WWII

Military Book Reviews

The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship Between John Glenn and Ted Williams

The Wingmen is a captivating story about the friendship between two iconic figures – astronaut John Glenn and baseball legend Ted Williams. The book sheds light on their unique camaraderie but falls short in delivering its impact. Lazarus delves into the lives of Glenn and Williams, providing readers with a compelling account of their friendship. He juxtaposes their different backgrounds and highlights the curious circumstances that brought them together.

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Military Book Reviews

Into Enemy Waters: A World War II Story of the Demolition Divers Who Became the Navy SEALs

Andrew Dubbins wrote Into Enemy Waters: A World War II Story of the Demolition Divers Who Became the Navy SEALs so one of last surviving members of the UDT, 95-year-old George Morgan, can tell his version of the heroic stories from WWII. Dubbins introduces Draper Kauffman, an officer who joined the navy through an unusual route, established the UDT training pipeline, and led the UDT community throughout WWII.

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Military Book Reviews

Man’s Search for Meaning

In Viktor Frankl’s world renown book Man’s Search for Meaning, the steady underlying beat of the emotionally grounding drum comes as a Nietzsche quote explaining that “He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How.” Numerous accounts of the world wars have depicted the gruesome accounts humankind has enacted on his likeness in the name of ideals and values, the aftermath giving way to deep-dives and analytics in search of answering the “why”.

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Military Book Reviews

A Gathering of Men

This book chronicles the exploits and trauma along with the remarkable success of the 8th AF 100th Bomb Group pilots, mechanics, and aircrew’s heroic, invaluable demonstrations of strategic airpower. The author tells us intimate details of what can only be personal family history, and indeed from her own father-in-law’s memory. It is a gripping, immersive narrative that I finished quickly. I didn’t want to put it down.

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Military Book Reviews

Combat Engineer: The Life and Leadership of Colonel H. Wallis Anderson

The book, Combat Engineer, is author John Racoosin’s tribute to his grandfather, Harry Wallis Anderson. He was a railroad engineer and Army reservist born in 1890, who served with the Army Corps of Engineers in Mexico and during both World Wars. The book briefly covers Anderson’s early years but focuses most on his service during WWII.  

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Military Book Reviews

A Gathering of Men

Based on actual events, A Gathering of Men is a moving story of three childhood friends from small-town Candor, North Carolina. Their desire to become pilots eventually leads them to the US Army Air Force 100th Bomb Group stationed at Thorpe Abbotts, England, in 1944. The unit flies dangerous bombing missions over Europe, often facing staggering losses from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft guns. 

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