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Posted: 2/17/2021 9:43:27 AM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 2/18/2021 2:02:13 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: Just started William Wharton's Shrapnel. It's a short, funny book. Hey @Piccolo - see if you can get this book via the library or inter-library loan. The guy is hilarious and his writing style is like yours. The GI who polished his bore with steel wool and softened the rifling (court martial and fined $87), a guy who faked a medical disorder to get an honorable discharge. You can thank me later. @4v50 It was at my place when I got back from sea. eBay, $8. Dug right into it and am halfway through. He has just risked his skin on his fucked up useless secret mission to hide unter the blown-up tree and got back to England at D+4 only to be rewarded for his trouble by being sent back to his outfit that's going ashore in France in a couple of days. Some reward! What's important about this book is it's from the point of view of someone that just plain didn't want to be there. Unlike Webster's 'Parachute Infantry' Webster who also didn't want to be there, Webster had a standoffish attitude and volunteered for the Airborne but nothing more, Wharton just plain didn't want any part of it. My own father was similar to Wharton. He joined the Air Forces because he didn't want to be an infantryman. He did his job but was really resentful about the fucked up ways of the army and was pissed off about having to go to war in the first place. I think Wharton and my father hated the people that sent them off to war to begin with. They just wanted to be left alone. The older I get the madder I get at people that are always willing to send someone else's kids off to war. |
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Posted: 2/18/2021 2:08:23 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By piccolo: My own father was similar to Wharton. He joined the Air Forces because he didn't want to be an infantryman. He did his job but was really resentful about the fucked up ways of the army and was pissed off about having to go to war in the first place. I think Wharton and my father hated the people that sent them off to war to begin with. They just wanted to be left alone. The older I get the madder I get at people that are always willing to send someone else's kids off to war. Concur with you Piccolo. I remember getting into it w/warmongers here at Arfcom who were all for war against somebody. I told him to take his family, fortune and get on the white horse and lead the charge. The rest of us can stay home. It's easy to cheer for war when it's somebody else doing the dying or somebody else's kid who has to go. Politicians and their families first. The rest of us can watch on Pay-per-view. War makes for great reading, but it's a terrible waste of lives and resources. Did you get to the paart where his I&R platoon is sent out on a suicide mission and most didn't make it back? |
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Posted: 2/20/2021 6:41:25 PM EDT
[#4]
When the Banks Closed, We Opened Our Hearts' - stories from the Great Depression
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Posted: 2/27/2021 4:27:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: When the Banks Closed, We Opened Our Hearts' - stories from the Great Depression Put this down for A 4F Goes to War |
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Posted: 2/28/2021 4:56:45 PM EDT
[#6]
Finished When Banks Close and A 4F and now onto Harwood Loomis' The Frugal Yankee Guide to Personal Security.
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Posted: 3/2/2021 10:47:10 AM EDT
[#7]
The Fruits of Graft by Wayne Jett.
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Posted: 3/2/2021 12:25:44 PM EDT
[#8]
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Posted: 3/7/2021 10:55:22 PM EDT
[#9]
Bitter Harvest by Ian Smith
Just finished Ulysses S Grant's memoirs |
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Posted: 3/20/2021 8:51:52 AM EDT
[Last Edit: RustyKnifeUSMC]
[#10]
 Attached FileAn all time favorite. I read my Dad’s paperback copy for the first time when I was a teenager back in the early 80’s. I put Burgett’s book right up there with E.B. Sledge’s “With The Old Breed” for top memoirs of WWII. I’ve been on a D-Day, Paratrooper binge read the past few weeks. What I’ve realized re-visiting Burgett’s books is how much of a hack Stephen Ambrose was. Throw in Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The Band Of Brothers executives (I’m a huge fan of the series) stole a lot of material from Burgett’s books with no credit to Burgett. A shame. Burgett Speech Part 1 |
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Posted: 3/20/2021 8:57:52 AM EDT
[#11]
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Posted: 3/23/2021 11:26:39 AM EDT
[#12]
Lothar Hermann's PoW experience in Russia as told to Klaus Willman and published at Death March Through Russia.
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Posted: 3/23/2021 3:59:37 PM EDT
[#13]
Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA by Neil Shubin
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TN, USA
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Posted: 3/23/2021 4:03:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Walk In My Combat Boots and The Sentinal
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Posted: 3/23/2021 7:31:52 PM EDT
[#15]
George Rauch's Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Solider in Hitler's Army. Rauch was 1/4 Jewish and because his father, an "aryan" had served the Kaiser as a Captain, they were not rounded up and sent to camp.
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Posted: 3/24/2021 12:03:48 PM EDT
[#16]
Lakota Moon
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Posted: 3/26/2021 12:52:20 PM EDT
[#17]
Ghosts of An Hoa by William L. Brooks.
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Posted: 3/26/2021 1:01:06 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Sheepdogleader: Otto Kretschmer: The Life of Germany's Highest Scoring U-boat Commander My favorite U-Boat book (and maybe all of WWII books) is Operation Drumbeat by Michael Gannon. While it is an overview of the U-boat campaign in WWII, it follows closely the career of Reinhard Hardegan. I first read it in 1995, and re-read it at least once every couple years. I have since read about 10 books on or by specific commanders. Some read well and some I couldn't even finish. I realized a while back that I hadn't read one specifically on Kretchmer, who was very well known and the highest "scoring" commander of the war, and that was with being captured in 1941! It kind of begs you to think of how much he could have accomplished has he not been captured (as we also must wonder with Pappy Boyington, for example.) Please note-when talking to solely historians and history buffs, I don't feel like I have to "defend" reading about former enemies who fought against us and our allies, but since this is a "general audience" forum, I will say I am 110% a proud American and 110% patriotic to the US. I was a soldier in the NC National Guard and a career law enforcement officer (four agencies) so I took "oaths" a number of times, and meant every word of them. I still get cold chills when the Star Spangled Banner is played, and my ring tone is "God Bless The USA!" Had I been 40 years earlier and in the war I like to think I would have tried my hardest to kill these men. However, that conflict being past, and us having the comfort of victory, I DO find their stories interesting. Of course their jobs involved causing death and destruction to Americans/allies, and I won't minimize that. However many people versed in Uboat history know that the Kriegsmarine was the LEAST "political" of the German military, and that there are many instances of bravery, heroics, and chivalry among the more professional commanders, and many things once used as propaganda were later proven to be false (machine gunning survivors in the water as a pattern for instance). |
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Posted: 3/27/2021 12:42:06 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#19]
Charles Cawthon's Other Clay about his experience in the 2nd Battalion, 116th, 29th Infantry Div from Normandy to St. Lo, Brest and finally to Germany where he is injured.
Outside of St. Lo, sergeants, corporals and even privates were removing their stripes so as not to distinguish themselves. First time I ever read that. |
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Posted: 3/27/2021 8:16:18 PM EDT
[#20]
Nothing in Hell by Peter Grable. About the experience of a Timberwolf.
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Posted: 3/30/2021 11:28:37 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#21]
Ivan Makarov's Born Under a Lucky Star. Makarov wrote in secret and many of his thoughts would have sent him to a gulag Siberia. Having once been captured by the Germans he was detained by Smersh for ten days under suspicion as a German spy (he wasn't) and that stain would come back and haunt his family many decades later. He talks about his battlefield experience and how credit for success flows upwards. His memoir was transcribed and published by his daughter.
Just finished it this morning. It is a brutally honest account of the war that was written in secret and his criticisms would have earned him a spot in a Siberian gulag. Free from Soviet scrutiny, editing and propaganda, it is a refreshing and humanistic look at the war. He doesn't see the average German as his enemy but led by fools who compelled them to war. When the mine he was working at discovered gold, he was to be arrested because he was untrustworthy all because he had the misfortune of having been captured once by the Germans! His boss liked him and cued him to pack his bags and disappear. He criticizes the leadership that sends them on futile attacks that results in entire units up to divisions level being destroyed. When there is victory, little credit is given to the soldier but the higher one is and farther from the front, the more awards are showered on them. Post-war soldiers wanted to celebrate in Moscow but they were prevented and shakened down by the cavalry unit assigned to patrol the streets. Then after they were looted, they were sent packing. Unfortunately, the book doesn't explain how he came to believe in God. He did grow up in Siberia so the reach of Moscow was a bit further, but the churches were closed. It must be from his grandparents & parents. |
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Posted: 3/31/2021 10:02:51 PM EDT
[#22]
One Hell of a War by Dominique and Hayes. It's about the 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Div.
