He was Born in New Jersey in 1933 and only dreamed of being a military man. Marrying shortly after high school, he joined the army in 1956 and was dispatched to Vietnam in 1963 when America still seemed innocent. Jim Thompson would have led a perfectly ordinary, undistinguished life had he not been captured four months later, becoming the first American prisoner in Vietnam and, ultimately, the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. Forgotten Soldier is Thompson's epic story, a remarkable reconstruction of one man's life and a searing account that questions who is a real American hero. Examining the lives of Thompson's family on the home front, as well as his brutal treatment and five escape attempts in Vietnam, military journalist Tom Philpott weaves an extraordinary tale, showing how the American government intentionally suppressed Thompson's story.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "History matters to McCain, and for him America is and was about its promise. The book is his farewell address, a mixture of the personal and the political. 'I have loved my life,' he writes. 'All of it.' The Restless Wave is a fitting valedictory for a man who seldom backed down." -The Guardian (US) "A book-length meditation on what it means to face the hard challenges of long life and the sobering likelihood of imminent death...A reflection on hardship, a homily on purpose, a celebration of life - and a challenge to Americans to live up to their values and founding principles at a time when both are in jeopardy." -The Boston Globe In this candid political memoir from Senator John McCain, an American hero reflects on his life and what matters most. "I don't know how much longer I'll be here. Maybe I'll have another five years...Maybe I'll be gone before you read this. My predicament is, well, rather unpredictable. But I'm prepared for either contingency, or at least I'm getting prepared. I have some things I'd like to take care of first, some work that needs finishing, and some people I need to see. And I want to talk to my fellow Americans a little more if I may." So writes John McCain in this inspiring, moving, frank, and deeply personal memoir. Written while confronting a mortal illness, McCain looks back with appreciation on his years in the Senate, his historic 2008 campaign for the presidency against Barack Obama, and his crusades on behalf of democracy and human rights in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Always the fighter, McCain attacks the spurious nationalism and political polarization afflicting American policy. He makes an impassioned case for democratic internationalism and bi-partisanship. He recalls his disagreements with several presidents, and minces no words in his objections to some of President Trump's statements and policies. At the same time, he tells stories of his most satisfying moments of public service and offers a positive vision of America that looks beyond the Trump presidency. The Restless Wave is John McCain at his best.

The first official history of the legendary aircraft carrier that fought in World War II and Vietnam and continues to serve as a major air and space museum in New York City
The USS "Intrepid" is a warship unlike any other. Since her launching in 1943, the 27,000-ton, "Essex"-class aircraft carrier has sailed into harm's way around the globe. During World War II, she fought her way across the Pacific--Kwajalein, Truk, Peleliu, Formosa, the Philippines, Okinawa--surviving kamikaze and torpedo attacks and covering herself with glory. The famous ship endured to become a Cold War attack carrier, recovery ship for America's first astronauts, and a three-tour combatant in Vietnam.
In a riveting narrative based on archival research and interviews with surviving crewmen, authors Bill White and Robert Gandt take us inside the war in the Pacific. We join "Intrepid"'s airmen at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in October 1944, as they gaze in awe at the apparitions beneath them: five Japanese battleships, including the dreadnoughts "Yamato" and "Musashi," plus a fleet of heavily armored cruisers and destroyers. The sky fills with multihued bursts of anti-aircraft fire. The flak, a Helldiver pilot would write in his action report, "was so thick you could get out and walk on it." Half a dozen "Intrepid" aircraft are blown from the sky, but they sink the "Musashi. "A few months later, off Okinawa, they" "again meet her sister ship, the mighty "Yamato." In a two-hour tableau of hellfire and towering explosions, "Intrepid"'s warplanes help send the super-battleship and 3,000 Japanese crewmen to the bottom of the sea.
We're next to nineteen-year-old Alonzo Swann in Gun Tub 10 aboard "Intrepid" as he peers over the breech of a 20-mm anti-aircraft gun. He's heard of kamikazes, but until today he's never seen one. Swann and his fellow gunners are among the few African Americans assigned to combat duty in the U.S. Navy of 1944. Blazing away at the diving Japanese Zero, Swann realizes with a dreadful certainty where it will strike: directly into Gun Tub 10.
The authors follow "Intrepid"'s" "journey to Vietnam. "MiG-21 high!" crackles the voice of Lt. Tony Nargi in his F-8 Crusader. It is 1968, and "Intrepid" is again at war. Launching from Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, Nargi and his wingman have intercepted a flight of Russian-built supersonic fighters. Minutes later, after a swirling dogfight over North Vietnam, Nargi--and "Intrepid"--have added another downed enemy airplane to their credit.
"Intrepid: The Epic Story of America's Most Legendary Warship "brings a renowned ship to life in a stirring tribute complete with the personal recollections of those who served aboard her, dramatic photographs, time lines, maps, and vivid descriptions of "Intrepid"'s deadly conflicts. More than a numbers-and-dates narrative, "Intrepid" is the story of people--those who sailed in her, fought to keep her alive, perished in her defense--and powerfully captures the human element in this saga of American heroism.

