Kylie Tusing | Assistant Site Director
Veterans Day is a celebration of an accumulation of moments where we honor and celebrate America’s greatest heroes that have fought bravely and selflessly for our freedom. Originating on November 11, 1919 and initially being called Armistice Day, President Woodrow Wilson aimed to pay respect to the men who fought in war.
He stated in his address commemorating the holiday, “to us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”
To celebrate this day BG Authors has three book recommendations that share the stories of Veterans and the nature of war.
My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story by Nathaniel Helms
Brad Kasal tells the true story written from the experiences of the Iraqi battlefields. He shares the story of a ‘valiant’ rescue mission to save other Marines on November 13th, 2004. This book shares a first hand account and dozens of interviews from fellow Marines on the front lines and planning from the commanders.
“While some may call this heroic, I just call it loyalty. I loved the Marine next to me. I was determined to do anything it took to keep him alive” stated Sergeant Major Brad Kasal.
Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps by Col. Wesley L. Fox, USMC.
This recounting of various experiences tells the story of Wes Fox. From the first chapter, this story plays out of a young boy admiring the heroic nature of military men, knowing from a young age that one day it would become him. Fox enlisted in the summer of 1950 shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War. This novel tells the true accounts of his experiences as he works his way through the ranks of the Marine Corps.
“My chance to wear a uniform came when the North Koreans attacked across the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950. I loved the farm, the work and everything connected with the land, but I had to leave it. My cousins who had fought in WWII were home, starting families and getting on with their new lives; Korea was my war, my chance to fulfill my dreams of serving my country”, wrote Fox.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Unbroken is a story of what one will do to survive and the resilience of a military man. Hillenbrand recounts the narrative of World War II Veteran Louis Zamperini. In his childhood Zamperini was a brawler continuously getting into trouble and always on the run. But he channeled that all the way to the Berlin Olympics tying with World Record holders. Then war broke and suddenly he was an Army Air Forces bomber called for duty. After an accident in May 1943 he was left stranded in the Pacific Ocean eventually landing on the Marshall Islands where they were picked up by the Japanese Navy and put into a POW Camp.
“Resting in the shade and the stillness, Louie felt profound peace. When he thought of his history, what resonated with him now was not all that he had suffered but the divine love that he believed had intervened to save him” stated Hillenbrand.
Kylie Tusing is a first year Graduate student studying the Public Administration. She is a blogger for her own website and reporter for the BG News. In her spare time you can find her at local bookstores or coffee shops but mostly she loves traveling to various cities. Kylie loves reading the genre of biographies, mysteries and romance were she is always looking for new suggestions. The best form of contact is ktusing@bgsu.edu.
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