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cutiger83
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I was deep into volume 5 of Churchill's history of the second world war when a buddy told me to get this:

 

Relentless Strike, The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command, by Sean Naylor

 

I read the prologue and was hooked. I just finished it!

 

Joe

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At Dawn We Slept - Gordon W. Prange. This was always on my list of must reads, but after visit Pearl Harbor it became a priority. Only 50 pages and very impressed.

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One of the books I am nearly finished with is "Tin Can Sailor: Life Aboard The U.S.S. Sterett 1939-45", written by C. Raymond Calhoun.

 

Commander Calhoun (ret) recounts his experiences as an officer aboard the U.S.S. Sterett (DD-407) during WWII. Most of the book is based on his own personal recollection, however there are times when he shifts to accounts from other crewman or official reports to fill in gaps. It has been an interesting and enjoyable account of a destroyerman's war in the South Pacific.

 

I have read many WWII USN Destroyer accounts, but this is perhaps the most historically action packed one yet. If you have any interest in the Naval campaigns of the South Pacific during WWII, I heartily recommend this book find a place on your bookshelf.

 

If you would like to learn more, I have moved my post into it's own thread here: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/253419-tin-can-sailor-life-aboard-the-uss-sterett-1939-45/

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Corporal Kang 0311

Gods Samurai by Gordan Prange

 

Good book about the Japanese way of thinking and the events behind Pearl Harbor and Midway

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm currently reading "On the Ground" by John Stryker Meyer, about the men of SOG in Vietnam. Brass balls those guys had! Meyer was with one of the recon teams in the book, so he knows what he's talking about. I'll be reading his other book soon, hopefully.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm reading "13 Hours" about the fighting over the state department/CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya. Pretty harrowing stuff.

Picture 'Blackhawk Down' with no aircraft and very few Americans with weapons.

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I'm currently reading "War Dogs". A history of the military dog that covers the period of WWI through Vietnam(by Michale Lemish). Not to far into it but it has expanded my education on a little know unit(s).

 

Cheers

 

Mark

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I finally was able to score a copy of "Raiders or Elite Infantry? The Changing Role of the U.S. Army Rangers from Dieppe to Grenada". Title is sort of self-explanatory; anyway, it's recommended although usually pricey.

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BILL THE PATCH

I have to books going at once, first one is" the remains of company D, a ww1 book on the first division. And the second I'm starting tonight . because I have only to weeks to read it as it is an Interloan book from library. It's Dogfaces who smiled through tears. All about the 34th div from training to end of war with attached units of the hawaiian 100th bn, and the 442 regimental combat team. One of the best books ever written on the Italian campaign. Read it about ten years ago. Highly recommended

 

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  • 1 month later...

I just received The Devil's Brigade by Robert H. Adelman and George H. Walton, about the First Special Service Force. It's well-written, as the authors apparently have a writer's background, and the book's style sort of reminds me of that of The Thousand Mile War by Garfield which also was written around the same time.

 

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patchtrader864

Black Horse Riders by Philip Keith 11th ACR 1970 Vietnam good to see that there Captain got his men there medals after 40 years .

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I may check that out... My janitor buddy at school just passed away on the 11th, and he was with the 11th ACR in 66-67 or so. I recently picked up an 11th ACR Jungle Jacket and never got to tell him about it.

 

I am working on "Armored Champion" by Steven Zaloga. Really cool book. He goes through tank development from 1919-1945, analyzes countries' doctrines, designs, etc., and for every logical era (1919-35, 1936-39, etc.) and determines the tank that a commander would prefer (based on reliability, firepower, economy, and other factors), the crewman's choice (based on survivability, etc.) and his overall winner. I am just up to about 1939, and it has been fascinating.

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I just finished reading, "The Dead And Those About To Die" by John C McManus. Details the landing of the 1st Division on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Currently reading "Unbroken" which of course was made into a movie, that I saw. Enjoyed the movie but enjoying the book more.

 

Regards

 

Mark

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I have just started reading "Island of Fire" by Jason D. Mark. The book is a very detailed account (641 p.) of the battle for the Barricade gun factory in Stalingrad from November 1942 to February 1943.

 

Dan.

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The Conquering Tide by Ian W. Toll. It's book two of the Pacific Trilogy and focuses on the American counteroffensive from 1942-1944. Its very well done however, I think Pacific Crucible (book one) was slightly more "readable". That being said, I will read the forthcoming book 3.

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Just finished all 7 books in Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series. Picked up Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" and will be starting it tonight.

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I'm now halfway through "Reluctant Warrior" by Michael Hodgins. He was a USMC recon LT. Not bad stuff and he pulls no punches about the fear and inadequacy he felt leading salty recon Marines in 'Nam...

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Just finished a quick read of an advanced copy of "At War on the Gothic Line: fighting in Italy, 1944-45" by Christian Dunne Books, to be released in February 2016.

My hopes was that this book would be a history of the battle for the GOTHIC Line in the Italian Campaign during September-October 1944. Instead this tells the story of 6 or 10 soldiers. It is hard to say how many because the author adds a few short biographies of some of their comrades. The soldiers include Lt. Daniel Inouye and Lt John Fox of 92 Infantry Division who were awarded the Medal of Honor by recent Presidents.

It also tells the story of every one the German attrocities and gives the background on the German leaders who gave the orders. A lot of interesting stories but the difficulty is in trying to follow all of them and follow the time line. It gets quite confusing. And it just never seems to get to telling the real story of the Americans who fought in the cold barren Appeninne Mountains.


The appropriate title for this book would be: "Fighting In Italy" period.
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Charles Dawes, A Journal of the Great War (two volumes), 1921. Dawes was head of purchasing for the AEF, having been commissioned direct from civilian life and achieving the rank of Brigadier General. He was later Vice President under Calvin Coolidge. I found the two-volume set on Abebooks, near fine condition, for under $40, very nice addition to my collection.

Pete

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just finished Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors and it was outstanding. Prior to that I had read Thunder Below!, about the USS Barb written by Gene Fluckey. Again a great read.

 

I haven't decided what to read next. I have been on a USN binge lately.

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Just finished all 7 books in Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series. Picked up Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" and will be starting it tonight.

 

I think The Wastelands is one of the most effortless reads I have ever had. In my opinion it is King's best written book. he goes into just enough detail to satisfy what you might be wondering about, without bogging down the story.

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