Download or read book Danger 79er written by James H. Willbanks and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2018-04-12 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Danger 79er, historian James H. Willbanks tells the remarkable story of Lt. Gen. James F. Hollingsworth, a three-time recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross along with four Silver Stars, six Purple Hearts, and a host of additional medals and commendations. His career spanned wars both cold and hot, and throughout, “Holly” was a hard-charging, hands-on soldier who could be irreverent and brash but always “led from the front.” Hollingsworth entered the US Army as a second lieutenant upon graduation from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). In World War II, while leading tanks in Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army, Hollingsworth encountered dug-in German defenders. He lined up his thirty-four tanks and issued a command rarely heard in modern warfare: Charge! Patton later recognized Hollingsworth as one of the two best armored battalion commanders in the war. Twenty years later, Hollingsworth served in Vietnam, where he became identified by the radio call-sign of “Danger 79er,” a designation that remained for the duration of his career. He later served in South Korea commanding I Corps (ROK/US) Group, the largest combined field army in the world. Even after retirement from active duty, Hollingsworth continued to serve as a military adviser during the Cold War. Danger 79er provides a compelling and inspiring read as it recounts the exciting story of one of the most decorated soldiers in the history of the US Army.
Download or read book Danger 79er written by James H. Willbanks and published by Williams-Ford Texas A&M Univer. This book was released on 2018 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Danger 79er, historian James H. Willbanks tells the remarkable story of Lt. Gen. James F. Hollingsworth, a three-time recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross along with four Silver Stars, six Purple Hearts, and a host of additional medals and commendations. His career spanned wars both cold and hot, and throughout, "Holly" was a hard-charging, hands-on soldier who could be irreverent and brash but always "led from the front." Hollingsworth entered the US Army as a second lieutenant upon graduation from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). In World War II, while leading tanks in Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army, Hollingsworth encountered dug-in German defenders. He lined up his thirty-four tanks and issued a command rarely heard in modern warfare: Charge! Patton later recognized Hollingsworth as one of the two best armored battalion commanders in the war. Twenty years later, Hollingsworth served in Vietnam, where he became identified by the radio call-sign of "Danger 79er," a designation that remained for the duration of his career. He later served in South Korea commanding I Corps (ROK/US) Group, the largest combined field army in the world. Even after retirement from active duty, Hollingsworth continued to serve as a military adviser during the Cold War. Danger 79er provides a compelling and inspiring read as it recounts the exciting story of one of the most decorated soldiers in the history of the US Army.
Download or read book Twelve Texas Aggie War Heroes written by James R. Woodall and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2015-11-18 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following on the success of Texas Aggie Medals of Honor, James R. Woodall now returns with a new book that focuses on the military service by graduates of Texas A&M University from World War I to Vietnam. Of the tens of thousands of Aggies who served in the nation’s military, Woodall has selected twelve individuals who stand out as singular examples of bravery and heroism. Twelve Texas Aggie War Heroes tells each serviceman’s story in a concise, engaging manner. Some subjects, such as Earl Rudder and James Hollingsworth, will be familiar to readers. But Woodall also introduces us to less familiar but no less notable men as well, from A. D. Bruce’s march from the trenches of France and the crossing of the Rhine in World War I to Bob Acklen’s three tours in Vietnam. In addition to the twelve chapters focusing on these remarkable individuals, Woodall provides an extensive set of appendixes that include the relevant citations for each serviceman as well as larger lists of Aggies who were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross.
