Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker, to his sister, Eva, a county nurse living in Framingham, Massachusetts, describing his everyday service in combat during World War 1. These letters, edited by Private Maker’s grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918.Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th “Yankee” Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war.Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Château-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones.As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to “keep that key, as someday it will be of value.” On November 11, 2018 – the centenary of Armistice Day – the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Mémorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond’s life.

Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker describing his everyday service in combat during World War I. These letters, edited by Private Maker’s grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918.Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th “Yankee” Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war.Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Château-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones.As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to “keep that key, as someday it will be of value.” On November 11, 2018 – the centenary of Armistice Day – the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Mémorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond’s life.

In the bleak and bitter cold of a copper mine in northern Japan, U.S. Marine Sergeant Major Charles Jackson was allowed to send a postcard his wife. He was allowed ten words—he used three: "I AM ALIVE!" This message, classic in its poignancy of suffering and despair captures only too well what it meant to be a Japanese prisoner-of-war in World War II.In this riveting book, acclaimed military historian Major Bruce H. Norton USMC (ret.) brings to life a long-forgotten memoir by a Marine captured at Corregidor in May 1942 and held in Japanese captivity for three devastating years. In unflinching prose, Sergeant Major Jackson described the fierce yet impossible battle for Corregidor, the surrender of thousands of his comrades, the long forced marches to prison camps, and the lethal reality of captivity. One of the most important eyewitness accounts of World War II, this book is a testament to the men who sacrificed for their country. Jackson's unvarnished account of what his fellow soldiers endured in the face of enemy inhumanity pays tribute to the men who served America during the war—and why it ultimately prevailed.

The Battle of Brandy Station occurred on June 9, 1863. It was the largest cavalry engagement ever to take place in the United States, with just over 20,000 participants. From the opening shots at Beverly Ford, to the final charge on Fleetwood Heights, the Laurel Brigade was in the thick of the fight. This book is a user's guide for visiting and studying the Brandy Station Battlefield while touring sites associated with the Laurel Brigade. Maps and photographs produced in chronological order will assist readers who follow the line of march from the Shenandoah Valley through Culpeper County, Virginia, and across the field of Brandy Station with the most storied brigade of Confederate Cavalry. Photographs of key commanders, artifacts, and locations on the battlefield will bring the stories of these brave soldiers to life.

Dr. Harry J. Kantrovich retired from the Navy after 23 years of service as a Command Master Chief. Harry is an award-winning actor, director and playwright who has been involved with theatre for over 50 years, working in college, community, and professional theatres throughout the United States and Europe. Harry’s first two original plays SHOAH (in cooperation with the Claude Lanzmann family and his estate) and The Greatest Generation Speaks (in collaboration with renowned journalist Tom Brokaw) have been nationally and internationally acclaimed. His third play, co-written by Major Bruce “Doc” Norton, USMC (Ret), Voices From Vietnam, had its world premiere in November 2024, and a companion book was released simultaneously. Saving Lives will again be released simultaneously with the play of the same name’s world premiere.Saving Lives is a tribute to the “life savers” during the Vietnam War: the medics, corpsmen, nurses, doctors, and dustoff pilots who not only rescued but tried desperately to repair the estimated 200,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines, and civilians who were sick or wounded during that war. The stories contained in these pages are “in their own words” from interviews conducted many years later with these incredible men and women. Their stories of bravery, sacrifice, and dedication will never be forgotten.

Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker, to his sister, Eva, a county nurse living in Framingham, Massachusetts, describing his everyday service in combat during World War 1. These letters, edited by Private Maker's grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918. Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th Yankee Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war. Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Chteau-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones. As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to keep that key, as someday it will be of value. On November 11, 2018 the centenary of Armistice Day the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Memorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond s life.

