5 comments about Samurai!.

1. I read this book while I was in high school. It gripped me from begining to end. Saburo was a proud and disciplined flyer. His combat prowess seems almost super-human, but as he is quick to remind us knowing the aircraft's capabilities and the tendencies of your enemy is half the battle. His description of the unsuccessful surgery to repair his face and eye after shrapnel is really painful to read. Amazingly, despite the lack of vision in one eye he continued to fly for the Empire, though with a severe handicap. This book is excellent. Anyone interested in learning about Japanese WWII aviation needs to read this book, you will not be dissappointed.



2. Samurai is Saburo Sakai's own story of his times as a naval aviator for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Mr. Sakai tells us about his past (yes, his ancestors were samurai's), his time spent learning to be a naval aviator, the pre-war (meaning hostilities prior to those with the US), and yes, his time fighting US pilots.
   
   Things that I personally found very interesting in his telling:
   
   What Japanese Naval personnel (aviators and non-aviators) went thru in basic training. Very brutal treatment. Mr. Sakai tells about Petty Officers beating trainees, ordering them to do physical things that bordered on the impossible. Aviation training was better, but only from the perspective of beating not occuring due to minor infractions. However, the standards they were held to... Obviously, the training was not run by kinder, passionette people.
   
   Mistakes in combat. Mr. Sakai remembered his mistakes so well. The simple fact of failing to arm the guns, over shooting a target, or worse yet, failing to properly identify the target (Mr. Sakai mistook a unit of TBM/TBF Avengers for F6F Hellcats).
   
   His respect for his opponent. Most of Mr. Sakai's combat time was spent in New Guinea flying against US units that were flying P-39's and P-40's. Both of these planes were outclassed by the A6M Zero in almost every category except diving (note, since neither the P-39 or P-40 were supercharged at this timeperiod of the war, their performance went from bad below 15,000 feet, to terrible if they went above 15,000, thereby denying them altitude to dive for an extended period). When this is merged with the fact that the Japanese pilots were combat seasoned veterans, while the Americans were green, it makes for a bad time for those flying the P-39's and P-40's. In remembering these engagements, Mr. Sakai spoke very well of how the US pilots tried to engage the Japanese pilots.
   
   Mr. Sakai's writing style if very readable. It's direct, to the point, without great flurishes or breast beating. This does not mean that it's unemotional, but rather that when he uses emotion, it's very memorable. For rating purposes, I have to give this 4 out of 5 stars (Amazon rating system). I don't know how he could have made it better (writing style?) but I can definatly say that it's a very good read!



3. Sakai gives us insight into the progression of the war from the Japanese perspective, revealing the mindsets of those on the other side, without meandering into the chronological army list minutiae that many others succumb to. Action and emotion, quandaries of conscience and honour are always the subjects discussed.
   
   Very good book. Highly recommended - very pleasureable read.
   
   Also of increased value to those of us who play WWII combat flight simulators (grin).