Download or read book Life in Bronze written by Amy L. Bacon and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A disciple of Classical sculpture in a time of pervasive abstract modernism, Lawrence M. Ludtke (1929–2007) of Houston imbued his creations with a sense of movement and realism through his attention to detail, anatomy, and proportion. As a skilled athlete who played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers organization, Ludtke brought to his art a fascination with musculature and motion that empowered him to capture the living essence of his subjects. As author Amy L. Bacon shows in this sensitive biography, Ludtke’s gentle humanity and sensitivity shines through his work; his sculpture truly projects character, purpose, and personality. Ludtke, a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society (US) and a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of British Sculptors, became well-known for his portrait and figurative art. His works grace the halls and grounds of the United States Air Force Academy, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Rice University, Texas A&M University, CIA headquarters, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Pentagon, Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, and the National Battlefield Park at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He has also created significant liturgical art, most notably a life-size Pietá for St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston and a Christ and Child for Travis Park Methodist Church in San Antonio. Based on personal interviews with the artist as well as his family, friends, colleagues, and patrons such as H. Ross Perot, Life in Bronze: Lawrence M. Ludtke, Sculptor places Ludtke’s art within the context of the American figurative art tradition. The author explains how Ludtke was influenced by Italian-born Pompeo Coppini, whose monumental art has especially marked Texas and whose clay Ludtke inherited and used as his own favored modeling medium. Bacon meticulously details how Ludtke’s research into the lives and careers of his subjects was married to his attention to technique and talent. His own life story figures crucially in the creation of those character studies his sculptures so beautifully represent.
Download or read book The Battle of An Loc written by James H. Willbanks and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A firsthand account of a desperate battle fought during Hanol's 1972 Easter Offensive.
Download or read book Pot Shards written by Donald P. Gregg and published by New Acdemia+ORM. This book was released on 2014-09-14 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Donald Gregg’s career . . . would make a great spy novel. This autobiography makes an even better book.” —Tim Weiner, Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter and bestselling author of Enemies Pot Shards is a memoir, based on the author’s unforgettable experiences. He served as a CIA agent on the island of Saipan, during ten years in Japan, and a tour in Burma. He then spent four years tied up in the Vietnam War, two tours in Korea, the second time as ambassador, and spent ten years in the White House, where he worked for Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. “Don Gregg is that authentic and admirable thing: a great American. He spent most of his life serving his country: in the CIA, at the White House and as a US ambassador. He has stories to tell, many of them gripping, and they are beautifully and movingly recollected here in this memoir of a splendid life.” —Christopher Buckley “A personal witness to decades of largely hidden intelligence and diplomatic history, Donald Gregg recounts his unlikely and amazing career as a CIA officer, national security advisor, and US diplomat. His adventures and insider knowledge of US relations with East Asian nations over many decades make for a lively narrative, entertaining for the general reader and useful for serious scholars alike. Through it all, Ambassador Gregg expresses a natural warmth and concern for humanity that makes his story a truly personal journey.” —Nicholas Dujmovic, PhD, CIA Staff Historian, Center for the Study of Intelligence
Download or read book Sam Nunn written by Frank Leith Jones and published by University Press of Kansas. This book was released on 2021-10-05 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a 2012 opinion piece bemoaning the state of the US Senate, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank cited a “leading theory: There are no giants in the chamber today.” Among the respected members who once walked the Senate floor, admired for their expertise and with a stature that went beyond party, Milbank counted Sam Nunn (D-GA). Nunn served in the Senate for four terms beginning in 1972, at a moment when domestic politics and foreign policy were undergoing far-reaching changes. As a member and then chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he had a vital impact on most of the crucial national security and defense issues of the Cold War era and the “new world order” that followed—issues that included the revitalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s military capability, US-Soviet relations, national defense reorganization and reform, the Persian Gulf conflict, and nuclear arms control. In this first full account of Nunn’s senatorial career, Frank Leith Jones reveals how, as a congressional leader and “shadow secretary of defense,” Nunn helped win the Cold War, constructing the foundation for the defense and foreign policies of the 1970s and 1980s that secured the United States and its allies from the Soviet threat. At a time of bitter political polarization and partisanship, Nunn’s reputation remains that of a statesman with a record of bipartisanship and a dedication to US national interests above all. His career, as recounted in Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age, provides both a valuable lesson in the relationships among the US government, foreign powers, and societies and a welcome reminder of the capacity of Congress, even a lone senator, to promote and enact policies that can make the country, and the world, a better and safer place.
Download or read book Keepers of the Spirit written by John A. Adams and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Given in memory of Gene Brossmann by George Richardson.
