Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

A Man Down was written by Sgt. Clyde Hoch and is the biography of several military heroes. The names may not be familiar to most readers but each of the men lost his life while serving in the military. Ray Ira Haas and the author grew up together; both men joined the military, Sgt. Clyde Hoch chose to be a Marine and Ray chose the Army. Ray had a premonition that he would not survive Vietnam and requested the position of Radio Operator so that he would never be in the position to take a life. Several other brave men are discussed; among them is Lance Corporal Nicholas Rodriguez. Rodriguez served in the Marines in Afghanistan. When he returned home his family saw a change in his personality. Nick had PTSD. He died of a fatal gunshot wound that was ruled a suicide. “In 2012, were more service men died from suicide than in combat.”

Sgt. Clyde Hoch shares what it was like to serve in the jungles of Vietnam. There are numerous photographs of the plentiful dangers in the jungles that were home to the enemy. A Man Down is filled with photographs that breathe life into the stories of the soldiers. The author reminds readers that we should take a few moments of our day and remember the men that fought for our country. Sgt. Clyde Hoch is a talented writer. He successfully gives homage to the heroes in this book but does so with great dignity, never stooping to melodrama. His writing style is conversational. Not only will the families of these heroes appreciate this book, but so will history buffs and those interested in the military. This book is appropriate for readers in middle school through adulthood.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Chopper Warriors by William Peterson is a combination of stories drawn from interviews and the personal experiences of the author himself. It tells the real story of the Vietnam War, from the people who were there in the thick of it. Mr Peterson has interviewed a wide range of personnel - grunts, helicopter pilots, crew and officers - to gain their stories of the tours they served, of the fear and the death that surrounded them. Chopper Warriors tells the story of the helicopter crews and pilots who were responsible for ensuring that there were not many more names on the wall in Washington. It tells of acts of heroism and of bravery, of special missions that stick in their minds to this day. Above all, it tells us that there was one underlying factor in the chopper warriors' minds - that no-one was beyond bringing home, be it to their families or to their final resting place.

Chopper Warriors is a moving book. William Peterson has written in such a way that the scenes he describes are made real to those of us that weren't there. You can almost smell the blood and the fear, hear the sounds of the rotors above. You feel as though you have been lifted from the comfort of your own home and thrust into the midst of one of the bloodiest wars in history. I take my hat off to Mr Peterson and to all those who shared their stories with us, those who relived the horrors of what they saw and felt to bring us the truth about the war on the ground.

Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite

America's Greatest Blunder by Burton Yale Pines is a fascinating story of America's involvement in World War I. The author takes the reader through a detailed account of the war in a well-referenced documentary with a very descriptive narrative. Consider it a compilation of every history book written about the war. The author's descriptions throughout the book are well-written. "Germany’s grand, carefully studied, meticulously tweaked and extensively rehearsed Schlieffen Plan for a swift victory over France had crumbled," is one of the many excellent sentences from the book.

The author's description of the Western Front brings a feeling of being there and most certainly allows the reader to feel the power and horror of war. We are taken through the Wilson administration and his failure as a peace broker. The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, following a Declaration of War on Imperial Germany by Congress. In June 1917 the first American troops arrived in France. The American soldiers became known as "doughboys" and the author does an excellent job of taking us on the journey of war. I highly recommend this book for history buffs and those who would like to learn more about WWI, but don't want to read 30 or 40 books on the subject. This book will give an accurate overview. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reviewed by Karen Pirnot for Readers' Favorite

In "Terry", Terry Wadsworth Warne has written a vivid account of her entrapment in the events of World War II. Born and raised in the Philippines, she had an idyllic life until the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As America was unable to evacuate all the Americans on the islands, many were forced to flee to places of hiding, only to be discovered or forced to surrender. They were then put in camps under severe conditions of starvation and hardship. The author and her family appeared to take the initiative toward a productive survival mode as soon as danger presented. The father and the mother were resourceful and so the child was taught a positive attitude in which whatever was available would help them to "make due." Because of their firm belief in rescue, they were able to hang on in the most adverse of conditions for three long years. Moved from one camp to another, they finally ended up in Manilla. At the moment of rescue, many were killed and others severely injured but Terry and her parents never gave up. They steadfastly maintained a firm belief in the military rescue which eventually came.

