Download or read book Awarded for Valour written by M. Smith and published by Springer. This book was released on 2008-06-23 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on primary source research, this is the most comprehensive history of the Victoria Cross available, tracing the evolution of the award from its inception in 1856 to the most recent bestowals. The study also examines the evolution of the concept of heroism and how the definition of heroism changed along with the nature of warfare.
Download or read book Uncommon Valor written by Dwight Jon Zimmerman and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2010-09-14 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uncommon Valor from Dwight Jon Zimmerman and John D. Gresham presents a fascinating look at six of our bravest soldiers and the highest military decoration awarded in this country. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor, has been presented to only eight men for their actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Six of the eight were young men who had fought in the current war in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. All of these medals were awarded posthumously, as all had made the choice to give their lives so that their comrades might live. Uncommon Valor answers the searing question of who these six young soldiers were, and dramatically details how they found themselves in life-or-death situations, and why they responded as they did. For the first time, this book also provides a comprehensive history of the Medal of Honor itself—one marred by controversies, scandals, and theft. Using an extraordinary range of sources, including interviews with family members and friends, teammates and superiors in the military, personal letters, blogs posted within hours of events, personal and official videos and newly declassified documents, Uncommon Valor is a compelling and important work that recounts incredible acts of heroism and lays bare the ultimate sacrifice of our bravest soldiers.
Download or read book The History of the Victoria Cross written by Philip Aveling Wilkins and published by . This book was released on 1904 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Awarded for Valour written by Melvin Charles Smith and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2008-07-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on primary source research, Awarded for Valour is the most comprehensive history of the Victoria Cross available, tracing the evolution of the award from its inception in 1856 to the most recent bestowals in the twenty-first century. The study examines the evolution of the concept of heroism as well, analyzing the nature of the acts that won the VC and how the definition of heroism changed along with the nature of warfare.
Download or read book The Victoria Cross in 100 Objects written by Brian Best and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2020-02-19 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It was the events of the Crimean War that changed everything. Until that time, those serving in Britain's army or navy had been expected to do their duty without thought of recognition or reward, particularly the men in the lower ranks. Fuelled by reports from the first ever war correspondents, which were read by an increasingly literate public, the mumblings of discontent over how the gallantry and valor of the ordinary man was recognized rapidly grew into a national outcry. Questions were asked in Parliament, answers were demanded by the press - why were the heroes of the Alma, Inkerman and the Charge of the Light Brigade not being officially acknowledged? Something had to be done. That something was the introduction of an award that would be of such prestige it would be sought by all men from the most junior private to a Field Marshal. It would be the highest possible award for valor in the face of the enemy and it bore the name of the Queen for whom the men fought - The Victoria Cross. Since the VC was instituted in January 1856, it has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Those men were thrown into wars and campaigns around the globe, from the seas and skies around the UK to the deserts of Africa and the sweltering jungles of the Far East. The two world wars saw the most VCs awarded - 628 in the First and 182 in the Second. Only fifteen medals, eleven to members of the British Army, and four to the Australian Army, have been awarded since the Second World War. In this highly-illustrated work, the renowned Victoria Cross historian and author Brian Best examines the introduction and evolution of the VC, along with some of the fascinating individuals and remarkable acts of valor associated with it, through an intriguing collection of 100 objects.
Download or read book For Valour written by Eric Leyland and published by . This book was released on 1960 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Valour Reconsidered written by Hugh A. Halliday and published by . This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Victoria Cross is the most famous decoration for bravery in the world, its prestige rivalled only by the Medal of Honor. Other awards recognise courage in dangerous (but not combat) circumstances, among them the George Cross and Canada's Cross of Valour. But how is bravery measured? Is valour "in the presence of an enemy" more deserving than valour away from combat? Do all brave persons receive the honours they deserve? Where does "duty" end and "above the call of duty" begin? Has courage sometimes been confused with recklessness? This book examines recommendations for VCs and similar awards, asking why some were approved and some not. It explores factors such as service politics, evolving perceptions "extreme danger" and the role of personalities who sponsored or opposed recommendations. The author questions campaigns to award posthumous honours years after the event in attempts to rewrite history. Such lobbying in the United States resulted in bestowal of the Medal of Honor on Theodore Roosevelt 82 years after his death. Similar actions are proposed in the case of VCs for Australian, British and New Zealand heroes decades after the First and Second World Wars, purportedly to "re-right" historic injustices. Halliday revisits the controversy of Billy Bishop's VC (1917) and sheds new light on VCs awarded after the 1942 Dieppe Raid. He includes a provocative chapter on Canadian honours and awards, suggesting that current Canadian definitions of valour and service are more generous than those prevailing in other countries.