In 1966, the Marine Corps introduced a bold, new concept to the battlefield. Little did the designers of that concept realize that it would change the way wars are fought, and the Corps, from that day forward.One of the most influential strategies of the Vietnam War, the Stingray Patrol comprised seven to ten marines in small teams, inserted by chopper deep in enemy territory. Surrounded on all sides by North Vietnamese Army troops and Viet Cong guerillas, these small, high-effective teams brought death and destruction to the enemy without ever going head-to-head in a gunfight with them.Like today's Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, and Marine Force Recon units that operate behind enemy lines using laser pointers and satellite communications, these Stingray Patrols helped target the enemy for artillery and air strikes . . . with devastating accuracy and effect.Force Recon Marine and team leader Bruce ';Doc' Norton participated in many Stingray missions and, now, through interviews, eyewitness accounts, and declassified documents, he takes the reader behind enemy lines, telling the full story of Stingray's origins and operations.Stingray is the definitive history of these units and missions, available now for the first time in eBook format.

The postcard came with the words ';Imperial Japanese Army' printed at the top. On it were written three simple words: ';I AM ALIVE!' And with this, Charles R. Jackson's wife knew that her husband, a US Marine Sergeant Major, had survived the Japanese capture of Corregidor and could only hope he would continue to survive the hell that came with being a Japanese prisoner of war.Held prisoner for three horrific years, Jackson survived the war and penned his memoir, though it went unpublished and forgotten for decades. That is until Bruce ';Doc' Norton, himself a decorated US Marine veteran, and an acclaimed military historian, brought the memoir to light.In a rare look into the heart of combat, Sergeant Major Jackson describes the fierce and ultimately losing battle for Corregidor, the surrender of thousands of Marines, and the death marches that followed. And all this was simply a prelude to the fight for survival that would take place in the POW camps. Jackson's memoir gives voice to the thousands of men who fought and died during WWII, in the Pacific. His character and spirit evoke the very definition of the Marine Corps's motto, Semper Fidelis; Always Faithful.

"e;The story of Sergeant Major Maurice Jacques is the story of a true warrior. With close to fifty months of combat in Korea and Vietnam, he's one of that rare breed, men who have looked the Devil in the eye-for a long time-and never blinked!"e;-LtCol. Oliver North, USMC (Ret.)COMBAT AND DEATH, SACRIFICE AND HONORMaurice Jacques served for thirty years with the U.S. Marine Corps, nearly six of them in combat. As an accomplished infantryman, parachutist, recon patroller, marksman, combat swimmer, and record-setting drill instructor, Jacques personifies the hard-fought, hard-won legacy of the Marines.With the help of Bruce Norton, he recounts the lessons learned in blood and the courage tested under fire-from the razor-backed hills and icy cold of Korea to the steamy, Vietcong-infested jungles of Nam. In this tough, gripping narrative, he reveals the emotion and chaos of close combat and the sacrifice and valor that have made the Marines legendary worldwide.During his long, dynamic career, Jacques held the position of regimental sergeant major in three different commands and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Maurice Jacques is a true warrior, as distinctive and exceptional as the Marines. He was expected to train harder, fight harder, sacrifice more, and is forever proud to be part of the pain, the pride, and the triumph that is USMC."e;Doc Norton . . . has done it again. This time, Doc has helped his old diving partner, retired Sergeant Major Maurice Jacques, turn out one of the finest military autobiographies you're ever likely to read . . . You'd be foolish to pass this one up."e;-Ken Miller, vietnamgear.comMajor Bruce H. ';Doc' Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, and an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.

The quiet of the night was again shattered by the thunderous roll of incoming artillery shells, spaced five seconds apart, ripping the jungle to pieces, as huge chunks of earth and vegetation blew skyward under the brilliant flashes of orange and white explosions . . . The possibility of encountering more NVA troops moving through our area was high, as we had pushed a very great stick into their nest. But our demonstrated ability to find the enemy and wait for the most opportune time to hit him, while remaining totally undetected, gave us reason to be pleased. It also gave the NVA reason for concern. In Force Recon Diary, 1970, Bruce Doc Norton offers a harrowing sequel to his best-selling Force Recon Diary, 1969, continuing the true story of a navy corpsman who became a Force Recon Team Leader behind enemy lines in the jungles of Vietnam. In the midst of a war set deep in the jungle, the Force Recon Marines often found themselves lacking food, drinkable water, explosives, or even enough radio batteries. Armed with only their own courage, skills, and loyalty to their brothers in arms, the Marines used stealth and cunning to survive in the harsh conditions of Vietnam, where one mistake could prove fatal not just for an individual Marine, but for the entire unit.Major Bruce H. Doc Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.

