Böcker av Carole Engle Avriett

A captivating World War II narrative of an untold story in the Pacifc theater In the heart of the Pacific, where the tides of World War II surged, lies a tale of heroism on the high seas--a tale brought to life in Midnight in Ironbottom Sound. This is the untold story of the USS Gregory (APD-3), a ship manned by unknown sailors whose bravery echoes through the annals of history. Upon the decks of this vessel, Lieutenant Commander Harry F. Bauer and Mess Attendant Charles J. French, representing the highest and lowest ranks on the USS Gregory, become the focal points of this gripping narrative. In the turbulent waters of the Pacific, their stories, interwoven with the ship's saga--whose vital mission was to transport Marine Raiders to bloody beaches-- emerge as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unwavering commitment to duty. Avriett unfolds a a brief but catastrophic chapter of naval history that is often overlooked--that of unremitting warfare during the first few weeks following the initial invasion of the Solomon Islands to the demise of the USS Gregory four weeks later. Within this crucible, the USS Gregory, marked as a "minor" player, takes center stage. The ship's designation as an APD, its brave crew, and the harrowing night of terror they faced, set the stage for an unforgettable story. Avriett meticulously reveals their heroism and pays homage to the eternal truth that courage has neither color nor prerequisites, and that valor hails from within.

As a young band of brothers flies over German-occupied France, they come under heavy fire. Their B-17 is shot down and the airmenstumbling through fields and villagesscatter across Europe. Some struggled to flee for safety. Others were captured immediately and imprisoned. Now, for the first time, their incredible story of grit, survival, and reunion is told. In 1944, George Starks was just a nineteen-year-old kid from Florida when he and his high school buddies enlisted in the US military. They wanted to join the action of WWII. George was assigned to the 92nd Bomb Groupin which the median age was 22and on his crew's first bombing mission together received the most vulnerable spot of a B-17 mission configuration: low squadron, low group, flying #6 in the bomber box formation. Airmen called George's position the ';Coffin Corner' because here exposure was most likely to draw hostile fire. Sure enough, George's plane was shot down by a German Fw190, and he jumped at 25,000 feet for the ';first and only time,' as he tells the story. He landed near Vitry-le-Perthois to begin a 300-mile trek through the dangers of war-torn France towards the freedom of neutral Switzerland. Through waist-deep snow, seering exhaustion, and close encounters with Nazis, George repeated to himself the mantra ';just one more day.' He battled to keep walking. His comrades were scattered all across Europe and experienced places as formidable as German POW camps and as hospitable as Spain, each crew member always wondering about the fate of the others. After the war, George made two vows: he would never lose touch with his men again and one day would attempt to thank those who had risked their lives to save his. Despite passage of time and demands of career and family, he accomplished both. He reunited with his crew then twenty-five years later returned to France to locate as many of the brave souls who had helped him evade the enemy as he could. Join George as he retraces his steps to freedom and discover the amazing stories of sacrifice and survival and how ten young American boys plus their French Helpers became heroes.

FORGOTTEN NO MORE. The American people revere their elite combat units, but one of these noble bands has been unjustifiably forgottenuntil now. At the beginning of World War II, military planners set out to form the most ruthless, skilled, and effective force the world had ever seen. The U.S. Marines were already the world's greatest fighters, but leadership wanted a select group to conduct special operations at the highest level in the Pacific theater. And so the Marine Raiders were born. These young men, the cream of the crop, received matchless training in the arts of war. Marksmen, brawlers, and tacticians, the Marine Raiders could accomplish their objective before the enemy even knew they were there. These heroes and their exploits should be the stuff of legend. Yet even though one of their commanders was President Roosevelt's son, they have disappeared into the mists of historythe greatest warriors you've never heard of. Carole Engle Avriett's thorough telling of the Marine Raider story includes: The personal narratives of four men who served as Marine Raiders Frontline accounts of the Raiders' most important engagements The explanation for their obscurity, despite their earlier fame The Marine Raiders were one of the greatest forces ever to take the field under the American flag. After reading this book, you'll know why.