4. Samurai! documents the wartime exploits of Saburo Sakai, the greatest Japanese fighter pilot to survive World War 11, in which he was credited with downing 64 enemy aircraft. Sakai, who died in September 2000 of a heart attack became a legend in his own lifetime. This book explains why.
   Samurai! takes us from early victories over the Chinese airforce to the later dogfights with the Dutch, the Australians and, finally, the unstoppable Americans. Sakai, in describing his journey from a rookie pilot to the final surrender, also chronicles the rise and fall of the Japanese Imperial Naval Air Force as seen from one of the most spectacular cogs in its vast apparatus.
   Saka, who was never decorated for his actions, was a truly amazing fighter who was held in adulation by his mechanics and wingmen. Indeed, of all Japan's aces, Saburo Sakai was the only one who never lost a wingman in combat. This is an astounding record for a man who engaged in over two hundred aerial melees. But then again, Saburo Sakai's story is an astounding one.
   His retreat from Guadalcanal is evidence enough of that. Having suffered paralyzing wounds in his left leg and left arm and having being permanently blinded in his left eye and temporarily blinded in his right eye, with jagged pieces of metal in his back and chest and with the heavy fragments of two 5-caliber machinegun bullets imbedded in his skull, he managed to fly his crippled Zero all the way back to New Guinea. That is the stuff of Hollywood legends.
   So too is his dogfight against 15 Hellcats over Iwo Jima. Although he only had sight in one eye, Sakai managed to out manouver the Hellcat fighters and land safely back on the besieged island. His escape from Iwo Jima is also the stuff of Hollywood legends.
   Hollywood bases its stories on legendary warriors. And Sakai and his comrades quickly became legends as their honed skills and Mitsubishi Zeros allowed them to cut a swathe through their Chinese, Dutch and Australian enemies. Sakai's accounts of those earlier battles are like reading th accounts of Cochise, Crazy Horse or Geronimo. Sakai and the other Japanese warriors of the air went out and did what they felt they had to do. Their Zeros were as precious to them as the finest steeds were to the warriors of old. They were the cream of the crop.
   Unfortunately for them, their numbers were whittled down as the war dragged on. Midway accounted for over 300 of Japan's best pilots.The Americans, meanwhile, came relentlessly at them with their Wildcat and Hellcat fighters, which were purposely designed to outpace the Zero. Time and again, Sakai stresses that it was only the Americans' lack of combat experience that saved him.
   They didn't save the others. As the war dragged on, the standard of the average Japanese pilot plummeted.
   This book is not a glorification If this book glorifies anything, it is the futility and blaspehemy of war. Sakai describes how business went on as usuall in China even in the middle of combat zones. He describes watching Australian pilots being eaten by sharks. His account of how his superior skills saved him at Iwo Jima reflect the skills he noted in the Dutch and Chinese pilots of the earlier chapters. The Japanese, who had been the confident hunters I nthe earlier chapters, were now the prey. Usually, they were sitting ducks, powerless to do anything but volunteer for a kamikaze mission or to train the young novices who made the bult of the kamikazes.
   Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, another top air ace who was later shot out of the air in an unarmed transport plane, was one of these. Sakai describes him as bing "unpredictable in the air, a genius, a poet who seemed to make his fighter respond obediently to his gentle, sure touch at the controls." Sakai constantly uses similar imagery to decribe his love for the Zero. This book has been reissued on countless occasions. Read it and find out why.



5. This book shows that combat warriors on both sides have the same thoughts and concerns. They worry about their families and complain about their leadership.
   
   I bought the Classics of Naval Literature volume after reading a library copy. That's how much the book impressed me. The top-surviving Zero naval ace of WWII, Sakai had realistic and controversial opinions of Japan's role in the war. He did much to build postwar friendships with the United States, even at risk to his own life.
   
   Little did I realize when I bought the book that I would someday meet him. I visited him in his Tokyo home and hosted his visit to Naval Air Facility Atsugi. My book is now autographed.

1 comments about Franco: Soldier, Commander, Dictator (Military Profiles).

1. Centinela de occidente, caudillo de España por la gracia de Dios,vencedor de los rojos en el campo de batalla, el unico que lo hizo.

5 comments about In My Sights: The Memoir of a P-40 Ace.

1. James Morehead's autobiography of his World War II experiences is a very good addition to the genre. Anyone with a general interest in the subject will like the book, but those with a deeper background in Pacific War literature will appreciate it even more. It should be noted that Morehead had a very unusual perspective on events. He was one of the first US fighter pilots to arrive in the Pacific theater and consequently, along with a handful of other young men, was given the dubious honor of facing the Japanese juggernaut when it was at high tide. The book has a hard edge to it as befits a very hard period of the war for the US. For my money, Morehead's discussion of the strange but bloody war in Java and the early battles over Darwin when the Allies were usually on the short end of the stick is worth the price of admission. He describes the fragile nature of morale when defeat has shaken the very young men fighting a seemingly invincible foe. His descriptions of aerial combat are vivid. Although his tour in the Pacific ended as his men were slowly stabilizing the situation, Morehead attacks the technical inferiority of early war equipment and US preparations for war in general. There is a hard edge to the narrative that is most appropriate to an account of the period that Morehead flew over the Pacific. As counterpoint, Morehead later in the war flew a tour in the Mediterranean. Piloting a fine P-38 with well trained comrades, the physical and psychological balance had turned on it's head - the US was winning and its pilots knew it. This experience only made Morehead's early tour seem more wasteful of brave but ill-prepared young pilots. As well as a fine memoir, In My Sights is a sobering reminder to what can happen if a nation gets involved in a military campaign without proper preparations and underestimating a dangerous enemy. I certainly recommend this account.



