In Review

Civil War Medicine: Challenges and Triumphs
By Alfred Jay Bollet, M.D. ISBN 1-883620-08-2.

The popular and unsettling image of Civil War medicine is one of neglected wounded soldiers and piles of amputated limbs. "The first year of the Civil War was a medical disaster," according to medical historian and author Alfred Jay Bollet, as neither the Union nor Confederate armies were prepared for the huge numbers of casualties, the appalling nature of grievous wounds, or the diseases that erupted from the poor field sanitation of large armies of men.

In his comprehensive history, Bollet offers a vivid portrayal of Civil War medicine that shows how military medical treatment greatly improved during the war, reducing fatalities from horrible combat wounds and infectious disease.

This is not a book for the squeamish. Bollet describes in gruesome detail how field hospitals really worked, how amputations were performed, and how deplorable camp sanitation produced deadly epidemics of measles, dysentery, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. His language is not too technical, but it does graphically describe the bloody, pain-inducing work of surgeons and the suffering of patients.

As Bollet points out, the first year of the Civil War was amateur hour in many ways — especially in medical care. His real purpose, however, is not to dwell on grim statistics but to offer convincing argument that compassionate men and women worked tirelessly to improve all aspects of military medical care. For example, after the disgraceful abandonment of Union wounded at the first Battle of Bull Run in 1861, Union Surgeon General William A. Hammond introduced a greatly improved system for battlefield casualty evacuation and treatment.

Amidst his harrowing tales of inept doctors, neglectful leadership, and plain ignorance, Bollet tells a compelling story of considerate care under horrific conditions.

Roosevelt's Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage
By Joseph E. Persico. ISBN 0-375-50246-7.

In the black art of World War II espionage, who would have guessed that President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was a player? As it turns out, he was very involved in wartime spying, even operating his own private spy rings directly out of the Oval Office.

Roosevelt's Secret War is Joseph E. Persico's revealing and entertaining story of FDR's unusual role in World War II spying. It is Persico's ninth book, following his work as coauthor of Colin Powell's autobiography, My American Journey (Ballantine Books, 1996), and his World War II history, Nuremburg: Infamy on Trial (Viking, 1994).

Persico is an unabashed admirer of Roosevelt, but he still manages to offer a balanced perspective of FDR as a spymaster, revealing his triumphs, mistakes, and quirks. As Persico reveals, "FDR handled secrecy as great sport," showing the president to be a master of deception. FDR loved spy games, once confessing, "You know I am a juggler, and I never let my right hand know what my left hand does. I may be entirely inconsistent, and furthermore, I am perfectly willing to mislead and tell untruths if it will help me win the war."

World War II was serious business, but FDR reveled in the excitement of espionage. Even with official spy agencies like the fbi and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), FDR created and ran two private spy rings from the White House, enlisting the aid of wealthy, patrician friends who were eager to collect intelligence in an exciting game of cloak and dagger.

Persico also tells of the technological triumphs in espionage, like the successful British and American code-breaking efforts that enabled the Allies to read German and Japanese coded messages throughout the war. FDR, however, believed more in human intelligence than in ciphers and codebooks, relying on adventurous amateurs for vicarious thrills of spying and spy catching.

Persico's revelations are stunning and insightful. He tells how FDR wanted to bomb Tokyo before Pearl Harbor and how he knew, before any other world leader, that Hitler would invade Russia. He also reveals how the British used intelligence to influence FDR into making some critical decisions and how the Soviets infiltrated the White House without FDR ever knowing.

Best are Persico's descriptions of the turf battles between government spy agencies and FDR's private spy rings. Persico has little good to say about the vaunted director of the OSS, William "Wild Bill" Donovan, or about the fbi's J. Edgar Hoover, but he provides some hilarious and creepy anecdotes about their schemes and plots against the enemy and each other.

Persico shows that Franklin D. Roosevelt was the right president at the right time — and that he was a pretty good spymaster, too.

