1 comments about Lost Soul: The Confederate Soldier in New England.

1. Rolston writes of the experience of the ordinary Civil War soldier in a manner both compelling and informative. I found it hard to put the book down! By interweaving some of the clearest descriptions of major battles I've read with the fascinating story of Rolston's own quest to discover the story and resting place of a Confederate veteran near his home in Rhode Island, he becomes a character in the continuing of history of the Civil War. Rolston easily conveys the tragedy, the irony, and the terrible beauty wrapped up in a time in American history when men held honor dear enough to die for.

3 comments about When Hell Froze Over: The Memoir of a Korean War Combat Physician Who Spent 1010 Days in a Communist Prison Camp.

1. Refuting the myth one Korean POWs Perspective
   
   By Paul Galanti
   
   Review of When Hell Froze Over by William Shadish, M.D. and Lewis H. Carlson
   iUniverse Publishing, LLC. 157 pages, $26.95, 2007
   
   The personal heroics and care by Dr. Bill Shadish for his fellow POWs in the hell of the North Korean prisoner of war camps has been documented elsewhere. His fellow POWs praised his conduct under threats of death and not least of which are the citations for the actions he took under the most difficult of circumstances. The horrendous conditions and bitter cold caused the death of over half of the POWs. Into this hellhole arrived one of the Armys newest physicians wod ony recently compleed his residency.
   
   Tributes from his former comrades in the notorious Death Valley and Camp 5 consistently reveal how much the men in those camps thought of him. In addition to documenting the rudimentary medical treatment he was permitted to administer, Dr. Shadish also tracked the deaths of the many who were unable to recover from terrible wounds, disease and starvation. His records brought closure to many families after the Koren POWs were eventually repatriated in 1953.
   
   One of Dr. Shadishs major accomplishments made at great personal risk was confronting the Communist political cadres who deliberately starved the POWs in order to render them more susceptible to their incessant propaganda. Shadish continually pressed the camp authorities to keep on top of their efforts to force the POWs to collaborate with them for anti-US propaganda purposes. But Shadishs major accomplishment with this book is to refute the fact that the Korean POWs willingly cooperated with the enemy.
   
   It was just not so. Many of the men suffered the symptoms of dementia caused by their being undernourished starved and, while they apparently lost interest in living very few collaborated. It is Dr. Shadishs contention that several individuals not POWs themselves created the derogatory fiction of the image of open collaboration that stuck.
   
   Following liberation, Shadish refuted such charges at every opportunity throught the remainder of his 20 year military medicine career. He kept in touch with many of his fellow POWs and often treated them medically without charge. He served on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Former POWs and used his medical expertise to cause the agency to change several policies with regard to POWs.
   
   He became a plastic surgeon and practiced in Northern California until recently.
   
   Also in the book are several illustrations and photographs that show the effort Dr. Shadish put into helping his fellow POWs following repatriation. There are several tributes to his caring and his care by his grateful compatriots.
   
   So why did a Vietnam Ex-POW review a book by a Korean POW? Several reasons. We were trained to resist the type of torture and pressure the Communists foisted first on the Korean POWs. Part of our Navy training had been accomplished by instructors who had been POWs in Korea. Having served with Dr. Shadish on the Secretarys Advisory Committee, I knew him personally and of drive and determination to overturn the bad rap the Korean POWs received from the Army.
   
   I share the same fond feelings toward Dr. Shadish as do, obviously, his co-author and the several Army Korean POWs who served with him in the hell-holes of North Korea.
   
   There are only a few truly good men in this world. Bill Shadish is one of them. Read his book and youll know why.
   
