The month of May has been designated as National Military Appreciation Month, to honor and appreciate the patriotism and dedication shown by members of the armed services and their families.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself “conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.” Because of the nature of its criteria, the medal is often awarded posthumously.
On the evening of May 17th at 7pm, the Library is presenting a program “Ten Astounding Actions Earning a Medal of Honor” where you will learn about astounding heroics performed by some amazing people who have served in our military and learn about their valorous deeds that led to their earning this highest military honor.
We hope you can join us.
And here are some recently published works on military history, accounts of battle, and war memoirs followed by other library materials, which should remind us of the immense valor, sacrifice, commitment and dedication displayed by our men and women in uniform. All are available to borrow with your Livingston Library card.
All Blood Runs Red : The Legendary Life of Eugene Bullard– Boxer, Pilot, Soldier, Spy by Phil Keith
The incredible life story of Eugene Bullard, the first African American military pilot in WWI, who went on to become a self-taught jazz musician, a Paris nightclub impresario, a spy in the French Resistance and an American civil rights pioneer.
Brothers In Valor : Battlefield Stories of the 89 African Americans Awarded the Medal of Honor by Robert F. Jefferson
A vivid portrait of African American soldiers who carried the flag of freedom and equality and how they reshaped the very definition of courage under fire during some of the most harrowing moments in the United States military past.
All Souls Day : the World War II Battle and The Search For a Lost U S Battalion by Joseph M. Pereira
The reconstruction of a little-known battle during World War II, and the impact it has to this day.
Beyond Valor : a World War II Story of Extraordinary Heroism, Sacrificial Love, and A Race Against Time by Jon Erwin
A miraculous true story of a soldier’s unspeakable heroism, a teenage woman’s unfailing love, and the faith that secured them all.
Eagle Down : The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War by Jessica Donati
A Wall Street Journal national security reporter takes readers into the lives of U.S. Special Forces on the front lines against the Taliban and Islamic State, where a new and covert war is keeping Afghanistan from collapse.
I Marched With Patton : A Firsthand Account of World War II Alongside One of the U S Army’s Greatest Generals by Frank Sisson with Robert L. Wise.
Published to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of Patton’s death, a Third Army soldier’s firsthand account of his service beside the history-shaping general relates his participation in key events, including the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of Dachau.
Inferno : The True Story of a B-17 Gunner’s Heroism and The Bloodiest mMilitary Campaign in Aviation History by Joe Pappalardo
Tells the true story of the men who flew the deadliest missions of World War II, and an unlikely hero who received the Medal of Honor in the midst of the bloodiest military campaign in aviation history.
82 Days On Okinawa : One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle by Col. Art Shaw (Ret.) with Robert L. Wise
A riveting firsthand account of American heroism, Colonel Art Shaw’s 82 Days on Okinawa delivers an unprecedented soldier’s-eye view of the Pacific War’s ‘bloodiest battle of all’ — the climactic final land battle of World War II and a campaign so brutal that it convinced leaders to unleash the atomic bomb.
The Hardest Place : The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley by Wesley Morgan
A searching history of the U.S. campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida in a remote district of Afghanistan.
Modern Warriors : Real Stories From Real Heroes by Pete Hegseth
A collection of stories from fifteen of America’s greatest heroes–highly decorated Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, marines, Purple Heart recipients, combat pilots, a Medal of Honor recipient, and more–based on Fox Nation’s show of the same name.
Three Wise Men : a Navy Seal, a Green Beret, and How Their Marine Brother Became a War’s Sole Survivor by Beau Wise
An incredible memoir of family, service and sacrifice by a Marine who lost both his brothers in combat–becoming the only “Sole Survivor” during the war in Afghanistan.
Walk In My Combat Boots : True Stories From America’s Bravest Warriors by Janes Patterson
Shares firsthand wartime accounts describing the courageous battlefield sacrifices of men and women from every branch and operational specialty of the U.S. military, from the Vietnam War through the present.
The York Patrol : The Real Story of Alvin York and The Unsung Heroes Who Made Him World War I’s Most Famous Soldier by James Carl Nelson
Documents the stories of a legendary World War I soldier and his fellow Medal of Honor-decorated patrol members, heralding their courageous capture of dozens of German adversaries in the Argonne Forest.
Digital issues of Military History Magazine are available to check out on Overdrive.
You can stream a variety of videos related to military history on Kanopy
Or why not play one of these acclaimed war themed movies available in the Library’s DVD collection and remember our military brethren this Memorial Day weekend?
Full Metal Jacket: A Film by Stanley Kubrick
-Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian