Rangers Make a Positive Impact on the World
Of Their Own Accord: A Company of Army Rangers Changing Lives in Changing Times. Lt. Gen. Lawson Magruder III, USA Ret., and Master Sgt. Fred Kleibacker III, USA Ret. Deeds Publishing. 332 pages. $24.95
By Col. Cole Kingseed, U.S. Army retired
In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams Jr. made a conscious decision to restore the high standards of the Army by creating a unit that would serve as standard-bearers for the rest of the service. Abrams’ vision led to the formation of the modern-day Ranger battalions. Of Their Own Accord: A Company of Army Rangers Changing Lives in Changing Times is the story of some “plank holders”—original members of the unit—from Company B, 2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry Regiment, who “participated in the first year of training and … went on to make a difference in our world throughout their lives.”
Written by retired Lt. Gen. Lawson Magruder III and retired Master Sgt. Fred Kleibacker III, Of Their Own Accord consists of 15 chapters that highlight the Army’s values and core competencies, including accountability, moral courage, trust and teamwork, and respect for others. Magruder leads each chapter with a quote about the values he instilled in his Rangers as their commander.
The intent of this book is not to retell war stories, but to share the positive impact their time together many decades ago had in shaping how each Ranger lived their life. Magruder and Kleibacker’s purpose is threefold: “1) Inspire young men and women to join the greatest military in the world; 2) Inspire the major influencers (parents, relatives, friends, veterans, educators, pastors) for America’s youth to encourage them to serve; 3) Pass on a memoir from our fellow Rangers to their family members.”
Each chapter stands on its own, but several merit special attention. Retired Brig. Gen. Jim Schwitters enlisted in the Army in 1975 for the 2nd Ranger Battalion, as the unit was called. In 1977, he was selected as a charter operational member of the 1st Special Forces Detachment-Delta. In the book, Schwitters attributes his success as both an enlisted soldier and later as commanding general of Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to “open, honest, and respectful communication.” Schwitters’ purpose in life remains “to leave the world a better place within the sphere of my influence.”
Retired Master Sgts. Al Kovacik and Jim Smith share their perspectives on leading others in one of the book’s most interesting chapters. To Kovacik, the key ingredients of exceptional leadership are “humility, listening to your men, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses.”
During his military career, Smith served as a U.S. Army Ranger School instructor and operations sergeant, and as a senior instructor at the University of Oregon ROTC detachment. To the authors, Kovacik and Smith are emblematic symbols of leadership who represent the best in all of us and the Army NCO corps.
Perhaps the most poignant chapter is “Heroes at Home,” which depicts the formation of successful Family Support Group models at the battalion and company levels. These groups led to strong personal relationships that lasted a lifetime. The four spouses featured in the chapter share their stories and recount how their time together “laid the foundation for their success as volunteer leaders in the future,” the book says.
If there is a central theme in Of Their Own Accord, it is that “individuals make a difference, especially in uncertain times,” the authors write. In retelling the stories of their fellow Rangers, Magruder and Kleibacker say they hope that they have inspired young men and women to serve their country and community in some capacity.
This is a magnificent book that deserves wide circulation throughout the military establishment.
Col. Cole Kingseed, U.S. Army retired, a former professor of history at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York, is a writer and consultant. He holds a doctorate in history from Ohio State University.
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Exploring Eisenhower’s Formative Years
Becoming Eisenhower: How Ike Rose from Obscurity to Supreme Allied Commander. Michael Lee Lanning. Stackpole Books. 288 pages. $29.95
By Col. Kevin Farrell, U.S. Army retired
While World War II has faded from living memory and the Eisenhower presidency is not too far behind it, the legacy and historical reputation of Dwight Eisenhower continues to rise. Whereas scholarship on Eisenhower’s exemplary service as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II and his presidential administration is legion, comparatively few published works have focused on Eisenhower’s military career before his assumption of high command.
A new book by prolific author and retired Lt. Col. Michael Lee Lanning has attempted to fill this gap—a “gaping hole,” as the author puts it.