This is a story of triumph, tragedy, stamina and tenacity in the face of unrelenting hardship. It is a story to motivate those who feel wronged and to inspire those needing strength and perseverance. We all need to remember what happened. We all need to remember the sacrifices made by this country in order that freedom prevailed. Terry gives us just such an opportunity. You will not be disappointed.

Reviewed by Jean Brickell for Readers' Favorite

"A Carnival of Destruction" is a history of General Sherman's march through South Carolina in the winter of 1865. It was thought that the southern winters would be mild but the troops found cold and rain almost constantly. The Northern troops had to wade swamps and cross rivers with clothes that were almost never dry. To disable the railroads needed by Southern soldiers, the Federal troops would destroy the rails by twisting the heated rails so that they could not be used again. Sherman was confused as to what city he was going to take so that Confederate troops were too spread out. Sherman had issued orders for his troops not to destroy and burn property in Columbia but then did little to prevent it being done. Federal prisoners were freed and the drunken soldiers were free to destroy the city. The war ended with Lee surrendering to Grant. Days later Lincoln was shot in Washington. The war between the States was over.

"A Carnival of Destruction" is a remarkable historic rendition of the ending of the Civil War. Tom Elmore has done an exceptional job of writing a book that tells the story with personal letters and diaries of the people who lived through those perilous times. Official orders and military memories are also included. I found this book an unflinching account of the horrors inflicted by both sides and the civilians that suffered so terribly.

Reviewed by Sylvia Heslin for Readers' Favorite

"In Our Duffle Bags, Surviving the Vietnam Era" is a true story of hope and an account of survival set in two countries worlds apart, East/West Germany and North/South Vietnam. Such is the factual account of the two authors, Geschke and Toto. In Our Duffle Bags is a collaboration between two junior officers, both graduates of ROTC School(Reserve Officer Training Corps)at different universities. "In Our Duffle Bag" is written about their time together and their time apart as friends in the U.S Army during 1969-1972.

Both Second Lieutenant Richard C. Geschke and Second Lieutenant Robert A. Toto nicknamed Bobo, met on their way to IOBC (Infantry Officer Basic Course) at Ft Benning, Georgia. They both then attended The Red Eye Missile School at Ft. Bliss where they learned how to operate the shoulder-held guided missiles. After the completion of the Missile School course, they were both given orders to proceed to their different duty installations oversees in West Germany.

Lieutentant Geschke and Lieutentent Toto would visited each other as often as they could although they were stationed in different places. They were then given separate orders to report to the Republic Of Vietnam despite the fact that they were classified and assigned as volunteer-indefinite officers of the IBOC. They continued on to the Jungle Operational Warfare School at Ft Sherman in Panama City, Panama, for their intensive jungle training that was a requirement before shipping out to Vietnam. Lieutenant Geschke goes on to state that he didn't know what was approaching and being in the jungles of Panama was like entering the gates of hell. Lieutenant Geschke and Lieutenant Toto, go on to chronicle their journeys while being officers serving in Vietnam as well as in Germany. Some of the familiar stories that they both tell are heart wrenching to read, and at other times just plain laugh loud funny.

I really enjoyed reading the book "In Our Duffle Bag". I loved the way that Richard Geschke went back in time and conveyed to the reader the backdrop story of the history of the Cold War in Communist Germany. I also loved the way that he peeped into the history of the Republic of Vietnam during that turbulent time in our history during his tour of duty in 1971/72. Geschke and Toto give clear concise examples of what it was like serving in our military in Germany before the wall came down, and of the politics of Communist Vietnam that was of the North and South.

