The thrilling story of the Airborne and Ranger troops that saw the worst of WWII action—told for the first time in the voices of the soldiers themselves. From the first parachute drops in North Africa to the final battles in Germany, U.S. Ranger and Airborne troops saw the worst action of World War II. In Beyond Valor, Patrick O'Donnell, a pioneer of internet-based “oral history” who has collected the first-person stories of hundreds of veterans on his online oral history project, re-creates the frontline experience in stunning detail, weaving together more than 650 “e-histories” and interviews into a seamless narrative. In recollections filled with pain, poignancy, and pride, veterans chronicle the destruction of entire battalions, speak of their own personal scars, and pay tribute to their fallen colleagues. Beyond Valor brings to light the hidden horrors and uncelebrated heroics of a war fought by a now-vanishing generation and preserves them for all future generations.

On April 12, 1945, a fleet of American B-29 bombers flew toward Japan. Their mission was simple: Stop World War II by burning the cities, factories, and military bases of the Japanese em­pire, thereby forcing an unconditional surrender. But it didn't go as planned. Beyond Valor is one soldier's extraordinary tale of bravery, faith, and devotion. Onboard one of the B-29s, the City of Los Angeles, a phosphorus bomb detonated inside the plane. Staff Sergeant Henry E. "Red" Erwin absorbed the blast of burning phosphorus and managed to throw the still-flaming bomb overboard be­fore collapsing from the third-degree burns that covered his body. Breaking protocol, the plane diverted to a military hospital at Iwo Jima. President Truman quickly ordered that Erwin be awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest honor of the American military. Drawn from in-depth interviews with eyewitnesses and deep archival research, Beyond Valor tells the gripping story of Erwin's life--from his upbringing in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama to his enduring commitment to supporting veterans. Beyond Valor gives you a front-row seat to Erwin's amazing life and legacy. Along the way, you'll learn: How Erwin's childhood in Birmingham shaped his faith and his family How a split-second decision changed the course of his life The countless ways that Erwin chose to give back to his fellow veterans after he returned home Beyond Valor is about more than that fateful day in April 1945. It's a story of one man's journey from the ultimate despair to a place beyond service, beyond honor, and beyond valor: a life illuminated by the light of God's love.

"Luke Collier knows his duty. A marine corps combat medic, his job is to save lives--not satisfy his own desires. Megan Trayhern is his corpsman, but the beautiful redhead can't be anything more. Megan has her own mission. While she doles out medical care in the nearby village, she's also gathering intel. ... She needs to focus--and be careful--and the growing passion she feels for Luke can only put them both at risk. Honor binds them both, but the heart gives its own orders"--P. [4] of cover.

Lieutenant Thomas "Mac" MacDonald pulls three of his unit's soldiers from their burning Humvee when a roadside bomb explodes in Afghanistan. During the rescue he sustains a severe head injury that leaves him believing he's dying-until he wakes up stateside alive but blind. Beth's life changed forever with one phone call. An accident leaves her ex-husband and daughter fighting for their lives. Putting her life on hold, she spends most of her time in the hospital with her daughter, praying she'll pull through while her ex's condition goes downhill, forcing her to make one of the hardest decisions of her life. Meeting Beth while volunteering at the hospital after his discharge, Mac is instantly attracted to her. As he struggles to come to grips with what life has dealt him, he finds his thoughts continuously turning to a woman he barely knows. Despite all odds, these two wounded hearts begin to find a love they both need and deserve. But when Mac's secret comes to light will Beth be blinded by the past or embrace her destiny in Mac's arms?

Beyond Valor is one soldier's extraordinary tale of bravery, heroism, faith, and devotion. "Amazing...A thrilling and poignant story of patriotism that all Americans can be stirred, moved, and encouraged by." -- Gary Sinise On April 12, 1945, a fleet of American B-29 bombers flew toward Japan. Their mission was simple: stop World War II by burning the cities, factories, and military bases of the Japanese em-pire, thereby forcing an unconditional surren-der. Yet the mission did not go as planned. On board one of the B-29s, the City of Los Angeles, a phosphorus bomb detonated inside the plane. Staff Sergeant Henry E. "Red" Erwin absorbed the blast of burning phosphorus yet managed to throw overboard the still-flaming bomb, be-fore collapsing from the third-degree burns over much of his body. Breaking protocol, the plane diverted to a military hospital at Iwo Jima. President Truman quickly ordered that Erwin be awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest honor of the American military, before the young airman died of his wounds. There was just one problem: no Medals of Honor were available in the entire Pacific theater. General Curtis LeMay dispatched a squad of airmen on a 1,000-mile mission to smash their way into a display case and steal a medal to give to Erwin before time ran out. Meanwhile, Red's courageous young bride set out on her own mission, one of against-all-odds healing. Her success would determine the fate of the twenty-three-year-old warrior--and years later make possible the birth of the book's author: their grandson, Jon Erwin. Drawn from in-depth interviews with eyewitnesses and deep archival research, Beyond Valor is an extraordinary tale of bravery, heroism, faith, and devotion.

Major Mitchell Barraka is ordered to lead a group of Italian partisans in a desperate attempt to rescue 300 Jews from the Nazis

Beyond Valor II The Patriots has the knights going on another journey but this time it is to expel a lord out of the kingdom who has betrayed the king and angered the queen so much she has demanded this lord to be gone for good. It is the job of several handpicked knights to ensure everything goes well. The one thing no one has thought of is the huge purple dragon Brutus. Will this change anything? Will he know when to attack or will it be too late. There are several twist in this journey because they are going to the outer realm of the kingdom and things there are much different than anywhere else in the kingdom.