—Reviews by William D. Bushnell

Member Books

FICTION

The Crossover. By Stephen Phillipe.
In this powerful thriller, a revenge scheme is played out against a stunning backdrop of corporate conspiracy, assassination, and a team of terrorists. Nick Kriss is an American engineer on assignment in Saudi Arabia who is unwittingly targeted for murder while he and his wife, Cherie, are on vacation. Nick is injured and Cherie is killed during what appears to be a bizarre automobile accident on a mountain roadway in Cyprus. The conspirators and the hired killer have underestimated Nick's resolve to track them down. Nick wants retribution, but he must learn the identity of the international hit man hired to kill him if he is to find out who is behind the plot to kill him and why.
Writer's Showcase, 5220 S. 16th, Ste. 200, Lincoln, NE 68512. (877) 823-9235. www.iuniverse.com. ISBN 0-595-20922-X. 145 pp. $11.95 plus postage.

Curse of the Ruby Rood. By Gina Beth Clark.
Jean LaFitte, a well-known American pirate who sold slaves and pillaged along the Gulf Coast made Galveston Island, Texas, his headquarters. This story tells how he brought a curse upon one family for three generations with his stunning gift: a gold cross inset with 40 rubies. The plot thickens as the treasure is passed on. This is a fascinating historical thriller.
Xlibris Corporation, 436 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19101. (888) 795-424. www.xlibris.com. ISBN 0-7388-6988-0. 369 pp. $21.95 plus postage.

Dear Lizzie: Alone in Glory. By Col. William H. Jacobs, USAF-Ret.
Jacobs based this book on the letters of Edwin Beardsley Campbell (his great grandfather) to his fiancée, Lizzie Lewis during the Civil War. This is the second volume in telling the story that leads to their reunion and reflects on the danger that awaited every young soldier as the war between the South and the North heated up. It is a tale of love, separation, anxiety, military action, and army camp boredom. The historical portions of the novel have been carefully researched at the Hayes Presidential library and in all of the locations mentioned.
Converg Publishers, 117 West Outer Drive, Canyon Lake, TX 78133. (830) 899-4706. www.converg.org. ISBN 0-9706546-1-8. 327 pp. $23.45 postpaid.

Detachment Bravo. By Cmdr. Richard Marcinko, USN-Ret., and John Weisman.
The Rogue Warrior is back in another fast-paced, furious, in-your-face adventure! This time he's on the hunt for a high-tech army that smashed the Good Friday Peace Accord and killed a half dozen American and British CEO's. Launched by two self-financed, new-generation terrorists, this murderous wing of the IRA has an even bigger assault planned – one that promises to stun the world. Now, along with a special ops team made up of Brits, SEALS, spies, and NSA operatives, Marcinko is determined to stop them, but there are a a couple of unknowns: They don't know the date, and they don't know where the terror is going down.
Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10020. (800) 456-6798. business@simonandschuster.com. ISBN 0-671-00075-6. 402 pp. $7.99 plus postage.

Off Ninety-Five. By Col. Edward D. Miller, USA-Ret.
Charlie Merrill finds himself inside the circle of a top-secret weapons development team. After taking an unusual route in search of adventure to inspire his writing, Charlie ends up at the headquarters of a government initiative to develop African Driver Ants into weapons. A retired army officer, he serves his country again in a new role where he deals with espionage and top-secret government work and where he meets a new love.
1st Books Library, 2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. (800) 839-8640. www.1stbooks.com. ISBN 0-75962-236-1. 230 pp. $11.95 plus postage.

NON-FICTION

Everyone Wears a Flea Collar. By Col. Laura L. Smith, USAF-Ret.
Drawing from life experience in the military, interactions with strangers, and reflections on personal relationships, this book of short stories illustrates an appreciation for the bizarre. Recounted with a comedic flair, these stories also are captured with a cartoonist's eye and are a witty rendition of life.
Amazing Experience Press, 1908 Keswick Lane, Concord, CA 94528. (925) 691-5204. Femwiz@aol.com. ISBN 0-9717071-0-3. 100 pp. $8.95 plus postage.

