2 comments about Eye of the Storm.

1. I've read a few Special Forces books but this one is by far and away the best one yet. There's so much in it that one doesn't usually hear about and also I enjoyed 'Billy's' sense of humour which crops up now and again. Tremendous read.



2. Similar in some respects to Mike Curtis' 'CQB', this is an account of the author's SAS career, having joined via the parachute regiment in the 1970s. It divides up into three distinct battlefields - Oman, the Falklands the the Gulf, with the meat of the book taking place in the latter area. The first two sections are fairly run-of-the-mill, although it's interesting to compare the Falklands section with Max Hastings' 'Battle for the Falklands' and the aforementioned 'CQB', as one particular moment - in which an SAS soldier shoots down an Argentine aircraft with a Stinger - pops up in all three books, each from a slightly different perspective.
   It's the coverage of the Gulf war that's particularly interesting, though, as Ratcliffe took part in an SAS operation that's been gone over comprehensively in other books, books which he has read. Consequently, like some real-life 'Rashomon', he points out the exaggerations and untruths in 'Bravo Two Zero', 'Sabre Squadron' and others, all books which you can find elsewhere on Amazon.com. Whilst he seems slightly petulant at times (his account of leading a patrol gives the impression that he was blissfully unaware that he might come across as being, well, smug), it makes for fascinating reading...

2 comments about The Black Prince And The Sea Devils: The Story Of Valerio Borghese And The Elite Units Of The Decima Mas.

1. Every major military in the world has it's special elite units. The British have their SAS. The Americans the SEALS, Rangers, and Special Forces. Strangely enough, this trend began with the Italian Navy. Their Decima MAS unit pioneered the concept of small, specially trained units that did damage to their enemies far beyond their size. Movie buffs will recognize their exploits as shown in the 1958 movie 'The Silent Enemy' where frogmen attack the HMS Valiant and the HMS Queen Elizabeth using specially modified torpedoes that they ride into the harbour.

   It is nice to see that the Italian military is portrayed here as something other than the bumbling fools so often shown in American films and books. This book treats the unit as they would any other unit, telling how it got started, their training, their failures and their successes. This book is also the basis for a new movie called 'The Sea Devils' although I understand that the project is now on hold.




2. Jack Greene and Alessandro Massignani's The Black Prince And The Sea Devils is the story of Prince Valerio Borghese and his infamous World War II Italian naval commando unit will intrigue any with a special interest in World War II history beyond the generalist topics and scope. Green has authored four previous military titles and Massignani brings with him a special focus on Italian naval history: the two draw upon official archival sources and veteran accounts on both sides to separate fact from fantasy.

5 comments about Good to Go: The Life and Times of a Decorated Member of the U.S. Navy's Elite Seal Team Two.

1. My cousin, Curtis Morris Ashton, "Butch" is what family called him or "Lil" Ashton is what the team called him, was deployed with SEAL team 7 and then 2. Although I never was able to meet him, because we lived in Arizona and his side of the family in Texas, it allowed me to get a glimpse of who he was and some of his personality. He is still remembered and missed! Neil Ashton



2. I had high hopes for this book, having enjoyed Marcinko's various highly entertaining forays (most, after "Rogue Warrior" clearly labeled as "fiction") and "Patches" Watson's book, but I had misgivings about this from page one. Evidently, Harry's neighbor (the "as told to") was fascinated with Constance's war stories (and, really, who wouldn't be?), interviewed him and changed the tall tales to the first-person perspective. I found the technique clunky and obvious whenever the "real" writer's voice conflicted with the tales of derring-do (e.g., misidentifying the M-203 grenade launcher, calling it a ".two-oh-three, as though that was the launcher's caliber, or something, clearly shows the writer slavishly scribbling down as much of the stories as he could and doing little fact checking).
   
   Now let's face it, anybody who had the balls to not only volunteer for membership in an elite group and who survived multiple tours in Vietnam is worthy of respect, but I actually wasn't terribly surprised to see that Constance's many accusation leveled at SEAL teammate Charlie Watson were untrue and he was forced to apologize in court (and pay nearly half a million dollars in damages). Much of the tone of the book seems to come from a sour-grapes guy with some scores to settle against former friends, colleagues and lovers. It's a shame that the obvious fraud and mean-spirited tone here taints the real-life Vietnam SEAL team heroics.



3. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced read. It is an incredible story that races through a 20 year Navy career but is able to keep it's main focus on the Vietnam tours. Very exciting and very well written. Mr. Constance deserves his medals.



4. Curtis M."Butch" Ashton was my uncle. Youngest of four bothers on my fathers side. Before joining the Navy he lived with us. It was like having an instant big bother that I idolized. I was just a small boy when he went off to Vietnam not yet really old enough to understand the dangers of war until that night in Dec. 1969 when my mother told me Butch was dead. Butch's metals and burial flag are proudly on display in my home today. I have two teenage sons of my own now and we all enjoyed reading/sharing "Good To Go".
   
   Thank you Harry for sharing with us a part of his life with you and the Seals in Vietnam.
   
