I am enjoying this book which is a must read for World War and US History buffs.
Charles
A link to the book on Amazon follows:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-John-Soldier-Nebraskan-Goes/dp/1432777432/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331749591&sr=8-1
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Major General Hoyt Vandenberg Jr. (ret) after reading “Making John A Soldier A Nebraskan Goes to War” provided the following review to its author on February 15, 2012.
MAKING JOHN A SOLDIER
World War Ii has become a milepost in the growth and maturation of our great nation. John Malloy in Making John A Soldier has succeeded in giving us a complete and fascinating panorama of World War II through the device of his own experiences. For starters we are given a glimpse of how the United States, struggling in a depression coped with total war.
Malloy sets his scenes accurately with just enough detail to make the reader seek the author’s reaction as an AST Program volunteer who becomes an infantry wire-crew member, and eventually a veteran. His experience in the AST Program, a temporary haven, then unexpectedly in the frozen hell of the Bulge is a compelling story of re-arranged military priorities. It shows how casualties in one instance result in even more in others. Unexpected casualties sustained after D-Day and through the hedgerow fighting in France caused a demand for even more men to counter the German Ardennes offensive and then fight on into Germany.
As Malloy moves through the strategy and, in some cases, the tactics employed in the war, the reader is treated to concise chronological explanations of what is happening on all fronts in the fight against the Axis powers. On a more personal level, the exploits of Audie Murphy and the author’s fellow Nebraskans, who were awarded the Medal of Honor, are asides that spice-up the narrative. Not as well known is the story of the development of technology for the two bombs that ended the war. Finally, a tale of pathos and confusion experienced by the author after the German surrender is sure to make the reader blink in disbelief. It is all here under one cover!
The marvel of this book is that this Nebraskan, who went to war, was able to pack so much of interest, in such a fascinating manner, into a single volume. I consider it a keeper!
HOYT S. VANDENBERGG JR. Tucson Arizona 2/15/2012
A word or two about General Vandenberg’s distinguished career. After graduating from West Point in 1951 he completed flight training and then spent the next fifteen years in flight command positions in the United Sates and in Europe. In 1966 he was assigned command of the 390th “Blue Boar” Tactical Fighter Squadron at the De Nang Air base in Viet Nam. During that time he personally flew 100 missions over North Viet Nam.
Following that conflict he returned to the States with assignments in the Pentagon as a member of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1973 he was made Commander of Cadets at the Air Force Academy. Other key assignments Washington DC followed.
In his career Vandenberg served as a command pilot with over 5,000 hours in jet aircraft. His many decorations, among others, include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf clusters, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf clusters. He retired in 1961 with the permanent rank of Major General. He and his wife now reside in Arizona. - JPM 12/17/2012
