Synopses & Reviews
In Forever a Soldier a World War II prisoner of war recalls desperate hours spent trying to conceal his Jewish heritage from his German captors; a nurse stationed in Vietnam remembers a dying patient, his miraculous recovery, and her reward years later; the survivor of a famed World War II shipwreck flashes back to 4 harrowing days spent in the shark-infested waters of the Pacific Ocean. In all, the fifty extraordinary stories that comprise this collection testify to the power of a single moment-whether on the battlefield or far from the front lines-to impact a life forever. It is through these moments that universal and poignant themes of love and honor, rage, duty and fear and mortality emerge, reflecting the courage, tenacity, and basic decency of the men and women who have served the United States in its most perilous hours.
Dramatic eyewitness accounts from the front lines, poignant expressions of love for family and country, and moments of crystal-clear insight are among the tapestry of memories tapped for this unique testament to the transforming power of military service. Drawn from the massive national collection of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, the letters, diaries, and oral histories-from soldiers, sailors, marines, and the supporting citizens who served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War- that comprise this narrative were selected by editor Tom Wiener to exemplify the extraordinary service and overwhelming humility of America's servicemen and women. They constitute an astonishing historical record, a powerful tribute to those who fought, and a celebration of the enduring power of the words of few to speak for many.These dramatic stories illustrate how through the generations, American soldiers have answered the call to duty with a singular spirit of patriotism, and how military service has transformed their lives.
The voices captured in this book grant us the personal perspective all too often lost in news reports and government statements. Taken together, they remind us that the human cost of war is far too high. This book is an important contribution to the understanding of war and its impact.
Synopsis
Forever a Soldier captures the personal side of war in 37 extraordinary narratives that bear eloquent witness to both the life-changing experience of battle and to the unflagging spirit that sustained countless ordinary Americans plunged into the bloody conflicts of the deadliest, most destructive century in human history. Culled from letters, diaries, private memoirs, and oral histories collected by the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, their stories paint an unforgettable group portrait of our country's armed forces.
Some tell of frontline action: a doughboy's 1918 baptism of fire: a battleship gunner's grim duel with Japanese planes; a female fighter pilot's capture by Iraqis during the Gulf War. Others evoke moments of relief and reflection, or recall deeply moving episodes: two wounded soldiersone German, one Americanclasping hands in the wordless brotherhood of pain; a POW whose faith gave him the strength to endure torture in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton;" a GI's lifelong grief for a buddy killed on the last day of World War II in Europe.
Forever a Soldier presents famous incidents like the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and her survivors' terrifying ordeal in the shark-infested Pacific, and heroic figures like John McCain, but it's the long-untold stories of unheralded patriots that best reveal the universal truths of war: courage and fear, horror and exhilaration, sorrow and triumphthe shared legacy of every American veteran, and a debt of honor the rest of us must respect but can never repay.
About the Author
Tom Wiener is the chief historian of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and the editor of Voices of War: Stories of Service From the Home Front and the Frontlines. His articles and reviews have appeared in numerous publications. He lives in Washington, D.C.