No comments about Incidents In The Life of a B-25 Pilot.

No comments about SIR JOHN HAWKWOOD: Chivalry and the Art of War.

2 comments about BattleFire!: Combat Stories from World War II.

1. The reader will hardly believe the danger, deprivation and hardships endured by by these ordinary Kentucky boys plucked from their farms and schooling and thrust into the most extaordinary circumstances. Kelly is a great story teller, and these stories of bravery and heroism in the face of the terrors of war are powerfully moving. These are stories that capture the experience of war from all the services and all the major campaigns of WWII while focusing on the very human side of those who were caught up in it. After you read this book you will want to give it to your children and grandchildren so future generations will never forget the sacrafices of those who went before.



2. "Battlefire! Combat Stories From World War II" by Col. Arthur L. Kelly
   The University of Kentucky Press, 1997.
   
   This book is written by a veteran of three wars: World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Kelly has collected in one place eleven (11) different stories of World War II, ranging, chronologically, from the Japanese sneak attack on the Navy at Pearl Harbor to the Marines' attack on Iwo Jima. The author recounts experiences of individuals in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Corps and the Marine Corps. Interestingly, all of the eleven individuals were from Kentucky. This is understandable for a book from "The University Press of Kentucky".
   
   I found it difficult to read the story of Corporal Field Reed Jr. who was on the Bataan Death March and was a POW at Camp Cabanatuan, where he was rescued by U. S. Army Rangers.
   
   Of personal interest to me was the story of Signalman First Class Lee Ebner, U. S. Navy. He was on the USS West Virginia, BB48, which was sunk at Pearl Harbor. Ebner recounts how he joined thousands of sailors who had lost their home due to the attack. There were seven (7) active battleships at Pearl Harbor on that December day. If each ship had a crew of 1500 men, then there were some 10,500 sailors who lost their belongings, their uniforms, and their place to sleep at night. On the USS Arizona, BB39, more than a thousand sailors also lost their lives. Signalman Ebner relates that he was assigned to a destroyer, the USS Mahan, DDG37, the day after the raid on Pearl Harbor. What a let down! From a big battleship to a tin can! Ebner's story goes all the way to the end of the war, where he was under attack by Kamikazes.
   
   Here is a story yet to be fully told. How did the Navy deal with thousands of displaced sailors on the days and weeks after the sneak attack? Where did they go to eat? To sleep? Where did they obtain new uniforms, and how did they get paid? The old Navy always wanted full and complete pay records before they would give you a dime.
   
   This slim volume covers the full gamut of World War II experiences, from the raid on Pearl Harbor, to POW stories, to B17 raids and depth charge attacks on American submarines. Nicely done!

1 comments about Bread and Rice: An American Woman's Fight to Survive in the Jungles and Prison Camps of the WWII Philippines.

1. This story focuses on the personal experience of 2 Americans and the people who befriended them and sometimes betrayed them. Most of the book deals with the 2 years they were in hiding and then follows them through their surrender to the Japanese, prison life and life in internment camps.
   
   The author was a journalist in China when Japan invaded it and wrote bluntly of the Japanese activities there. When she and her husband were later in the Philippines and Japan invaded, they feared her past actions would cause the Japanese to treat her especially harshly and so they fled to the jungle.
   
   The first chapter and part of the second are written in a stream of consciousness manner, but don't let that deter you. Part way in the second chapter she begins writing in a narrative style that continues throughout the book. From then on, it's hard to put down.

4 comments about Runway Visions: An American C-130 Pilot's Memoir of Combat Airlift Operations in Southeast Asia, 1967-1968.

1. Runway Visions is a memoir of a young pilot who volunteers to go to SE Asia and fly Hercules C-130 supply missions during the Viet Nam war.

   David Vaughan tells a compelling tale, one that haunts me. It is not a story full of heroic rescues, though there is a little of that. It is the tale of a man looking back at himself and trying to make sense of what he did and saw. He holds little back.A difficult book to describe, but one that this reader found very satisfying. One of the best books I have read in a long time.




2. I found David Kirk Vaughan's book about his experiences as an airlift pilot in Vietnam impossible to put down. His descriptions of action in and out of the cockpit are done such that they are very easy to understand, even if one is not a pilot. Yet, even the experienced military aviator will find some intriguing action there for him too.

   Vaughan's description of landing at the "golf course" is but one example. Written in such a manner that the novice can appreciate the extreme difficulty of such a task, an aviator will nearly be in disbelief, especially after seeing the landing strip in one of the several photos that the author took during his tour and which are included in the book.

   Of course there is plenty of action outside the cockpit, too. Again, I found Vaughan's descriptions superb as he related his travels throughout Thailand, Vietnam, the Phillipines and back "home" in Taiwan.

