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Cross-Border Warriors: Canadians in American Forces, Americans in Canadian Forces
For well of a hundred years, Canadians and Americans have crossed the border that separates their two countries to serve in one another's armed forces. The American Civil War, the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War - Cross-Border Warriors presents anecdotes, letters, and diaries by or about individuals who left family and native land to engage in these far-away struggles. There was Emma Edmonds, a woman from New Brunswick who disguised herself as a man and served as a field nurse and spy for the Yankees during the civil war; American Lucien Thomas, who flew 400 combat missions in WW II and Korea; Fred Demara, "The Great Impostor," who used his surgical skills on unsuspecting patients ... More than ninety photos, together with Fred Gaffen's analysis of this cross-border phenomenon, complement the soldiers' words.
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1995
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October 5, 2021
This is a decent read. Gaffen explores the pilgrimage of Canadians and Americans across the 49th parallel in order to serve in the armed services of the other nation. This is no small deal: men (and rarely, a woman) served in their thousands in some conflicts. It makes one wonder why we bother with a border at all. Of course we have probably "improved" the situation in this brave new world and it will probably be much more difficult for a citizen to enter the others' country these days unless, of course, you arrive on foot from the south.
Canada is so boring the men are itching to get out and find some adventure away from the red tape and, presumably, the cold weather. Men like Seth Bullock and Bat Masterson drifted south and even Buffalo Bill Cody resided in Canada before finding fame on the southern plains. With the advent of the civil war, tens of thousands of Canadian lads served on both sides of the civil war. Many stayed on strength after that conflict and some of those would die on the plains in the Indian Wars that followed. Custer had over a dozen Canadians with him when he was wiped out in Montana.
America returned the favour in both world wars. Since the USA was reluctant to commit forces in these conflicts, many American lads drifted north, eager to get in on the fray. A lot of these lads came for flight training which seems to have been harder to get in the States. When the Vietnam War started, the migration from north to south began anew with tens of thousands of Canadians in American uniform before that conflict ended. Some of these Canadian lads perished in the Vietnamese jungles.
The weakness of the book is that it really tries to do too much. This topic could fill volumes if one wanted to give the subject a fair try. Much of the book, particularly from WWII onward, seems to be verbatim excerpts from work submitted by the fighters themselves. At this point Gaffen isn't writing the book so much as editing it. Naturally, each soldier, sailor or airman is given space for basically a vignette of only a few pages; disappointing when you know that each is worthy of a book. Indeed, some of them have written books.
Still, the book is an interesting read and, as book leads on to book, I am sure that this one will lead me on to other titles. Gaffen is generous with the photos and I particularly enjoyed the Appendices listing Canadian winners of the CMH and American winners of the VC. He also tosses in an Appendix listing the names of Canadians who died in Vietnam. Anyone who likes military history should enjoy this one.
Canada is so boring the men are itching to get out and find some adventure away from the red tape and, presumably, the cold weather. Men like Seth Bullock and Bat Masterson drifted south and even Buffalo Bill Cody resided in Canada before finding fame on the southern plains. With the advent of the civil war, tens of thousands of Canadian lads served on both sides of the civil war. Many stayed on strength after that conflict and some of those would die on the plains in the Indian Wars that followed. Custer had over a dozen Canadians with him when he was wiped out in Montana.
America returned the favour in both world wars. Since the USA was reluctant to commit forces in these conflicts, many American lads drifted north, eager to get in on the fray. A lot of these lads came for flight training which seems to have been harder to get in the States. When the Vietnam War started, the migration from north to south began anew with tens of thousands of Canadians in American uniform before that conflict ended. Some of these Canadian lads perished in the Vietnamese jungles.
The weakness of the book is that it really tries to do too much. This topic could fill volumes if one wanted to give the subject a fair try. Much of the book, particularly from WWII onward, seems to be verbatim excerpts from work submitted by the fighters themselves. At this point Gaffen isn't writing the book so much as editing it. Naturally, each soldier, sailor or airman is given space for basically a vignette of only a few pages; disappointing when you know that each is worthy of a book. Indeed, some of them have written books.
Still, the book is an interesting read and, as book leads on to book, I am sure that this one will lead me on to other titles. Gaffen is generous with the photos and I particularly enjoyed the Appendices listing Canadian winners of the CMH and American winners of the VC. He also tosses in an Appendix listing the names of Canadians who died in Vietnam. Anyone who likes military history should enjoy this one.
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