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Read any good books lately?

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, September 23, 2017 1:27 AM

For my birthday back in June, a very close friend gave me a copy of "The Forgotten Soldier". I am about half way thru it now, and all I can say is wow. What a fantastic book. The author has such an excellent way of telling his tale.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, September 23, 2017 1:20 AM

I always say that my modeling hobby is only an excuse to buy books.

I am working on a little Flower class corvette.

Bought a paperback copy of The Cruel Sea and read it over the weekend. It actually didn't inform me about the model as much as I would have liked, for instance the pennant number of HMS Compass Rose is never mentioned.

But she was (fiction) launched in 1940, she had the 4 inch gun, a 2pdr. Pom Pom, and what are described as "light machine guns" on the bridge wings. That gets me pretty far. And no radar, and the mast is forward of the bridge.

A really good book. I watched the movie on Hulu. The movie was made using a real Flower from the Greek navy, the former HMS Coreopsis.

Oh and I also picked up a Warships Series Flower Class Corvette copy.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Friday, August 18, 2017 2:07 PM

I found myself with a lot of time on my hands the past couple of weeks, so I've ripped through the third and fourth installments of the "Game of Thrones" novels (more formally, the "Saga of Fire and Ice" series), and I re-read "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" (in a single day!) and "Neptune's Inferno", about the naval battles in the Guadalcanal campaign.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Friday, August 18, 2017 8:31 AM

Just a novel, "FNG", was loaned to me by my mining partner, an Army vet.  Riveting and couldn't put it down, and then the last chapter flipped it upside down.  About an Army medic in 'Nam.

  • Member since
    November 2013
Posted by bstarr3 on Friday, August 18, 2017 8:27 AM

currently on book 2 of Rick Atkinson's liberation trilogy. Read An Army at Dawn, Working on The Day of Battle, and next is The Guns at Last Light. A full account of US involvement in the ETO/MTO. Highly recommended. Also picking through Micheners Tales of the South Pacific. Never Call Me A Hero on deck.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posted by ridleusmc on Thursday, August 17, 2017 3:53 PM

Just got in the mail today:

Neptune's Inferno, The US Navy at Guadalcanal

by James Hornfischer.

I'm looking forward to it, but first, some work on the Zero.

 

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 8:26 PM

Just finished reading Indestructible by John Brunning.  Tells the story of Paul Irvin "Pappy" Gunn and his family.  Pappy Gunn was the one who created the gunships used against the Japanese in an attmpt to rescue his family  Interesting book, and now I am curious to read more by the author.

John

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by gobobbie on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 4:45 PM
Currently reading Russian Roulette by Giles Milton. Story of British agents worked against Lenin and his plans to export revolution. Pretty interesting background on the revolution. On deck-Village of secrets how a French Vichy village conspired to save Jews.
  • Member since
    August 2017
  • From: Lexington, KY.
Posted by Got Plastic? on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 11:55 AM

Right now I am reading Charles Whiting's "Jochen Peiper Battle Commander SS Liebstandarte". It chronicleizes the time he spent commanding most of the renowed units of the German Army to his trail and imprisonment.

On Deck:

Stephen L. Moore - Pacific Payback

Chris Goss - Luftwaffe Fighters & Bombers During the Battle of Britain

Chris

 

On The Bench: Coming Soon Big Smile

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Monday, August 14, 2017 5:51 AM

Working on Hirohito's biography by Herbert Bix.Pretty interesting as I never delved into the subject.

Next up Death in the Baltic by Cathryn Prince The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, August 13, 2017 11:10 PM

There was a library book sale this weekend. I got in on day one as we are 'Friends of the Library".

Man, these resellers come in with a smart phone strapped to their wrist, a pair of ear buds which I guess give them a clue, and a hand held scanner. Just fly through every book and toss the ones they want into a big cart.

I picked up "A Hostage to Fortune", autobiography by Ernest Gann; "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again", autobiography by Jimmy Doolittle; and "The First Heroes. The Extraordinary Story of the Doolittle Raid", by Craig Nelson.

About half way through that last one. Lots of little factual inaccuracies but pretty well written.

Ahem, also ordered a B-25 B 1/48 kit...

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 9:11 PM

I love everything I have ever read by Hornfischer.  Neptune's Inferno was as good as Tincan and I enjoyed it immensely.  I am sure you will too.

John

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Tempe AZ
Posted by docidle on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 11:47 PM

I just started reading "Neptune's Inferno" last night. Written by James D Hornfischer, who also wrote "Last Stand of the Tincan Sailors". I really enjoyed Tincan so I hope this book will be as good.

Steve

       

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 5:11 PM

richs26

 

As for bombs, I thought Kleiss said they had a 1,000 and 2 250's loaded, but I don't have my copy of Kleiss available as I lent it to a friend a month ago.

 

I don't think that the SBD could lift such a load, or that the wing hard points were rated for 250 pounders.

Usually the load out was either a single 1000 pounder, or a 500 pounder with a pair of 100 pounders on the wing hardpoints.

IIRC at Midway on the morning strike of June 4, one of the Enterprise SBD squadrons carried single 500 pounders, and the other carried single 1000 pounders.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    September 2016
  • From: Albany, New York
Posted by ManCityFan on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 1:20 PM

I just finished "Pacific Crucible", and am now reading "The Conquering Tide".  Both by Ian Toll about WWII pacific campaign.  Working on the Midway GB, and thought I should refresh my memory.  Lots of quotes from diaries and interviews.  Pretty good read.

Going to look for Jack Kleiss' book.  Sounds very interesting.