   If one wishes to have a better understanding of the life of a military transport pilot or to have a record of Vietnam war airlift action, then this is a must buy!




3. I bought this book because I am going into the Air Force Reserves as a C-130 pilot. I, of course, found it very interesting and informative, but I don't think I would recommend it to any non-pilots and would hesitate to recommend it to a non-airlift military pilot. A lot of people would find the topics he discusses very boring as compared to a fighter or bomber type memoir book. Nevertheless, I thought the stories he told were awesome - he talks about almost every mission the Hercules performs - hauling mail, booze, troops, dead bodies, ammo, and medical litters of injured troops. He also details the short-field capability of the C-130 flying into all of those fields in 'Nam. There are several hair-raising stories that he depicts where they are supplying the Marines at Khe Sahn during Tet and others where he is landing in bad weather, runways with craters, dirt strips, etc. He also mixes up the book with some details of the social life in Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines (he parallels the airlifting stories with stories about a chick he "hangs out" with in Bangkok.)

   Anyway, I thought it was a great read, but I doubt most folks would think so unless they were very into the C-130 - like me.




4. Runway Visions is the appropriately titled story of Captain Vaughan's experiences and "bringing up" as a C-130 aviator in Southeast Asia from February 1967 to April 1968, from a newly ordained aircraft commander (AC) at Dyess AFB to "new guy" novitiate in the right seat, progressing to the left seat as AC with a crew, and both seats as an instructor pilot, to check out the "new guys". Early in his fifteen-month tour, he is introduced to the harrowing landing required of An Khe Golf Course, relieved by the construction of a new runway nearby (An Khe Main), then back to the dread of the Golf Course when the new runway is closed for further improvement. Missions to Khe Sanh during his tour are described, the crew's Christmas dinner at the chow hall providing signs of the future siege.
   Airlift operations during this time in that part of the world have been little documented, so this journal of a C-130 pilot is a welcome addition to the literature of military aviation for the period. Most pilots seem to have the most vivid impressions of their landing strips, regardless of time, place, or aircraft flown, and this book would be welcomed by many, especially those who know that runways are not always straight and level, or paved and lighted. Perhaps it would prove an awakening for those who don't, and should, as well.

4 comments about Flightpath: A Biography of Frank Barker.

1. If you can get a copy of this book to read, do it! It's one of the best biographies I've read in a while. It's succinct and densely loaded with good and encouraging stuff about how Frank finally understood salvation is a gift (Rom. 6:23), how he remained faithful to God's Word, and how God has and is using him even though he's made mistakes and remains a sinner. Is a testimony to God's faithfulness to build the church.



2. A biography is an account of a person's life written by another person. An autobiography is an account of a person's life written by that person. We would assume that a biography would be written in the third-person and an autobiography would be written in the first-person. Through reading hundreds of books, that has been my experience. Or it has been until I read Flight Path, A Biography of Frank Barker Jr.. A biography of Frank Barker written by Janie Buck and Mary Lou Davis, it is written in the first person. In the final chapter the authors explain this innovation: "Writing the life story of Frank Barker has been a process of 'slash and burn.' So much material that could, and probably should, be included was left out. There is no way to record all the great things God has done in and through him. Therefore, I have written about the man and not his voluminous accomplishments. After two years of collecting information and praying, God led me to write as if Frank was telling his own story."
   
   I had never heard of Frank Barker until I read this book. Yet it seems that I probably should have heard of him. Barker founded Briarwood Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Birmingham, Alabama--a megachurch long before America was littered with hundreds of them. It must surely still be one of the few Presbyterian megachurches. As surprising as it is that, what is more surprising is that a man like Frank Barker would be the one to begin and nurture such a church. Born into a believing home, Barker fled from the Lord. He lived hard during his teenage years and eventually joined the Navy, becoming a fighter pilot. He continued his hard living until he was radically saved by the Lord and felt called to the ministry.
   
   In the summer of 1960, Frank Barker agreed to help the Birmingham Presbytery start a church in Cahaba Heights. Just a couple of months later, Briarwood Presbyterian Church was officially chartered. Barker led the church for four decades before retiring near the close of 1999. Flight Path is Barker's story, beginning with his childhood and ending with his post-"retirement" career as a speaker and leader.
   