   -- PG



2. This is a Korean POW story of starvation, disease, cold, neglect, abuse, depravation, exploitation and conscious reduction of fellow human beings and fellow soldiers to the lowest level of survival by a brutal unfeeling Chinese Communist enemy.
   This is a solid work which debunks the myths of collaboration created by journalist Eugene Kinkead's travesty "In Every War But One" and Major William E. Mayer's farcical "study" of 1,000 Korean RPOWs which tar brushed them all with "giveupitis" and a basic "lack of character". [It is frightening to remember that this very same incompetent Major Mayor would end up being RR's ASD (Health Affairs)]
   Unlike Mayer, Dr. Shadish was on the front lines with his troops. He was with them during the ordeal of captivity as a prisoner of war consciously choosing, even though an officer, to be part of an "Enlisted Camp" in an attempt to protect and serve his men. He was with them during the second ordeal of reintegrating into an unfriendly, unfeeling and uncomprehending Army and civilian world. He was with them as they struggled to obtain the benefits which were theirs by right from an unresponsive bureaucracy. He was with them all the way.
   I served with Dr. Shadish on the Department of Veterans Affairs Prisoner of War Advisory Committee on Prisoners of War and had the opportunity to get to know both "Doc" Shadish and his wife Karen. In our time together I had the opportunity to take the measure of the man, what makes him run, the level of his intelligence, the depth of his emotions, the intensity of his dedication, the sincerity of his motivations and the quality of his professionalism.
   The prism for my observations was my own thirty one years of military service, my six years plus as a POW in North Vietnam and my second career as a Clinical Social Worker. The conclusions I drew from my association with William R. Shadish MD is that he was and remains in truth a man for all seasons.
   His report is reliable. Read it and weep for the most forgotten of the forgotten war.



3. When Hell Froze Over
   
   The Memoir of a Korean War Combat Physician who spent
   1010 Days in a Communist Prison Camp
   
   William Shadish MD w/ Lewis Carlson
   
   iUniverse, Inc. , Lincoln NE: 2007
   159pages with photos, notes and Appendix
   
   Dr. William Shadish is now 84 years old, retired from his practice of Plastic and Hand Surgery since 1992, and retired after twenty years of Army service in 1966. He is busy in his retirement in California, tending his roses and polishing his fossils with his beloved wife, Karen. But he has some tidying of affairs and some scores to settle, and this self published memoir, is an attempt to set the record straight.
   
   Bill Shadish was one of five surviving US Army physicians captured in our `Forgotten War,' in Korea from 1950 to 1953. Four died and there were three British and a Turkish physician who crossed paths with him in captivity. Thus a total of at least 13 physicians were captured. According to the official records, there were 7245 Americans captured. 4418 were repatriated, 2806 died in captivity, and 21 refused repatriation. By contrast there were over 80,000 Chinese and North Koreans captured, with over 10,000 deciding not to go home, but to settle in South Korea or Taiwan, after intense political jockeying by both sides. But that is another story, very admirably told in Ha Jin's brilliant and intense novel, War Trash.
   
   I am particularly interested in Dr. Shadish's compelling narrative, as I was the only physician captured in another war somewhat southwest of Korea, in Vietnam. He was held 1010 days, and I was held 1932 days, with 1075 in the jungle, and 857 in the jails of Hanoi. My experience was similar to his, but on a much smaller scale. In my camp in the jungle of South Vietnam, we had 27 prisoners. Five were released, twelve survived and ten died. The statistics are about the same he witnessed the first year of his captivity....about 50% mortality. He stated that the first year was horrible with no food, clothing or medicine and that conditions improved after the first year in the subsequent camps with a precipitous increase in living standards and fall in the death rate. My story is similar, though, it took about three years for conditions to improve. We died until we got to North Vietnam.
   Dr. Shadish's book is organized chronologically: he begins with his early life, one of a large family of Slovenian immigrants in the coal mining region of Pennsylvania. His family was very ethnic, hard working and poor. He joined the Army in 1945 too late for combat, but got a pre medical education. He left the Army for a while, but under its aegis went to medical school and then went back in, just in time, June 1950.
   
