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No, I haven't forgotten the book I worked on from June of 2020 to May of 2021. I'm still in the editing process. Though the readers caught a lot of typos, grammatical errors, and the like, I'm still finding the odd "What the Hell was I thinking when I typed that?" errors.
I am also determined to bring the stories of the men of the 15th Scottish Division, same for Kowalski of 1st Polish Armored Division. You may be wondering why I stopped their threads virtually in the middle of the book. Best answer is, "I don't really know."
I was getting very wrapped up in the fighting in the Hürtgenwald, then later in the Ardennes. While I could have gone back and gotten the lads from Scotland and Poland through to the end of the war, I just didn't take the time to do so.
So yes, their stories will be continued and wrapped up in the final version of the book.
As to "What happened after war?" I'm still mulling that over, I miss Cpt. Hernandez and Charlie Gammell and the rest of the lads. I need to carry them further, maybe into the Korean War. Nate Paddock, being a West Pointer, will probably stay in the Army. If the politicians don't draw down too far and ruin his opportunities.
We shall see.
I talked with the Muse today, she's in some dive bar in the Caribbean last I heard, about putting another episode of the Wilderness War out there for today (today being Sunday, as you read it, Saturday as I write it). She had this to say...
"Are you bloody mad? I'm on a three day bender and can't even stand up, let alone tell stories. Well, coherent stories at any rate. Don't take this the wrong way boss, but 'Piss off!'"
Oh dear, what if juvat, Tuna, and Beans hear that sort of talk? Might give 'em ideas it might.
Be back Tuesday come Hell or high water. We need to get Malheur, the Gaudrys, Little Wolf and the rest of les français moving north, out of danger.
Beware, there's Mohicans in those woods!
Oh look, things going BOOM!
I think I have it figured out. Kowalski met a USN JG named Nelson, on the LST bringing his unit to France. Nelson was part of a Beachmaster unit, going over speed up the unloading of armor. Kowalski and Nelson had a good yak on the trip over. Nelson explained that he was from a wealthy family, and someday wanted to establish a Marine Institute.
ReplyDeleteThe two men, both being Bears of Very Large Brains, hit it off. Nelson told Kowalski that he was not sure of the fate of Poland, post war, and Kowalski would probably thrive in the US. Nelson told him that if he made it to California, he was sure he could find a place for him at the Nelson Marine Institute.
There, now we know a forty year old Kowalski wound up on SEAVIEW! Nelson and Kowalski could even remeet at Mallard Lake, WI. remember, Nelson was a Naval Aviator. Nelson was skipper of VP-666, A P2V squadron, flying out of Mallard Lake NAS, helping to keep the Canuck Tyranny on their side of the lake. Meanwhile, Kowalski made it to the US, and was an Assistant Professor of Languages at UW Mallard Lake, when they met again, at a local resort. Nelson reoffered the job, and Kowalski, already tired of Wisconsin winters, accepted.
Heh.
DeleteThat should have read The Lake, meaning Lake Superior.
ReplyDeleteGot it.
DeleteYou would think the poor PIAT gunner would have been issued a Sten, wouldn't you? To fend off something not mounted on tracks, he doesn't appear to even have a pointed stick! At least we eventually gave bazooka men and flame thrower operators M-1 carbines.
ReplyDeleteMore stuff to carry, not exactly what infantrymen like.
DeleteBren, Sten and PIAT oh My!
ReplyDelete😁
DeleteSarge - That is something that has always impressed me about someone like Tolkien: he never seemed to lose track of anyone or any storage thread (the rest of us, not so much. I cannot tell you the number of times I have gone back and asked some version of "What the Heck?"?).
ReplyDeleteThat said, the Muse eventually has to come back (they do make you leave those places, sooner or later, even if in a wheelbarrow). We can we patiently.
I had never heard of the movie you showed the clip from. My goodness, CGI can do almost anything. Looking at those more gentleman getting bounced around and covering their ears, I am surprised people chose (or choose) this as a career. Seems like you would be a fairly large target with equipment about your size shooting back at you and nowhere to go.
"Wait patiently. We can wait patiently." This is what happens when eager to type but coffee has not reached the brain...
DeleteTB# 1 - The inside of a tank gets pretty noisy, even when there isn't stuff banging off the outside.
DeleteTB# 2 - Understood. 😁
DeleteLet the Muse be; in the words of Jimmy Buffett " It cleans me out, then I can go on".
ReplyDeleteCatching up with the Scots and the Poles is worthy work; we'll get to exercise our patience - and exercise t'will be.
Boat Guy
She comes and goes at her own pace, that's for sure!
DeleteWhat's wrong with Caribbean dive bars? ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe correct answer being, of course, "Not a thing."
DeleteBTW I think Steven Hernandez will want to stay in the Army too.
ReplyDeleteBG
He's leaning that way.
DeleteOh another BTW; my Dad wound up in Korea in 1946 as a newly minted OCS Infantry officer, the only non-West Pointer in his unit. Knowing them and their prospects convinced him not to go to USMA not stay in the peacetime Army
ReplyDeleteBoat Guy
I can understand that. Congress did their usual sloppy job of applying a "peace dividend" after WWII.
Delete80 years old and not in the best of shape, but I'm happy to wait. At worst, I'll leave it to my grandsons so they'll have some idea of what their great-grandfather and his brothers (and great-greats on both sides, Axis and Allied) went through in that conflagration called WWII ETO.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to finish it up this summer. Bear with me.
DeleteInteresting video. Though that Panther at the end should have perforated the T34-85. And having a round go through the cupola should have discombobulated the Russkie commander, if not deheaded him. But it's a Russkie movie, so...
ReplyDeleteNice that they show the effect of spalling and flaking, though the round that creased the one turret should have spalled a decent sized flake off, too. But, again, it's a Russkie movie.
As to your Muse, looking at the weather map, she can't blame missing her flights due to bad weather. Bad hangover, yes, not bad weather.
Glad to hear book continues.
Next thing you know, she'll claim to be stuck at the airport. In Miami.
Delete