   John MacArthur says of this book: "The story of Frank Barker is an amazing account of how God uses the faithful and the humble. In a marvelous way Christ sought him, saved him, and made him an effective instrument for the building up of the church. What a remarkable and encouraging legacy!" I was struck as well by the way Christ sought Barker, how He saved him, and how God raised him up to begin such a great work. So often it seems that God chooses the most unlikely people to do great things for Him, whether it be in choosing Moses, who was terrified of public speaking, to be His mouthpiece; choosing Paul, who persecuted the church, to be the one who would relay the theology of the New Testament; or Frank Barker, a man who lived for his own pleasure and satisfaction, to be the man who built a church that God used to save so many.
   
   An interesting book that tells a fascinating life-story, Flight Path was an enjoyable read and one I am glad to recommend.



3. Two weeks ago, Frank and Barbara Barker spoke at our Mid-Winter Conference. They love the Lord and His people, and they also love those people who are seeking God's guidance in their day-to-day lives.
   
   Flight Path contains actual events that God has used to guide Frank all of his life - even when he resisted! I recommend this book, because it is direct and honest - just as Frank and Barbara are. Thank you, Janie and Mary Lou, for writing it.



4. This was an interesting biography about a pilot turned pastor. It was a bit choppy to read, but the sentiment was nice.

5 comments about Through My Eyes (Hellgate Memories Series.).

1. I just got "Through My Eyes" and I am already on Chapter 10. I simply love it! Weckstein's anecdotal style makes this a very quick, enjoyable read. The paragraph describing "S.O.S." made me laugh the hardest I have in a long time. I laughed so hard, my wife had to come and check on me to see if I was OK. As the webmaster for the 91st Division, I highly recommend this book.



2. I wrote the Foreword to this book. Leon Weckstein and I both served in the 363rd Infantry. His book follows the trail of the 91st through training in Oregon. In April, 1944 the 91st shipped out to North Africa for Operation Vendetta, then to Italy where it fought out the war. Weckstein knows what it was like to endure combat in the mountains of Italy. Those who don't should read his book. For those veterans of the 91st, my book, POWDER RIVER! is now out of print. The original history published in 1947 has been reprinted by the Battery Press and is once again available.



3. I'm glad Mr. Weckstein wrote down his WWII memoirs. I wish that more veterans would follow his lead. There is much to learn about human nature & the privilege given to glimpse into the private hell of wartime active duty is a sacred trust. However, Mr. Weckstein's needed an experienced writer to make his story more palatable. He uses one recurring dream-sequence where he imagines his German counterpart which goes on & on... & on. I would have appreciated more reality about his comrades. To be sure, Mr. Weckstein is a hero with a story that must be told. However, there are better 1st person WWII narratives.



4. Leon Weckstein has written a book that lets one see the Italian campaign from the viewpoint of a single soldier. It is exactly the book that I needed to know more about what my own father experienced as an enlisted man in the 91st Division. Weckstein's description of his experience enhances what my father told us of his experience and means much to us. Though my father was in the 362nd Infantry and Leon was in the 363rd, their experiences were probably similar since the units were working on the same objectives as they fought to dislodge the Germans from town after town and from the mountain tops along Highway 65 in Italy.

   Weckstein's courage, skill and love of the Italian people all make this a worthwhile book.




5. It is always an interesting look at history when you read it first hand from those who were a part of making it happen; like WWII veteran Leon Weckstein does with his well told chronicle of war in Italy "Through My Eyes." Not only does he take us through those campaigns and battles as an eye witness, but he gives us some insightful and emotional views of what happened.
   
   This is not your normal memoir taken from some diary or journal - his story reads at times like an action novel with feelings and sensitivity. His choice of phrasing and words makes for some good reading; however, the actual events he writes about and his personal relationships are what drive this book. How fate, divine intervention or perhaps his own actions stopped the destruction of the historic landmark "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" is something that caught my fullest attention. I had first laid eyes on that tower as a 19 year old teenager hitch hiking across Europe in 1965; it is hard to imagine what a great loss to the world that destruction would have been. He did have orders to destroy the place and its fate was in his hands for a period of time. What happened makes for a great story but there are several other instances and experiences in his book which are enthralling and will hold your attention.
   
   Weckstein has natural storytelling ability for describing what he experienced. This is truly a gift for the ages. We are fortunate to have had men like him to sit down and tell their stories. This is real history about real men in war. A must read for all history and WWII buffs. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book and it is on my personal list of books you might consider reading!

3 comments about Alexander the Great: Man and God.

1. This book is a wonderful chronical both of Alexander the Great's life and conquests. It's primary strength is in the amount of sheer details of Alexander's conquests, his social programs, etc. By reading this book you'll get an excellent understanding of the politics during his time, the practical difficulties that Alexander had conquering such vast regions, and the various ramifications of Alexander's decisions.
   