   David Halberstam, in his final book, the riveting history of the Korean War, The Coldest Winter emphasizes that American troops were poorly trained and led, and living the soft life as garrison soldiers in Japan when suddenly they were catapulted into the Korean maelstrom. The In Min Gung (North Korean Army) was a lot better than anyone realized and quickly had Eighth Army troops trapped in the Pusan area. Captain Shadish who was by then a battalion surgeon with the 2nd Battallion, 9th Infantry Regiment was one of these. These August, 1950 days were the bleakest, , but thanks to superior air and firepower, these elements of the 2nd Infantry Division were able to stave off annihilation, and survive another day.
   Unfortunately, the 24th Infantry Division fighting alongside the 2nd was almost destroyed and its commander captured. General William Dean, was captured and incarcerated in Manchuria, basically in solitary confinement until the end of the war. Captain Shadish met him and greatly admired him after the war, and shared a podium or two with General Dean. General Dean gave him a ride to CONUS from Japan on his plane. Dean, perhaps the most famous POW of the war, received the Medal of Honor, and epitomized a humble, honorable soldier, who felt good soldiers don't get captured. Although, his courage and fortitude were exemplary, critics have questioned his disposition of troops and their tactics and training. And even he himself was criticized for acting like a rifelman rather than a Division Commander in the Battle for Pusan. His story is very admirably told in his self effacing autobiography, General Dean's Story. Dr Shadish repeats a stunning vignette which is in General Dean's book: one of his guards in Manchuria, a Chinese soldier, defected, probably because of Dean's indoctrination about America, went to Taiwan, and then came to visit Dean in the States. What wonderful irony.
   In Halberstam's The Coldest Winter, the main villain is not Mao or Stalin or even Kim Il Sung. It's none other than Douglas MacArthur, Commander of all forces in the Far East. He's portrayed as vainglorious and out of touch, and very ill served by his sycophantic deputies. But in the war's most brilliant stroke, the Inchon invasion in September, 1950, MacArthur and X Corps commander, Ned Almond landed behind North Korean lines and pushed on toward the Yalu. That was the problem. The Chinese came into the war in massive numbers for which America and its UN allies were totally unprepared. General MacArthur had assured his superiors in Washington that it would never happen. It happened.
   Captain Shadish's unit got caught in the Gauntlet at Kunu-ri and he was captured by ahugely numerically Chinese force in November, 1950. Oddly, he vaguely criticizes the 23rd Regiment for escaping to the west on another highway, and leaving his unit and others at the mercy of the Chinese. Halberstam notes that COL Paul Freeman (later 4 Star General Freeman), commander of the 23rd, was an outstanding leader who did exactly the right thing to find and lead his men out.
   Captain Shadish spent the rest of the war until 1953 in captivity. He was in three main camps...Death Valley, Camp 5, and Camp 2. The better part of the first year, at least until the summer of 1951 was very hard. They lost about half of their men. He had to contend with the same diseases that we did in Vietnam...malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies, malaria, dysentery, pneumonia, and other infections. His men, as ours, lost 50% of their body weight, were ravaged by infectious disease, beri beri heart disease, protein deficiency edema, and mental and physical stress which was overwhelming. He describes a lot of the mental aberrations that I saw...blocking out the world, loss of structural and reality based thinking, loss of the will to live, profound despair and hopelessness. In addition they had to contend with a bone chilling cold and didn't have adequate clothing or nutrition. In these circumstances, minor and inconsequential problems become serious and life threatening.
   His treatment improved when he got to Camp 5 and improved more at Camp 2. They were allowed to write and receive letters and got winter clothing and better food and shelter and some Red Cross packages once negotiations started in the summer of 1951. The first half of his captivity, he had a small hospital, was allowed to practice medicine with rudimentary instruments (there were five doctors), was taught to extract teeth by a British doctor, and even treated the Chinese Camp Commander for pneumonia (and was repaid later with food).
   He says that after the first year, the death rate dropped precipitously from about 50% to almost zero.
   Like Dr Shadish, I was forced to sign death certificates for prisoners written in a foreign language. Like Dr Shadish, I saw starving prisoners trade food for cigarettes. Like Dr Shadish's group, our group made up elaborate menus of food we wished we had, and never thought much about sex. Hunger is a much greater drive.
   He made every effort to keep his own and others spirits up, and tried to enforce sanitation and hygiene in his camps.
   I was never allowed to practice and given no instruments or medicine but what we could hoard. We never received Red Cross packages or letters from home until the peace was signed in January, 1973.
   In his last camp, he lived with officers and was not allowed to practice medicine. It was just a jail to be endured until the end.
   The Korean War was the first war in which political indoctrination was a hallmark of the treatment of prisoners. They received numbing and interminable lectures on Communism and so did we. They had self criticizing meetings and so did we. Our group, like his, tried to make a joke of it, but the Communists attempted to use the POWs to indoctrinate and for propaganda purposes. This was a radical shift in the historical treatment of POWs.
   When the PWs were exchanged at the end of the Korean War in Operation Big Switch and Little Switch (about 400 very sick and wounded were exchanged first), there were rumbles of criticism of how the PWs had behaved in this very different conflict. Dr Shadish spends the last quarter of his book defending his and his fellow prisoners behavior and attacking with no subtlety those who attempted to denigrate and sully the honor of his comrades. It was said that the Turks were the most admirable and toughest of the UN prisoners, and the Americans, British and French should have behaved more like them. [Again, Halberstam, states that the Turks were disorganized as soldiers, and not up to the performance of their duties and missions; so there is controversy about this].
   Army psychiatrist, William Mayer, and journalist, Eugene Kinkaid criticized the behavior of our PWs in Korea, and much later David Hackworth, the retired Army colonel and publicity seeking contrarian publicly chastised and violently disapproved the POW's record in Korea. Neither of these men were ever captured, had no idea what went on behind the lines, could not identify with the unspeakable hardship and cruelty endured by the prisoners, and receives scathing and effective criticism from the pen of Dr Shadish.
   There was a widespread public perception that our POWs in Korea didn't behave honorably because of the writings of Kinkaid and Mayer. Out of that came the Code of Conduct which is supposed to be a guide, a resource, and a refuge for the captured soldier....perhaps wounded, sick, lonely, hopeless and despairing, but never abandoned. In 1974, I participated in a committee of former POWs at the Pentagon which included two MOH winners, to revise the Code. We did make slight but non substantive revisions, but the essence remained the same: to resist to the limits of ones endurance and ability, and to have faith in the United States of America.
   The last part of When Hell Froze Over, details Dr Shadish's life after captivity. He was debriefed and interrogated when he returned and for a while there was some suspicion of his and his fellows' behavior while captured. His fellow prisoners were glowing in their approbation of him, and after a brief time, the pall was lifted and he stayed in service for a very productive and fruitful career as a plastic and hand surgeon. He settled in Northern California after his twenty years of active duty and practiced very successfully for another 26 years until his retirement. He brings the reader up to date on his family and his hobbies and reprints some speeches he gave about the suffering of POWs and includes as an appendix the nature of the diseases their group suffered in captivity. I was struck by how similar his experience was to mine.
   One of his sons, Dr William Shadish, Jr. is famous in his own right as a well known psychologist. If one googles `William Shadish', there are more references to his son than to him.
   Apparently, Dr Shadish felt the need to convince the reader of his exemplary behavior while a POW. The beginning of the book has several testimonials to his heroism, his sacrifice, his protection and salvation of other prisoners. His co-author, Professor Lewis Carlson, spent several evenings with Dr Shadish, transcribing his story on tape, and then had some long telephone conversations with him to flesh out the memoir. Professor Carlson then wrote the book, which I presume was edited by Dr. Shadish as it was self published. If I have any criticism, it is that the writing is rather stark and pedestrian. Dr Shadish's personal story is gripping and compelling, and I believe deserves a better narrative than Professor Carlson can give it.
   This little book is an extraordinary story of an extraordinary man, who struggled against an unyielding and brutal enemy, and not only survived but was able to put it behind him, and go on with his life with great insight and humanity. He was the victim of a suspicious and ignorant Army, and conquered that specter with remarkable little bitterness. He was responsible for saving innumerable of his fellow comrades and emerged with dignity and grace and continued devoting himself to medicine and humanity, and has become a spokesman for those unable to speak for themselves. He reminds me of Dr. Edward "Weary" Dunlop, the Australian physician POW at the Bridge on the River Kwai. His courage, compassion and leadership saved thousands of lives in Thailand, and then he returned to his native Australia and became a well known spokesmen for veterans' and medical issues.
   Dr. Shadish is such a man, and his memoir will add very significantly to the POW medical literature. We should be very grateful for this addition.