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Posted: 3/31/2021 10:30:14 PM EDT
[#23]
Gettysburg The First Day by Harry W. Pfanz
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Posted: 4/1/2021 4:11:38 PM EDT
[#24]
I met Harry Pfanz's son, Ranger Don Pfanz. He was very helpful in my research on Fredericksburg. Don't know where he's at now since John Hennessy is the Chief Historian at Fredericksburg/The Wilderness/Chancellorsville/Spotsylvania Court House National Battlefield Park. John was also helpful too.
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Posted: 4/1/2021 8:22:31 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Dog1]
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: I met Harry Pfanz's son, Ranger Don Pfanz. He was very helpful in my research on Fredericksburg. Don't know where he's at now since John Hennessy is the Chief Historian at Fredericksburg/The Wilderness/Chancellorsville/Spotsylvania Court House National Battlefield Park. John was also helpful too. Thats really cool. I would love to hang out sometime and just chew the history fat with you. Maybe if I ever get to Colorado or maybe if you ever come through Indiana. I really enjoy Gettysburg the first day. I ordered the second book in the series of course the second day. Should be here tomorrow |
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Posted: 4/2/2021 10:15:32 AM EDT
[#26]
Catherine Merridale's Ivan's War.
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Posted: 4/2/2021 10:16:42 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Dog1: Thats really cool. I would love to hang out sometime and just chew the history fat with you. Maybe if I ever get to Colorado or maybe if you ever come through Indiana. I really enjoy Gettysburg the first day. I ordered the second book in the series of course the second day. Should be here tomorrow We should. I use to always go to Conner Prairie for the Gunmaking Workshop. In a year's time I might be able to go to Friendship for the National Shoot. |
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Posted: 4/2/2021 10:21:47 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: We should. I use to always go to Conner Prairie for the Gunmaking Workshop. In a year's time I might be able to go to Friendship for the National Shoot. Friendship is not that far from me. Spent a lot of time there in my youth. Conner Prairie is also very cool |
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Posted: 4/7/2021 3:40:11 PM EDT
[#29]
Leo Lopukhovsky & Boris Kavalerchik's The Price of Victory: The Red Army's Casualties in the Great Patriotic War
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Posted: 4/7/2021 3:40:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#30]
Dbl Tap
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Posted: 4/10/2021 7:40:41 PM EDT
[#31]
We Were There From Gruber to the Brenner Pass about the 88th Infantry Div.
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Posted: 4/12/2021 8:25:39 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#32]
The G.I. Journal of Sergeant Giles. Compiled and edited by his wife, Janice Holt Giles, Henry Giles was in the Weapons Platoon of Co. A, 291st Engineer Company. He served in the ETO.
ETA: Great account of the 291st at the Battle of the Bulge. They held several key points (Trois Ponts, Werbomont, and early on Malmedy) until relieved by the 82nd Airborne. |
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Posted: 4/12/2021 8:34:37 PM EDT
[#33]
I am starting Gettysburg Day 2
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Posted: 4/15/2021 1:19:53 PM EDT
[#34]
Mark Goodwin's US Infantry Weapons In Combat. It's basically first hand personal accounts by GIs from WW II and Korea.
Got lucky and bought a used copy autographed by Goodwin and Scott Duff (the "other" Garand guy). |
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Posted: 4/15/2021 3:00:31 PM EDT
[#35]
Bush Pig District Cop by Ivan Smith
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Posted: 4/17/2021 11:57:20 AM EDT
[#36]
Neuber's Marching From Defeat. Artillery spotter's survival from the encirclement of Army Group Center.
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Posted: 4/19/2021 9:22:37 PM EDT
[#37]
SS Panzer Grenadier by Hans Schmidt.
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Posted: 4/21/2021 9:04:43 AM EDT
[#38]
The Mad Motorists by Allen Andrews.
The story of the first Peking to Paris rally in 1907. Great book so far. |
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Posted: 4/24/2021 1:50:29 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#39]
@Piccolo - overall assessment of Shrapnel?