"e;Searing . . . An inspiring story."e;-Publishers Weekly"e;This is the . . . powerfully told story of an exceptionally determined human being."e;-BooklistOn September 21, 1962, U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen's life changed forever . . . During a routine parachute jump, strong winds drove Hamblen into high tension wires at the outskirts of Camp Pendleton, California. Doctors were astounded that he had survived, but five days later his leg had to be amputated five inches below the knee.For most people, this would be the end of the story. Hamblen could have retired on medical pension, but for him, leaving the Marines was not an option. He fought to remain in the Marines, passed all of the arduous physical tests, and within eleven months was going to the field, parachuting, and scuba diving with First Force Recon Company.With more than two years in the super-secret Studies and Observation Group (SOG), he is one of the few Americans who can document having fought repeatedly in North Vietnam, and by his extraordinary example, he served as an inspiration to other badly wounded soldiers. This is his incredible story of courage, spirit, and self determination."e;I have been associated with countless service personnel during my lifetime and Sergeant Hamblen tops the list of selfless, dedicated, all-American tough Marines. Words are inadequate to portray his life as fully as he has lived it, but his biography will serve as an inspiration and be a worthy model to be emulated by all who would aspire to be among the few good men-the Marines. As one of the 'Godfathers' of the Marine Corps deep reconnaissance, it has been a privilege to have known and served with Woody Hamblen. Semper Fidelis."e;-Herman Nickerson, Jr. Lt. Gen. USMC (Ret.)Major Bruce H. "e;Doc"e; Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.

Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker, to his sister, Eva, a county nurse living in Framingham, Massachusetts, describing his everyday service in combat during World War 1. These letters, edited by Private Maker’s grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918.Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th “Yankee” Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war.Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Château-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones.As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to “keep that key, as someday it will be of value.” On November 11, 2018 – the centenary of Armistice Day – the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Mémorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond’s life.

Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker describing his everyday service in combat during World War I. These letters, edited by Private Maker’s grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918.Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th “Yankee” Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war.Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Château-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones.As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to “keep that key, as someday it will be of value.” On November 11, 2018 – the centenary of Armistice Day – the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Mémorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond’s life.

In the bleak and bitter cold of a copper mine in northern Japan, U.S. Marine Sergeant Major Charles Jackson was allowed to send a postcard his wife. He was allowed ten words—he used three: "I AM ALIVE!" This message, classic in its poignancy of suffering and despair captures only too well what it meant to be a Japanese prisoner-of-war in World War II.In this riveting book, acclaimed military historian Major Bruce H. Norton USMC (ret.) brings to life a long-forgotten memoir by a Marine captured at Corregidor in May 1942 and held in Japanese captivity for three devastating years. In unflinching prose, Sergeant Major Jackson described the fierce yet impossible battle for Corregidor, the surrender of thousands of his comrades, the long forced marches to prison camps, and the lethal reality of captivity. One of the most important eyewitness accounts of World War II, this book is a testament to the men who sacrificed for their country. Jackson's unvarnished account of what his fellow soldiers endured in the face of enemy inhumanity pays tribute to the men who served America during the war—and why it ultimately prevailed.

The Battle of Brandy Station occurred on June 9, 1863. It was the largest cavalry engagement ever to take place in the United States, with just over 20,000 participants. From the opening shots at Beverly Ford, to the final charge on Fleetwood Heights, the Laurel Brigade was in the thick of the fight. This book is a user's guide for visiting and studying the Brandy Station Battlefield while touring sites associated with the Laurel Brigade. Maps and photographs produced in chronological order will assist readers who follow the line of march from the Shenandoah Valley through Culpeper County, Virginia, and across the field of Brandy Station with the most storied brigade of Confederate Cavalry. Photographs of key commanders, artifacts, and locations on the battlefield will bring the stories of these brave soldiers to life.

Dr. Harry J. Kantrovich retired from the Navy after 23 years of service as a Command Master Chief. Harry is an award-winning actor, director and playwright who has been involved with theatre for over 50 years, working in college, community, and professional theatres throughout the United States and Europe. Harry’s first two original plays SHOAH (in cooperation with the Claude Lanzmann family and his estate) and The Greatest Generation Speaks (in collaboration with renowned journalist Tom Brokaw) have been nationally and internationally acclaimed. His third play, co-written by Major Bruce “Doc” Norton, USMC (Ret), Voices From Vietnam, had its world premiere in November 2024, and a companion book was released simultaneously. Saving Lives will again be released simultaneously with the play of the same name’s world premiere.Saving Lives is a tribute to the “life savers” during the Vietnam War: the medics, corpsmen, nurses, doctors, and dustoff pilots who not only rescued but tried desperately to repair the estimated 200,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines, and civilians who were sick or wounded during that war. The stories contained in these pages are “in their own words” from interviews conducted many years later with these incredible men and women. Their stories of bravery, sacrifice, and dedication will never be forgotten.

Letters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker, to his sister, Eva, a county nurse living in Framingham, Massachusetts, describing his everyday service in combat during World War 1. These letters, edited by Private Maker's grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918. Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th Yankee Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war. Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Chteau-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones. As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to keep that key, as someday it will be of value. On November 11, 2018 the centenary of Armistice Day the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Memorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond s life.

In 1966, the Marine Corps introduced a bold, new concept to the battlefield. Little did the designers of that concept realize that it would change the way wars are fought, and the Corps, from that day forward.One of the most influential strategies of the Vietnam War, the Stingray Patrol comprised seven to ten marines in small teams, inserted by chopper deep in enemy territory. Surrounded on all sides by North Vietnamese Army troops and Viet Cong guerillas, these small, high-effective teams brought death and destruction to the enemy without ever going head-to-head in a gunfight with them.Like today's Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, and Marine Force Recon units that operate behind enemy lines using laser pointers and satellite communications, these Stingray Patrols helped target the enemy for artillery and air strikes . . . with devastating accuracy and effect.Force Recon Marine and team leader Bruce ';Doc' Norton participated in many Stingray missions and, now, through interviews, eyewitness accounts, and declassified documents, he takes the reader behind enemy lines, telling the full story of Stingray's origins and operations.Stingray is the definitive history of these units and missions, available now for the first time in eBook format.

The postcard came with the words ';Imperial Japanese Army' printed at the top. On it were written three simple words: ';I AM ALIVE!' And with this, Charles R. Jackson's wife knew that her husband, a US Marine Sergeant Major, had survived the Japanese capture of Corregidor and could only hope he would continue to survive the hell that came with being a Japanese prisoner of war.Held prisoner for three horrific years, Jackson survived the war and penned his memoir, though it went unpublished and forgotten for decades. That is until Bruce ';Doc' Norton, himself a decorated US Marine veteran, and an acclaimed military historian, brought the memoir to light.In a rare look into the heart of combat, Sergeant Major Jackson describes the fierce and ultimately losing battle for Corregidor, the surrender of thousands of Marines, and the death marches that followed. And all this was simply a prelude to the fight for survival that would take place in the POW camps. Jackson's memoir gives voice to the thousands of men who fought and died during WWII, in the Pacific. His character and spirit evoke the very definition of the Marine Corps's motto, Semper Fidelis; Always Faithful.

