training. After multiple deployments and two lonely pregnancies, Heather must summon unthinkable reserves of strength when Ryan is given thirty days to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer just weeks before the birth of his second child. In this universal story of patriotism, courage, and what it means to be truly transformed by the person you love, we get the devastating yet inspiring story of one single mother's story of what it means to have known and loved a warrior.

Blackhorse Riders, by Philip Keith

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MWSA Review

My immediate reaction to Black-Horse Riders is that its research is complete. The author captures the full scope of who these heroes were, how they joined together, how they overcame adversity, and how they earned their final recognition. Also, the writing is vivid, bringing the reader back to the terrifying wilderness of wartime Viet Nam. The vivid writing combined with the full-circle viewpoints reconstructed from the testimony of a multitude of people paint a valuable and memorable piece of history.

This is the best combat story I’ve read in a long time. It made me feel the fear, the pain, the determination, and the hope that these brave warriors felt. It also invited me to consider the tactical and leadership challenges that Army officers and NCOs face, giving me the best picture of mechanized land combat I’ve had. There were moments where these soldiers needed to be silent, where they needed to slug it out with weapons on full automatic, and moments where they had to stop for a second, reflect, and outthink their enemy.

This is a story that needed to be told, and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Viet Nam War or the broader subject of American combat heroism.

Reviewed by: John Monteith (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Philip Keith's Blackhorse Riders is the incredible true story of a brave military unit in Vietnam that risked everything to rescue an outnumbered troop under heavy fire—and the thirty-nine-year odyssey to recognize their bravery.

Deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry, the famed Blackhorse Regiment, was a specialized cavalry outfit equipped with tanks and armored assault vehicles. On the morning of March 26, 1970, they began hearing radio calls from an infantry unit four kilometers away that had stumbled into a hidden North Vietnamese Army stronghold. Outnumbered at least six to one, the ninety-man American company was quickly surrounded, pinned down, and fighting for its existence. Helicopters could not penetrate the dense jungle, and artillery and air support could not be targeted effectively. The company was fated to be worn down and eventually all killed or captured.

Overhearing the calls for help on his radio, Captain John Poindexter, Alpha Troop’s twenty-five-year-old commander, realized that his outfit was the only hope for the trapped company. It just might be possible that they could “bust” enough jungle by nightfall to reach them. Not making the attempt was deemed unacceptable, so he ordered his men to “saddle up.” With the courage and determination that makes legends out of ordinary men, they effected a daring rescue and fought a pitched battle—at considerable cost. Many brave deeds were done that day and Captain Poindexter tried to make sure his men were recognized for their actions.

Thirty years later Poindexter was made aware that his award recommendations and even the records of the battle had somehow gone missing. Thus began the second phase of this remarkable story: a “battle” to ensure that his brave men’s accomplishments would never be forgotten again.

The full circle was completed when President Obama stepped to the podium on October 20, 2009, to award the Alpha Troop with the Presidential Unit Citation: the highest combat award that can be given to a military unit.

The Bad Boy Bert Hall, by Blaine Pardoe

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MWSA Review

Blaine L. Pardoe thanks many people in his acknowledgments for helping him to pull off his book titled: The Bad Boy, Bert Hall: Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies. It is obvious by the extensive amount of endnotes and the bibliography, that this author has done his research. According to the book jacket, “Blaine Pardoe calls on previously untapped archival material to uncover the fascinating truth behind the myth of one of America’s greatest daredevil adventurers.” Readers will be impressed with all they will learn about Bert Hall. I found it interesting that Pardoe decided to research Hall’s life because while working on the book Lost Eagles, he learned about Frederick Zinn’s lifelong friendship with Bert Hall. And because the men seemed so opposite, the quest to learn more began and has resulted in this book.

Bert Hall desired to seek adventure and new challenges. He was born in 1885, named Weston Birch Hall. It is not clear when/where he picked up the nickname of “Bert.” At the age of 21, he joined the Sells-Floto Circus, but apparently only for a short time. He told people that he was a human cannonball, a stunt rider, and/or a wild animal trainer, but records show that he most likely was more of a “greeter” or helped to put up posters around towns. The importance of this…it was the beginning of the difficulty in sorting fact from fiction when it comes to Bert Hall’s life. Blaine Pardoe had a huge task in sorting out all of those details with the sources he was able to locate.