In this ambitious follow-up to Achilles in Vietnam, Dr. Jonathan Shay uses the Odyssey, the story of a soldier's homecoming, to illuminate the pitfalls that trap many veterans on the road back to civilian life. Seamlessly combining important psycho- logical work and brilliant literary interpretation with an impassioned plea to renovate American military institutions, Shay deepens our understanding of both the combat veteran's experience and one of the world's greatest classics.

Describes the causes and history of World War II, and includes interviews with participants and suggested activities.

Guidance from the President in the 2006 NSS, the Department of Defense (DoD) National Defense Strategy, and the recently completed 2006 QDR all state the importance of strengthening and building international relationships to enhance coalition operations. The DoD builds security cooperation relationships through security assistance (SA) programs, administered by the armed services. Examples of USAF SA programs include foreign military sales, technology transfer, cooperative armaments, and international training. For coalition air forces to achieve decisive victory, they must be interoperable. True interoperability among current and future coalition air force partners is a lofty goal, the success of which depends on a solid foundation of USAF-provided flight training. Improved interoperability among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partner nations located in the heart of the volatile Middle East is particularly needed. This paper provides clear evidence that a gap, or missed opportunity, exists in the area of USAF international flight training.

**INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING KEY SPEECHES BY BARACK OBAMA ** Speech Against Going to War With Iraq, October 2, 2002 ** Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, July 27, 2004 ** Announcement That He Will Run for the Office of the President of The United States, Springfield, IL, February 10, 2007 ** Iowa Caucus Victory Speech, Des Moines, IA, January 3, 2008 ** New Hampshire Primary Speech After Loss, Nashua, NH, January 8, 2008 ** South Carolina Victory Speech, Columbia, SC, January 26, 2008 ** Speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Richmond, VA, February 9, 2008 ** 'A More Perfect Union' (Responding to the Reverend Jeremiah Wright Controversy) Philadelphia, PA, March 18, 2008 ** 'The American Promise' (Accepting the Democratic Nomination at the Democratic National Convention), Denver, CO, August 28, 2008 ** President-Elect Barack Obama: Address to the Nation, Election Night, Chicago, IL, November 04, 2008 ** ALSO INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ** Senator Hillary Clinton: Democratic National Convention August 26, 2008 ** Senator John McCain: Concession Speech, November 4, 2008 **

In "Hard Call," acclaimed authors John McCain and Mark Salter describe the anatomy of great decisions in history by telling the remarkable stories of men and women who have exemplified composure, wisdom, and intellect in the face of life's toughest decisions. The authors identify six qualities typically represented in the best decisions: Awareness. Timing. Foresight. Confidence. Humility. Inspiration. These qualities are personified by the exceptional individuals in this book, each of whom made a hard call:

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  Branch Rickey's awareness of the opposition he would face in integrating the Brooklyn Dodgers, and his sagacity in choosing the right man, Jackie Robinson, to break baseball's color barrier.
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  Winston Churchill's foresight in preparing England's Navy for war.
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  Anwar Sadat's and Menachem Begin's timing in choosing to risk their lives and political careers by seeking peace in the aftermath of war.
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  Gertrude Ederle's confidence in deciding to swim the English Channel - and her fortitude in continuing the quest against the wishes of her coach, despite the fact that no woman had ever succeeded.
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  Reinhold Niebuhr's humility in deciding to abandon his pacifist views and endorse the use of violence against persecution in Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
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  Abraham Lincoln's historic act of inspiration: His decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, the role of faith in his life, and his willingness to suffer for a cause greater than himself.

On March 26, 1964, barely four months after arriving in Vietnam, Special Forces Captain Floyd "Jim" Thompson was captured by the Vietcong. He would spend the next nine years in jungle cages and dark prison cells, attempting escape five times, and surviving torture, disease, and starvation. When he was finally released in 1973, he returned to a nation he no longer knew -- and to a family that no longer knew him.

Thompson's epic story -- and that of his wife and children, who also paid dearly for his sacrifice -- is brought to life in this searing reconstruction of one man's torturous journey through the unspeakable horrors of war and its aftermath. Weaving together interviews with Thompson and his family; comments from friends, fellow soldiers, and other POWs; and excerpts from service records, medical reports, and intelligence briefings, journalist Tom Philpott creates a moving and compelling portrait of a complex and heroic figure. Combining the rich historical detail of Neil Sheehan's A Bright Shining Lie with the pathos of a James Jones novel, Glory Denied is a monumental work of oral history and a much-needed reminder of how far we have come -- and how far we have yet to travel -- in understanding one of the defining moments of our generation.