Download or read book For Valour for Gallantry written by Thomas M and published by Methuen Pub Limited. This book was released on 2013-12-01 with total page 848 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Victoria Cross is the highest ranking military award, recognizing outstanding acts of valor in the face of the enemy. Instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, it is open to those serving in the British and Commonwealth armed forces. The George Cross is the highest ranking award made for outstanding acts of bravery not on the field of battle. Instituted in 1940 by King George VI, both civilians and members of the armed forces are eligible. The recipients of both medals appear chronologically, with a narrative setting their actions in the context of the war, campaign, skirmish or incident they were involved in. As well as the background to the deed, each individual entry includes the citation, a detailed biographical record and portrait illustration. There are also plentiful maps and a wealth of interesting appendices. The three volumes pay tribute to the 1,361 individuals awarded the Victoria Cross and the 409 invested with the George Cross. Although many books have been written on the subject, these three volumes are the first to record the complete details of all who have received this outstanding recognition. Volume 1 covers the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the Wars of the Empire and the Boer War.
Download or read book For Valour written by Craig Blanch and published by NewSouth. This book was released on 2019-02 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For Valour tells the remarkable stories of the 100 Australians who have been awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional acts of bravery and self-sacrifice in battle. From Captain Neville Howse of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps in 1900 to Corporal Cameron Baird of the 2nd Commando Regiment in 2013, heroic actions in the Boer War appear alongside those from the First World War, North Russia, the Second World War, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Vivid descriptions of events on the battlefield are matched with biographical profiles of each of the recipients to provide insights into their lives outside wartime service. With a foreword from Daniel Keighran VC, new archival research and striking photographs and artworks from the Australian War Memorial, For Valour commemorates the servicemen who have been awarded the military's highest honour.
Download or read book For Valour written by Bryan Perrett and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson Limited. This book was released on 2003 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bryan Perrett, whose true stories of wartime courage have proved highly popular, returns with 32 more historic tales of heroism and ultimate sacrifice. The thrilling and often tragic accounts take place on land, sea, and air, and introduce brave British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, South African winners of the Victoria Cross, and U.S. winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Whether at the Battle of Balaklava during the Crimean War, the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodbath at Gallipoli, or the furious fighting at the Somme, every warrior here is a true hero.
Download or read book Victoria Cross Heroes written by Michael Ashcroft and published by Headline. This book was released on 2012-10-25 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This ebook edition contains the full text version as per the book. Doesn't include original photographic and illustrated material. VICTORIA CROSS HEROES tells the stories of over 150 individuals whose bravery has earned them the Victoria Cross, Britain's most prestigious medal for courage in action. The book is introduced by Michael Ashcroft, who owns over ten per cent of all VCs ever awarded. He explains the history of the medal and the story of his fascination with it. The main text of the book tells the stories of both those recipients whose medals are in his collection and those whose stories featured in the television series. Each chapter covers a different conflict, from the Crimean War to Iraq.
Download or read book Falklands War Heroes written by Michael Ashcroft and published by Biteback Publishing. This book was released on 2021-11-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Falklands War, which may prove to be the last 'colonial' war that Britain ever fights, took place in 1982. Fought 8,000 miles from home soil, it cost the lives of 255 British military personnel, with many more wounded, some seriously. The war also witnessed many acts of outstanding courage by the UK Armed Forces after a strong Task Force was sent to regain the islands from the Argentine invaders. Soldiers, sailors and airmen risked, and in some cases gave, their lives for the freedom of 1,820 islanders. Lord Ashcroft, who has been fascinated by bravery since he was a young boy, has amassed several medal collections over the past four decades, including the world's largest collection of Victoria Crosses, Britain and the Commonwealth's most prestigious gallantry award. Falklands War Heroes tells the stories behind his collection of valour and service medals awarded for the Falklands War. The collection, almost certainly the largest of its kind in the world, spans all the major events of the war. This book, which contains nearly forty individual write-ups, has been written to mark the fortieth anniversary of the war. It is Lord Ashcroft's attempt to champion the outstanding bravery of our Armed Forces during an undeclared war that was fought and won over ten weeks in the most challenging conditions.
