From the battlefields of the American Civil War through World Wars I and II, from Korea and Vietnam to the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers of all faiths have struggled for understanding and called on a higher power when faced with the realities of combat.God in the Foxholeis a stunning collection of true personal accounts from generations of American soldiers whose faith, in the words of author Charles W. Sasser, "has been born, reborn, tested, sustained, verified, or transformed under fire."A renowned master of combat journalism and a former Green Beret, Sasser has gathered an immensely moving collection of war stories like no other -- stories of spirituality, conversion, and miracles from the battlefield. Be they Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or atheist, churched since childhood or touched by the divine for the first time, here are the riveting experiences of army privates, bomber pilots, navy lieutenants, marines, prisoners of war, medics, nurses, chaplains, and others who, under desperate circumstances and with every reason to fear for their lives, found unknown strength, courage, and heroism through their remarkable faith.These inspiring accounts transcend the explainable to become stunning portraits of survival and belief: the angelic vision that brought inner peace to an exhausted helicopter door gunner in Vietnam...the makeshift full-immersion baptisms of eleven soldiers on Palm Sunday in Iraq, 2004...two enemies -- a Nazi priest and an American G.I. -- who served Communion Mass in a Belgian sanctuary in 1944...the prescient letter from a Civil War army major to his beloved wife, one week before his death at Bull Run...the 21st-century toddler with a jaw-dropping spiritual connection to a war hero of Iwo Jima...and dozens more.A war chronicle like no other,God in the Foxholeaffirms, for military buffs and readers from all walks of life, the power of faith in the face of adversity.
They are the lone wolves of the battlefield. Tracking the enemy, lying in wait for the target to appear—then they shoot to kill. Armed with an unerring eye, infinite patience and a mastery of camouflage, combat snipers stalk the enemy with only one goal... In World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Beirut, American snipers honed the art of delivering a single deadly shot from nowhere—and devastating enemy morale. They met the enemy on his own turf, picking off officers, unwary soldiers, and even other snipers from extraordinary distances of up to 1 ½ miles. Now, these uncommon men tell their stories: of the emotions felt when a man's face came into their crosshairs and they pulled the trigger, of the nerve-wracking hours and days of waiting, motionless, for the enemy, of the primal savagery of a sniper duel. Often trained haphazardly in wartime, and forgotten in times of peace, combat snipers were officially recognized after the Vietnam War, when the Marine Corps became the first military branch to start a full-time sniper school. One Shot-One Kill is their powerful record of desperate trials and proud victories.
A landmark in the jungles of Vietnam became a last stand for the eighteen men of Charlie Company—this is the stirring combat memoir written by a survivor. On June 13, 1966, men of the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division were stationed on Hill 488. Before the week was over, they would fight the battle that would make them the most highly decorated small unit in the entire history of the US military, winning a Congressional Medal of Honor, four Navy Crosses, thirteen Silver Stars, and eighteen Purple Hearts—some of them posthumously. During the early evening of June 15, a battalion of hardened North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Cong—outnumbering the Americans 25-to-1—threw everything they had at the sixteen Marines and two Navy corpsmen for the rest of that terror-filled night. Every man who held the hill was either killed or wounded defending the ground with unbelievable courage and unflagging determination—even as reinforcements were on the way. All they had to do was make it until dawn . . .
From the big cities to dense forests to disasters at sea, authors Michael Sasser and Charles W. Sasser present some of the toughest cases and most harrowing missions faced by arson investigators. A brutal inferno snuffs out the lives of eighty-seven at the Happy Land Social Club in New York City... The Branch Davidians torch their compound in Waco, Texas, killing eighty-one men, women and children… Flames engulf the streets of Detroit on its deadliest Devil’s Day… In each case, some of America’s most intrepid detectives were on the case, seeking out the truth amid the ashes. Here are the toughest cases from real arson investigators—men and women who apply steely determination and extraordinary skills in the pursuit of one goal: to catch scheming profiteers, vicious vandals, and diabolical pyromaniacs. Where the untrained eye sees nothing but destruction, these investigators see clues—and they plunge undaunted into the charred debris of destroyed buildings and incinerated lives to seek them out. From big cities to dense forests to disasters at sea, they bring one vow to every case: to never let justice go up in smoke.