No comments about Alexander The Great: The Conqueror.

1 comments about Lone Star Confederate: A Gallant and Good Soldier of the 5th Texas Infantry (Texas a & M University Military History Series).

1. The collaborative effort of civil war enthusiasts George Skoch and Mark W. Perkins, Lone Star Confederate: A Gallant And Good Soldier Of The Fifth Texas Infantry is a collection of letters penned by a Confederate solider. Eyewitness accounts of bloodshed, aftermath, long marches, starvation and much worse fill the pages of this riveting firsthand testimony of the front lines of America's deadliest war. Lone Star Confederate is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to Civil War collections and reading lists.

5 comments about Going Overboard: The Misadventures of a Military Wife.

1. Awesome, funny quick read, could not put this book down. I loved it and wanted more, write more!!! It is great to hear or read about other peoples "adventures" with military life and put a humorous spin on it instead of dwelling on the negative! I loved it and would love a sequel or more stories!!



2. Sarah Smiley does a wonderful job of relating military family life. It's great to know that there are other women and families out there who are dealing with the same everyday issues. I love that she's unafraid to put her feelings and actions out in print for the rest of us to read. It's great knowing that I'm not the only one who hates waiting at Pass and Tag or who has family and friends who have no clue about our lives as military spouses. I can't wait to read more from this entertaining writer!



