Unceremoniously dumped in the orphanage by their drunken, war-traumatized father, Don and his brother Mike learn the harsh realities of life. We can feel the fear of the tormented child and smell the antiseptic dormitory. Not all is bad there, for it is during this time that the young Donald sees his true love, Annette, for the first time. Her brunette hair, twinkling eyes and heart-melting smile are what help sustain the warrior's sanity and focus during some of his darkest moments, which are yet to come. Don was a 'malcontent renegade' in the eyes of the nuns, because he fought for his dignity and that of his brother. Recalcitrant, yet gregarious, Don is dismissed from the orphanage with his brother, and returned to the father who had abandoned them. No hope for the future leads the seventeen-year-old boy, old beyond his years, to a recruiter's office and the Army. In August 1967, after a tour in Alaska and six months in Germany, the young paratrooper volunteers for duty in the Republic of Vietnam and is initially assigned to the 173d Airborne Brigade. Then, he hears a call for volunteers and joins a new long range patrol unit being formed, with the motto "I Serve," and the charter of taking the war to the enemy. Expertly weaving heart-thumping moments as enemy soldiers walk past within mere feet of patrols, the cacophony of battle and copper-taste of adrenaline during contacts, and the stark contrasts of the war, Don Hall takes us on his tour with the Lurps. We feel the anguish of losing teammates, and share the love for comrades. We see the oblivious eyes of the enemy walking toward an ambush, and the handmade wooden cross prepared by a soldier for a dead enemy tossed from a helicopter. We hear the cries of the wounded and the soft strains of songs on the radio. We feel the hurt and anger of the young boy, and the power and control of the soldier as he serves.

Chronicles the experiences of Ditie, who rises from busboy to hotel owner in World War II Prague, and whose life is shaped by the fate of his country before, during, and after the conflict.

I SERVED was written differently from most other Vietnam memoirs. Instead of being a chronological recitation of my experiences growing up in the orphanage and then going to Vietnam and serving with Co. F, 51st Long Range Patrol (Airborne) Infantry, I made its focus be the characters in the story. That is its greatest strength and what makes it such a good read. Because I focused so closely on character, you really get to care about the person Don Hall because you know what makes him tick, what is important to him, and what drives him. You are also engaged by the other people you meet in the story because they are so clearly drawn. You don't have to be a military buff to enjoy the book. I SERVED is a factual story backed up by official U.S. Army records. Col. William C. Maus, the man who formed F/51st LRP, told me where to find that documentation. I also have copies of handouts we received when we went to Recondo School. Before he died, he told me how much he enjoyed reading the book. He praised me for having written such a great story about a unit he was proud to have commanded. He was a visionary who knew our unit was the vanguard for future U.S. Army military strategy and tactics. I remember his telling me at the time that F/51st LRP was making history. Being just a naïve 19-year-old staff sergeant, I didn't understand the significance of that statement. I do now. The current print and ebook versions of I SERVED are a second edition to the original 1994 hardbound edition, with a revised preface and afterword, a new War Stories section (with stories from other men with whom I served), and new photographs.

“A remarkable combat memoir by an underappreciated World War Two commander . . . powerfully written.” —Argunners After serving with the Austrian Army in World War I, Stanislaw Sosabowski joined the newly created Polish Army in 1918. By September 1939 he was commanding 21st Infantry Regiment in the Battle of Warsaw against overwhelming German forces. Taken prisoner, he made a daring escape to join the Polish Army in France before evacuating to England together with 3,000 fellow countrymen. In 1941 he formed the First Polish Independent Parachute Brigade which he trained and commanded for the next three years. Although created for the liberation of Poland, the Brigade, led by the author, parachuted into Arnhem in September 1944 and fought with great courage. Sosabowski provides a unique insight into this ill-fated operation. At the time his frank style and determined views resulted in confrontations with his British senior officers, “Boy” Browning in particular, and he was forced to resign. Many felt that he was made a scapegoat. While Freely I Served records the author’s wartime experiences, it is more than a memoir. The author, ever a true patriot, intended it to be a tribute to the many brave Polish soldiers who fought to regain their country from Nazi occupation and, in this aim, he undoubtedly succeeds. Readers will find it an inspiring and revealing account. “This superb book is a chance for the author to set the record straight . . . a thoroughly enjoyable and fast-paced book written by one of the most fascinating characters of the story of the North-West Europe campaign.” —War History Online

The Judiciary I Served is an account of an eminent jurist s long and distinguished career in law from his early days as a barrister to his retirement from the Supreme Court of India. An absorbing aspect of this book is the detail of how repeated challenges, minor and major were thrown down at both state and central level, and how upright judges needed to struggle against such pressures in order to uphold the proper functioning of the law.

If in your heart you have the calling to serve God, do not let this story deter you from doing so. When I entered the convent to serve the Blessed Lady, it was in the year 1943. Since Vatican II came into existence, many rules have changed. What were the rules of yesterday do not pertain today. You may be called to sacrifice and find setbacks. Whether you continue your life as a lay person or a nun, you are not assured the problems you have to go through will not be painful. I know after I came out of the convent, I faced many hardships, pain and suffering

While growing up in rural Montana, Doug Wise never imagined he would eventually study engineering at Montana State University and be commissioned in the US Air Force as a civil engineer officer. But as he soon came to discover, life has a way of presenting us with unexpected opportunities that guide us to our destinies. In a fascinating chronicling of his military career, Wise discloses how support officers contributed to the success of the many exercises, operations, and strategic initiatives completed by the Department of Defense through the 1990s and into the aftermath of 9/11. Wise details how he overcame numerous hurdles to ensure mission success, all while revealing a glimpse into his personal transformation from a young man without direction into a military officer and leader who traveled the world with his family. I Served shares the true experiences of a military veteran that reveals the benefits and hardships of military life while providing perspective on what it means to serve.