2. I was most interested in reading about the air combat experiences and they certainly are spell-binding. However, I became engrossed in just the historical content of the book as well. I felt like I was living during the war years. A very good book.



3. It was a rare and cherished opportunity. During the course of Eric Anderson's reunion in Big Sky, Montana as a number of members gathered in the hospitality suite, I found myself sitting beside Colonel Morehead. He was striking in his dress white uniform and warm in his conversation. He started talking about his childhood in Oklahoma, the dust bowl Oklahoma during the Great Depression. His spellbinding telling of those days and times so took over my consciousness that the rest of the room ceased to exist.

   In My Sights starts in those Okie years and lays the foundation for the war years to follow. The skills learned, hardships endured, and tenacity gained all pay later dividends for Colonel Morehead.

   Jim introduces us to his flight cadet time wherein some humor is found. He describes various assignments and one where he is forced to parachute to safety. This captivating book takes us to the South Pacific and lets us fly along in P-40s facing the Japanese Zeros. Challenged by vast distances, inexperienced pilots, and an enemy with superior equipment, Jim, with keen insight, discloses how he and his fellow pilots managed to survive.

   After duty in the Pacific culminating with two Distinguished Service Crosses, Colonel Morehead volunteered for duty against the Luftwaffe. He describes the duty in Europe and contrasts it to the desperation he felt in the dark days of 1942 in the South Pacific.

   In February 1944, through a succession of transfers, Jim ended up in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He had acquired the rank of major and was ready for a command. Circumstances created by inept leadership at a higher level caused him to have to share a command and expose himself by flying in the least favored position. Read how he hangs on and eventually prevails against bad policy, bad training, and poor execution. Flying over the Ploesti oil fields on D-Day contributed immensely to his feeling of satisfaction.

   This is a book worth reading; it is a story worth telling, told by a natural story teller. A pleasure to read. ~ M. G. Worley




4. I have a unique circumstance in writing this review in that I was priviledged to meet the author a few days after reading the book. Colonel Morehead was being inducted into the Hall of Fame for the American Airpower Heritage Museum for which I am a volunteer. I was asked to be his attache during his visit. After learning of his book, having been released just a few short months before, I purchased a copy on Amazon and read it in preparation for his visit.

   Col. Morehead was born and raised in rural Oklahoma during the height of the Great Depression and knew at a very young age that an education was the avenue to climbing out of destitution. His desire and tenacity to improve his life is the story within the story. He even joined air corp flight training to qualify for more scholarship money. As a result, he was highly trained as the war began and was stationed in Australia when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

   When duty called, he accepted it with the same vehemence of gaining an education. Truly an inspiring read for anyone wishing to improve their lot in life. I also recommend this to any student thinking that life is too hard, or that earning an education is not expected of them.

   I recommend this book to anyone interested in history; especially the WWII era as well as the Great Depression. I ranked this book a four star vs. a five as the publisher, for reasons I do not understand, cut several areas that would have added to the content. I know this as I was given a copy of the original manuscript to read. I made several remarks to Col. Morehead during our visit that prompted him to give me a copy of the original. Hope that you enjoy it.