Download or read book Vietnam War Almanac written by James H. Willbanks and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-09-03 with total page 631 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With more than 58,000 casualties and 300,000 wounded, at a cost of more than $130 billion, the Vietnam War became one of the most divisive conflicts in American history. The scars left by the war can still be felt today, making it crucial that we have the facts about this watershed event. Vietnam War Almanac contains a chronological history of the war in Vietnam, with day-by-day listings of the war on the ground, in the air, and at sea; international and U.S. events; and a biographical dictionary of major military and civilian figures. It may be impossible to fully understand such a complicated and horrible struggle, but for the families of veterans and for historians, the thorough presentation here, along with its extensive bibliography and index, is an excellent place to start. Coverage here includes: • The Tet Offensive • Walter L. Cronkite • The Battle of Dien Bien Phu • Vo Nguyen Giap • Ngo Dinh Diem • The Battle of Ia Drang Valley • Robert S. McNamara • The Battle of Hamburger Hill • Abbie Hoffman • The Battle of An Loc • And much more President Nixon claimed that the war was “misreported then, and it is misremembered now.” This almanac will ensure that it is remembered correctly.
Download or read book Vietnam War 2 volumes written by James H. Willbanks and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2017-11-16 with total page 853 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed two-volume set considers the Vietnam War, one of America's longest and bloodiest wars, from a topical perspective, addressing the main characters and key events of the war and supplying many relevant primary source documents. The Vietnam War not only claimed the lives of nearly 60,000 Americans and more than a million Vietnamese, but the prolonged conflict also resulted in a firestorm of protest at home that shook the foundations of the country and made U.S. citizens question the moral principles and motivations behind our foreign policy and military actions. Written in a very accessible style by recognized authorities on the war, Vietnam War: A Topical Exploration and Primary Source Collection provides students and general readers with a complete overview of the conflict in Vietnam—a broad topic that remains an important part of the American history and world history curriculum. Using a topical approach to cover all aspects of the war, the set enables students to see the complete picture of the conflict through its presentation of reference entries and documents arranged in cohesive, compelling chapters. Examples of the primary documents in the set include "Communist Party: Evaluation of the Tet Offensive" (1968) and President Richard Nixon's Speech on Vietnamization (1969). These primary sources are augmented by oral histories of soldiers who fought in the Tet Offensive. Additionally, maps and images in each section enhance the aesthetic appeal of the book and heighten students' understanding of the material. Readers will come away with both a strong comprehension of the Vietnam War as well as an appreciation for how significant this proxy conflict was as a lead-up event to the global Cold War.
Download or read book Combat Talons in Vietnam written by John Gargus and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2017-03-27 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combat Talons in Vietnam is a personal account of the first use of C-130s in the Vietnam War. It provides an insider’s view of crew training and classified missions for this technologically advanced aircraft. Many covert missions over North Vietnam were successful, but one night, John Gargus, a mission planner, oversaw an operation in which the aircraft—carrying eleven crewmembers—failed to return from a nighttime mission. For thirty years, a search for the missing aircraft remained in progress. In the late 1990s, the Combat Talon veteran community at Hurlburt Field in Florida, still uncertain of the full story, decided to dedicate a memorial to the lost crew. When wartime mission records were declassified, Gargus embarked on a long journey of inquiry, research, and puzzle-solving to reconstruct the events of that mission and the fate of its crew. He discovered that the wreckage of the plane had been found in 1992 and that the remains of the crew were being held in Hawaii. Through numerous Freedom of Information Act requests, interviews, and site visits, Gargus sought to answer the question of why it took so long to find the wreckage and, more importantly, why the special operations command units were left uninformed. By 2000, the remains were relocated to a common grave at Arlington National Cemetery at last providing a measure of closure to family, friends, and comrades.
Download or read book Taps written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This publication lists names and biographical information on graduates and former cadets who have died.
Download or read book Texas Aggies in Vietnam written by Michael Lee Lanning and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From its inception, graduates of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now Texas A&M University, have marched off to fight in every conflict in which the United States has been involved. The Vietnam War was no different. The Corps of Cadets produced more officers for the conflict in Southeast Asia than any institution other than the US service academies. Michael Lee Lanning, Texas A&M University class of 1968, has now gathered over three dozen recollections from those who served. As Lanning points out, “anytime Aggie Vietnam veterans get together—whether it is two or two hundred of them—war stories begin.” The tales they relate about the paddies, the jungles, the highlands, the waterways, and the airways provide these veterans with an even greater understanding of the war they survived. They also allow glimpses into the frequent dangers of firefights, the camaraderie of patrol, and often humorous responses to inexplicable situations. These revelations provide insight not only into the realities of war but also speak to the character of the graduates of Texas A&M University. As Lanning concludes, “these war stories are as much a part of service as is that old green duffle bag, a few rows of colorful ribbons, and a pride that does not diminish. In reality, there is only one story about the Vietnam War. We all just tell it differently.”