3. This book was written for idiots! Should be considered a fiction novel. Don't waste your time if you want to read a book about military wives read either "Under the Sabers" or "Home Fires Burning". This author should stick to writing magazine columns.



4. I love Sara Smiley! This book is so refreshing after reading so many serious or do this and not this military wife books out there. I think my experiences with military life and deployment are funny. It is what it is but I knew that getting married to my soldier. This book entertained me so much i bought it twice (one to pass around) and the other I have to keep to read again. Thanks for the great book!! HIGHLY recommended. You can find a lot of how to's and guides online but for entertainment on what it is REALLY like to be a military wife is right in the book!



5. I was so excited to read this book, especially after meeting Sarah Smiley when she was a guest speaker at a military spouses group I was a part of. However, after reading the book, I was disappointed. While I admire her honesty (although I wonder how much of that "honesty" is driven by the need to spice up the book to improve with sales"), I would be so embarrased if I were Sarah. I am a military brat AND a military wife and have dealt with my own deployments. My husband deployed when our son was just 5 weeks old and our daughter was 2 1/2. I DID NOT FALL APART!! Nowhere near!! It's difficult, yes but there's no honor in the way she behaved! I'm teetering between sympathy for Sarah and disgrace. What a mess! I really expected more from the book though! I'm glad I didn't spend much on it!

1 comments about A Mild Form of Insanity: Recollections of a Helicopter Pilot.

1. An excellent read, a real insight into a largly unthought of world. Highly recommended!

5 comments about Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War.

1. I found the book refreshing after hearing so many negative things about John Kerry's war service. It's so sad the way some of these far right people writing reviews believe all of the propaganda by their "party". Discrediting his service is a joke. I mean sure, he wasn't the best soldier our country has ever seen, but just compare him to Bush and it makes him look extremely good. Bush can hardly form a sentence (at his age) and Kerry was performing great anti war speeches at a much younger age. As for one of his purple hearts being earned by a self inflicted injury, thats just preposterous, that is not how it works and I think people know that but choose to to believe it. Bottom line is Kerry wouldn't have been the greatest president we have ever seen, but it would have been nice to see someone holding office that actually had served in a war. He might actually have thought twice about sending kids to die. The swift boat vets for "truth" were only one side of the story, and even if some of the things they said were true, obviously the people the Brinkley interviewed with would know better than most of the "truth vets" as they had actually served WITH Kerry, which is different than serving in the same general area.



2. Just one of the many lies i n this book overlooked (????) by Douglas Brinkley was Kerry supposedly in Cambodia in 1968 and havinga telephone conversation with Pres. Nixon. HINT: Johnson was the president in 1968, not Nixon.
   
   To read this book 'TOUR OF DUTY', you'd swaer that Kerry was a real life Rambo when in fact, Kerry was more concerned with carrying around 8mm cameras and old fashioned and heavy Smith-Corona typewritters layingt he foundation for his future presidential campaign.
   
   In another regard, what happened to that BIG DRAFT KERRY said was goingt o happen in January 2005? And the reduced social security benefits? And the Herbert Hoover economy? These were just some of the lies that Kerry repeated over and over and over during his failed presidential campaign in 2004.
   
   But what really happened? There was no draft and 2005 is nearly over. Our seniors got a raise, not a cut in social security benefits and all economic factors show that the economy is doing just great thank you.
   
   Are you all glad that Kerry got whipped last year? Say yes.
   
   [...]



3. It was just a little over 13 months ago that Americans flushed this john and voted for leadership. We didn't buy into the lies or false claims of heroism perpetrated by Kerry and writers like Brinkley who rely on their subject for facts (fat chance)
   
   The economy is moving well. Iraq is moving well regardless what Kerry says. This Kerry promotional piece did not work and thank God for that.
   
   HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AMERICANS! WE ALL "FLUSHED THE JOHNS IN 2004!"



4. This book along with the book by George Butler is so full of crap and hype about Kerry that it makes me laugh. Should be listed as fiction and would make for a great novel. Everybody who really knows Kerry laughs whenever mention of this book is brought up.
   
   Those who knew Kerry back in 1966-67 knew how much he wanted to prevent being drafted and stay out of the service. Kerry claiming to be a war hero is like Michael Moore claiming to be an athlete. Give me a break!



5. Having already proven himself to be one of our best biographers today, with his books on Dean Acheson, JFK, FDR, Jean Monnet, James Forrestal, Henry Ford, Rosa Parks, and others, Douglas Brinkley has done it again with a terrific look at the truth behind an American veteran, politician and lifelong public servant.
   