   Sincerely,
   Blake Cowart




5. This book is not written like a history of what happened, it is written with the feelings and thoughts of the man that flew the plane. He doesn't say that they were heros, just that they could do a better job later in the war because they had more experience. You can see him flying the plane from the descriptions in the book. It was a nice change from just facts of war, it was good to get a pulse of what the men that fought that war felt.

2 comments about Alexander the Great: A Reader.

1. This volume contains some interesting articles. Some submissions (Brunt pages 45-51; Narain pages 161-167) are truly rewarding and interesting. But others (Worthington pages 303-316) are just a waste of paper and ink. In general, the editor of this compilation of academic articles seems to lack empathy with the Ancient world to truly understand what he is dealing with. So the whole collection is unbalanced - in quality, perspective, scientific approach. Only readers who are already very familiar with academic studies about Alexander should be able to make a sharp distinction between the worthwile articles and the rubbish.

   What annoys me is that of all the published articles, no single one is has a proper date. There is a long article by J.F.C. Fuller, who died in 1966. Fuller was born in 1878 (!), took up interest in Alexander in 1917 (!) and wrote his major works about Alexander around 1957. But Fuller's article in Worthington's reader is published without any proper dating, confusing readers to expect that it might be especially written for Worthington's 2003 edition of "A Reader". That can't be true. Mister Fuller would have been 125 years old!

   So Worthington's edition - to me - seems like a hoax.

   That doesn't mean that 'some' of the articles aren't truly worthwile. That's why there are still 2 stars in my rating. But in general: I fear that books like this tend to downgrade the overall reputation of a scientist / editor in the long run.




2. Everything you could want to know about the problems and controversies affecting Alexander will be found in this book. A gem of a book, a must for anyone interested in Greek history.

2 comments about The Nelson Companion.

1. While visiting Nelson's flagship VICTORY in Portsmouth recently, I asked the guide to recommend a book about Nelson, as I realsied I knew very little about the great man. He told me to buy this excellent book by Colin White - and I'm really glad I did.

   Its packed with fascinating facts (did you know, for exapmple that Hitler actually planned to move Nelson's column to Berlin if he defeated Britain?)and some really wonderful illustrations.

   Its a really good read and I find I keep going back to it to check on various facts. What's more,its got me reading more books about Nelson!

   (PS: Did you know, by the way, that Colin White has written ANOTHER book about Nelson? Its called '1797: Nelson's Year of Destiny' and its all about his exploits at the Battle of Cape St Vincent. I looked for it earlier on the Amazon list but it wasn't there.




2. Colin White works hard so we don't have to. He has saved us having to dig through countless book to find information on persons, events and places that feature prominently, or even incidentally, in Lord Nelson's colourful life. This book will be an invaluable aid to everyone interested in Nelson, the Royal Navy, and the Napoleonic Wars.

   Also highly recommended:

   Joel Hayward's "For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War"

   Evan Thomas's "John Paul Jones : Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy"

No comments about Letters to Mom from Your Air Force Pilot.

No comments about Coup d'etat by the Gambia National Army.

2 comments about Class of '47: Annapolis America's Best.

1. I suppose that there is no statistical proof, but there are ceratin classes at schools where everything seems to happen. The class of 1915 at West Point is known as the 'Class the Stars Fell On.' Of the 164 graduates, 59 earned at least one star (attained the rank of general), the most of any class in the history of the United States Military Academy. Two reached the second highest rank, Eisenhower and Bradley.
   
   The Class of 1947 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis was another and this book is on some of its most distinguished graduates: Stansfield Turner (Director CIA), William Crowe (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), Jim Stockdale (Medal of Honor), Jimmy Carter (President of the United States, Nobel Peace Price Laureate). In addition there are brief summaries of other members of the class.
   
   The book is a reminder that there is still rom min this country for the old values of duty, honor, country.



2. A quote from Ambassador Vernon Weaver: "It's foolish to ponder whether our class was the best, but I can tell you that as a class, we did all right for ourselves."
   