One could find Bert Hall driving a taxi in the city of Paris and the Bert Hall of the French Foreign Legion. It appears that during this time, he “honed his skills at reinventing himself, weaving tales about his life and experiences. Testing those tales with the men in the trenches” (or in his taxicab) “gave him a good feeling for what stories would work and what wouldn’t.”

Hall trained in the French Air Service, and many details of this process and experiences are included in the book. Readers wanting to learn about aviation history will enjoy this book. We also learn that Hall received his first medal in 1916. The citation read: “The Médaille Militaire is conferred upon W. Bert Hall, sergeant of Escadrille N.124 and engaged volunteer for the duration of the war. After having served in the infantry, been twice wounded, transferred to aviation. Has very rapidly become a pilot of the first class and very outstanding gunner. Very intelligent, energetic, and most audacious. Has fulfilled his demanding mission of great peril and danger over German lines on many occasions. On 22 May 1916 he engaged the enemy in severe combat and destroyed two adversaries within a few hundred metres of our trenches. This nomination carried the Croix de Guerre and one palm leaf.”

Bert Hall arrived in the United States at a time when our country was “hungry for war heroes.” Since America was at the beginning of the war, and he had experienced war, he was called upon to do benefits and speaking events. It was during this time that he wrote his autobiography En l'air! Bert Hall managed to get around and his travels produced both a number of wives and children. One might say his personal life was quite “colorful.”

Beginning in 1921, Hall worked for 20th Century Fox as a writer, actor, and aviation consultant. From there on out, he was always looking for ways to make money and work deals, always taking chances. Pardoe says of him: “His knack for being in the right place at the right time in history is almost uncanny. He came to define what a mercenary—an aerial soldier of fortune—was in the eyes of many people.” He certainly was a man of flaws/faults. In summary, Pardoe writes: “Bert did not try and correct his personal flaws, he simply reinvented himself. From pilot to Chinese General, from gun-runner to businessman, from bestselling author to movie producer, Bert always found a niche for himself and stepped into it.”

So for readers who enjoy learning history “one person at a time,” or through the life and times of one very colorful character, The Bad Boy, Bert Hall:Aviator and Mercenary of the Skies could be the book of choice. Kudos to Blaine L. Pardoe and all those who contributed so that it was possible for him to write this informative biography of a man that might otherwise not receive his due in history. 

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Bert Hall was one of America's first combat aviators and went on to become a film director, actor, and writer. The author has unearthed new material including photographs and incredible details on the amazing exploits of Bert Hall.

George 3-7th Marines, by James Nicholson

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MWSA Review

After leaving it virtually untouched for 46 years, Dr. James “Nick” Nicholson, M.D., began to annotate his wartime picture album at the request of his daughters.  He immediately decided he needed to validate the story with his former Korean War comrades, for they “were integral to my life, [and] my children could not know me without knowing my friends.”  Thus began a 14-year effort of networking, traveling, and writing as he tried to hammer out an accurate and meaningful story of George Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, focused mainly upon the events of 1951.

I confess that I was slightly dismayed when asked to review a book of war memoirs, for past experience had led me to believe that such things can sometimes be rough sledding:  collections of minute details, parochial views, poorly written, and poorly edited.  However, much to my delight, Dr. Nicholson’s book is not at all in that category.   Sure, it has considerable detail, but the writing is elegant, the organization is logical and facilitates understanding, and overall it “is told as aging warriors would talk among themselves or to their grandchildren.”

And, yes, you get to know the very specific thoughts, fears, and feelings of Nicholson and his comrades and thereby get to know them pretty well.  But he also sets things in context, provides overview, and delivers perspective and nuance to enable broader and deeper understanding of what, unfortunately, has become “The Forgotten War.”

Private First Class Nicholson, USMCR, arrived in Korea in March, 1951, and fought almost continuously until being seriously wounded in the following September.  This included Operation Killer, Operation Ripper, the incredible Chinese spring offensives, Operation Mousetrap, and the Punchbowl Operations.  Tall and strong, Nicholson was assigned to carry his fire-team’s formidable Browning Automatic Rifle, and thus became known as “Nick the BAR-man.”

During the war, George Company suffered some 70 KIAs and over 150 wounded.  They also suffered terribly from the harsh climate, incredibly rugged terrain, unreliable supply, and insufficient and often low-quality food.  At times they even had insufficient water.  The only things they were never short of was the enemy (unfortunately) and ammunition (fortunately).

I was immediately captivated by the story, and had difficulty putting it down.  It might sound ridiculous to say, but Dr. Nicholson had me laughing at some points, teary-eyed at others, and at all times mesmerized.  I was further captivated by Nicholson himself.  As a very young man coming from a rough childhood, now 7,000 miles from home under horrifying circumstances, he was brave, steadfast, and resolute—all the while maintaining a good sense of humor.  Returning from the war, he put this terrible experience behind him, addressed civilian life with the same determination and tenacity with which he had faced combat, worked hard for an education, and ultimately served for 50 years as a family-practice physician.  The fact that he was recognized with the Silver Star some 60 years after he left Korea is just and fitting, but you don’t need to know that to know he is doubly a hero for a lifetime of remarkable service to his country and to his community.  And, to be very clear, Dr. Nicholson never intended this book to be just about himself and he certainly did not write it that way; his voice and his story is but one of many, and when he does talk about himself it is with modesty and with self-deprecating humor.

George - 3 - 7th Marines is a fascinating and gripping book about a subject sorely in need of illumination.  As such it deserves the widest possible readership.

Reviewed by: Steve Maffeo (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

In the four years of the Korean War, America lost almost 54,000 men, roughly the same number who lost their lives in Vietnam, yet this war has almost disappeared into American history as the "Forgotten War". George-3-7th Marines tells a story of the bloody Marine infantry campaigns fought in the deadly mountain ranges of Korea; it is a story told by the men who fought there-and died anonymously-in an unknown and bloody war. 

The never-before-told tales of the battle-hardened Marines of G-3-7 were collected and recorded by one of their own. Described by those who experienced the action firsthand, these accounts blend the shocking details of savage, bloody, killing with gentle, almost heartbreaking prose seldom seen in a chronicle of war. Jim Nicholson paints a brutally accurate picture of America and the Valhalla culture that shaped the toughness of soldiers in the fifties. 

He examines the events and mistakes that led to a collision of the free world with the rapidly expanding Communist military machine. He reminds us that history does, in fact, show clearly that the sacrifice of young American boys saved the South Koreans, who now live freely in their beautiful "Land of the Morning Calm".

My Corps: Short Stories & Reflections; by Z. Rackovitch

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MWSA Review

Gene Rackovitch joined Marines in 1944 and mustered out a sergeant in 1947. He worked in dairy industry diriving a milk truck in NYC. “My Corps” is his short stories and he put them in book form.

In 1944 Gene Rackovitch enlisted in the Marine Corps. He had to “fight to get them to take me” because he was “five foot seven, short, skinny for the marines, a physical challenge, one hundred and thirty pounds.” While he mustered out a sergeant in 1947, he thankfully never mustered out in his mind; because if he had readers wouldn’t have the privilege of “My Corps.”

This memoir, written nearly 70 years after Rackovitch enlisted, is filled with details that feel fresh and vibrant. It’s as if Rackovitch is telling his story to a friend over a hot cup of coffee rather than writing it down on pages. Throughout the work Rackovitch paints vivid pictures of what it was like to be scared upon arrival in boot camp to what it was like to sail on a tramp steamer. “Canvas bunks stacked ten high, held by pipes welded ceiling and floor, three hundred in all, an awaking for the men, reality in a harsh form… The berths close to deck of the ship were constantly inundated with seepage were to be avoided. Water layered on the floor sprayed to the second level of the bunks as the ship rolled.”  (p. 71)

Readers can follow Rackovitch from boot camp and training to the end of war and beyond. He allows people to get a taste of the camaraderie and esprit de-corps of the US Marine Corps. They see a family of brothers who sometimes bicker but, as the cliché goes, always have each other’s backs.

The author uses words to paint scene upon scene or to describe someone. In one passage he describes a Marine. This passage (100-101) is a perfect example of the author’s imagery: “His fatigues, too large, fell from his arms, stopping crumpled past the elbows, showing thin sinewy muscles... The bones of his skull were accentuated by taut oily yellowish skin. He smiles; an overly big mouth, with thick lips, showing gapped stained teeth; the mouth so full it gave the bearer a look of a clown on a poster above the gateway to the house of fun in a carnival.”