"e;The story of Sergeant Major Maurice Jacques is the story of a true warrior. With close to fifty months of combat in Korea and Vietnam, he's one of that rare breed, men who have looked the Devil in the eye-for a long time-and never blinked!"e;-LtCol. Oliver North, USMC (Ret.)COMBAT AND DEATH, SACRIFICE AND HONORMaurice Jacques served for thirty years with the U.S. Marine Corps, nearly six of them in combat. As an accomplished infantryman, parachutist, recon patroller, marksman, combat swimmer, and record-setting drill instructor, Jacques personifies the hard-fought, hard-won legacy of the Marines.With the help of Bruce Norton, he recounts the lessons learned in blood and the courage tested under fire-from the razor-backed hills and icy cold of Korea to the steamy, Vietcong-infested jungles of Nam. In this tough, gripping narrative, he reveals the emotion and chaos of close combat and the sacrifice and valor that have made the Marines legendary worldwide.During his long, dynamic career, Jacques held the position of regimental sergeant major in three different commands and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Maurice Jacques is a true warrior, as distinctive and exceptional as the Marines. He was expected to train harder, fight harder, sacrifice more, and is forever proud to be part of the pain, the pride, and the triumph that is USMC."e;Doc Norton . . . has done it again. This time, Doc has helped his old diving partner, retired Sergeant Major Maurice Jacques, turn out one of the finest military autobiographies you're ever likely to read . . . You'd be foolish to pass this one up."e;-Ken Miller, vietnamgear.comMajor Bruce H. ';Doc' Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, and an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.

The quiet of the night was again shattered by the thunderous roll of incoming artillery shells, spaced five seconds apart, ripping the jungle to pieces, as huge chunks of earth and vegetation blew skyward under the brilliant flashes of orange and white explosions . . . The possibility of encountering more NVA troops moving through our area was high, as we had pushed a very great stick into their nest. But our demonstrated ability to find the enemy and wait for the most opportune time to hit him, while remaining totally undetected, gave us reason to be pleased. It also gave the NVA reason for concern. In Force Recon Diary, 1970, Bruce Doc Norton offers a harrowing sequel to his best-selling Force Recon Diary, 1969, continuing the true story of a navy corpsman who became a Force Recon Team Leader behind enemy lines in the jungles of Vietnam. In the midst of a war set deep in the jungle, the Force Recon Marines often found themselves lacking food, drinkable water, explosives, or even enough radio batteries. Armed with only their own courage, skills, and loyalty to their brothers in arms, the Marines used stealth and cunning to survive in the harsh conditions of Vietnam, where one mistake could prove fatal not just for an individual Marine, but for the entire unit.Major Bruce H. Doc Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.

"e;Searing . . . An inspiring story."e;-Publishers Weekly"e;This is the . . . powerfully told story of an exceptionally determined human being."e;-BooklistOn September 21, 1962, U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen's life changed forever . . . During a routine parachute jump, strong winds drove Hamblen into high tension wires at the outskirts of Camp Pendleton, California. Doctors were astounded that he had survived, but five days later his leg had to be amputated five inches below the knee.For most people, this would be the end of the story. Hamblen could have retired on medical pension, but for him, leaving the Marines was not an option. He fought to remain in the Marines, passed all of the arduous physical tests, and within eleven months was going to the field, parachuting, and scuba diving with First Force Recon Company.With more than two years in the super-secret Studies and Observation Group (SOG), he is one of the few Americans who can document having fought repeatedly in North Vietnam, and by his extraordinary example, he served as an inspiration to other badly wounded soldiers. This is his incredible story of courage, spirit, and self determination."e;I have been associated with countless service personnel during my lifetime and Sergeant Hamblen tops the list of selfless, dedicated, all-American tough Marines. Words are inadequate to portray his life as fully as he has lived it, but his biography will serve as an inspiration and be a worthy model to be emulated by all who would aspire to be among the few good men-the Marines. As one of the 'Godfathers' of the Marine Corps deep reconnaissance, it has been a privilege to have known and served with Woody Hamblen. Semper Fidelis."e;-Herman Nickerson, Jr. Lt. Gen. USMC (Ret.)Major Bruce H. "e;Doc"e; Norton, USMC (Ret.) has been a combat veteran, a career Marine Infantry Officer, a military museum director, an adjunct military history professor, and is an award-winning author of numerous books on and about the United States Marines. Doc has a son, Bruce H. Norton II, and a daughter, Elizabeth A. Norton, who reside in Charleston, South Carolina.