Download or read book America s Heroes written by James H. Willbanks and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2011-03-11 with total page 829 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book features the stories of 200 heroic individuals awarded the Medal of Honor for their distinguished military service while fighting for their country, from the Civil War to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. America's Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War to Afghanistan pays tribute to Americans who have demonstrated uncommon valor in the face of great danger. The Medal of Honor recipients featured in this book all acted heroically to earn this highly coveted award, many of them by risking—or sacrificing—their lives to save the lives of others. The stories of these individuals—chosen to reflect the wide diversity of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, branches of service, and conflicts of the recipients—will broaden readers' understanding and appreciation of the Medal of Honor and the distinguished Americans who have received it. In addition to the gripping stories of these heroic Americans, this unique encyclopedia includes an introduction that chronicles the evolution in the award's significance. The Medal of Honor has changed greatly over the last 150 years, not only in the design of the physical decoration itself, but also in terms of the qualifying criteria for the award's recipients.
Download or read book A Raid Too Far written by James H. Willbanks and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2014-02-02 with total page 355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In February 1971, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) launched an incursion into Laos in an attempt to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail and destroy North Vietnamese Army (NVA) base areas along the border. This movement would be the first real test of Vietnamization, Pres. Richard Nixon’s program to turn the fighting over to South Vietnamese forces as US combat troops were withdrawn. US ground forces would support the operation from within South Vietnam and would pave the way to the border for ARVN troops, and US air support would cover the South Vietnamese forces once they entered Laos, but the South Vietnamese forces would attack on the ground alone. The operation, dubbed Lam Son 719, went very well for the first few days, but as movement became bogged down the NVA rushed reinforcements to the battle and the ARVN forces found themselves under heavy attack. US airpower wreaked havoc on the North Vietnamese troops, but the South Vietnamese never regained momentum and ultimately began to withdraw back into their own country under heavy enemy pressure. In this first in-depth study of this operation, military historian and Vietnam veteran James H. Willbanks traces the details of battle, analyzes what went wrong, and suggests insights into the difficulties currently being incurred with the training of indigenous forces.
Download or read book War in the Villages written by Ted N. Easterling and published by University of North Texas Press. This book was released on 2021-03-15 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much of the history written about the Vietnam War overlooks the U.S. Marine Corps Combined Action Platoons. These CAPs lived in the Vietnamese villages, with the difficult and dangerous mission of defending the villages from both the National Liberation Front guerrillas and the soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army. The CAPs also worked to improve living conditions by helping the people with projects, such as building schools, bridges, and irrigation systems for their fields. In War in the Villages, Ted Easterling examines how well the CAPs performed as a counterinsurgency method, how the Marines adjusted to life in the Vietnamese villages, and how they worked to accomplish their mission. The CAPs generally performed their counterinsurgency role well, but they were hampered by factors beyond their control. Most important was the conflict between the Army and the Marine Corps over an appropriate strategy for the Vietnam War, along with weakness of the government of the Republic of South Vietnam and the strategic and the tactical ability of the North Vietnamese Army. War in the Villages helps to explain how and why this potential was realized and squandered. Marines who served in the CAPs served honorably in difficult circumstances. Most of these Marines believed they were helping the people of South Vietnam, and they served superbly. The failure to end the war more favorably was no fault of theirs.
Download or read book Abandoning Vietnam written by James H. Willbanks and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing upon both archival research and his own military experiences in Vietnam, Willbanks focuses on military operations from 1969 through 1975. He begins by analyzing the events that led to a change in U.S. strategy in 1969 and the subsequent initiation of Vietnamization. He then critiques the implementation of that policy and the combat performance of the South Vietnamese army (ARVN), which finally collapsed in 1975.
