The Private War of Howie Beach

Download or read book The Private War of Howie Beach written by Howie Beach and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2009-07 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "For some strange reason there was a common belief among World War Two vets that, except for families, relatives, and close friends, the general public really was not interested in their lives as combat soldiers. The passing of time has helped those veterans who are alive today to feel comfortable in contributing their military exploits and personal history. Mine is but one of many stories that can be told, yet as time marches on I realize the extraordinary circumstance which allowed me to survive from Normandy to the Elbe. It has served to validate historical accounts of key battles in five major campaigns, and the atrocities committed by Germany before our freeing of surviving prisoners from death camps. I also feel it my duty as an existing veteran of World War Two to honor my fallen combat brothers who deserved so much more for their valor than a humble grave or burial at sea. Their heroics, values, and comradeship are etched indelibly in my memory. To whatever degree I am able, I wish to give life and meaning to those men who died so long ago, and from whose ultimate sacrifice we have secured the liberties and freedoms we so long have enjoyed. I must say, I feel an added urgency to leave to the world, and my posterity, an eyewitness record of those historic eleven months from our landing on Omaha Beach to meeting the Russian Army on the Elbe River, and the subsequent occupation of defeated Nazi Germany"--Author's statement