Download or read book For Valour written by Bryan Perrett and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. This book was released on 2012-10-11 with total page 551 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stories of outstanding bravery on the battlefield The Victoria Cross, a simple bronze cross inscribed For Valour on the front and engraved with the recipient's name, rank, number, unit and the date of the action on the reverse, was first awarded by Queen Victoria - in a ceremony in Hyde Park - in 1857, to heroes of the Crimea. The VC is the most prized British and Commonwealth decoration for gallantry, and is earned too often at the cost of the ultimate sacrifice. Only 1,354 VCs have been awarded, and this book, in Bryan Perrett's inimitable style, tells the story behind some of the most remarkable, from the Crimea through to the Second World War. Likewise, the Congressional Medal of Honor, the US equivalent decoration, is celebrated here in equal measure in his gripping episodes of outstanding gallantry in battle. The VC and the Medal of Honor have on occasion even been awarded for acts on the same battlefield.
Download or read book Stolen Valor written by Bernard Gary Burkett and published by Summit Publishing Group. This book was released on 1998 with total page 692 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Military documents reveal decades of deceit about the Vietnam War and myths perpetuated by the mainstream media.
Download or read book Medal of Honor Revised Updated Third Edition written by Peter Collier and published by Artisan. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An updated edition of the New York Times bestseller, featuring 12 new recipients and a new foreword by Bradley Cooper Eight veterans from the war in Afghanistan have been awarded our nation’s highest honor for valor in combat since the publication of the third edition of Medal of Honor, including Edward C. Byers, Jr., the newest living recipient and a member of Navy SEAL Team Six, and Clint Romesha, author of the New York Times bestselling Red Platoon. And nearly 50 years after their service, four Vietnam veterans have also since received the recognition they so richly deserve. Now these men rightly take their place in the pages of this revised and updated edition. Included here are 156 Medal of Honor recipients, captured with a contemporary portrait by award-winning photographer Nick Del Calzo and profiled in moving text by National Book Award nominee Peter Collier. The men in the book fought in conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan, served in every branch of the armed services, and represent a cross section as diverse as America itself. This is their ultimate record.
Download or read book Uncommon Valor written by Dwight Jon Zimmerman and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2011-08-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uncommon Valor from Dwight Jon Zimmerman and John D. Gresham presents a fascinating look at six of our bravest soldiers and the highest military decoration awarded in this country. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor, has been presented to only ten men for their actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Eight of the ten were young men who fought in the current war in Iraq, in Afghanistan, or both. Uncommon Valor answers the searing question of who these young soldiers were, and dramatically details why they found themselves in life-or-death situations, and how they responded. This book also provides a comprehensive history of the Medal of Honor—one marred by controversies, scandals, and theft. Using an extraordinary range of sources, including interviews with family members and friends, teammates and superiors in the military, personal letters, blogs posted within hours of events, personal and official videos, and newly declassified documents, Uncommon Valor is a compelling and important work that recounts incredible acts of heroism and lays bare the ultimate sacrifice of our bravest soldiers.
Download or read book Immortal Valor written by Robert Child and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-01-06 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The remarkable story of the seven African American soldiers ultimately awarded the World War II Medal of Honor, and the 50-year campaign to deny them their recognition. In 1945, when Congress began reviewing the record of the most conspicuous acts of courage by American soldiers during World War II, they recommended awarding the Medal of Honor to 432 recipients. Despite the fact that more than one million African-Americans served, not a single black soldier received the Medal of Honor. The omission remained on the record for over four decades. But recent historical investigations have brought to light some of the extraordinary acts of valor performed by black soldiers during the war. Men like Vernon Baker, who single-handedly eliminated three enemy machineguns, an observation post, and a German dugout. Or Sergeant Reuben Rivers, who spearhead his tank unit's advance against fierce German resistance for three days despite being grievously wounded. Meanwhile Lieutenant Charles Thomas led his platoon to capture a strategically vital village on the Siegfried Line in 1944 despite losing half his men and suffering a number of wounds himself. Ultimately, in 1993 a US Army commission determined that seven men, including Baker, Rivers and Thomas, had been denied the Army's highest award simply due to racial discrimination. In 1997, more than 50 years after the war, President Clinton finally awarded the Medal of Honor to these seven heroes, sadly all but one of them posthumously. These are their stories.
