Heroes of WW II [Mass Market Paperback]

Edward F. Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 13, 1991

Of the 13 million who served during World War II, only 433 received our country's highest award for valor -- and only 190 of those brave men survived to receive their medals.

This book vividly chronicles their almost superhuman feats of selfless courage. We witness the climactic moments and brave deeds that made history in World War II: the bombing of Pearl Harbor, where fifteen men earned the medal; the vicious, desperate fighting in the Pacific islands; the invasion on the beaches of Normandy, and other crucial battles in the European theater, as the history of World War II unfolds in the heroic deeds of the men who won the war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Soldiers who won the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor are saluted here, often posthumously, in scores of capsule biographies and tales of combat. "Almost overwhelming in its scope and its depiction of war, this chronicle challenges Americans to acknowledge a personal debt to . . . largely forgotten fighters," said PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

It is difficult to write about the exploits of heroes without deifying them, and Murphy does not quite manage that feat. His collection of battlefield stories honors the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who won the Congressional Medal of Honor during World War II. The scope is representative rather than exhaustive--83 capsule biographies out of several hundred possibilities. But the book is somewhat more than a compendium of award citations; Murphy often discusses the postwar life of a recipient and has just enough historical text between the action episodes to hold them together. Recommended for general collections.
- Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History Prog., Los Angeles
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (November 13, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345375459
• ISBN-13: 978-0345375452
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #375,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Historical Study > Reference
  • #43 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century
  • #56 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military > World War II > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book about the Heroes of our Country during WWII, June 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Heroes of World War II (Hardcover)

This is a must read for anyone interested in the Medal of Honor or those brave men who won it. The accounts of how a great many of these men won these medals are riviting. A complete list of all the men that received the Medal during WWII is included at that end of the book. In many cases the book lets you know what happened to those men who went home after the war. In many cases its a tragic end. The book also lets you know who survied the war to go home with their Medal. These are heroes we should know and teach our children about.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good first read on the subject, July 29, 2001

By 

Gary K. Stoedter (Port Byron, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heroes of WW II (Mass Market Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is written as a series of vignettes for the various CMH winners, which follows the outline of events in the Second World War. This style makes it easy to read a chapter or two, put the book down, and then come back to it a couple of days later without losing your place in the storyline. CMH winners in both theatres of operation are covered equally. The brevity of the accounts is both a strength and weakness of the book. There were several CMH winners that I could have read an entire book about. The book generally serves to whet one's appetite for more stories of these heroes. I look forward to reading more on this extraordinary subject.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heroes of WWII, September 15, 2001

By 

Richard D. Fuller (St. Maries , ID. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heroes of WW II (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a great book, you won`t be able to put it down! You will not believe what you are reading and some of the stories will tear at your heart strings. I don`t care how tough you are! If this doesn`t stir the patriotic ember in your soul, nothing will. In light of recent events with the World Trade Center this would be great reading for young and old alike. You will meet people in this book that will make you proud to be an american, and you will come to a greater understanding of what it means to be an american. I cannot say enough about or recommend highly enough what a great book this was. It was easy to read and once past the first chapter you wont want to put it down. ENJOY!