   Only the ignorant and openly biased will dismiss this highly-detailed examination of John Kerry's war experience, from growing up in Denver and his education at Yale through to his trials, triumphs, and ultimate disgust with the Vietnam War. Any questions you have about Kerry's character or his military service - especially those invented by political opponents who instead backed a corrupt coward named W - you'll find the answers right here.
   
   If you value truth over hype and courage over self-serving cronyism, you'll enjoy this book.

5 comments about The Bravest Man.

1. "It's a big ocean," Dick O'Kane once told me. "You don't have to find the enemy if you don't want to."

   O'Kane was 60 when we met. He was a compact man, straight as a ramrod, with a small smile and bushy eyebrows. He loved to talk, especially on technical matters, but he seldom spoke about what it was like to be a submariner in the Pacific, in a war that claimed the lives of 22% of the Americans who went to sea in the pig boats, as submarines were called. It was a pleasure to meet him again in "The Bravest Man" and to learn more about his remarkable accomplishments in World War II.

   That a submariner need not find the enemy was brought home to O'Kane in 1942 on his first patrol in Wahoo, under an older captain who had learned caution in the peacetime Navy. The cautious skipper was replaced by Dudley "Mush" Morton, who with O'Kane's support made Wahoo the deadliest American boat in the Pacific, sinking nine ships on one ferocious patrol through the Yellow Sea, between China and Korea. "You can't afford to flinch," Morton said; "you can't afford to give up. You must constantly keep 'rassling, and keep shooting till you destroy him."

   Wahoo was later lost with all hands, not including O'Kane, who by then -- the fall of 1943 -- had command of Tang. He soon proved that he too had a great desire to keep 'rassling and to sink Japanese ships, despite the second-rate torpedoes supplied to American submarines. On its first patrol, Tang sank five ships; on its second, it rescued 22 American airmen, shot down in the battle for Truk at the center of the Pacific's Caroline Islands. On its fourth patrol, it set a U.S. record by sending 10 enemy ships to the bottom, despite new torpedoes that were sometimes as balky as the old.

   As a skipper, Richard O'Kane was audacious, persistent and inventive. He was willing to go up against the shore, if that's where the enemy was to be found. Yet he always had an escape route in mind -- and he took care of his people. Sailors clamored to join Tang, despite its record of going in harm's way.

   Alas, having a good captain is never enough. On Tang's fifth patrol, the odds caught up with O'Kane, and he had the unhappy experience of watching his 24th and last torpedo circle back to explode on the boat's stern. The men on the bridge were thrown into the water, but their troubles were scarcely over. It was the middle of the night, and they had no flotation gear.

   When morning came, 9 of the 87 crewmen were still alive, including some who had made the first-ever escape from a submarine sunk in combat. They were picked up by a Japanese destroyer, whose captain treated them decently but delivered them to starvation, torture and slave labor at Yokohama. Like aviators, submariners were classified as "special prisoners of Japan," imprisoned in the foulest camps with their existence unreported to the International Red Cross. Again O'Kane survived the impossible, to be reunited with his family and to receive the Medal of Honor from the hand of President Harry Truman.

   The author of "The Bravest Man" is himself a U.S. Navy veteran, who in 1968 won the Pulitzer as a reporter in Vietnam. Mr. Tuohy takes a curious approach to his story, first writing about Wahoo, then O'Kane's earlier life, and finally Tang and later events, interrupted by chapters on what the rest of the American sub pack was doing. This can sometimes be confusing. And the line-editing in the book is sometimes careless. But "The Bravest Man" is well worth reading, especially in a year when the USS O'Kane is on watch in the Arabian Sea, carrying the bravest man's name and legacy into the 21st century.




2. At first look I was hoping this would be the book that would answer some questions...It did do that but being my appetite was whetted I wanted more. I found myself asking questions about Cmdr Morton, O'Kane and others. What was their life like before WW2. Some questions were answered but there are holes. As for Mr Tuohy's book it did give the reader a real look at this duo. These two men were feared and respected for their toughness. I would like to see more books like this that cover the different schools of thought in WW2 submarine warfare. It is a great book and it does shed light...I just want more, with the pasing of Forest Sterling, may he rest with his Wahoo comrades in peace, we are losing valuable pieces to a great puzzle of World War 2 and in Mush's memory and Rear Admiral O Kane
   Enjoy this book but be warned youll want to read more!