   Robert Ashton
   Lewisville,TX



5. Harry Constance was certainly one of the bravest soldiers operating in Vietnam as a Seal. His story is superb. Heroism flows donwn all the pages of the book. What a great soldier !
   This book is one of the best books I have ever read about Vietnam war. I listed it in my French profile listmania on amazon.fr.

No comments about Young Man, You'll Never Die.

No comments about The Generals: Andrew Jackson, Sir Edward Pakenham, and the Road to the Battle of New Orleans.

5 comments about Made a Difference for That One: A Surgeon's Letters Home from Iraq.

1. Having deployed along with Chris, I laughed and cried with his remembrances which so mirrored my own. He writes well, with detailed and candid descriptions that both show the reader what life was like, and tell the reader how different he wishes things could be. His enthusiasm for life, for service, and for the care of his patients are an inspiration and this book is part of 'current events' as well as soon-to-be history. I am glad that his wife was able to compile and publish his letters, to share with others his experiences and thoughts.



2. It's no wonder this book won the 2006 EPPIE for best nonfiction e-book of the year! Chris wrote informative and touching accounts of his time in Iraq and his wife, Meredith, has compiled them into a cohesive and compelling book. Although his specialty is pediatric surgery, Chris was called upon to perform all kinds of medical procedures during his time in the war. However the most moving stories in the book are those about using his special skills to help the children of Iraq. Getting to know this remarkable man is a worthwhile and inspiring experience. Thanks to both of them for sharing it with the rest of us.



3. Dr. Coppola is a remarkable person and he did indeed do a thourough job of describing life at Camp Anaconda. I especially enjoyed the stories of the children that the doctors at Balad were able to help. I'm a medical professional and I expected more technical accounts of care given and medical procedures, but the book is composed of emails sent to laypersons stateside, so the laymans terms and cursory descriptions were appropriate for that audience. I was also very surprised at the liberal slant of the book....Dr. Coppola admittedly opposes the war in Iraq. I find it hard to reconcile his opposition to the war with his accounts of the many ways that our troops have made life better for the Iraqi citizens and the stories of profuse thanks being extended by Iraqi nationals who visited Balad. Having just read about Bataan and the sacrifices made by Allied Troops there, I find it frustrating that Dr. Coppola feels that the cost of the liberation of Iraq is too high. The loss of any US personnel is tragic, but this is a war and it is worth fighting and Dr. Coppola's letters are great illustrations of the good the US troops are doing in Iraq. The US casualties in Iraq are tragic, but the sacrifices are not in vain. It is unfortunate that Dr. Coppola feels that the price for bringing a better life to Iraq is excessive. Our grandfather's generation knew, but we have forgotten, that nothing worthwhile comes without a price.
   
   Dr. Coppola's descriptions of life at Camp Anaconda are panoramic and give a good taste of what life is like there, but his writing is choppy and disjointed at times.
   
   If you are expecting a compilation of extensive but not exceptional emails, then you will appreciate this book tremendously. If you are expecting hard details of the medical side of life for a combat surgeon or literary genius, you will be disappointed.
   
   Overall, I'd say this is a good (not stellar) read.



4. a pleasure to read and even more importantly, dr. christopher coppola is a pleasure to know.



5. Seems a little too well-written for emails, but a very personnel account of a surgeon in a field hospital in Iraq. Depictions of life on the base and compassionate account of his cases. Would have liked a little more in depth account of his relatiionships with others he encountered there.

5 comments about No Greater Sacrifice, No Greater Love: A Son's Journey to Normandy.

1. Military history focuses on battles and campaigns in linear time stopping and starting around the time of the war. WW2 Memoirs cover in greater detail the lives of the particpants usually before and during the war but usually stop there or only give a brief postscript. This work is unusual because the author tells you up front the basic story and then unfolds it from there. The knowledge of Norval Carter's fate looms like a shadow over the story but nevertheless his death and his son's (the co-author)discovery of his father still will bring the tears when you get to those pages. This is a story about the meaning of courage, sacrifice and the meaning of being a father and husband. The story covers the events of the war and the buildup for D-day in enough detail that even someone with no knowledge or interest in military history will enjoy and understand this story. At a slim 199 pages it is a very quick read. I highly recommend this book for anyone.



2. The book is a personal story of a man trying to come to grips with who his family was and what sacrifice really means to those who are left behind to pick-up the pieces of their lives after the father/husband was killed in the 1944 Normandy campaign. Mr. Carter, one of the co-authors of the book and son of CPT Carter, successfully communicates who his father and mother were - whether those stories were done for their childhood days, young adult lives, CPT Cater's military experiences, and the later days leading to his mother's death. The sacrifice of the Carter family was not only the death of the father, but also those who were left behind. Sacrifice and love are threads that hold this story together. This is a very good read.



3. I heard Walter Carter tell this story before he put it on paper and yet, despite that fact, I was riveted by his telling of it again. This slim volume is a wonderful read and a very personal recounting of the sacrifices endured by the sons and daughters of Brokaw's "greatest generation." Read it for the history, for the story and for the lasting impression it will leave with you.



