In Review

In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors
By Doug Stanton. Henry Holt and Co. ISBN 0-8050-6632-2.

The sinking of the U.S. Navy cruiser Indianapolis on July 30, 1945, is considered "the worst naval disaster at sea in U.S. history," according to author Doug Stanton. It also resulted in a shameful travesty of military justice.

In Harm's Way is journalist Stanton's first book, and in it he offers a dramatic account of the sinking of the Indianapolis and the five horrifying days the crew spent in the water dying of thirst, injuries, and dementia and from vicious shark attacks. He also delivers a tale of courage, leadership, and a powerful will to survive against incredible odds.

In the closing days of World War II, the Indianapolis carried the first atomic bomb from San Francisco to Tinian, an island air base in the Pacific. After delivering her deadly cargo, the Indianapolis was ordered to the Philippines, but she never arrived. As Stanton relates, the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in a night attack, sinking so quickly that her radio operators were able to send out only two distress messages.

Of the nearly 1,200 crew members, 900 went into the water as the ship sank. Stanton reveals that the two sos messages were received by the Navy, but senior officers discounted them, concluding they were hoaxes. A chance spotting of the weakened survivors by a patrol plane launched a massive rescue effort, but by the time rescue ships arrived on the scene, only 317 men were still alive.

The failure of the Navy to notice that a capital ship was missing still is astonishing, as is the speed and ferocity of the Navy's actions to fix blame for the disaster. The ship's captain, Charles McVay, was court-martialed and found guilty on a charge of failing to zigzag. Stanton says that McVay was the "first captain in U.S. history to be court-martialed for losing his ship as a result of an act of war," and his research makes a persuasive case that McVay's conviction was spurious and illogical.

Yanks: The Epic Story of the American Army in World War I
By John S.D. Eisenhower, with Joanne Eisenhower. The Free Press. ISBN 0-684-86304-9.

The First World War was a bad war. Nothing about its conduct resembled any earlier war, except for the killing. There was no glory in its muddy, bloody trenches. However, World War I moved the United States from provincial isolationism to a position as a world power. And the U.S. military led the way.

Yanks is John S.D. Eisenhower's compelling history of the American Army in World War I. Eisenhower is a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve and an eminent historian. He has written seven nonfiction books, most notably Agent of Destiny (The Free Press, 1997), a superb biography of Army Gen. Winfield Scott. Yanks was coauthored with his wife, Joanne.

With his usual careful research and colorful writing, Eisenhower focuses his effort on the creation and employment of the American Expeditionary Force (aef) and its commander, Gen. John J. Pershing. This is generally a big-picture portrayal, and Eisenhower presents the political and military situations as well as the unbelievable problems that Pershing and his staff faced.

By the time the United States entered World War I in 1917, Britain and France already had endured three years of horrifying attrition warfare. Consequently, the Americans were pressured to get troops onto the battlefield. Pershing was tasked with organizing, training, equipping, and leading the aef in a desperate effort to shore up the Allies before German weight on the Western Front could crush the British and French forces.

Eisenhower masterfully tells of the international politicking required to ensure that American forces fought as a unit under an American commander. The Allies wanted to use U.S. troops as replacements within their own divisions, an option Pershing found completely unsatisfactory.

He also recounts seemingly insurmountable problems with supply, transportation, communications, and leadership as Pershing and the staff worked to create a force that could fight a modern war and win. Eisenhower's portrayal reveals Pershing to be a dedicated soldier, a skillful politician, and a determined visionary.

Eisenhower's history rarely dips below regimental level, but he does relate some interesting anecdotes about other notables, such as George Patton, Billy Mitchell, George C. Marshall, and Douglas MacArthur. American battles at Belleau Wood, Vaux, Soissons, and Saint-Mihiel are showcased alongside the epic battle in the Argonne Forest in 1918. The fighting quality of American troops would never again be questioned after the valiant stand of the "Lost Battalion," the simple courage of Sgt. Alvin York, and the terror of German soldiers who cried, "The Americans kill everybody!"

