They Were All Young Kids (Paperback)

by Aaron C. Elson (Author), Aaron Elson (Author) "Judd Wiley remembers the first seven Germans the Incinerator killed..." (more)
Key Phrases: infantry boy, infantry guys, assistant driver, Fort Benning, First Battalion, Third Battalion (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about oral histories. Some are great, and some are just 'not so good.' 'Tanks for the Memories' and 'They were all young kids' are excellent. The books are well-written, informative, and fun to read. Both detail life as a tanker in World War II from a tanker's perspective. A perspective that, I believe, is all too often overlooked. 'They were all young kids' is a microcosmic look at a particular unit, 1st Platoon C Company, 712th Tank Battalion, during a particular battle. However, through this one battle, the reader is taken through a series of events that depicts in great detail the various aspects of tank warfare in WWII, the complexities of modern warfare, and the spirit of the American fighting man. -- Brett W. Avants, reviewed on Achtung! Panzer, the home page of the Washington Armor Club.

The story of Lieutenant Jim Flowers and the first platoon, Company C, 712th Tank Battalion on Hill 122. -- Book Descripton

From the Publisher
This is a unique oral history of a battle in which four tanks were destroyed in Normandy, as told in the words of the platoon's survivors.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: Chi Chi Press (1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964061112
• ISBN-13: 978-0964061118
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,616,430 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good tribute... , February 13, 2007

By	flagday1960 (St.Louis) - See all my reviews

You can look inside the book. I believe it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

2 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars One man's opinion, August 19, 2003

By A Customer

I have just finished reading this book. There is a very important story here and it should be told in the words of the men who survived. This book does not do these men justice, true it is written in their own words. The author should have also consulted unit histories and told the story in a chronologial order using the men's statements to impart their feelings and momories of the events as they occurred. The complete statements of the men could have then been included in a section of the book reserved for this purpose.
I feel this book was poorly written and failed to tell to get it's message across. The book tells of the horrors these men endured, but did not give any meaning to their suffering. Was this battle necessary? Did their sacrifice serve any purpose?