Customer Reviews

Doctor Danger Forward: A World War II Memoir of a Combat Medical Aidman, First Infantry Division

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My father served with the author and is in a few of the pictures and anecdotes. I have a greater understanding and appreciation of what war is all about. Dad did not want to talk about what he saw and experienced when he was alive. He shared his scrapbooks on a few occasions, dodging some questions that were too close to him.

When Dad died, I sent a letter to "the outfit" as he referred to the men with whom he served. I had some wonderful letters and calls from men who had shared a part of his life that I never knew. But, I now know better from reading this book, the courage and determination that these men showed just to survive the day to day part of the war. The horrors that these men shared needed to be buried until someone could put them into a context for the rest of us to truly understand and appreciate them. The author has done that in a vivid, yet compassionate manner. Everyone needs to read this book. Thank you, Mr. Towne for revealing this part of the war to the rest of us.

If you want to learn what it was really like fighting to save lives with the U.S. Medical Corps in World War II, give this newly released personal account by Allen N. Towne a try. Mr. Towne relates his five years'service as a frontline medic with the First Infantry Division in North Africa, Sicily, Omaha Beach, as well as France, Belgium, and Germany. He carries you along with him as a former college student who finds himself in the thick of some of the war's bloodiest battles. You will find it difficult not to read it straight through in one sitting.

I thought this book captured the essence of the tumult of three years of combat. I was spellbound by the way relationships developed and deepened. The author raised the question of why men respond so differently to the trauma of combat and war. A well-written story.

This is one of the few books that deal with the combat medic. For the most part the medics roll is just a foot note in other works but this writing is all about the medics of the 1st Division.

Sgt. Towne basically took his day reports and added his commentary to give a more complete picture of the day to day activities of Company B. It is not a polished historical read like you would expect form Ambrose, but I feel Sgt Towne's perspective (as a true to life, been there done that) gives him the view point that other historians could only wish they had.

This book was of particular interest to me; do to the fact that my father was a platoon leader in Company B, from April to August 1944. His name was briefly mentioned when he was wounded on August 6th (my father was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his action on this day). I was able to locate the general movements of my father but disappointingly not specific actions. Many of Sgt. Towne's commentaries refer to other platoons but not by name; however I feel that I did gain a lot of information that is not located in any other writing.

I would recommend this book to all.

Towne has given us a firsthand account of many of the significant American battles of WWII from a combat medic's perspective. This memoir is a must read for anyone interested in getting a factual historical glimpse of WWII.