Fire On the Hangar Deck: Ordeal of the Oriskany. By Capt. Wynn F. Foster, USN-Ret.
In October 1966, the USS Oriskany was conducting combat flight operations in the Gulf of Tonkin when a night illumination flare ignited on her hangar deck, instantly transforming her into a flaming holocaust. Foster tells the story of this terrible fire drawing on his firsthand knowledge of the ship and her systems, extensive documentary research, and in-depth interviews with survivors. The result is a gripping account that describes efforts to combat a situation that was uncontrollable from the beginning. It is a story of disappointing errors, impressive professionalism, dark tragedy, breath-taking heroism, and lessons to be learned.
Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. (410) 295-1081. www.navalinstitute.org. ISBN 1-55750-290-0. 224 pp. $26.95 plus postage.

General Patton's Principles for Life and Leadership. By Maj. Porter B. Williamson, USAF-Ret.
While serving as Patton's personal aid, Williamson observed the true Patton — in public and in private. In this book, he reveals glimpses of the man behind the myth. He describes Patton's principles for life and gives examples of him living by them. This is an honest, gritty portrayal of a true icon in American military history.
Management and Systems Consultants Inc., Sun-University Station, #40457, Tuscon, AZ 85718. ISBN 0-918356-06-7. 243 pp. $13.45.

Forecaster! Battling the Weather Odds in Peace and War. By CWO2 Theodore L. Cogut, USA-Ret.
Especially relevant to these times, this book tells of the progress that has been made in military meteorology. Cogut presents a realistic and optimistic look at life in the military today due to these advances. Weather support activities for fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, and artillery take the reader to a number of stateside bases as well as Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.
Mining History, P.O. Box 1319, Thatcher, AZ 85552. (520) 299-1949. ISBN 0-9675347-2-0. 345 pp. 24.95 plus postage.

The Secrets of Inchon: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Covert Mission of the Korean War. By Cmdr. Eugene F. Clark, USN.
In August of 1950, as the North Korean army swept through the Republic of South Korea, Douglas MacArthur proposed a brilliant but stupendously risky plan that would change the course of the war. MacArthur chose 39-year old lieutenant Clark for a two-week commando mission deep behind enemy lines. Discovered by the Communists, Clark's reconnaissance became a dazzling series of night raids, firefights, and naval battles between armed junk ships. Clark wrote of these events as a keepsake for his wife and children, and to memorialize the valor of the Korean men and women who helped him achieve his objective. His story is an electrifying narrative, shot through with tension and intrigue and told with a crisp eloquence that reveals Clark as a man of action and a keen observer with a clear understanding of the significance of what he was trying to accomplish.
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. (212) 366-2666. Pcrichton@penguinputnam.com. ISBN 0-399-14871-X. 325 pp. $26.95 plus postage.

Because I Fly: A Collection of Aviation Poetry. Edited by Lt. Col. Helmut H. Reda, USAF-Ret.
This book is the most complete up-to-date collection of aviation poetry ever published. Its purpose is to consolidate the "best of the best" in aviation poetry and inspirational verse. Reda examined more than 115 books and magazines from the United States, England, Canada, France, and Australia. He also investigated more than 42,500 hits on the Internet. From his exhaustive research, 170 poems were selected, covering the period between 1869 and 2001. This collection will please pilots, those who love pilots, and anyone who is truly intrigued by flight.
McGraw-Hill, Two Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121-2298. www.books.mcgraw-hill.com. ISBN 0-07-138085-X. 231 pp. $16.95 plus postage.

Moral Meltdown: The Core of Globalism. By 1st Lt. Hilmar A. von Campe, USA-Ret.
Von Campe uncovers the truth about the assault on free society. He explains the close connection between personal lifestyle and national and international politics. He reveals what international socialism has done to society and what we have to expect in the future. His book makes clear why freedom is gradually being eroded but gives answer to the question of what to do about it and how to reverse the process.
1st Books Library, 2595 Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404. (800) 839-8640. www.1stbooks.com. ISBN 0-75961-207-2. 225 pp. $---------.

Going to See the Elephant: Pieces of a Writing Life. By George Garrett. Edited by Lt. Jeb S. Livingood, USCGR.
This is a collection of thoughts and musings on the art and craft of writing. Garrett's essays beautifully entwine the presence of writing into his life experiences serving as inspiration for both novice and seasoned writers alike.
Texas Review Press, P.O. Box 2146, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2146. (936) 294-1429. ISBN 0-945083-03-3. 195 pp. $18.95 plus postage.