Lanning’s Becoming Eisenhower: How Ike Rose from Obscurity to Supreme Allied Commander sets out to explain the circumstances, events and personal character that propelled an individual to true greatness by examining the middle years of his career. A concise description of many of these years is aptly provided by Lanning, who writes of Eisenhower, nicknamed “Ike,” that “his accomplishments were far overshadowed by his disappointments.”
Much of the material in Becoming Eisenhower has been addressed in other works, such as Eisenhower’s excellence as a football coach, his fondness for pranks, his skill at playing cards, and his courtship and marriage to Mary Geneva “Mamie” Doud. The importance of his family background and his ability to make friends are deservedly well covered, as is the painful loss of the first Eisenhower child, Icky, on Jan. 2, 1921, from scarlet fever. The key mentorship of Army general officer Fox Conner and the sometimes difficult seven years of service under Douglas MacArthur in Washington, D.C., and the Philippines, also are thoroughly examined.
However, it is lesser-known but crucial career events that make this book remarkable. For example, when Eisenhower was courting Doud, he made clear his intention to become an aviator, but Doud’s parents would not consent to the marriage if he pursued this course, so he remained in the infantry.
Another, even more compelling, yet largely unknown, event is how Eisenhower was almost court-martialed in 1921 for defrauding the government by “drawing an allowance for quarters for which he was not authorized.” Fortunately for Eisenhower and the United States, Eisenhower received a reprimand, repaid the funds, and his career continued with the episode forgotten.
At a time when too many books have become longer than they need to be, this is a quick and lively read, a rather remarkable feat considering that its focus is on the part of Eisenhower’s career during which not many momentous events occurred. As Lanning wryly observes of Eisenhower, by May of 1939, “during the past eighteen years, he had served a mere six months with troops.”
Despite some minor errors, such as suggesting there were no Hispanics in Eisenhower’s West Point Class of 1915—Luis Raul Esteves from Puerto Rico was the first member of that class to become a general officer—Becoming Eisenhower succeeds in what it sets out to do. This book is recommended for anyone interested in a more thorough understanding of how Eisenhower became the great leader he was or what a career in the Army between the world wars entailed.
Col. Kevin Farrell, U.S. Army retired, is the former chief of military history at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. He commanded a combined arms battalion in Iraq. He holds a doctorate in history from Columbia University, New York. His most recent book is The Military and the Monarchy: The Case and Career of the Duke of Cambridge in an Age of Reform.
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A Case Study in Both Failure and Resilience
Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year that Made Winston Churchill. J. Furman Daniel III. University Press of Kentucky (An AUSA Title). 280 pages. $70 hardcover; $35 paperback
By Lt. Col. Joe Byerly, U.S. Army retired
Winston Churchill is largely recognized as the steadfast leader who guided Great Britain and the Western world through some of the darkest days of the 20th century. His legacy of strength and courage is immortalized in our collective memory, much like the statues and busts that stand in museums across Europe and the United States.
But what we tend to overlook are the formative events and personal experiences that forged his resilience, enabling him to rise when the world needed him most. Many forget that he was exiled from public life in 1915 when, as First Lord of the Admiralty, he was blamed for the disaster of World War I’s Dardanelles campaign against the Ottoman Turks and seen as a pariah within British political circles.
In Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year that Made Winston Churchill, J. Furman Daniel III explores a pivotal period in Churchill’s life, from May 1915 to May 1916. Daniel argues that Churchill’s political downfall during this time unlocked five key avenues that were essential to his later success: his discovery of painting as a creative outlet; the deepening of important friendships; personal growth through reflection; the benefits of time and distance from political life; and valuable insights gained from his firsthand experience of war. These factors, Daniel contends, were instrumental in shaping Churchill into the resilient leader who later would navigate the challenges of World War II.
While Daniel’s book primarily examines Churchill’s life during a 12-month period, it also offers a valuable lesson on the importance of finding activities that help one focus and regain balance during difficult times. Churchill’s discovery of painting not only provided solace during his political struggles, but it also helped him restore himself after rejoining the army and commanding a battalion on the front lines in World War I. As the author notes, “Despite the danger and exhaustion of battalion command, Churchill still found time to paint. The reason was simple: Painting restored him mentally and physically. Especially during trying times such as these, he used painting as a means of personal succor and revival.”
