"Winner of the United States Marine Corps Gazette 2005 Francis Fox Parry Combat Initiative Award." Highpocket's War Stories is an eloquent account of combat leadership in Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Peter L. Hilgartner is widely recognized in the Marine Corps as a successful combat leader, first as a junior officer in Korea and later commanding the First Battalion, Fifth Marines fighting the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. Hilgartner tells of leading troops in counter-guerilla action, and major battles with North Vietnamese troops -- Union I, Union II and Swift -- to control the strategic Que Son Valley. His story gives never-before-told, vivid descriptions of Marines in hand-to-hand combat with North Vietnamese troops from the perspective of Marines who were there. Every grunt will appreciate this gripping account.

The Lou Conter Story: From USS Arizona Survivor to Unsung American Hero tells the incredible story of one of the last remaining survivors of the USS Arizona. More than just a recollection of the events that transpired in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, this book also records the author's memorable experiences before and after the Day of Infamy. Conter was on the USS Arizona deck when a Japanese armor-piercing bomb hit one million pounds of gunpowder stored in the ship's hull. He helped rescue crewmen following the explosion and dove into the wreckage to recover bodies in the days after. In 1942, Conter went to flight school where he earned his wings and became a VP-11 Black Cat pilot. He helped rescue over two hundred Australian Coastwatchers stranded in northern New Guinea and was shot down twice -- once swimming with his crew while sharks circled. Conter also helped rescue over two hundred Australian shore watchers up the Sepik River in New Guinea. After World War II, he became an intelligence officer, flew combat in Korea, created the Navy's first SERE program (survival, evasion, resistance, and escape), and served as a military advisor to presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. Lou Conter shares his Pearl Harbor experiences with high school students throughout Northern California, and he returns to the USS Arizona every December to take part in National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day activities to honor and remember the 2,403 service members and civilians who were killed during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In 2019, Conter was one of only three remaining crew members out of the 335 who had survived the attack on the USS Arizona. He was the only survivor able to attend the memorial event.

Plenty of sports franchises have stories that flow from hopelessness to prosperity. That was the backdrop when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became world champions, but how many others had to perform with an accompanying laugh track? How many used the number one overall draft pick on a player (Bo Jackson) who surveyed the scene, shrugged his shoulders, and decided to play baseball? How many essentially gave away their battered and star-crossed quarterback (Steve Young), suddenly jump-starting his route to the Hall of Fame? How many had a coach (John McKay), who, when asked what he thought of his team's execution, wryly replied, I'm in favor of it? How many work in an antiquated training facility (One Buc Place) that hosts exterminators more often than the owners? For nearly a generation, they were the Yucks. Then they transformed themselves from frogs into princes. Tales from the Bucs Sideline is their story, warts and all. From winless wonders to world champions, from hapless players too embarrassed to show their faces in public to superstars who are constantly in your face. One and off the field, this is the story of how a franchise can transform from woeful to wonderful, complete with all the unforgettable (and forgettable) moments and characters.

Each short story is complete within itself. The terse captivating writing presents stories in short form without the length needed in the novel format to accomplish the same result. The stories are based on truths, past memories, embellishments and fictional events all subject to the writers wide ranging creativity.Character depiction is varied as to social and economic status ,race and ethnicity. It addresses their rise or fall within the scope of their involvement in the stories plot. Liberty has been taken with the names of a few characters . Whimsical or farcical names do not detract from the aim or emotions of the stories. Reading the stories is addictive ,prompting the reader to begin the next one as soon as the previous one has been read. Any connection or allusion to living of living persons or real events is unintentional and features the range of emotions including deception and criminality exhibited by some and present in many.

This book is a compilation of short stories and poetry based on my life experiences. It also contains some fiction short stories written at various times in the past four or five years. Inspiration for the stories and poetry in this book came from my family and acquaintances throughout my life. There are several stopping points which will make for a good bedtime reading book. Well, except for some of the scary stuff.

Run into the history of the Bull City! There is much history in the Bull City, and some of it can be found within these pages. How Bull Durham smoking tobacco put Durham, North Carolina, on the map. How a plastic cow and an oversized flag cut the city council down to size. How it felt to travel back in time at the Duke Homestead. How sportsman Al Mann and "Mom" Ruby Planck left indelible marks on their hometown. Journalist and local historian Jim Wise shows you that while Durham's stories are its own, readers may find the people, places and truths in them resonate with hometowns everywhere.