What are you currently reading?

[kjones5452]

River Patrol Insignia,great job on a little known subject. I got my copy yesterday and I've hardly put it down.

Bravo fellas, ya'll done good.

[HoovieDude]

Just finished "Messengers of the Lost Battalion" by Gregory Orfalea. A good story on the 551st PIB. One of the "bastard" Airborne units of the war. Always had an interest in these independent units, and their hard won legacies.

 

 

Now reading "Taking Command", by H. Paul Jeffers. He covers the life and career of General J. Lawton Collins, aka Lightning Joe. One of the handful of General officers to have served in the PTO and ETO. From Guadalcanal to the position of VII Corps commander and the Third Reichs capitulation.

 

Also tackling "American Commando", by John Wukovits. An incredible read on Evans Carlson and his creation of the Marine Raiders. A true visionary, groomed by his experiences in the South American jungles fighting the guerillas and his march across China as an observer with Mao's communist forces in their fight against the Japanese invaders. Labeled a maverick, communist and "pet" of President Roosevelt by many of the conventional thinking Marine leadership, he had the conviction to push for and create a commando style organization for use in the Pacific against the foe.

[cutiger83]

Currently reading "You'll Be Sor-ree" by Sid Phillips. I read 1/2 of the book in one sitting. It is a great read....Kat

[tdogchristy90]

I thought I would start a thread to see what people are currently reading. This doesn't have to be your favorite book. Just whatever you are reading right now. We may get some good suggestions. I am always looking for good first person accounts of war. To get this started, I will list what I have just finished too.

 

Just finished: "The Wrong Stuff - The Adventures and Misadventures of an 8th Air Force Aviator" by Truman Smith

Currently reading: "No Time for Fear - Voices of American Military Nurses in WWII" by Diane Burke Fessler

 

Thanks...Kat

 

Lee by Douglas Southall Freeman

[bmbrzmn101]

Currently reading "You'll Be Sor-ree" by Sid Phillips. I read 1/2 of the book in one sitting. It is a great read....Kat

 

 

Just finished that one and enjoyed it.

 

Now working on "Red Blood, Black Sand" , by Chuck Tatum

[KVSkelton]

Just started Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller. It's about the 8th AAF during WW2. Really enjoying it so far.

[cutiger83]

Currently reading "Gunner's Glory. Untold Stories of Marine Machine Gunners. " The stories are from WWII to Vietnam. Good so far....Kat

[Alonzo]

got the book a few weeks ago and have just started on "Quartered in Hell, the story of the American North Russia Expeditionary Force, 1918-1919"

Quite a few first hand accounts...very good book...autographed as well.

[KevinBeyer]

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, complete and unabridged by Ulysses Simpson Grant. I picked this book up for 50 cents at a used book sale and I can't put it down. President Grant wrote really well!

 

Kevin

[ehrentitle]

"Supplying the Troops; General Somervell and American Logistics in WWII" by John Ohl, Northern Illinois University Press, 1994. One of the few really readable books on US military logistics, it's a fascinating story about how a West Point graduate, Engineer officer became the Army's premiere logistician. He ran the New York City WPA in the depression, oversaw the Army's breakneck construction of new bases on the eve of WWII, was the architect and driving force behind the building of the Pentagon and was instrumental in creating and sustaining the WWII "Arsenal for Democracy" that that kept Soldiers supplied, armed and clothed in multiple theaters of operation.

[snake36bravo]

"Secret Soldiers The Story of World War II's Heroic Army of Deception" by Philip Gerard, Dutton published by Penguin Press 2002.

 

My wife's grandfather was in the 3133rd Sonic Deception Company and I worked in signals intelligence after my infantry days so there are some connections. I read half the book at one sitting and was completely inspired to go out and create new methods for deception on today's battlefield.

 

I don't know if anyone else does this but I have never been able to read just one book at a time. I switch between books.

 

I am also patiently reading "Ridgway's Paratroopers The American Airborne in World War II" by Clair Bay, The Dial Press 1985. Patiently because the book from cover to last page is 695 pages long. Fascinating read for many reasons but not limited to the usual Army reluctance, the various command personalities, and the operational specifics of various Parachute Infantry Regiments.

[Rakkasan187]

FIREFIGHT, Inside the Battle to save the Pentagon on 9/11, Patrick Creed and Rick Newman, ISBN 978-0-89141-905-1

 

Since I am a retired firefighter and 9/11 will always be in my memories, this is an exceptional book, written by firefighters who were there on scene when the plane hit, and the heroic stories of the Military personnel who braved the heat, smoke and flames to resuce comrades. A must have book for firefighters, or even military historians.

 

Leigh...

[67Rally]

I just picked up an autographed, numbered copy of Donald K. Ross's book, Washington State - Men of Valor. Donald Ross was the first recipient of the MoH of WWII as he was aboard the USS Nevada on 12/7/1941.

 

He provides narratives of each MoH recipient with ties to the state. It is well-written and very insightful, with details including their pre and post service lives, covering recipients from the Civil War through Viet Nam. It was published in 1980, so there are some subsequent recipients who aren't in the book.

 

[RANDALL 1953]

Shooter by Gunnery SGT. Jack Coughlin USMC Superb read so far. When the book came out he was at a bookstore near Boston signing copies. Of course I had to work that day because we were short staffed. Still ticked about that.

[OldSarge]

Hello Everyone,

I am new here but I just finished "Lone Suvivor" by Marcus Luttrell. An excellent and touching

read, in my opinion.

 

OldSarge

[bummer]

got the book a few weeks ago and have just started on "Quartered in Hell, the story of the American North Russia Expeditionary Force, 1918-1919"

Quite a few first hand accounts...very good book...autographed as well.

 

 

Good book, I have a few books on the subject of the Allied intervention. If you can find it a good read is Fighting the Bolshevics. Written by a teacher turned soldier

[d.gaddie]

I am now reading "The Civil War Reminiscenses of General Basil W. Duke, C.S.A". I am very interested in history of Civil War in Ky. and Ky leaders at the time. I had recently read "Kentucky's Civil War 1861-1865", published by Back Home In Kentucky,Inc.

[Custermen]

"LeMay" about the life of Curtis LeMay. I never knew how he rose to command a B-17 Group and then the 20th Air Force. Good read. Easy and quick with just enough detail.

[vostoktrading]

I just finished "A Viet Cong Memoir" by Truong Nhu Tang. Interesting person. Among other things he describes the B52 bombings from the receiving end point-of-view (pretty awesome!) and the mismanagement by the North Vietnamese of the South after the NVA take-over.

[ndhunt]

Just starting on Operation Dark Heart.

[kjones5452]

Tiger Patterns

Finally broke down and ordered a used copy a few weeks back.

Yeah, I know.

[bummer]

The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson

[M60 Driver]

I have been reading Thomas Ricks' new book The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008. Fascinating read on how a group of one and two stars, a bunch of cerebral colonels, and a retired four star upended the chiefs, and the Neocons, at the top. Ricks notes that during WWII it was common for generals to be replaced at the beginning of a new conflict. Not everyone is fighting the last war, but the people at the very top usually are. Most interesting so far is reading about the change in General Odierno who Ricks castigated in his last book, Fiasco, but who is now presented in a very different and positive light, and not just for the capacity to change as circumstances and experience dictate.

[doyler]

IWO...by Richard Wheeler

[Derek]

Last Man Standing: The 1st Marine Regiment on Peleliu by Dick Camp