War is the story of individuals painted into a broader tapestry of overpowering events. While examining the wider historical perspective to lay the foundation, this book relates the individual stories of the Second World War – of Allied bomber pilots shot down over Germany, of American dogfaces fighting to grip a toehold on Iwo Jima, of men struggling for survival during the Bataan Death March, of tankers in Europe and pilots who flew the first B-29s against Japan's mainland, of incredible feats of heroism and self-sacrifice, even of great wartime romances. The author interviewed more than two dozen U.S. veterans for this book. Most of these stories have never before been published. Together, they provide a true account of what the war was really like for those individuals who actually fought it on the two main fronts of the war – Europe and the South Pacific.
Boehm is the founder of the Navy SEALs, the boldest commandos on earth. After WW II, he saw that the Cold War required the creation of an unconventional warrior. He drew upon his expertise as a diver & as a member of the U.S. Navy to invent a disciplined, dedicated, & ruthless force capable of attack from sea, air, or land -- a unique team that would courageously descend into hell itself to conduct infiltration, sabotage, & ambush. His team would become the legendary special operations force known as the Navy SEALs. His book delivers an explosive, no-holds-barred, firsthand, inside look at what it takes to be one of that rare breed of men. Photos.
Taking Fire is the incredible memoir by one of the most decorated chopper pilots to emerge from the Vietnam War. Nicknamed "Mini-Man" for his diminutive stature, a mere five-foot-three and 125 pounds in his flight boots, chopper pilot Ron Alexander proved to be a giant in the eyes of the men he rescued from the jungles and paddies of Vietnam. With an unswerving concern for every American soldier trapped by enemy fire, and a fearlessness that became legendary, Ron Alexander earned enough official praise to become the second most decorated helicopter pilot of the Vietnam era. Yet, for Ron, the real reward came from plucking his fellow soldiers from harm's way, giving them another chance to get home alive. In Taking Fire, Alexander and acclaimed military writer Charles Sasser transport you right into the cramped cockpit of a Huey on patrol, offering a bird's eye view of the Vietnam conflict. Packed with riveting action and gritty "you-are-there" dialogue, this outstanding book celebrates the everyday heroism of the chopper pilots of Vietnam.
From the jungles of Vietnam to the unforgiving deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq, one breed of soldier has achieved legendary status in the arena of combat—the sniper. From the authors of the classic sniper chronicle One Shot-One Kill comes a new generation of true tales from some of the most expert and deadly marksmen in the world. Meet Adelbert Waldron II, whose 109 confirmed kills in Vietnam made him the most successful sniper in American military history, and Tom "Moose" Ferran, who coined the term "Fetch!", whereupon the infantry would retrieve the sniper's dead quarry. Also included are stories from snipers in Beirut, the Bosnian conflict, and both wars with Iraq—including the feat of Sergeants Joshua Hamblin and Owen Mulder, who took down thirty-two enemy soldiers in a single day outside Baghdad in 2003. The military sniper has evolved into one of the most dangerous and highly-skilled warrior professions. They suffer through weather, terrain, and enemy action, lay unmoving for days on end, and take out their targets with unerring accuracy—proving that the deadliest weapon in any battle, anywhere in the world, is a single well-aimed shot.
Kadar San, a human-Zentadon crossbreed distrusted by both humans and Zentadon, is dispatched with a Deep Reconnaissance Team (DRT) to the Dark Planet of Aldenia. His mission: use his telepathic powers to sniff out a Blob assault base preparing to attack the Galaxia Republic. Dominated by both amazing insect and reptile life forms, and by an evil and mysterious Presence, Aldenia was once a base for the warlike Indowy who used their superior technology to enslave the Zentadon and turn them into super warriors to deploy against humans. The DRT comes under attack not only from savage denizens of the Dark Planet, but also from the mysterious Presence, which turns team member against team member and all against Kadar San. The Presence promises untold wealth and power to any member of the team unscrupulous enough to unleash the contents of a Pandora's box-like remnant of Indowy technology. The box's possessor poses a greater threat than the entire Blob nation, for he is capable of releasing untold horrors upon the galaxy. Kadar San finds himself pitted against a human killer, an expert sniper, in a desperate struggle to save both the Republic and the human female he has come to love. Like all Zentadon, however, Kadar San cannot kill without facing destruction himself in the process, and he has no choice but to kill. In order to save the galaxy, Kadar San must face the truth . . . no one will leave the Dark Planet .
