Battlefire!: Combat Stories from World War II

by Arthur L. Kelly

Col. Arthur L. Kelly, a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, interviewed more than 100 veterans over the course of a decade. From that important collection, amplified with historical background, come these stories of men who endured severe and sustained combat situations. 39 b&w illustrations.

226 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. The author tells vivid stories of Kentuckians' that served in WW2. It's just not the battles they fought in but the emotional side of the war they had to deal with. If you haven't read too much on the feelings of the men that fought in WW2 then this one is it. I bought this book, cheap, at a local book store and sure glad I did.

[David Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the World War II stories of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines from Kentucky. There are eleven chapters in the book; ten tell the stories of individuals while the eleventh is a group from the same town.

The telling of the stories varies to a great degree. That is, I feel some chapters are stronger, more coherent, and better told than others. I'm assuming this has to do with the individuals studied, rather than the talents of the author.

The primary sources are the author's interviews with the subjects. He has done additional research to verify the events and place them in the greater historical context.

Includes index, bibliography, maps, and photos.