The story of Pershing and the aef is one of American determination to get the job done in the face of political rancor, logistical nightmares, and a skilled and ruthless enemy.

—Reviews by William D. Bushnell

Member Books

Fiction

The Odyssey of Charlie Seven. By Lt. Col. Patrick G. Wardell, USA-Ret.
In his novel, Wardell takes his readers from Normandy to Alsace, France, and on to Germany under constant threat of enemy artillery and aircraft guns. His men rode in armored vehicles on the tail of retreating enemy troops, exposed to all kinds of weather. Wardell weaves this tale drawing from his own experiences and relationships during the last world war in order to furnish an expansive narrative about these feisty American soldiers.
Vantage Press Inc., 516 West 34th Street, NY, NY 10001. (212) 736-1767. ISBN 0-533-14000-5. 242 pp. $13.95 plus postage.

The Project in Bavaria. By Maj. Robert A. Bratt, USA-Ret.
This story revolves around the ultimate desire of one man, Dieter Stubing, who directs a secret project in the Bavarian Alps that is designed to make him dictator of the world. The exciting finale comes when Dieter's project is in the final stage of completion and the president of the United States and his joint chiefs of staff plan to bring to bear the entire military might of the United States with the blessing of the United Nations.
1stBooks Library, 2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. (800) 839-8640. www.1stbooks.com. ISBN 0-75966-705-5. 103 pp. $9.50 plus postage.

Bones in the Backyard. By Florence W. Clowes and Lois J. Blackburn.
In the quiet corner of Northeastern Connecticut, semi-retired decorator Bashia Gordon turns amateur sleuth when she and her Peace Corps friend, Dottie, uncover a skeleton in a septic tank. The state trooper is called to the scene and soon Bashia joins him in the search for clues to identify the skeleton. Could it be the long-missing wealthy eccentric who raised show dogs and underwent a sex change? Soon another murder surfaces in this gripping tale as a romance sparks between Bashia and the state trooper. The tale is sure to continue in future episodes.
Infiniity Publishing.com, 519 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041-1413. (610) 520-2500. www.buybooksontheweb.com. ISBN 0-7414-0820-1. 198 pp. $14.95 plus postage.

Prince Malu and the Red Sands of Armapour. By CW2 Tom Kurtz, USA-Ret.
A fantasy adventure set in the Middle East more than one thousand years ago. The story is of a young man whose 20th birthday is the start of a series of challenges in coming of age. A tale of magic, romance, suspense, and adventure; a tale for the young at heart.
Trafford Publishing, 2333 Government St., Ste. 6E, Victoria, B.C., Canada V8T 4P4. (888) 232-4444. www.trafford.com. ISBN 1-55369-400-7. 150 pp. $13.99 plus postage.

Manchukuo Gold. By Col. Bob Haller, USAR-Ret.
Randy Rawlins and Vince Volcano are hired to recover $500 million in gold bars hidden in a cave in Manchuria at the end of WWII. Fifty years have elapsed and the cave is now underwater. They need to find the cave, retrieve the gold, and smuggle it out of communist China. A diabolical plot unfurls as a reformed Japanese war criminal and his granddaughter shadow the Americans to reclaim the gold treasure. Gripping action, intrigue, and suspense to the last page.
Leister Publishing Company, 6 Forest Glen, Lake Ariel, PA 18436. (570) 689-7391. www.leisterpublishing.com. ISBN 0-9618234-4-5. 336 pp. $14.95 plus postage.

Non-Fiction

Target *JFK*: Final Chapter in the Conspiracy. By Capt. Nunzio Addabbo, USAF, and Elizabeth Addabbo.
This is not another book about Kennedy, but the assassination of the president is the lynch pin upon which this story hangs. It is the story of Tony Berlotti, an American citizen, a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corp, and an international entrepreneur who accidentally discovered the identity of some of the key conspirators, thereby becoming a target himself. His motivation for devoting 30 years of his life and his fortune to tracking down and eliminating the assassins is fully explained as are his reasons for not going to the government with what he knew. This information will gain international attention as it may, in fact, rewrite history.
Third Millennium Publishing, 1931 East Libra Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283. www.target-jfk.com. ISBN 1-929314-86-7. 471 pp. $18.95 postpaid.

Nixon, Ford and the Abandonment of South Vietnam. By J. Edward Lee and Cmdr. H.C. "Toby" Haynsworth, USN-Ret.
This book describes the many factors, both domestic and international, that distracted the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and led to the abandonment of South Vietnam. It recounts the effects of these distractions on the war effort in Vietnam and the final evacuation of the country in 1975.
McFarland and Company Inc. Publishers, Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640. (800) 253-2187. www.mcfarlandpub.com. ISBN 0-7864-1302-6. 223 pp. $39.00 postpaid.

The Ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a POW's Experience. By Capt. Dave Carey, USN-Ret.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Carey served aboard the USS Oriskany, piloting A-4E Skyhawks. During the Vietnam War, amidst an Alpha-bombing mission, his jet was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and he was interned as a prisoner of war in Hanoi for the next five and a half years. In his book, Carey draws on his experience to encourage anyone who has had something challenging, troubling, disturbing, or demanding happen in their lives.
BookPartners Inc., P. O. Box 922 Wilsonville, OR 97070. (503) 554-1997. www.bookpartners.com. ISBN 1-58151-042-X. 163 pp. $15.95 plus postage.

Buffalo Tales and Bison Tidbits. By Lt. Col. Paul E. Kiefer, USA-Ret.
A retired Army officer takes on buffalo ranching as a hobby and "herds" his buffalo. His elderly mother chased a one-ton buffalo bull and his cows with a Yucca stick. And an attempted "herding" on horseback finds the rancher on the ground and his "experienced" cowpony a mile away. Then, a young bull horns the rancher through a loop in his Levi's and carries him away. This lighthearted book is an accounting of buffalo ranching in Arizona, circa 1980. The final pages provide a brief history of how buffalo were introduced to Fort Huachuca, Ariz., in 1949 and then disposed of in 1955.
Available from the author, P.O. Box 356, De Beque, CO 81630-0356 (970) 283-5273. ISBN 0-615-12126-8. 58 pp. $4.75 plus postage.

Air Power for Patton's Army: The XIX Tactical Air Command in the Second World War. By Maj. David N. Spires, USAF-Ret.
A case study of one air-ground team's experience with the theory and practice of tactical air power employed during the climactic World War II campaigns against the forces of Nazi Germany.
Air Force History and Museums Program, Washington, DC 20002. (866) 512-1800. bookstore.gpo.gov. ISBN 0-16-051081-3. 377 pp. $39.00 postpaid.

Meeting the Fox: The Allied Invasion of Africa, from Operation Torch to Kasserine Pass to Victory in Tunisia. By Maj. Orr Kelly, USA-Ret.
As their unproven commanders struggled to match wits with the wily Desert Fox, 100,000 poorly equipped, under-trained, and inexperienced GIs battled their way across North Africa. Hobbled by inferior weaponry and an inexperienced officer corps, these green but courageous citizen soldiers clashed head-on with the fabled German Afrika Korps and its legendary commander, Erwin Rommel. Kelly tells the unforgettable tale of the men who transformed themselves, in the heat of battle, from a poorly organized army of convenience into a relentless and unstoppable fighting force.
John Wiley & Son Inc., 605 Third Avenue, NY, NY 10158. (212) 850-6335. www.wiley.com. ISBN 0-471-41429-8. 389 pp. $30.00 plus postage.