HE GAVE MEN A FIGHTING CHANCE... TO SURVIVE Dan Evans arrived in Vietnam on October 7, 1968, a 21- year-old Army medic who couldn't stand the sight of blood. Thrust into the cauldron of combat, he soon became a seasoned veteran of emergency medicine and the brutal realties of war. Before his time was up, he would master the skills of a surgeon, acquire the patience of a saint, and demonstrate the courage of a lion... Here, in his own words, is the gripping true story of Dan Evans, the highly decorated soldier whom the men of First Platoon, Bravo Company, called the "fighting medic." Experience the rage, the sorrow and the remarkable spirit of Dan Evans - the PLATOON MEDIC who became a true American hero.
Shot down and wounded in action, Craig Roberts survived against fantastic odds in the sultry jungles of Vietnam, receiving ten decorations. His memoir is a story of extraordinary challenges met for honor, freedom, and the Corps. Reissue.
The inspiring and thrilling combat memoir of the only Army Ranger serving in direct combat operations with a prosthetic limb. On October 3, 2005, Kapacziewski and his soldiers were coming to the end of their tour in Northern Iraq when their convoy was attacked by enemy fighters. A grenade fell through the gunner's hatch and exploded, shattering Kapacziewski's right leg below the knee, damaging his right hip, and severing a nerve and artery in his right arm. He endured more than forty surgeries, but his right leg still wasn't healing as he had hoped, so in March 2007, Kapacziewski chose to have it amputated with one goal in mind: to return to the line and serve alongside his fellow Rangers. One year after his surgery, Kapacziewski accomplished his goal: he was put back on the line, as a squad leader of his Army Ranger Regiment. On April 19, 2010, during his ninth combat deployment (and fifth after losing his leg), Kapacziewski's patrol ran into an ambush outside a village in eastern Afghanistan. After a fellow Ranger fell to withering enemy fire, shot through the belly, Sergeant Kap and another soldier dragged him seventy-five yards to safety and administered first aid that saved his life while heavy machineguns tried to kill them. His actions earned him an Army Commendation Medal with "V" for Valor. He had previously been awarded a Bronze Star for Valor—and a total of three Purple Hearts for combat wounds. Back in the Fight is an inspiring and thrilling tale readers will never forget.
Raider is the true story of the legendary soldier who performed more POW raids than any other American in history. He went into battle as a boy. And on one of the most daring missions of World War II, he became a man-- and the perfect soldier for America's next wars... Galen Charles Kittleson was slight, modest, and born to wage war. The son of an Iowa farmer, Kittleson volunteered in 1943 and caught the eye of his commanders. By 1945, PFC Kittleson was selected for the Army's smallest elite unit, the Alamo Scouts. While U.S. forces were pushing back the Japanese in the Pacific, the Alamo scouts unleashed legendary raids deep behind enemy lines, including the liberation of over 500 starved, beaten prisoners of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. For Kittleson, a career as a raider had just begun... Charles W. Sasser chronicles the remarkable journey that was Kit Kittleson's courageous life in the service of his country. Now a veteran after first going to war as a boy twenty-five years ago, Kittleson volunteered for one last mission-- the most extraordinary and daring POW raid ever attempted by secret American Special Forces in Vietnam...
Told with a distinguished military historian's attention to authenticity and the dramatic imagination of a natural storyteller, Sasser's The 100th Kill is a page-turning novel of a fascinating, rarely glimpsed side of the Vietnam War.
In 1973, Norma Cobb, her husband Lester and the their five children, the oldest of whom was nine years old and the youngest, twins, barely one, pulled up stakes in the lower 48 and headed north to Alaska to follow a pioneer dream of claiming land under the Homestead Act. The only land available lay north of Fairbanks near the Arctic Circle where grizzlies outnumbered humans twenty to one. In addition to fierce winters and predatory animals, the Alaskan frontier drew the more unsavory elements of society's fringes. From the beginning, the Cobbs found themselves pitted in a life or death feud with unscrupulous neighbors who would rob from new settlers, attempt to burn them out, shoot them and jump their claim. The Cobbs were chechakos, tenderfeet, in a lost land that consumed even toughened settlers. Everything, including their "civilized" past, conspired to defeat them. They constructed a cabin--and first snow collapsed the roof. They built too near the creek and spring breakup threatened to flood them out. Bears prowled the nearby woods, stalking the children and Lester Cobb would leave for months at a time in search of work. But through it all, they survived on the strength of Norma Cobb--a woman whose love for her family knew no bounds and whose courage in the face of mortal danger is an inspiration to us all. Arctic Homestead is her story.