   However, this book does go a bit politically correct when it gets into the issue of whether Alexander the Great should be called "the great" or "the accursed" (which btw the Iranians seem prefer...seems they haven't gotten over Alexander ending their golden age). Although, to be fair the author does lay out a good case for relabeling Alexander "the accursed"...or at least acknowledging that his legacy was mixed.
   
   This book does an excellent job imparting a comprehensive understanding of Alexander the great, his life and his effect on history, etc. You even learn enough to see how thing could have gone differently (if Alexander had an obvious heir when died, if he accepted the proposal of Darius to accept all land west of the Euphrates, if he had lived longer and conquered Arabia and Carthage which he was planning on doing).



2. I find it funny and irksome to read the writings of these armchair kings and generals calling themselves "scholars" sitting on some moral high horse they erect for themselves. I'm just curious what they get out of it. Worthington is certainly a noteworthy scholar with great credentials, but why he sits in his den or office and think he could apply the morals of today to those of some 2500 years ago is not something I could fathom. Clearly, there is an agenda of some sort that belie the thoroughly researched materials.
   
   The book is certainly well-written and it's obvious that Worthington knows his stuff, but his obvious undisguised bias towards the negative over the positive gets a little old. It's so easy to exaggerate the negative (which we ALL have) into something monstrous and totally unsavory. This is exactly what Worthington does time and time again, selectively citing sources or leaving them out to make his point as some sort of prosecutor/judge.
   
   I've read many books about Alexander by noted historians and scholars and they do indeed run the gamut from gushing positivity to dark sourpuss vitriol like this book by Worthington. It's fascinating that Alexander means so many different things to different people - kind of like the German opera composer Wagner. The thing about Alexander is that - no matter what - he'll be studied, admired, revered, reviled, debated over for many millennias to come (assuming mankind survives that long), long after irrelevant books like these have disappeared...



3. The quantity of books that I have read of Alexander the Great are self explanatory in by looking at my comments.
   I was born in the first Alexandria that he created and from his dreams. Mixtures of cultures.Italians came centuries ago,hence I was born.
   It is very hard to judge Alexander,as all of the papyruses regarding his life and conquest were distroyed when the library of Alexandria was burned down centuries after his death.
   However some and other related documents have survived the centuries.It is hard not to admire such a bright kid,who captured the lives of many over the centuries with his astonishing tactics of war.
   Many books have been written and I am sure that many more will come.The point however is that nothing new has been discovered,therefore these are all assumptions of his character and megalomaniac attitudes.This book is very well written,with some sections that are new to me.How did these come to be,and not by famous historians I am not sure.
   There are more details in this book about Bessus,the women in Darius life,the invasion of Sogdiana,Bactria,the Hindu Khush.Details of the cities that Alexander invaded with the actual modern location is important for the reader.
   It is not a stunning book but very well written.
   To me Alexander was not born a conqueror instead he was a discoverer.He wanted to discover the world,but in doing so he had to invade in order to go on.He did not seem to be interested in gold and precious things rather he gave them away.
   His tactics for war,were cunning and seemed like a little kid playing with tin soldiers with his friends.
   I still have not read or heard of anyone in history who has accomplished so much in such a little time in his life.
   I liked the maps with the details of the assaults in this book.as well as the maps altogether.I like to follow the trails of the battles.
   He certainly was not a God, never the less you can find him in the Bible as well as the Koran.Isn't that strange?
   A lot of discoveries and archaeological sights have been discovered in Alexandria Egypt in recent years.Still the mystery remains.Where is Alexander's body? Are we every going to find him? I hope so.
   If we do, we may also discover the papyruses that were also buried with him.What a breakthrough in history that would be.

2 comments about Hangar Flying with Grandpa: Flight and Adventure Stories for my Grandchildren.

1. This book is a great look at what life was like as a career military pilot from the beginning of WWII to the end of the Vietnaum conflict. Lots of good insights into what it was like to live in post-war Germany.



2. This book is an amazing read. We are lucky to have Wilbert Turk put this down in writing. A man who joined the civilian Air corp, which became the Army Air Corp, which became the Air Force. This guy tells a story that starts with the birth of aviation and his early life fascination with it, through the formation of America's Air Force and his life and detailed battle accounts through World War II, Korea, other Cold War Efforts, and Vietnam.
   
   It is true that a lot has been said about the Greatest Generation, but I will tell you that there is more to be found and more to be learned. Untold amounts of detail and truth are found in personal histories such as this. This is a very important and a life changing book. Mr. Turk wrote this book for his grandchildren, but I believe it is a great resource to all of us.
   
   It goes without saying that I am enjoying this book.

No comments about 'Ware Sherman: A Journal of Three Months' Personal Experience in the Last Days of the Confederacy.