Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Celebrating the larger-than-life sacrifices of those awarded the nation's highest honor for bravery in combat, Beyond Glory is the first oral history of living Medal of Honor recipients, providing, in their own words, the stories of the enlisted men and officers who have endured nearly unimaginable scenes of combat." "Since the Medal of Honor was established during the Civil War in 1862, only 3,410 persons have received it; often it is awarded posthumously. Today, approximately 140 recipients from three wars remain alive. In Beyond Glory, editor and journalist Larry Smith offers interviews with 24 of these men, reavealing their harrowing, firsthand accounts of battle - from the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, to the battle for Toktong Pass in Korea in December 1951, to the bloody battles of South Vietnam in 1968." The men speaking here represent a cross section as diverse as America itself - officers and enlisted men, African Americans, Japanese Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians, some of whom went on to become famous, such as Daniel Inouye, James Stockdale, and Bob Kerrey, and others who returned proudly to small town lives in Idaho, New Mexico, or Texas. Many of these men are nearing the end of their lives (three have since died), and they are extremely candid as they vividly recall the events in the jungles of Guadalcanal, at Castle Aghinolfi on the coast of Italy, on Omaha Beach in Normandy, and on battlefields in Korea and Vietman. These stories remind us of the price paid to preserve the American heritage and a world in which freedom can prevail.

FROM THE CRITICS

The Washington Post

This book's strength is in the powerful recollections Smith has skillfully obtained and compellingly put together. Along with other primary sources such as the official citations, attached as an appendix, and some accounts of other witnesses, these recollections are the raw stuff of history. They also provide valuable insights into the military, war and courage under fire. — John Whiteclay Chambers

Publishers Weekly

A fine group oral history, this book allows 23 Medal of Honor recipients, shepherded by Parade journalist Smith, to go into the complexities of their service and how it affected them. James Stockdale and Bob Kerrey are well known, but their accounts add nuance to the public record. At the other end in terms of fame are John Finn, the oldest living recipient, who won his medal at Pearl Harbor; Vernon Baker, the only African-American recipient for WW II who lived to receive his medal; and Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector and medic on Okinawa who lowered several dozen wounded out of harm's way. A nearly polar opposite to Doss is Lewis R. Millett, a warrior whose bayonet charges in Korea earned him a modest place in the history books. Almost as combative was Daniel Inouye, the senior senator from Hawaii, whose Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor many years after he won it leading his platoon with one arm nearly blown off. Famous or not, the recipients have in common not seeking heroism, but having horrific situations thrust upon them, and having the courage and determination, as well as outstanding skill with their equipment-whether rope slings, machine guns, or (in one case) a C-123 transport plane-to meet them. The single most moving account may be from Jay Vargas, who gave up a possible general's star to retire from the Marines and help his daughter with a drug problem. Heroism is a many-splendored thing. (July) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal