In Review

Into the Rising Sun: In Their Own Words, World War II's Pacific Veterans Reveal the Heart of Combat
By Patrick K. O'Donnell. The Free Press. ISBN 0-7432-1480-3.

With the aging World War II veteran population dwindling daily, the combat memories of their courage and suffering are historical treasures to be preserved. Award-winning author Patrick O'Donnell has captured the oral histories of more than 70 veterans who fought in the Pacific theater during World War II. This is his second volume of World War II oral history, following his European theater focus, Beyond Valor: World War II's Ran-gers and Airborne Veterans Reveal the Heart of Combat (The Free Press, 2001).

With this dramatic and touching effort, O'Donnell presents the unvarnished words and emotions of America's elite World War II infantrymen - Marine Raiders, Army paratroopers, Rangers, and Merrill's Marauders. It is sobering material, for these men tell their stories of combat with graphic realism, grisly detail, and profane color.

All of the combat stories pack a powerful, visceral wallop; some are heartbreaking, others are shocking in their honesty about men's brutal actions in close combat. These are men who fought the Japanese at Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Burma, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Other deadly enemies included disease, fatigue, heat, despair, and the psychological effects of unrestrained revenge and hatred.

The veterans do not talk of grand strategy or even tactics. Their war was much closer and more personal than some broad arrows drawn on a map. "My war was that 10 or 15 yards in front of me," says one paratrooper. And they all speak of their buddies, the ones who did not come home.

At the beginning of each chapter, O'Donnell provides an excellent strategic and tactical overview of the various battles and campaigns, but it is the veterans' own foxhole-level view of war that is so compelling. O'Donnell calls the Pacific "the most savage and brutal theater of World War II," and as these combat vignettes reveal, it truly was a war without mercy.

The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228
By Dick Couch. Crown Publishers. ISBN 0-609-60710-3.

Recon Marines, Army Rangers, and Delta Force all think they are tough, and they are. But Navy SEALs are really tough, and they round out the full spectrum of capability for U.S. special operation forces.

SEALs are sea-air-land commandos, "America's elite maritime warriors," according to author Dick Couch. His latest book focuses on the training of Navy SEALs, the process that separates the really tough men from the ones who just think they are. Couch is a retired Navy captain, former Vietnam-era SEAL, and author of four military adventure novels, including Rising Wind (Naval Institute Press, 1996).

For this book, Couch enjoyed a privilege seldom offered to writers. In 1999, he was allowed to accompany the trainees of Class 228 as they sweated and suffered through the 27 weeks of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training at the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Calif. The result of his effort is a stark, realistic view of the men who would try - and the few who would complete - a difficult training and selection program.

Couch dramatically relates how SEALs are trained as individuals and in small units, with an emphasis on teamwork. They fight on land and sea, and they are fiercely proud of the claim that for other service commandos "water is an obstacle; for us it's sanctuary."

The class begins with 114 officers and enlisted men; there are no women in the SEALs. Only 20 will graduate. Couch describes vividly the phases of training from indoctrination to conditioning, from diving to demolitions, weapons, and tactics.

The training program is a continuous schedule of hard physical training, tough mental conditioning, and stress, fatigue, and skills assessment. Most quit (drop on request) and others become too injured or ill to continue (broken bones and pneumonia are common ailments). It is not fun, and it is dangerous.

The physical conditioning alone is punishing. In addition to the daily long-distance conditioning run, obstacle course, swimming, beach and rubber-boat exercises, and continual push-ups, the trainees must run an additional six miles a day just to eat at the chow hall. And then there is the mental conditioning - carefully orchestrated and controlled by the instructor staff, who heap penalties, stress, and fatigue on the trainees.

Couch describes the strengths and weaknesses of the trainees as they are tested for physical strength, endurance, stamina, durability, pain threshold, mental acuity, and the important, intangible quality of guts.

He also tells gripping anecdotes about Hell Week, So Sorry Day, the Wall of Shame, and why, for a SEAL, "smooth is fast." This book is an inspiration, reaffirming the high quality of training, skill, and determination of the American fighting man and giving new meaning to the term "warrior elite."

— Reviews by William D. Bushnell

Member Books

Fiction

The Lazarus File. By Lt. Col. Donn E. Taylor, AUS-Ret.
In Colombia, a CIA agent and a Colombian woman of good family, unwillingly thrown together, uncover an international terrorist attack against both of their counties. Held captive and marked for death in a remote Andean valley, they must find a way to prevent the terrorist strike. With action ranging over much of the Caribbean and the United States, this is a fast-paced narrative featuring unexpected plot twits, thrilling flight sequences, and emotionally charged personal relationships.
Panther Creek Press, P.O. Box 130233, Panther Creek Station, Spring, TX 77393. www.amazon.com. ISBN 0-9678343-9-2. 226 pp. $18.95 plus postage.

Hollywood Mysteries: The Hunting Party and Let the Dice Roll. By Renee Harmon.
In Book I, the series first introduces Chris Mentor, the young CIA agent who discovers the deadly secret behind some seemingly unimportant small arms thefts. Chris has been set up to “catch measles”—someone intends to have her killed. The story takes place at the German Rhine river valley during Mardi-Gras. In book II, Ralph Harlan, well-known Hollywood film producer, is found murdered. Who has killed him? The list of suspects is long. Hollywood and Beverly Hills are the story's exciting locations.
Ciara Productions, 1840 S. University, Visalia, CA 93277. ISBN 0-967325-1-5 and ISBN 0-9673253-1-5. 160 pp. and 114 pp. $19.95 plus postage.

Nonfiction

Soochow and the 4th Marines. By CW4 William R. Evans, USA-Ret.
The true story of a small mongrel dog adopted as a mascot by the 4th Marines in Shanghai, China, in 1937. Soochow became a legend in his own time riding around Shanghai in rickshaws, eating sirloin steaks, and drinking beer with the other Marines in his own tailor made uniforms.
Atwood Publishing, P. O. Box 111, Rogue River, OR 97537. (541) 582-0744. ISBN 0-9617585-1-1. 144 pp. $17.00 postpaid.

Rangers in Korea. By Col. Robert W. Black, USAR-Ret.
In the Korean War, one group above all others distinguished itself, a small elite band who volunteered for action behind enemy lines. They were the men of the U.S. Army's legendary Rangers. They succeeded in making the first combat jump in Ranger history, destroying enemy headquarters and inflicting the first defeat on Communist Chinese forces while suffering a disproportionate number of casualties. This is their story, told for the first time – based on military records, interviews with survivors, and the author's personal experiences as an American Ranger in the Korean War.
Ballentine Books, 1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036. (212) 782-8282. www.ballantinebooks.com. ISBN 0-8041-0213-9. 342 pp. $6.99 plus postage.

The Last Kilometer: Marching to Victory in Europe with the Big Red One, 1944-1945. By Lt. Col. Arthur P. Price, USA-Ret.
From the Battle of the Bulge to VE Day, Price takes us through France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia for a riveting, soldier's-eye view of the final phase of fighting in WWII Europe. A young lieutenant with the First Infantry Division (the “Big Red One”), Preston served as an 81-mm mortar forward observer, and he skillfully recreates the realities of combat in an engaging prose style filled with details of his own conclusion. His descriptions of life as an infantryman highlight the plight of the ordinary – though often heroic soldier as he valiantly battles the enemy while facing his own probable demise.
Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. (410) 295-1081. www.navalinstitute.org. ISBN 1-55750-434-2. 224 pp. $24.95 plus postage.

The Penobscot Expedition: Commodore Saltonstall and the Massachusetts Conspiracy of 1779. By Cmdr. George E. Buker, USN-Ret.
Although a seminal event in early U.S. naval history, the ill-fated Penobscot Expedition of 1779 remains one of the least studied aspects of the American Revolution – and one of the most controversial. As part of the largest fleet ever assembled by the fledgling American navy, the vessels comprising the expedition were expected to swiftly defeat the British at Fort George on Maine's Penobscot Bay. However, the armada lost some 40 ships during the battle, suffering a defeat the magnitude of which would not be seen again until Pear Harbor. In this book, Buker provides a compelling defense of Dudley Saltonstall, who was accused of cowardice and court-martialed. Bypassing speculation, he analyzes concrete factors that might well have caused the American defeat. Buker's conclusions are certain to foster a reassessment of Saltonstall and his actions.
Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. (410) 295-1081. www.navalinstitute.org. ISBN 1-55750-212-9. 224 pp. $32.95 plus postage.

The Fighting Rabbis: Jewish Military Chaplains and American History. By Capt. Albert I. Slomovitz, USN.
American Jews and their rabbis are not usually associated with warfare. And yet, Jewish chaplains have played a significant and sometimes heroic role in our nation's defense. Slomovitz presents the compelling history of Jewish military chaplains from their first service during the Civil War to the first female Jewish chaplain and the rabbinic role in Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. Rabbi Slomovitz, himself a Navy chaplain, opens a window onto the fieldwork, religious services, counseling, and dramatic battlefield experiences of Jewish military chaplains throughout our nation's history.
New York University Press, Washington Square, NY, NY 10003. www.nyupress.nyu.edu. ISBN 0-8147-8098-9. 170 pp. $35.00 plus postage.

Pass/t In Review! By Lt. Gen. George Sammet, USA-Ret. and Col. David E. Green, USA-Ret.
In this book, the authors describe their contrasting culture, heritage, and childhood years. Sammet is the son of first generation Hungarian-Americans who settled in Chicago. Green is the son of sixth generation Scotch-Irish country folks. The Green clan settled in south Alabama when it was part of the Mississippi Territory occupied by Creek Indians. The focus is on their military and aerospace defense industry experiences. Military service began after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor and ended with their retirement in 1977. “Old” verses “new” army leadership is characterized by “warriors” versus the “politically correct.” Their assessments are candid, critical, and sometimes harsh. These old soldiers tell it like they saw it and like they did it. Photos, anecdotes, and war stories add humor and color.
FirstPublish, 300 Sunport Lane, Orlando, FL 32809. (407) 240-1414. www.firstpublish.com. ISBN 1-931743-19-3. 308 pp. $17.95 plus postage.

Licensed to Spy: With the Top Secret Military Liaison Mission in East Germany. By Cmdr. John Fahey, USN-Ret.
Fahey's account as a naval officer in East Germany during the Cold War is a must read for everyone who enjoys true-life spy stories. An astonishing tale of overt reconnaissance, high-speed car chases, shootings, and detentions, the book chronicles two years in the midst of 22 divisions of Soviet troops.
Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402-5034. (410) 295-1081. www.navalinstitute.org. ISBN 1-55750-294-3. 240 pp. $25.95 plus postage.

Victory at Mortain: Stopping Hitler's Panzer Counteroffensive. By Lt. Col. Mark Reardon, USA.
Reardon's book focuses on the U.S. Army's defeat of the German counteroffensive designed to recapture Avranches and cut off Patton's Third Army. The book features exhaustive use of archival sources an accounts by more than 200 American veterans to reconstruct this pivotal yet little known battle.
University Press of Kansas, 2501 West 15th, Lawrence, KS 66049-3904. (785) 864-4155. www.kansaspress.ku.edu. ISBN 0-7006-1158-4. 384 pp. $39.95 plus postage.

Create the Suspense Film That Sells: For You…The Producer, The Director, The Writer. By Renee Harmon.
Harmon is one of America's top authors of practical primers in filmmaking. With this book, she provides a hands-on guide for today's suspense filmmakers. It teaches the techniques necessary for building the visual, emotional, and structural foundation demanded by today's motion picture industry.
Ciara Productions, 1840 S. University, Visalia, CA 93277. ISBN 0-9673253-0-7. 134 pp. $19.95 plus postage.

The Pogopedia: A Codex of the Walt Kelly Pogo Works. By Cmdr. J. N. Lauer, USN-Ret., Lt. Cmdr. Leo A. Taflin, USN-Ret., and Christopher M. Lauer.
This labor of love is an encyclopedic reference to and celebration of the cartoon art of the late Walt Kelly. Kelly, who drew the comic strip Pogo, is also remembered as a fine social satirist and commentator. The quality of his work entertained a generation and inspired many cartoonists who followed. This book will help Pogo fans remember why they loved the strip, and it will introduce the Pogo canon to those who are not familiar with Kelly's work.
Spring Hollow Books, 6908 Wentworth Avenue South, Richfield, MN 55423. (360) 385-0606. ISBN 0-945185-05-7. 253 pp. $22.00 postpaid.

Memoirs

Bayonets and Bougainvilleas. By Lt. Cmdr. Robert W. Blake, USNR-Ret.
This is the life story of a career Marine decorated for valor in three wars. It is also a narrative of family life in the first half of the twentieth century. The scene spans 1890s Seattle, San Francisco before WWI, battlefields of France, Quantico, and Berkeley in the 1920s. It moves on to Latin America and Spain in the 1930s, FDR's Washington, the Pacific war, Truman's Washington, and California in the era of Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon.
1st Books Library, 2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. (800) 839-8640. www.1stbooks.com. ISBN 0-7596-5726-2. 149 pp. $10.50 plus postage.

Memoirs of a Marauder Pilot. By Lt. Col. Frank W. Bauers Jr., USAF-Ret.
This is the unique and personal history of a B-26 Marauder pilot who flew 68 missions with the Ninth Air Force in WWII and then participated in planning combat operations for the 9th Bombardment Division through the end of the war. The book also relates the history of the Marauder, a plane which received little publicity although it played a major role in the invasion of Europe and the defeat of the Axis powers. The story is told against a background of our country's preparation for war, through glimpses of pilot training, shared combat experiences, and exposure to wartime conditions in Britain and on the continent.
Edgewood Publishing Company, 30 Amberwood Pkwy., P.O. Box 388, Ashland, OH 48805. (800) 247-6553. www.bookmaster.com. ISBN 0-9660611-2-8. 233 pp. $28.00 post paid.

Flashback of a Diplomat's Wife. By Mrs. Helga M. Ruge.
In her memoir, Ruge reminisces about the noteworthy episodes in her life as the wife of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. She recalls her 21 action-packed years spent in Sicily, Morocco, England, Wales, and Washington D.C. The time spent in Germany and Guatemala in the late forties, fifties, and sixties provide a unique insight into the culture, geography, and people among whom she lived. Her book provides a rich vicarious experience for those who enjoy travel, life, and love.
Clay & Marshall Publishing Company, 936 Bryant Ave., Chico, CA 95926. (530) 345-0744. claymarshallpubl@aol.com. ISBN 0-9715672-0-4. 228 pp. $18.95 postpaid.

Hello Cherry Tree: A Korean War Diary. By Lt. Cmdr. George Napier Wilson, USNR-Ret.
The author compiled his book from notes he made while recalled to active duty with his Naval Reserve Squadron in Korea. This is the diary of his tour with his squadron, “The Flying Circus,” aboard the USS Valley Forge.
Available from the author, c/o imaJen, 5530 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206. (412) 441-4143. ISBN 0-9707280-9-3. 107 pp. $12.00 postpaid.