A soldier’s eye view of Vietnam’s fiercest close-quarters battle upon its 50th anniversary Khe Sanh’s Hill Fights of 1967—as experienced by co-author Bobby Maras and told in this hour-by-hour, day-by-day account—were carnage on the ground, much of it hand-to-hand fighting in the dark. Thanks to the brave Marines of the 9th and 3rd, Khe Sanh survived the first concentrated attack by the North Vietnamese to invade the South. After the Hill Fights, American forces pulled back and held out against constant enemy shelling and frequent attacks until the siege was broken. Combining Maras’ personal experiences with the war’s bigger picture, Blood in the Hills honors the heroic actions of our soldiers and shows how Khe Sanh was microcosm of the entire Vietnam War.
A millennium ago, explorers from Earth established a colony on the planet of Vrodia Kirkos. When the dreadnought CENTURION returns to make contact with indigent Humans and prepare the way for re-colonization, its crew of twelve is stranded on an Earth after The End of The World ruled under the dominion of a seemingly-insurmountable demon called Dybbuk. In order to reach Sanctuary, survivors must hang onto their souls and confront Dybbuk and his evil angels.
Profiles the 10th Mountain Division and their efforts to pacify "The Triangle of Death," a region of particular terrorist violence south of Baghdad, while sharing the daring 2007 attempt to rescue three kidnapped soldiers.
Strike Hard, Strike First The machinery of terror is fully operational. To dismantle it will take courage and bold action -- and a new breed of warrior: Detachment Delta Deep in the bowels of a land once sworn to America's destruction, preparations are being made to unleash a nightmare. A uranium enrichment facility inside the borders of Russia is ready to produce the ultimate terror weapons, portable nuclear devices aimed at obliterating a gathering of America's political leaders, sending the nation into chaos. The gravest threat ever to our nation's survival calls for aggressive action -- nothing less than the secret invasion of a "friendly" country -- and Delta Force is ready to move. But for a dedicated family of Delta warriors, securing America's future may demand the ultimate sacrifice.
Harry Rawls, a police detective, becomes obsessed with solving a series of murders when his wife becomes emotionally involved with the man he suspects of being the killer
Best-selling writer Charles W. Sasser, illustrates through his own personal experiences how to become a successful writer using the magic steps of discipline, inspiration, goals, ideas and craft.
As American involvement in WW II grew imminent, President Roosevelt authorized the establishment of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor of both the CIA and military Special Operations Forces. Using military cover OSS began building a clandestine capability to combat the Axis powers, in which saboteurs, guerillas, commandos, spies and counterintelligence agents worked behind enemy lines. Captain James Cantrell, a former Chicago homicide detective, is the leader of a secret intelligence team for OSS. He is charged with protecting Operation Overlord, the top–secret Allied plans for invading France, and with ferreting out Nazi spies who are desperately attempting to uncover these secrets. With time running out before D–Day, Cantrell must stop a cunning––and seductive––female Gestapo agent operating in London from delivering stolen Overlord information in time for Hitler to reinforce defenses at Normandy. The chase leads him through bomb ravaged London streets and across the English Channel only hours behind his prey. Parachuting into France behind enemy lines only days before the scheduled D–Day landings, his orders are to assassinate her before she reports to her contact on the French mainland. The fate of WW II hangs in the balance.
Chronicles the author's motives, ideals, experiences, and relationships as a U.S. Special Forces soldier-agent in Vietnam, Central America, and Korea and during Operation Desert Storm. By the author of The Walking Dead. Original.