4. I traveled with Walter Ford Carter and the Normandy Allies (www.normandyallies.org) of Rochester, NY to Normandie, France, in Summer 2004. I heard Walter's story of his father's WWII experiences in person and visited the field where his father died near St. Lo. I had read the story of Dr.Carter before this trip and was very touched by the human-ness and how Walter reconstructed his father's and mother's war years through love letters and documents. This is a worthwhile read of a personal WWII history.
   
   Furthermore, my father landed in the 5th Wave on D-Day. He died in 1995 and Walter inspired me to do some digging to fit the pieces together of my father's history with the 5th Engineering Brigade. Baby Boomers with veteran fathers and mothers will gain insight and understand the war years--and the silences kept by our parents over a horrific war.
   
   Read this book. You won't regret it.



5. In the poignant story of his father's service in WWII, the author presents a moving portrayal of the sacrifices made by all soldiers and their families. Through his father's letters home, the author has also provided historical information about the 110th Station Hospital which arrived in England December 1942 as part of the build up in anticipation of D-Day. As a descendant of an Army Nurse who served with Dr. Carter, I find this book to be an absolute treasure, finally shedding some light on her service in WWII. If you have ancestors who served in the war as Army Nurses, doctors or foot soldiers, this is a book you should read. If your ancestors served with the 110th Station Hospital, this is a must read. And since it is only about 200 pages, it is perfect for younger readers, too.

No comments about Dare, Dream, Discover: From the US Air Force to the Middle East and Beyond.

1 comments about It Took Heros: A Cavalry Chaplain's Memoir of Vietnam.

1. One of the VERY few Chaplains in Vietnam to get the Combat Infantry Badge (you have to get shot at a lot for that). He feels he needs to be 'with' the grunts to serve them, so he goes on patrols and the guys really like him. An interesting point of view and a good read.

2 comments about Combat Self-Defense: Saving America s Warriors from Risk-Averse Commanders and Their Lawyers.

1. Written by former Army paratrooper and judge advocate David G. Bolgiano, who has deployed to Afghanistan, Qatar and Iraq as legal advisor to Commander, Special Operations Command Central, Combat Self-Defense is a chilling expose of how legal wranglings and the fear of using force in combat has put modern-day American soldiers in danger. In a post-September 11th era, when enemy combatants are not always in uniform and often masquerade among women and children, or even pose as dead bodies in the street, the restraint instilled by the threat of legal wrangling after the fact is a deadly additional risk, Bolgiano claims. "There's a saying in the legal defense world that it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. You may face an investigation following a use of deadly force in self-defense, and in rare cases, a criminal prosecution. But you'll be alive to face them, and ultimately, the law supports reasonable uses of deadly force. Despite media criticism, supervisor scrutiny, and anything else they can throw at you, self-defense is authorized when you reasonably perceive your life is threatened with death or serious bodily injury. Nothing else matters." A seminal and much-needed contribution to the modern debate about military tactics in the Iraq occupation and other venues of the 'war on terror.'



2. Mind-bending.
   Lawyer to special operators, David Bolgiano, breaks new ground with "Combat Self-Defense." Will we, the people, back our 19-year-old trigger-pulling defenders or not? Do we "have their back" or "hold them back"? When time and a PFC's life compress into fractions of seconds, and the soldier's finger has to move or freeze, will we hamper him with the threat of shame and jail? Will his commander manifest our incomprehending ignorance of combat, signaling the soldier he had better think more than twice before pulling the trigger? Is "Support the Troops" more than a public platitude? If you truly "Support the Troops" then what is it that the troops most need from you?
   They need your reasoned permission, and Bolgiano tells us how to best give it.
   The author deconstructs what happens, all the way from the Constitution to the shooter's about-to-press index finger--and what happens when a bullet hits. You can smell the fear and tension from the pages.
   This study is important. We have the people and the guns to win against all enemies. The question the author challenges us all with is: Do we--the people--have the will? Bolgiano tells us we had better reach deep down and find that will, and he tells us how to equip our guardians with the knowledge that they act on our behalf and we will not pull the rug out from under them.
   The author probes combat history and literature, provoking the reader to think--and to think hard. He draws from Aquinas, Kipling, Blackstone's legal "Commentaries" and Roman law, all with gritty application to the ground-pounder's gun-handling under duress.
   If you are not a warrior, you should read this book to see what your warriors so desperately need from you. Liberal? Against the war? Are you afraid to examine your fundamental assumptions? Can you afford not to? Do you not at least owe your defenders a little time to think about how well you are protecting them?
   Americans: your politicians perceive their cues from you. Lawyers, in particular, who may be in a position to influence policy, beware: do not act from ignorance. Read this book. Free your mind and free your warriors to fight for you. Thanks for David Bolgiano for his service, and for saying in this book what so badly needs to be part of the public and policy-making conversation.
   Mike Mollenhour
   Author of "Arcturus"