Dwayne or Dman or just D.  All comments are welcome on my builds. 

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Monday, July 24, 2017 11:07 PM

GMorrison

Because SBDs at the time were considered to be fighter capable.

In the Scout Bomber role they were first off the the deck with the CAG. I'd have to go back, gladly, to read Shattered Sword, but didn't his Group have 2 250s?

SBDs were used as CAP machines at Coral Sea.

i haven't read Kleiss. Thanks for the reference.

 

 

GM, here are two more sources of Kleiss' concerns about McCluskey's role as SBD leader:

http://www.historynet.com/miracle-men-of-midway.htm

Richard Best's attack on the Akagi (I know it is Wiki but it summarizes it):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Halsey_Best

As for bombs, I thought Kleiss said they had a 1,000 and 2 250's loaded, but I don't have my copy of Kleiss available as I lent it to a friend a month ago.

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Monday, July 24, 2017 5:00 PM

Chemteacher
"Never Call Me a Hero" by Jack "Dusty" Kleiss. Great read by a Navy Cross recipient for his actions at Midway.
 

That... I want to read.

  • Member since
    February 2015
Posted by skyraider0609 on Sunday, July 23, 2017 1:24 PM

Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger. Just finished it this morning. He is a great author who writes of this mission, as well as the Gemini project, with a very readable style. I was born in 1959 and recall watching those Apollo missions on television as a kid. It's pretty amazing what we accomplished as a nation in that decade, atleast as far as space was concerned. Also, the Apollo 1 tragedy notwithstanding, everything had to work, and I mean everything, to get these astronauts back alive. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Apollo program or the US space program.

Kluger also wrote about Apollo  13. That's next for me.

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by gobobbie on Sunday, July 23, 2017 4:41 AM
The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letti. The story of the rescue of the Lipanzzaner stallions at the end of WWII.
  • Member since
    July 2013
  • From: Chicago area
Posted by modelmaker66 on Sunday, July 23, 2017 2:24 AM

Read one called unconditional. It is about the fact that forgiveness is the key to brining peace and life.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, July 23, 2017 1:08 AM

Because SBDs at the time were considered to be fighter capable.

In the Scout Bomber role they were first off the the deck with the CAG. I'd have to go back, gladly, to read Shattered Sword, but didn't his Group have 2 250s?

SBDs were used as CAP machines at Coral Sea.

i haven't read Kleiss. Thanks for the reference.

 

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: North Pole, Alaska
Posted by richs26 on Saturday, July 22, 2017 10:58 PM

Chemteacher
"Never Call Me a Hero" by Jack "Dusty" Kleiss. Great read by a Navy Cross recipient for his actions at Midway.
 

It brings a truer perspective to the BOM from the American side. Why would they let a fighter pilot (McClusky) lead SBD's into battle?

WIP:  Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 73rd BS B-26, 40-1408, torpedo bomber attempt on Ryujo

Monogram 1/72 B-26 (Snaptite) as 22nd BG B-26, 7-Mile Drome, New Guinea

Minicraft 1/72 B-24D as LB-30, AL-613, "Tough Boy", 28th Composite Group

  • Member since
    June 2017
Posted by Chemteacher on Saturday, July 22, 2017 2:57 PM
"Never Call Me a Hero" by Jack "Dusty" Kleiss. Great read by a Navy Cross recipient for his actions at Midway.

On the bench: Revell-USS Arizona; Airfix P-51D in 1/72

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Saturday, July 22, 2017 8:25 AM
Just picked up "Hue 1968" by Mark Bowden, who wrote "Black Hawk Down" some time ago. It's written from the different perspectives of both sides.
  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Saturday, July 22, 2017 6:53 AM

First off, I would like to thank all who post here,I've picked up a couple of good reads and want to affirm that it was not done in vain. I've just finished a treatise by one of this country's better writers, of which I, having served in a part of theNavy(the best part) I was totally unaware of:" The History of the Navy of the United States of America", by James Fenimore Cooper. Draws upon relatively contempory records and accounts up to 1853. History on,if not the nano level, at least the molecular.The account of the Richard/Serapis scrap and the Barbary wars stand out in my mind. I also had to resort to a lot of Googling for some of the period nomenclamanture.

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Thursday, April 13, 2017 9:31 PM

GlennH
"Blind mans bluff" US Navy submarine espionage, true stories.
 

I can validate that the stories are true, as I know someone who was on some of those boats, although he can neither confirm or deny the actual events.  However, he did comment he wonders who broke his vow of silence.Wink

John

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Thursday, April 13, 2017 8:14 AM

" Ships of Oak,Guns of Iron ", The War of 1812 and The Forging of The American Navy by Ronald D. Utt. Incisive read on the 'Second War of Independence', the author alternates chapters between events on land and at sea.

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posted by ridleusmc on Thursday, April 13, 2017 2:09 AM

I'm sure it's already been mentioned, but I'll type it to make sure:

With the Old Breed at Pelilou and Okinawa by EB Sledge.  

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 10:27 PM

The Orlando Cepeda Story. A fast read and interesting if you like baseball.

  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: .O-H-I-O....
Posted by DasBeav on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 10:13 PM

S. Ambrose and C. Ryan are two of my favorite non-fiction writers. Just finished "The Last Battle" for the second time. Trying to see if there are any books about the 83rd infantry (the Rag-Tag Circus).

Will still sit and watch "The Longest Day" whenever it's on TV....Easily top 5 WWII movie.

 Sooner Born...Buckeye Bred.

 

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