From the author of previous military and action adventure novels like "THE 100TH KILL," "DETACHMENT DELTA" series and "THE RETURN" comes Charles W. Sasser's latest speculative political action-adventure thriller ripped from today's headlines and based on actual current events. Police Detective James Nail is wounded and his daughter murdered in an attack that also kills "right-wing" TV personality Jerry Baer. As Nail and Baer's producer, Sharon Lowenthal, team up to track down the shooters, they discover a conspiracy that leads to an international cartel of "One Worlders" and may implicate the President of the United States. Falsely accused of terrorism, they must keep one step ahead of Homeland Security to stay alive, bring down the traitors, and save the nation. What they're saying about Charles W. Sasser "As for the writing, it's near perfect, flows smoothly and has that certain flair that all of us who type for a living seek to achieve..." PACIFIC FLYER on "Predator: The Remote-Control Air War over Iraq and Afghanistan." "The most gripping scenes in the book document...emotion in the seconds just before the Hellfire missile arrives on target..." THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS (NEW YORK TIMES) on "Predator: The Remote-Control Air War over Iraq and Afghanistan." "A gripping combat memoir...honest and exciting...a roving tale, full of sharp detail and told in the harsh language of soldiers baptized in fire..." KIRKUS REVIEWS on "Taking Fire." "Bustles with danger, intrigue, and surprise. Rapid-fire action from beginning to end." Clive Cussler on "First Seal." "Tough, raunchy, gritty, but surprisingly tender... If you never made it to 'Nam, this book will take you there... unbeatable " MILITARY HISTORY Magazine on "The 100th Kill." "Outstanding Exciting Gut-grabbing... " LEATHERNECK Magazine on "One Shot-One Kill." "A grim, authentic window to a world of horrors only hinted at in the tabloid headlines..." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY on "Homicide " "A powerful emotion-packed mystery..." CONCISE BOOK REVIEWS on "No Gentle Streets." "A model of good historical writing..." LEATHERNECK on "Hill 488." "Abundant action, a fast pace and an unusual ethical dilemma..." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY on "Dark Planet.
On the battlefields of World War II, the men of the African American 761st Tank Battalion under General Patton broke through enemy lines with the same courage with which they broke down the racist limitations set upon them by others—proving themselves as tough, reliable, and determined to fight as any tank unit in combat. Beginning in November 1944, the 761st Tank Battalion engaged the enemy for 183 straight days, spearheading many of General Patton's offensives at the Battle of the Bulge and in six European countries. No other unit fought for so long and so hard without respite. The 761st defeated more than 6,000 enemy soldiers, captured thirty towns, liberated Jews from concentration camps—and made history as the first African American armored unit to enter the war. This is the true story of the Black Panthers, who proudly lived up to their motto (Come Out Fighting) and paved the way for African Americans in the U.S. military—while battling against the skepticism and racism of the very people they fought for.
World War Two rages on. In the conflict's darkest days, both the U.S. and Germany scramble to achieve nuclear capabilities. And if Hitler's scientists hand him the atomic bomb first, the world will be his. Hand-picked and trained by OSS chief "Wild Bill" Donovan, Captain James Cantrell is expected to do the impossible. He must parachute alone into ravaged Poland, and into the jaws of the Nazi beast, to rescue an aging scientist who's been marked for extermination. With the Russians racing to capture the same prize, one wiry and tough ex-Oklahoma cop faces the most tragically difficult choice he's ever had to make. If the SS realize the value of Professor Jahne's secrets, their war is as good as won. So the fragile old genius must accompany Cantrell out of the country—or else he must die.
For readers of American Sniper, the stirring account of a life of service by the “father of the US Navy SEALs” One month after the Bay of Pigs fiasco, when President John F. Kennedy pressed Congress about America’s “urgent national needs,” he named expanding US special operations forces along with putting a man on the moon. Captain William Hamilton was the officer tasked with creating the finest unconventional warriors ever seen. Merging his own experience commanding Navy Underwater Demolition Teams with expertise from Army Special Forces and the CIA, and working with his subordinate, Roy Boehm, he cast the mold for sea-, air-, and land-dispatched night fighters capable of successfully completing any mission anywhere in the world. Initially, they were used as a counter to the potential devastation of nuclear war, and later for counterterrorism and hostage rescue. His vision led to the formation of the celebrated SEAL Team 6. In this stirring, action-filled book, Hamilton tells his story for the first time. Night Fighter is a trove of true adventure from the history of the late twentieth century, which Hamilton lived, from fighter pilot in the Korean War to operative for the CIA in Vietnam, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, from the Pentagon to Foggy Bottom, and from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Reagan White House’s Star Wars. Like American Sniper, here is the record of a life devoted to patriotic service. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
For fishermen and fishers of men. "Follow me," Jesus instructed Simon and Andrew, "and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) I know that God has been teaching me all these years, using the outdoors as his slate. While I was fishing, I was also being taught patience and happiness, courage and friendship and inspiration, joy and humility, understanding and acceptance... I would like to share with you, in this little book, some of the life lessons I learned from God on creek banks. Even when I didn't know I was learning them. Perhaps, like Simon and Andrew, I might, through it, also become a fisher of men. -Charles W. Sasser
Harrowing true stories, Smokejumpers chronicles the heroic efforts of the airborne firefighters who battled one of this century's worst killer blazes on top of Colorado's Storm King Mountain.
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