Presently reading Infantryman in Stalingrad. |
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Posted: 4/24/2021 2:12:02 PM EDT
[Last Edit: piccolo]
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: @Piccolo - overall assessment of Shrapnel? It's an interesting perspective of just another GI Joe that was shipped to Europe, saw somewhat limited action and really didn't want to be there in the first place. Good read. Most of us head straight to the shoot-em-ups but seem to forget that for every grunt in the line there were about 7-9 people backing him up. Their stories are just as valid as Audie Murphy's and often in many ways just as interesting. In another theater picture you being on some kind of supply boat carrying whatever from here to there. It's just as necessary to the war effort yet boring as holy hell. All day long, blue water day in and day out. Arrive in port discharge cargo, load up in backhaul to somewhere else, fuel up and cast off for yet another boring non-adventure at sea. Throw in an unsympathetic angry career Navy skipper for good measure. Yet you can't win a war without these guys. Sometimes it's fascinating hearing about how these guys kept from cracking up! In 'Shrapnel' early on we found the army was stuck with all types like the idiot that turned his Garand into a shotgun by cleaning his bore with steel wool. Yeah, it's an interesting read. ETS Presently reading Ernie Pyle, 'This is your war'. Next: Pyle's 'Brave men'. What led me to Pyle was a comment on Hemingway. I briefly read up on him and decided he was a self-promoting asshole that was, as a writer probabaly more talented than Pyle. OTOH Pyle was far more interesting to the public because he wrote pretty compassionately about the basic hometown USGI and especially the infantryman. I think Joe Farmer or Larry the worker figured if they wanted to know what the generals were doing they could read the headlines on the daily paper. If they wanted to know what their sons, husbands and loved ones were doing they went straight to Pyle. |
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Posted: 4/24/2021 5:02:36 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: SS Panzer Grenadier by Hans Schmidt. That's a good book |
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Posted: 4/25/2021 12:38:36 PM EDT
[#42]
Just finished 'Here is your war'. Ernie Pyle. North Africa.
If anyone wants it shoot me an IM. I am at LEAST two weeks away from home so you're gonna hafta wait. |
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Posted: 4/25/2021 12:48:51 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 4v50: The G.I. Journal of Sergeant Giles. Compiled and edited by his wife, Janice Holt Giles, Henry Giles was in the Weapons Platoon of Co. A, 291st Engineer Company. He served in the ETO. ETA: Great account of the 291st at the Battle of the Bulge. They held several key points (Trois Ponts, Werbomont, and early on Malmedy) until relieved by the 82nd Airborne. Read it in 1965 when it first came out. I remember he got a pretty good case of M-1 thumb! |
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MN, USA
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Posted: 4/25/2021 1:07:29 PM EDT
[#44]
Red Platoon by Clinton Romesha
I first learned of the battle for COP Keating while watching the Netflix Medal of Honor series, two men were awarded the MOH for their actions. It’s one of those books that’s hard to put down... |
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Posted: 4/25/2021 8:37:46 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Riter]
[#45]
Mowat And No Birds Sang
I read several of Ernie Pyle's books including the ones you mentioned Piccolo. Both you mentioned are very enjoyable and I can see why the GIs loved him. @Piccolo - you'll probably enjoy And No Birds Sang. Subaltern is lost in London and in the blackout's darkness, finds what he believes is a Bobby. He prevails upon the Bobby for directions to the hotel he is seeking. The Bobby guides him there and when they get to the light of the hotel lobby, the helpful "Bobby" was a Read Admiral. I would have shrunk into a floor crack. The admiral was quite cheerful about it and gracious over the whole affair. It's something you would have written. |
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Posted: 4/27/2021 8:02:57 PM EDT
[#46]
At The Going Down Of The Sun by Charlie Warren, BCR
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Posted: 4/27/2021 9:46:40 PM EDT
[#47]
Ingrao's The SS Dirlewanger Brigade.
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Posted: 4/27/2021 11:40:50 PM EDT
[#48]
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Posted: 4/28/2021 10:54:01 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Lumpy196: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/24926/81zE42gT3xL_jpg-1921755.JPG @Lumpy196 - HG Wells wrote a similar book about the future. The New World Order. Methinks both me were Fabians. |
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Posted: 4/30/2021 6:59:17 AM EDT
[#50]
Fountainhead
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