3. I have read the books on the Wahoo, and the Tang. I saw this book on Amazon.com, & knew I had to have it. This book is Great! There are things in this book that are not covered in the others. Not only was the exploits of O'Kane in submarines great, his leadership when he was a prisoner of the Japanese shows what kind of man he really was. I could not put this book down. The only reason it took 3 days to read was because I had to go to work during those days! The author does give you some timelines along with what O'Kane wss doing with his boats. You can follow along during the war for the whole book. This is a must read book if you read about submarines PERIOD!



4. This book is at least aptly titled. Richard O'Kane was one of our country's greatest and most audacious naval heros. O'Kane also authored his own, brilliantly written and unsurpassed account of the wartime patrols of the USS Tang in "Clear The Bridge!" "The Bravest Man" unfortunately pales in comparison in terms of style, readability, and suspense. Most annoying to me were the author's frequent and interruptive digressions and flashbacks from O'Kane's incredible carreer aboard Wahoo and Tang, back and forth to the more general history of the U.S. pacific submarine force, the politics of the admirals and their inept tactical mandates, other famous and not-so-famous boats and crews, O'Kane's years as a midshipman at Annapolis, etc. Most of this just distracted me from the book's central portrayal of O'Kane as "the bravest man." I also noticed that some sentences were copied and sprinkled throughout the book, making the same point, as if the author didn't remember having made them before. This is definitely not Pulitzer Prize material, in my opinion. My recomendation is to put this submarine book at the bottom of your list, and instead buy O'Kane's own "Clear The Bridge!", in my opinion the best written, most authentic, most audacious, most suspenseful, can't-put-it-down submarine book I have ever read.



5. An excellent presentation by Mr. Tuohy on all aspects of the submarine war in the Pacific, focusing on Dick O'Kane. All the people involved were brought to life, their courage, fears and worries all on display. Many of the combat scenes were well written, showing how hunting Japanese ships could turn into an all-day affair, and the frusrtation at times when torpedoes miss or malfuction. You felt the fear and the jolts of depth charge attacks, always wondering if the next one would have your name on it. I also liked how Tuohy highlighted all the problems that plagued the sub service, from malfunctioning torpedoes to inept and vain commanders, to sub skippers having to be relieved because they crack under pressure.

   Dick O'Kane was not superman. He was just a dedicated guy who took his job seriously and did whatever it took to hurt the Japanese. It was also something to see how innovative O'Kane and his ilk were. When you're all alone in the middle of hostile territory, you gotta do what you can in order to survive.

   All in all, a great testament to the men who sacrificed so much so we can enjoy our freedom today.

No comments about Che: Guerrilla Diaries: The book of the new, two-part movie on the life of Che Guevara (Che Guevara Publishing Project).

5 comments about Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier's Life (Civil War America).

1. There are three impressive aspects of this work. First, it is quite readable. The battle scenes and other events are as lively as a full color film. The historic characters are full dimensional figures who inhabit the book rather than being referred to. Even minor Ewell family members are brought to life realistically.

   Second, the terrain is imaginatively and graphically depicted. The author has a real sense of the places and the climate of the times. This is also supported by good made-to-order maps of important locales.

   Third, practically every assertion in the book is backed up by solid primary and secondary historical sources. This is done with no intrusion on the readability of the text. No judgment is made without balancing all extant points of view. A real work of moderm scholarship.

   Finally, I was surprised at how much I learned about historical personages and battles with which I though I was familiar.




2. Gen. Richard Ewell. A figure from history that has been all but ignored until now. While many blame Ewell for the loss at Gettysburg, One finds a different side of the story. The reading flows smoothly. I have really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know Gen.Richard Ewell. The author expolores his background as a Dragoon, fighting Indians and his faithful service to the Confederacy. Also mentioned is his conversion to Christainity as a result of his rubbing elbows with Stonewall Jackson. I suggest you add this book to your library!



3. Pfanz offers a most credible account of the life and times of one of the "lesser" lights of the Confederate pantheon. While indeed "Baldy Dick" lacks the nobility of Genl Lee or the exciting eccentricity of Thom Jackson, this offering serves the good general well. I found the author pretty balanced in his recitation of Ewell's trials and tribulation, be it in the realm of military action or his personal life. While this text is 500+ pages of small print, those with a particular interest in Confederate military lore will appreciate author Pfanz's efforts to bring Richard Stoddert Ewell to life...