Daniel’s book also is a great lesson in resilience. Churchill suffered some embarrassing defeats, many as a result of his own ego and self-centered approach to life. Yet, these setbacks didn’t define him; they became necessary events that made him the leader we remember today, which is another valuable lesson for U.S. Army leaders serving now.
Daniel’s exploration of Churchill’s development is highly engaging and accessible, making it a great read for both historians and those with limited knowledge of Churchill’s career who wish to learn more about a critical figure in Western history. Additionally, Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint is a great book about leadership and resilience, and how failure doesn’t have to define us—it also can develop us.
Lt. Col. Joe Byerly, U.S. Army retired, served 20 years, retiring in August as commander of 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Germany. He is the founder of the website From the Green Notebook and the host of the From the Green Notebook podcast.
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Tuning In to the Diverse Soundtrack of Wartime
Instrument of War: Music and the Making of America’s Soldiers. David Suisman. University of Chicago Press. 336 pages. $35
By James Austin Sandy
When considering military music, one might envision ceremonial stalwarts like marching bands and buglers blasting out taps and reveille. The reality is more diverse. The U.S. military is the largest single employer of musicians in the world and spends three times more on music than the National Endowment of the Arts’ total budget.
David Suisman’s Instrument of War: Music and the Making of America’s Soldiers offers a groundbreaking analysis of the role of music throughout American military history. In his book, Suisman sets off to understand how music, and those who make it, has enabled the execution of American wars. He argues convincingly that a fundamental relationship exists between the processes of making music and making war, focusing on ways in which music is made, utilized, experienced and interpreted.
Through eight chapters, Suisman provides a chronological study of music and the armed forces from the Civil War to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. At the forefront of this analysis sits the U.S. Army and its long-running and multilayered musical tradition.
To one Union officer, “Music is almost as necessary for soldiers as rations.” The American Civil War erupted at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, in 1861 to the sound of a brass band, according to the book. Four years later, a lone bugler confirmed the surrender of Confederate Gen. Robert Lee, adding to the chorus of thousands of elated Union soldiers singing of victory.
Suisman’s opening chapter lays clear the intimate and universal relationship between music, musicians and the Army. From 9-year-old drummer boys who became local legends to the twin necessities of music at camp and on the battlefield, the Civil War had a loud and obvious soundtrack.
Suisman highlights how the service branches, specifically the Army, utilized music to galvanize the tide of incoming young men toward a singular purpose in basic training. During the Vietnam War, one young soldier recalled, “We’d sing from morning ’til night.” The Army used marching cadences and jody calls as part of the physical and psychological conditioning process.
In Chapter 6, Suisman takes on the mythology of Vietnam as the “rock-and-roll war,” arguing that Hollywood has presented a simple understanding of the roles that music played across the rice paddies of South Vietnam. While popular rock and protest music of the era certainly had its place, Suisman contends that genres like soul highlighted the racial division that divided the Army in the field. In clubs and hooches across the war zone, jukeboxes and radios both were vital links home and potential lightning rods. While Jimi Hendrix, Adrian Cronauer and Edwin Starr’s War song have their place in America’s understanding of its war in Vietnam, Suisman shows the more complicated impact music brought to bear.
While America’s most modern wars in Iraq and Afghanistan do not appear to have the same ready-made soundtrack of Vietnam, Suisman highlights the many ways music, sound and its delivery were constant fixtures during America’s latest “forever wars.” Soldiers brought a personalized and communal soundtrack with custom-mixed CDs and traded MP3s.
The war in Iraq had its own musical backdrop, as the U.S. military and its insurgent adversaries took turns blasting classic rock and Islamic chants through the streets of Fallujah before, during and after firefights. To Suisman, music was both a military weapon in those conflicts and a cultural cudgel that helped define the transformative presence of the U.S. military in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
From brass bands to iPods, Instrument of War is recommended for anyone interested in the transformative power of music throughout the Army’s history.
James Austin Sandy is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he teaches courses in military and cultural history. He holds a doctorate in history from Texas Tech University.