What are you currently reading?

[tdogchristy90]

Recent read “Into Enemy Waters: A World War 2 Story of the Demolition Divers who Became the Navy Seals” by Andrew Dubbins.

[aerialbridge]

I'm reading the biography of the "Father of Naval Aviation",   CAPT  Washington Irving Chambers.    "From Torpedoes to Aviation: Washington Irving Chambers & Technological Innovation in the New Navy 1876 to 1913"  Back in 1910, he persuaded short-sighted Navy brass who saw no benefit in aviation, to make him the first officer to have oversight of the Navy's non-existent aviation program. It was single-handedly under Chambers' guidance and direction that Naval Aviation began.   When the Navy had no planes or pilots, Chambers arranged for a series of tests in 1911 where Glenn Curtiss and Eugene Ely demonstrated to a skeptical Navy Department that aircraft could be operated from ships. Chambers not only advocated reform, innovation and interest in the new science of air flight, but personally designed the first ship catapult for aircraft and headed the commission that recommended establishing Pensacola as a naval air station.  He signed the procurement check for the very first US Navy aircraft.   The aviation facility at Norfolk for many decades has been known as "Chambers Field" in his honor.  Practically criminal that they never made him an admiral, because while he was developing torpedoes and aviation ashore over a span of decades, they denied him the necessary years of "Sea Service" to make Admiral.  Early on, he was one of the officers of the Greeley Relief Expedition and commanded one of the civilian ships as a junior officer.  He was given command of the battle-wagon Louisiana in 1909, but they yanked it from him early to put him in charge of aviation.   Every Naval and Marine Aviator owes a debt of gratitude for their "Wings of Gold" to Chambers and his legacy.

 

 

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/11/14/108-years-ago-the-navy-launched-a-plane-from-a-ship-for-the-first-time-and-changed-naval-aviation-forever/

 

https://www.usni.org/people/washington-irving-chambers

 

 

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-c/chambers-washington-irving.html

 

 

[Bluehawk]

BETWEEN HOME AND THE FRONT: CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF THE WALTERS FAMILY

Heidelbaugh & Paone, editors

Smithsonian National Postal Museum

212 pp

 

Based on letters exchanged between a total of 36 Indiana Union soldiers, wives, family members and close friends throughout the war - a fascinating insight about conditions at home and in uniform during a variety of campaigns and military maneuvers from 1861-65. Good information about how the mail and correspondence, stationery and writing implements, package sending and the like took place at the time. Soldier's viewpoint about several famous battles and skirmishes, domestic news and tribulations while men were away.

 

 

 

[tdogchristy90]

After updating my Peleliu story on Emmett Smith I am now working on updating my Iwo Jima story on Charles Case. 
 

Currently reading “The First Battalion of the 28th Marines on Iwo Jima: A Day by Day History” by Robert Allen.
 

Charles Case is mentioned a few times in the book via morning reports, veteran recollections, and KIA/MIA lists.

[M422A1]

On 11/15/2021 at 5:00 PM, Scarecrow said:

"40 Thieves On Saipan" By Joseph Tachovsky - The Elite Marine Scout-Snipers In One Of WWII's Bloodiest Battles.  Great read, enjoying it very much.

This is a great book!  I think it should be made into a movie!

[mikie]

Hope fiction is OK. I’m almost done reading The Sand Pebbles. I got inspired by a recent thread on the forum about the inspiration for the ship. The movie seems to track the book fairly well, though it’s been quite a while since I saw it. My impression is that the movie is better than the book. 
Mikie

[mbec]

Just finished "The Rifle" by Andrew Biggio. Interesting read of veterans stories from WW2 and the reason he wanted to find the stories.

Mark

[mbec]

Awesome project.

mark

[Jacko2549]

Anatomy of a Division by Shelby Stanton.

 

An analysis of the 1st Cav in Vietnam from the perspective of cavalry tactics, very readable, interesting and action packed without too much detail.

 

I recommend most of Stanton's stuff, it's a real shame he stole a bit of valour and ruined his career.

 

 

[CavalryCombatant]

I’m about halfway through Devotion by Adam Makos.  I found it at a goodwill last week & have been really enjoying the read!  

[tdogchristy90]

I’m about half way through the book Danger's Hour: The Story of the USS Bunker Hill and the Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her by Maxwell Kennedy.

[AustinO]

Reading a book called Soldier of Fortune, about this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Lewis_Holmdahl

 

Picked something up of his recently and wanted to get as accurate of a backstory as possible. 

[268th C.A.]

Just finished this one, Great read on the Vietnam War

[Bluehawk]

Just finished Bob Dole's "One Soldier's Story"... a book written in an unusually personal manner, you can just hear him speaking every word.

 

"My story could be told with variations by thousands of other men and women. My sacrifice is no different from that of millions of my generation, or of today's young Americans who will wear the scars as well as the medals of their service for as long as they draw breath."

[268th C.A.]

Just finished this one...interesting read on day-to-day life in Vietnam from a combat Marines prospective.