4. I disagree with a line written by Mr. Pfanz in his biography of Ewell.
   On page 326 of the book he discusses the failure of General Robert Rodes to attack Cemetery Hill the evening of July 2.This has been discussed in every book I have read on Gettysburg. However, Mr Pfanz has decided to put his own spin on an old subject. He states "he(Rodes) tried to deflect his failure onto his subordinate Stephen D. Ramseur." This is the first accusation of disloyalty and pettiness that I have ever read of General Rodes.
   I would ask the reader to check Rode's Official Report on the battle and try to discern how Mr. Pfanz could have come to the conclusion that the General was guilty of something so dishonorable.
   Too bad Rodes is not here to defend himself. It is easy to malign the dead.
   
   Pleasant reading but nothing really new on Ewell- a kind,brave and generous man who was very good at being a general until he was so severely wounded at Groveton.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



5. This is a refreshing and informative look at Richard Ewell, before, after and of course during the Civil War. Often described as a failure after succeeding Jackson and becoming leader of the Lee's new 2nd Corp, Ewell has suffered severe criticism for the first day of Gettysburg and for his emotional response to the breach at Spotsylvania. Pfanz provides a fair and colorful look at the dependable soldier that fought the second half of the war with a wooden leg and overall served much better than superficial history would lead you to believe. Pfanz profiles Ewell's early life efficiently noting that Ewell's family as a whole were eccentric and Ewell himself a very thin and balding man who spoke with a lisp. Although lacking in military forbearance, Ewell completes West Point and serves gallantly as a dragoon officer in the west occasionally fighting Indians with high praise. Pfanz provides a full perspective of Ewell as a brave soldier who initially though Jackson crazy and in a rather amusing historical telling, Pfanz describes how at one point several generals in Jackson's command think each other unbalanced. As Pfanz describes, Ewell fights extremely well for Jackson particularly at Cross Keys and at Winchester. Although literally pegged as an officer that follows explicit orders, Pfanz clarifies that Ewell fought extraordinary well particularly in the initial stages of the Gettysburg campaign in capturing Winchester and marching virtually to Harrisonburg. He also fought brilliantly at the Wilderness and for the most part at Spotsylvania. As Pfanz notes, Ewell saved Richmond during Butler's great onslaught attack in the fall of 1864, which is a little appreciated fact. After Butler captured Fort Harrison his attack is stymied by Ewell who masks his small force by using the woods to limit the view of his small defiant band. Richard Sommer's writes of this wonderfully in his book "Richmond Reeemed". Pfanz notes Ewell's one quality that may have not worked in his favor; he frequently asked the opinions of others in contrast to Jubal Early who frequently gave opinions. At Gettysburg, Lee's directives were not precise to Ewell who contended with his July 1 victory with rounding up 5,000 union prisoners, waiting for Johnson's division along with a report of union troops appearing on his left flank. On top of that, Early would not support an attack on Cemetery or Culp's Hill. Nor would Early support shifting Ewell's corps to the right to pull the lines together as Lee wished. Pfanz notes that communication failures appear to be the biggest command problem at Gettysburg along with a lack of forceful leadership from Lee along with the union's will to fight. Ewell also suffers a slight from Gordon, whose self serving personal history make him a questionable source, stung Ewell in Lee's eyes as Gordon relates how Ewell virtually squandered a surprise attack on the union right. Acting judiciously, Ewell orders the attack but may have looked inept to Lee after his brilliant attack and defense in the Wilderness. The almost humorous episode of Ewell trying to stop retreating soldiers at Spotsylvania, cussing at them and slapping them on the back with his sword appears too much for Lee and Ewell's ill advised attack that was suppose to be more reconnaissance in nature virtually keys Lee's decision to replace Ewell with Early when Ewell is momentarily ill. Unfortunately, Ewell's romance with his old flame and new bride caused a huge negative reaction with his staff particularly when she intervened with staff activities and her husband's time raising doubts about his focus. Pfanz provides fascinating detail on the correspondence between Ewell and Lee where Ewell sadly tries to return to command while Lee gently tries to tell him he is not needed at the front. Ewell finishes his confederate career in charge of the Richmond defenses finishing the war on the road to Appomattox at Saylers Creek when he is cut off and alone with Anderson's division. Pretty amazing story after the war that the man missing a leg, with several horses shot out from under him, and two horses roll over him, survives to live a life as a vigorous business man. Ewell was a modest man who, unlike Longstreet, died before Jubal Early rewrote his version of confederate history.