As I read Geschke and Toto's memoirs, I had a very clear description in my mind of what it must have felt like being a solider during that time. And even though I was just a little girl at the time of the Vietnam conflict, the descriptions that both of the authors give, pictures included, enabled me to feel like I was experiencing everything that they were going through. Reading Richard Geschke and Robert Toto's book actually made me relive some experiences that I had while serving in the Army in the late 80's at Ft Bragg North Carolina. And although I didn't serve during wartime, some of the experiences that both of the authors had were reminiscent of the time that I also spent in the military. I highly recommend this memoir for non veterans and veterans alike who have ever wondered about what it is like to serve in the military, and especially during the time of the Vietnam War.

Reviewed by Rita Vetsch for Readers' Favorite

More Than Anything in the World is a very special true story in time, delicately written by Kathleen S. Mueller. This novel is a biography of Kathleen’s parents, Frank J. Mueller and Marion Altenburg Mueller, and their experiences during World War II. This remarkable story starts on Thanksgiving Day, 1941, when Frank joined the U.S. Army. He meets the love of his life, Marion, on February 13, 1942, while she was employed as a registered nurse. They fall passionately and deeply in love and marry on December 19, 1942. Frank and Marion then start corresponding by letters, and this novel contains many of the nearly 1,000 letters they wrote to each other during that time. Their letters and story are filled with intrigue, laughter, love and adventure. Through these letters, we find the true story of Frank and Marion which includes a rare and intimate look into their life and struggles during the World War II era.

This completely inspiring, romantic, comedic, and intricately written biography had me at the Introduction, and from that point on, I could not put it down! This biography was extremely organized, easy to read and even contained detailed footnotes at the end of the pages which were very helpful in understanding the full scope of their love story. It is a biography about two very ordinary people, but it is anything but ordinary; it is truly EXTRAORDINARY! The reader is able to visualize the World War II era complete with the lingo from the 1940’s which had me laughing and crying. The love story between Frank and Marion is very intimate, tender and heart-rending. It left me envying the previous generation and how much they treasured every moment and enjoyed life to the fullest. Complete with photos, letters, cards and advertisements from the 1940’s, and the most compiled and gorgeous family tree I have ever seen, this biography is a must read!

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Heaven In The Midst of Hell is a look at the war in Iraq from a different perspective: Author Commander Sheri Snively, D. Min., shares her experiences as a military Chaplain in Iraq. The first thing that struck me about this book was the photographs. They are magnificent and tell the story almost on their own. The photos run the gambit from a soldier with a stuffed animal hanging out of his pocket to a bucket filled with bloody bandages and clothes lying strewn on the floor soaked in blood. There is also a Santa Claus with a gun. I suspect Snively is one of those people who can see the good in anything.

Snively knew she was where she was supposed to be, where she wanted to be, with her Marines. She saw heart wrenching things such as men lose limbs and their lives; yet, she offered them hope and a smile. There is something special about relationships in the military. Despite the harshness of the battlefield, loyalty to fellow soldiers runs strong.

I'm not sure civilians understand the true role of the military chaplain. Snively successfully demonstrates that role, the need and the purpose of the chaplain. I've already mentioned the photographs, but I must mention them once more. They are exquisite, and they tell the story of the young men and women with their lives on the line. The stories she shares are heartwarming and heart-wrenching. She writes about objects in a pocket, preparing to come home, a scar on a cheek, and a photograph of a soldier's children. She attempts to put things in perspective. In the scheme of things, we feel small and seem unimportant, but to Snively and to the Lord, we are each an important piece. None of us is insignificant. When Snively asked herself "What am I doing here?" the answer was always the same: this is where I'm supposed to be, with my marines.

The text of this book is well written and tells the stories that need to be told. Snively is a courageous hero in my eyes. If I were there in the midst of battle, I'd want someone like her next to me, lending strength, courage and hope.