Disobedience and Conspiracy in the German Army, 1918-1945. By Lt. Col. Robert B. Kane, USAF. This work examines, among other topics, the personal oath of loyalty that the officers of the German army swore to Adolf Hitler on August 2, 1934. It discusses how the majority of officers – those who did not become conspirators against him – complied with Hitler's orders until May 1945 despite his cruel treatment of soldiers, militarily unsound strategy and tactics, and the widespread destruction and crimes he and his forces committed. The oath taken by the officers had a strong psychological effect among a proud corps with a long history of obedience and honor, causing them to follow Hitler until the end even though they knew they were fighting a losing battle. Kane also examines why and how only a few officers, the conspirators, began to break away, lose trust in Hitler, oppose him, and finally stage an assassination attempt. The work traces the development within the German army from 1918 of the philosophies of loyalty and disloyalty – and obedience and disobedience – as challenged by the Hitlerian oath of loyalty.
McFarland & Company Inc. Publishers, Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640. (336) 246-4460. www.mcfarlandpub.com. ISBN 0-7864-1104-X. 279 pp. $45.00.

Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life. By Lt. Col. Carlo D'Este, AUS-Ret.
D'Este unveils the story of a man who rose from humble Midwestern roots to the highest command accorded any soldier in the western alliance of World War II. This subtle, nuanced story about the man who held the allies together and led them to victory in WWII reveals a full-fledged portrait of one of the worlds most celebrated military commanders. D'Este writes in his epilogue: "Although he achieved everlasting distinction as the thirty-fourth president of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower would have been elated merely to be remembered as a good soldier."
Henry Holt and Company, 115 West 18th Street, NY, NY 10011. (212) 886-9273. www.henryholt.com. ISBN 0-8050-5686-6. 672 pp. $35.00 plus postage.

U.S. Navy SEALS: The Quiet Professionals. By Lt. Cmdr. Kit Bonner and Carolyn Bonner.
A contemporary and accurate view of U.S. Navy Special Warfare, from its rough beginning with "Frogmen" in WWII to the 21st Century's highly trained and combat-focused SEALs and Combat Crewmembers. Training, recruitment and deployment of the world's finest seaborne fighting force is covered with scores of new photographs to complement the text. Intricate descriptions of state-of-the-art weapon and communication systems are provided, along with color images of special warfare, high-speed surface-attack craft and submersibles. Mission planning, areas of operation, and rare glimpses into the world of high tech "from the sea" warriors make this an excellent reflection of this art of naval warfare.
Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310. (610) 593-1777. www.schifferbooks.com. ISBN 0-7643-1557-9. 80 pp. $23.90.

Memoirs

A Ranger Born: A Memoir of Combat and Valor from Korea to Vietnam. By Col. Robert W. Black, USAR-Ret.
Even as a boy growing up amid the green hills of rural Pennsylvania, Black knew he was destined to become a Ranger. With their 300-year history of peerless courage and independence of spirit, Rangers are a uniquely American brand of soldier, one foot in the military, one in the wilderness – and that is what fired Black's imagination. In this searing, inspiring memoir, Black recounts how he devoted himself, body and soul, to his proud service as an Army Ranger in Korea and Vietnam – and what those years have taught him about himself, his country, and our future.
Ballantine Books, 1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036. (703) 451-2476. coettingerl@earthlink.net. ISBN 0-345-45241-0. 320 pp. $24.95 plus postage.

One of Many: A True Story of a Soldier. Maj. Ralph Powell, AUS-Ret.
An exciting and accurate personal story of a Combat Infantryman who served his country in WWII. His story takes the reader through all phases of the war from his enlistment as a private to a commissioned officer as he saw action in Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium, and Germany. A heart-rending, sometimes heart-breaking record of actual battles.
Third Millennium Publishing, P.O. Box 152952, San Diego, CA 92195. (619) 669-0386. www.3millpub.com. ISBN 0-9708638-8-8. 125 pp. $14.95 plus postage.