Colin’s Comments (group member since Dec 16, 2012)

Colin’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

Close to finishing my new book of interviews with Robert S. Johnson, Edward R. Haydon, Robin Olds, Curtis LeMay and James Doolittle, to be published later this year through Dutton/Random House. Same format as my German Aces Speak books.

One of the commanders, Major General Dietrich Peltz was one of my interviews. Good info on operations, including the use of the Fritz X, the first guided missile.

Richard wrote: "Not to whine, but I wanted to grab your book Colin and it's almost double the price for Kindle as for paperback. Sigh."

I have received many complaints about the pricing, unfortunately the publisher and Amazon direct traffic on that. I am writing the new book now, and finished the screenplay for The Star of Africa.

I will find this interesting, I knew and interviewed Hartmann, along with about 15 pilots who flew with him, and four in the gulags with him. See my book, The German Aces Speak II for his first person accounts.

The Crew is another I want to read, as I interviewed a few Bomber Command men, and Bill Reid VC was a gem.

Looking forward to this book, as I have many interviews with German paratroopers myself.

Mike wrote: "Colin wrote: "I interviewed Gregor Koronov, who was a gunner on a KV-1, and later a commander in T-34s, great stories. My interviews with German tankers were also enlightening."

Have you published..."

No, I have not published them yet. I submit proposals on my book subjects to my agent, and she farms them out. I pretty much become a slave to what the editors want. I also have rarely had any control over my titles. The only two titles I ever had stay put from the manuscript were Four War Boer and Noble Warrior. They kept The Star of Africa and then added a ridiculous subtitle.

I submitted proposals for The German Aces Speak Vol. III and The U-Boat Commanders Speak, as well as The SS Officers Speak. They wanted instead my American pilot interviews, so that is the next book in that series that I am now working on.

One of my sources said Spielberg was involved in getting the right, not sure if correct. This is interesting if so, as my book/screenplay The Star of Africa is now on the open market.

Dimitri wrote: "Colin wrote: "Did you know, that every time Hitler flew, anywhere, he carried a 200 year old crated oil portrait of Frederick the Great that blocked the aisle."

for real ?

After 7 years of postpo..."

The story was related to my by several people who flew with Hitler primarily Hans Baur. Whenever he flew from Berlin to Rastenburg (the Eastern HQ or Wolf's Lair), he carried the portrait with him. Baur did not like it, and he said it made getting out of the Ju-52 a slow process until the crate could be moved.

I interviewed Gregor Koronov, who was a gunner on a KV-1, and later a commander in T-34s, great stories. My interviews with German tankers were also enlightening.

Ironic, Spielberg/Hanks together again. I saw the trailer, did not see any major flaws in accuracy overall. Would like to know if they are getting target specific on a particular convoy.

Did you know, that every time Hitler flew, anywhere, he carried a 200 year old crated oil portrait of Frederick the Great that blocked the aisle.

I interviewed former Sovier Major Gregor Koronov. Long story short, he commanded KV-1, KV-2, and T-34 and JS-1. He said the greatest joke that was actually true; "When we see Mk IV's attack in four, when we see Tigers, evacuate in fours.

In another sense of historical irony twenty years after I interviewed Koronov, I recalled a story he told me. It was corroborated by Col. Joe Peterburs.

Koronov's tank platoon caught four American pilots who escaped from their POW camp, and gave them a ride to Berlin. The conversation through a Ukrainian via a French speaker to an English speaker was hilarious. I had interviewed two me who met under the most unlikely of circumstances. Peterburs, then a Captain, confirmed what Koronov told me 20 years later. Go figure. Joe was stunned. He said "No one ever believed me when I told that story."

I had to buy.

no great surprise, I did some work with Wiesenthal, great guy, and was his house guest in Vienna. I was one of the people who used my contacts over 30 years ago to locate Erich Priebke, but it was not hard. He never changed his name.

Agreed

I met Waffen- SS Maj Gen. Gen Otto Kumm in a pub, and that started a chain reaction.

I was at the Lidl grocery store today, had to use the men's room, the guy behind was a WW II Okinawa veteran, and we chatted. I gave him my card, and told him what I do. Hope he gets back with me.

Interesting topic, i met and interviewed a few SOE, OSS and MI5 and MI6 types, as well as European operatives. Good subject.

Raeder's father was a school headmaster, mother has a half Jew I believe, which under the Nuremberg Laws made him a quarter Jew "mischling", and he was not alone. Field Marshals Erhard Milch, Wilhelm Kietel, Walther von Brauchitsch, Maximilan von Weichs, just to name few who were given a "pass" for their service. Read the bok, Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, by Bryan Mark Rigg on this subject.