In the years after the war Rackovitch attended several reunions. In September 1992 he traveled to San Antonio, Texas to visit members of 4th Marine Division of WW2. He wanted to find out more about the men of his company and how they “withstood the carnage and tenacity of the foe they encountered.” He persisted – at first no one wanted to talk but eventually they open up and tell him stories and fill him in on details of their service.

The book is arranged chronologically and that contributes to the reader being able to feel the passage of time. Of course it’s hard to know whether the dialogue is accurate, but that seems unimportant for the intent of this memoir.

“I think of the men who went to Okinawa and wonder how many of them died there taking my place and I feel for them,” Rackovitch wrote in 2009. “Of all that has happened to me I wonder why I am still here.” (pp. 292-293)

Reviewed by: Cathryn J. Prince (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Mr. Rackovitch gives you his fears and joys in his short stories about the Marine Corps. There is humor and pathos in his recollections. There is also underlying feeling of pride in the men who gave all they had to their country in time of need. He reminisces and draws from memory as he creates both good and evil from that association. From the beginnings in boot camp through the training and the final cessations of hostilities he draws you into the life style and esprit de-Corp of the United States Marines.

Tying Up Water & Other Stories, by R. MacKenzie & M. Todd

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MWSA Review

Ross Mackenzie's newest set of short stories is a poignant collection of Man vs. Random. These three well-written stories showcase both the author's experience as a Navy helo-pilot and his love for rock-climbing. Just armed with that background alone Mackenzie could weave some decent stories. But when he adds the element of experience vs. life's random curve balls, he really hits a home run.

"Tying Up Water and Other Stories" deals with a young Navy pilot who crashed just minutes before, losing his helicopter crew and waiting for a rescue that may or may not come.

"Remembering Christmas" describes a rock climber who is focused both on a dangerous ascent and on a Christmas past spent with a lover.

"Truth in Advertising" is a story about your every day Navy sailors trying to help one of their own who just had his leg shattered in an operational accident.

The last is the most memorable to me, because it could be on any ship at any time on any day in the Navy, and as career Navy myself it really hit home.
Mackenzie is a gifted story teller. These short reads are worth the time invested.

Reviewed by: Rob Ballister (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

A helicopter crash leaves Stuart adrift with unreliable memories, foggy recollections, and bittersweet realizations. Through this catastrophic experience, Stuart must rely on his strength, his family, and his faith to try and persevere. Sensual passion, exhilarating rock climbs, and tender hope for a legacy combine to define this remarkable story as not only a harrowing adventure, but also a touching love story.

The collection delivers other stories equally captivating in arenas varying from Australian rock climbing to high-sea Navy adventures. Ross H. Mackenzie is an award-winning author best known for his Patriot Kids children’s book series that positively impacts military families every day.

A Quest for Skye, by John Rothdiener

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MWSA Review

“A Quest For Skye” is a well written, heartwarming novel about faith, mystery, intrigue, science and the power of prayer.It centers on a precocious nine year old girl who seems to be the perfect child.

While on a vacation cruise, Doctors Tammy and Morgan Hamilton meet Skye who quickly take on the Hamilton’s as her substitute parents while her birth parents conduct a medical continuing education seminar aboard the ship.The Hamilton’s became enamored with the girl’s curiosity, bubbling energy, infectious smile, photographic memory, artistic talents, instant rapport with everyone she meets and a strong commitment to Jesus.But before the cruise ends, the parents and Skye leave the ship without explanation.

Six months later, the Hamilton’s are mysteriously called to a secluded island near Greece after Skye’s parents, one a medical researcher, the other a wealthy entrepreneur, died in a laboratory explosion under circumstances shrouded in secrecy.They are offered not only to become Skye’s adopted parents and help oversee her vast fortune, but also management of a unique research and treatment facility dedicated to treating and finding a cure for Batten disease, a lethal childhood illness, with a 100 percent mortality rate.

The efforts to find the miracle cure are thwarted by the explosion that destroys all research findings.Further complications come from harassment by sensationalist news reporters and a power hungry Greek politician determined to close down the facility.