   While this might not be the understatement of the century - it certainly ranks in the top 100. "Class of `47" by Jack Sheehan, details the lives of but a few of the notables of the members of the United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) of 1947. Former President Jimmy Carter, Admiral William Crowe, former CIA director Stansfield Turner, Medal of Honor Winner James Stockdale and billionaire investment banker Jackson Stephens were all members of this class that "did all right" - and their lives are detailed with great respect in this book by Sheehan.
   
   As I started this book, I was the most interested to read about Jimmy Carter. Though I was too young while he was president to know too much about him - I've since developed a great respect for his intelligence, warmth and desire to correct the disastrous path our country is on. I recently read "Our Endangered Values" by Carter and same like (and agree with) this great man even more. Reading about his life in this book was very interesting...and I was impressed yet again with his sense of humility. While Carter has achieved things in his life that most people don't even dream of, he accepts these honors only as incentives to do more, tools he can use to further the goal of peace.
   
   The chapter on Jimmy Carter ends with a very touching personal note from the author. "As the interview ends, the writer looks around the room for his son J.P., who had been exploring bookshelves and peering out the window at some baby ducks. Not seeing the boy right away, he is concerned that he might have drifted into another part of the building, but then he notices President Carter smiling and nodding towards the back of the room. The boy has taken off his shoes and is sleeping soundly on a long couch...'No matter how hard you campaign, you just can't win every vote,' says Jimmy Carter, with that unmistakable smile that lifted him all the way from Plains, Georgia, to the most powerful position on earth."
   
   As much as I enjoyed that chapter, I was absolutely engrossed in the chapter about Admiral James Stockdale. By the time he agreed to be Ross Perot's running mate in 1992 (and the details on this were fascinating), I was old enough to be paying attention. Seems like I only had a small portion of the story as I watched his debate performance at that time, and as I read about this man's life and all he endured, my face burned with shame for what I had thought (and said). Now that I know more of his story, I am in awe of James Stockdale.
   
   As Sheehan visits the Stockdale home, he writes, "From the outside, this charming abode is not unlike many others lining the street on this tony little island off the San Diego coast. From the inside, well, that's a different story entirely - a riveting story, in fact, of love and pain, of heroism and struggle, of separation and the wedge it creates, of life and near death. The uplifting parts of the story - the love and heroism and life at its loudest pitch - are on display throughout the house."
   
   So many things about Stockdale kept me riveted, but it was his story about surviving seven years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, and his incredible bravery and leadership there, that was the most compelling. Not only does the chapter include harrowing details of what he endured, it also looks at the struggles his wife and children went through at home as his wife and children waited for his return. (The facts that the government did not wish his wife to talk about her missing husband, and refused to give her the help she needed and didn't give the Stockdales the combat pay they deserved sounds eerily familiar.)
   
   One anecdote brought tears to my eyes. "One morning Sybil (Stockdale's wife) was approached by Stan as she was doing the laundry. The little boy took her arm and, staring at her with the clear blue eyes of his father, said, "Mom, I'm so sorry about Dad." With her arms full of sheets and towels, Sybil could only hug her boy and try to comfort him. It was moments like these that she had to call on every fiber of strength she had to keep from crumbling."
   
   The details of what Stockdale endured were, of course, far worse. (Which again, were all the more real as I read them, given current events.) Beatings, bondage, starvation, deprivation...for seven years. "Stockdale came to have nicknames for all the guards. There was Pigeye, Mickey Mouse, Rabbit and Cat, and each exhibited his own individual brand on inhumanity and cruelty."
   
   Torture would be followed by "hours of anguish and guilt that his resolve had weakened." Stockdale was a leader in the camp, using Morse code to communicate with other prisoners, helping them remain strong and not give up, not letting other men feel guilty for yielding under unbearable pain.
   
   Somehow - after an experience like this - this man was able to come home and resume a normal, no exceptional life. Such strength of will leaves me in awe. Part of his Medal of Honor citation reads: "Stockdale...deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture all the Prisoners of War."
   