MEMOIRS

Behind Friendly Lines: Tales From World War II. By Col. John J. Koneazny, AUS-Ret.
World War II was in full swing and young Koneazny, who was trying to join the Navy, found he had become an Army officer by way of the Merchant Marine. Like many young Americans at the time, he joined up because he was looking for action, and he found it. His circuitous military career took him from the sinful streets of New Orleans to the brothels of Paris. Koneazny's meticulous account of his adventures and misadventures are told through flashbacks that come to him as he and his wife travel through Europe some 45 years later.
General Store Publishing House, Box 28,1694B Burnstown Road, Burnstown, Ontario, Canada K0J 1G0. (800) 465-6072. Koneazny@hotmail.com. ISBN 1-894263-48-0. 155 pp. $17.95 plus postage.

The Gods Smiled: A Memoir. By Col. Walter Merritt Pickard, USAF-Ret.
This is the story of one of the tens of thousands of young American men who became "Accidental Warriors" in the Air Force during World War II and who continued to serve during the Cold War. Pickard relates the stress and sense of achievement of undergraduate pilot training and the transition to a B-17 aircraft commander. His B-17 crew joined the 91st Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force in England on Dec. 1, 1943, and took part in the bloody air battles with the Luftwaffe during the dark, cold, critical winter of 1943-44, when the U.S. and Royal air forces wrested control of the air space over Europe from the Germans. Pickard recalls in easily understood terms the strategic concepts underlying this first test of strategic air power theory and describes in chilling detail the air battles with the Luftwaffe. Later in the book, Pickard relates the challenges and frustrations encountered in the "Puzzle Palace" where his duties made him privy to policy decisions, which led to our involvement in the Vietnam War. His candid and scathing comments on how the political leadership stumbled into that morass, probably abetted by one of the services, will undoubtedly raise hackles.
Kramer Publishing Co., 729 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22302. (703) 683-1477. ISBN 0-9713888-1-4. 490 pp. $25 postpaid

REFERENCE

Boater's Checklist. By CWO4 Clay Kelley, USA-Ret.
The book starts by describing the checks to perform before getting underway and follows through each system check needed to assure proper operation of the vessel. Included are tips from fellow cruisers, safety features and systems, and a seasonal decommissioning and commissioning checklist. This is a book every boater should keep aboard and refer to often.
Bristol Fashion Publications Inc., Enola, PA. (954) 612-0692. ISBN 1-892216-21-3. 142 pp. $18 plus $4 postage for TROA members who order directly from author: Clay E. Kelley, 2046 Treasure Coast Plz., #262, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

Florida Through the Islands: What Boaters Need to Know. By CWO4 Clay Kelley, USA-Ret., and Marybeth Kelley.
This book is not a cruising guide but a guide to cruisers that explains hundreds of items every boater must know to cruise these waters without incident along the way. Problems can range from a mere inconvenience to the sinking or seizure of the vessel. This book has been written in a very easy-to-understand style that addresses the varied situations boaters will find throughout their travels. This is a book every cruiser going to Florida or the Bahamas should keep aboard and refer to often.
Bristol Fashion Publications Inc., Enola, PA . (954) 612-0692. ISBN 1-892216-29-9. 156 pp. $20 plus $4 postage for TROA members who order directly from author: Clay E. Kelley, 2046 Treasure Coast Plz., #262, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

Military Strategy: Principles, Practices, and Historical Perspectives. By Col. John M. Collins, USA-Ret.
Collins' book provides an overview of the principles, theories, policies, and other fundamentals of modern warfare and their applications in the 21st century. "On the surface, the events of Sept. 11 and the following months would appear to have changed the relevancy of Military Strategy," Collins says. However, Collins' "structured approach to national security problem-solving helps readers sift mountains of raw information rapidly and form their own opinions concerning elemental issues and options." Collins illuminates practices that worked well or poorly in the past, together with reasons why. Included is a discussion of national security interests, strategic building blocks, military strategies across the conflict spectrum, methods for developing talent and strategic acumen, and recent case studies that put principles into practice. Also included is a glossary of key military terms.
Brassey's Inc., 22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166. (207) 990-0710. www.brasseysinc.com. ISBN 1-57488-430-1. 333 pp. 32.95 plus postage.