Skye’s unselfish inspiration cheers not only the two-dozen dying patients, but also the entire staff.Her devotion makes the Hamilton’s reexamine their own faith as they take on the cause started by Skye’s parents and work feverishly to save the lives of the young patients, including Skye who is also a victim of the dreaded Batten disease.

Although the plot is slow in developing, the pace speeds as new situations grab and hold one’s interest to the conclusion. It is refreshing to read a good book void of mayhem, cursing, substance abuse and/or excessive sexual shenanigans.

Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Doctors Morgan and Tammy Hamilton take a vacation from their pediatric clinic in Saint Paul, Minnesota to board a cruise ship for the Caribbean. Devastated by Tammy’s third miscarriage and the news that she will never be able to bear children, the couple hopes to use the fourteen day cruise to regain their emotional footing. But life has other plans for them. Among the passengers is Skye, a nine-year old girl with an irrepressible spirit, and a passion for living that touches everyone around her. Infused with hope and a belief in a loving God, Skye becomes the daughter that the Hamiltons could never have. But despite her open and honest nature, Skye is surrounded by ominous questions. Was the accident that killed her parents truly an accident? Or was it sabotage? Why are news reporters hounding this innocent child? What secrets are concealed in the laboratory clinic on the island of Kardia? The truth—if they ever find it—can bring a government to its knees, and thrust national power into the hands of men who will not hesitate to shed the blood of innocents. The Hamiltons are drawn into a struggle to protect the little girl they’ve come to love. As everything they value begins slipping away from them, these hardnosed and pragmatic doctors suddenly find themselves praying for a miracle. When the miracle comes, it’s not at all what Morgan and Tammy have in mind. Because Skye has been praying too...

CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge, by Wilbur "Bill" Rambow

MWSA Review

CIB: Combat Infantry Badge, book one of the Philip Lawson saga, introduces us to Specialist Fourth Class Philip Lawson, an Army infantry soldier initially assigned to be a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam. As often happens in the military, his assignment is changed and he winds up instead in a mechanized infantry company, an assignment initially not to his liking. After the shock of knowing he is not going to be in a helicopter, he sets out to prove himself to his fellow soldiers.

Philip has a domineering brother named Captain Paul Lawson, who shows up in the combat zone. It’s Paul’s influence that he has tried to avoid. Now, without anything to say about it, Paul is back in his life and Philip must deal with it.

The interaction between the characters is plausible. So is the banter, sometimes hilarious, that makes the characters come alive. Like many of those who did a tour of duty in Vietnam, the soldiers find ways to take up their time while waiting for the next life-threatening battle. Odd pets wind up in the story. Rambow shows this interconnection between the men well.

The unbreakable bond between soldiers who depend on each other for their lives stands out in this novel. Bill Rambow has written a very good book that is a page turner.

Reviewed by: Lawrence, Mindy (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Specialist Fourth Class Philip Lawson arrives in Vietnam after re-enlisting with the promise of assignment as a helicopter door-gunner. But when he arrives in country he is assigned as a replacement to a mechanized infantry ­company and his dreams of action in the sky over Vietnam evaporate in a haze of red dust and sweltering humidity.

Phil sets out with a youthful desire to prove not only who he is to himself, but also to earn the confidence and respect of the more experienced men around him. It's not long before action finds him and he discovers the immense physical, psychological and mortal toll he must face to gain his comrades' respect and quiet his own lurking fears. The misery and daily quest for survival are leavened by the combat soldiers' unbreakable bond, and a cast of eccentric pets and mascots that ride the M113 "tracks" with the mechanized grunts. But further complicating Phil's life is the unexpected
arrival in the combat zone of Captain Paul Lawson, the domineering older brother whose influence he has been trying to escape for years.

During his R&R in Sydney, though worried that the war may have forever hardened and brutalized him, Phil finds love and the promise of a bright new future-if he can survive his tour of duty. Ultimately he must fight alongside the hardened soldiers who will become his brothers, against an unseen and ruthless enemy to earn the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge.