   And yet - because of actions (or lack thereof) of others James Stockdale had only hoped to help, here is what most of the country is left with as a memory of this remarkable man. (A quote from his son), "Here was a guy who had dedicated his whole life to high-minded ethical endeavors and suffered brutally and come out with his dignity intact, only to have him caricatured on Saturday Night Live [after the VP debate] as a buffoon."
   
   Again? My face burns with shame.
   
   There are so many amazing stories from these amazing men. That one graduating class at one school (albeit a more than impressive one) produced men of this character and achievement is truly remarkable.
   
   And the quote from Weaver about "doing all right for themselves"? I will simply counter with a quote (though one used out of context) from another alumni of this class, Admiral Bill Crowe (who became the highest ranking military officer in the country).
   
   "That's what you call a classic understatement."

5 comments about Hell's Belle.

1. This is a great read. The authenticity of this story comes through on every page. At one level, it is a story of just one man, but really is a tribute to all the soldiers of WWII, and the people at home behind the war effort. The absence of spite or anger for his captors makes the story all the more powerful. I will have my teenage daughters read this book as a reminder of the sacrifices have gone into the making of America.



2. Hell's Belle is a captivating and extraordinary account of William Rasmussen's experience as an American flyer and POW in Nazi Germany during WWII. Dr. Randall Rasmussen has translated his father's memoirs in a way that effectively conveys to the reader the tremendous courage and spirit of these young men who endured severe hardships while serving our country. What a fine and honorable dedication to William Rasmussen. I highly recommend this book.



3. Hell's Belle is a captivating and extraordinary account of William Rasmussen's experience as an American flyer and POW in Nazi Germany during WWII. Dr. Randall Rasmussen has translated his father's memoirs in a way that effectively conveys to the reader the tremendous courage and spirit of these young men who endured severe hardships while serving our country. What a fine and honorable dedication to William Rasmussen. I highly recommend this book.



4. This book is very well written. While following the experiences of Bill Rasmussen, the reader comes to appreciate the courage it took to be a crew member on a B17 flying missions out of England during the war. It was a time when the equipment wasn't so high-tech and the planes flew on guts, teamwork and willpower. Surviving Stalag 17B required the same strengths. You wonder if you could be as strong in these situations. This story will make a good movie.



5. The wartime adventures of William Rasmussen amazed me. His unflagging spirit in the face of so much adversity is inspiring.
   
   As the ball turret gunner of Hell's Belle, a B-17, he was in the most dangerous and exposed part of the plane, a plexiglass bubble underneath the midsection. When the plane is shot down over Germany, he manages to escape from the tight space of the turret with only moments to spare.
   
   Captured by the Germans, he, along with other members of the flight crew of the Hell's Belle, spend a month in an interrogation center and federal prison suffering hunger, the cold of winter, and deprivation. His captors want information and, though they have a begrudging respect for the fact they are American fliers, they put Rasmussen and the others through a variety of intimidating tactics and punishing activities in order to get information; no one cracks.
   
   They are moved to Stalag B-17 and spend 15 months in squalor and under scrutiny. Rasmussen's descriptions of prison life are genuine and straightforward. He spares no details and sugar coats nothing. A forced march through Austria follows.
   
   Two anecdotes resound for me especially. When Rasmussen is forced by his captors to withstand the cold without proper clothing or blankets, as a means of getting him to give them information, Rasmussen notes, the cold has no effect on him as he is from Cedar, Michigan, and he's used to the cold. It's a classic Man vs Nature scenario and Nature does not beat Rasmussen.
   
   At one point, after the prisoners have dealt with a German informant, Rasmussen starts a rumor about an escape. The inmates know it is a ruse. Rasmussen starts the rumor, knowing the guards will learn of it, just to make the guards work harder and longer. His plan was a brilliantly executed nuisance for the guards.
   
   Through the entire recounting, the courage, determination, intellect and humor of William Rasmussen, just an ordinary guy from the upper Midwest, never fail. Hell's Belle is the kind of book I did not want to put down, and yet, when I finished it, I wished there was more.

No comments about Mary Seacole (Life & Times).