Flashes of War, by Katey Schultz

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MWSA Review

Katey Schultz in Flashes of War totally surprises her readers by the ability to share short stories from many perspectives: those of both military and civilian—American, Afghan, and Iraqi. She shares the consequences of war “on all sides.” The author tells her readers that she “spent 31 out of 36 months traveling across the United States while she wrote Flashes of War.” Her research and passion shine throughout this book. Many readers marvel that someone who has no experience with war can write so astutely on the topic. This book doesn’t bring judgment to the war, but the individual experiences and emotions of people affected—“bringing us closer to a broader understanding of war by focusing on individuals, their motivations, and their impossible decisions.” Readers will find these short stories very powerful. Anyone wanting insight into the War on Terror will want to read Katey Schultz’s Flashes of War.

Reviewed by: Joyce M. Gilmour (2013)

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Author's Synopsis

Information provided by the author. Illuminating the intimate, human faces of war, this unique series of short stories by award-winning author Katey Schultz questions the stereotypes of modern war by bearing witness to the shared struggles of all who are touched by it. Numerous characters-returning U.S. soldier and pragmatic jihadist, Afghan mother and listless American sister, courageous amputee and a ghost that cannot let go-appear in Flashes of War, which captures personal moments of fear, introspection, confusion, and valor in one collection spanning nations and perspectives. Written in clear, accessible language with startling metaphors, this unforgettable journey leaves aside judgment, bringing us closer to a broader understanding of war by focusing on individuals, their motivations, and their impossible decisions. Flashes of War weaves intimate portrayals of lives affected by the War on Terror into a distinctive tapestry of emotional resonance. It builds bridges, tears them down, and sends out a universal plea for reconnection. "Katey Schultz has written an amazing book. What emerges from these stories is a chorus of voices-American, Afghan, Iraqi-and this chorus enlarged my sense of a war that has defined an American decade. Flashes Of War is the work of a bold, ambitious, and brilliant young author who is writing stories few others in American fiction have really yet tackled." - Doug Stanton, author of New York Times Bestsellers Horse Soldiers and In Harm's Way Katey Schultz grew up in Portland, Oregon, and is most recently from Celo, North Carolina. She is a graduate of the Pacific University MFA in Writing Program and recipient of the Linda Flowers Literary Award from the North Carolina Humanities Council. She lives in a 1970 Airstream trailer bordering the Pisgah National Forest. This is her first book.

Navy Rules, by Geri Krotow

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MWSA Review

Winnie had carefully planned how she’d tell Max the news about baby Maeve. Unfortunately, she didn’t follow her own script.

Navy Rules is a romance with a naval aviation backdrop. Winnie Armstrong feels she has finally regrouped after her husband’s death. Five years after his fatal attempted landing aboard an aircraft carrier, she heads successful knitting and yarn concern and balances single parenting her two daughters. Then Commander Max Ford returns to Whidby Island. Winnie’s late husband, Tom, was the father of their oldest daughter, Krista. Max, however, is the father of eighteen month Maeve, something Winnie never told him. Complicate this with Max’s recovery from shrapnel wounds and PTSD from a tour in Afghanistan, add in Winnie’s therapy dog, Sam, and watch the old chemistry between Winnie and Max try to break through both their respective hurts.

Geri Krotow’s novel neatly handles the romantic tension between Winnie and Max. Both her main and supporting characters are sympathetic and their reactions to Max’s reappearance understandable. Krotow blends in the service aspects of the story well, never overloading the reader with too many acronyms or arcane references. The title itself refers to the core of Winnie and Max’ dilemma, that Navy buddies don’t steal each other’s sweethearts, while they are still alive. But afterwards, that is another matter. All in all, Navy Rules is a satisfying and easy read. 

Reviewed by: Barbara Peacock (2012)

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Author's Synopsis

Wounded during a military rescue, Commander Max Ford returns to a naval base on Whidbey Island to recover. And part of his treatment involves working with a therapy dog. Max is surprised to learn that the dog's owner is Winnie Armstrong, widow of his closest friend. She and Max were close in those months following her husband's death. But they drifted apart, until that one night two years ago. The night friendship turned to passion…

Now he's even more shocked to learn that Winnie has been keeping a secret from him. A baby girl. His daughter. It's even more important he heal so he can be a part of his child's life—and Winnie's. Because all the attraction that pulled them together that one night is still there…only stronger.