But to this Englishman, it’s his castle. And he wants it back.It began as a simple property dispute. It ended in all-out war.Ex-soldier and policeman, Peter Murray, returns to the beautiful holiday island of Cyprus to keep the vow he made to his late wife, Kathy, to complete the deal on the ‘Place In The Sun’ that was their shared dream before a tragic accident took her, and their son, from him.But Murray’s hopes are shattered when he finds the house being lived in by Russian mobster, Valerik Podruznig, and his family, as well as his small army of enforcers. Podruznig already sees the potential in the house Murray built - and has no intention of giving it up.From Murray’s initial attempts at peaceful negotiation, what begins as a simple property dispute soon escalates, through threats, intimidation and violence, before exploding into all-out war. In the face of Podruznig’s casual disregard for the law, Murray has to call on all his policing experience and military know-how to counter the Russian’s efforts and stay alive.Equal parts crime novel, heist thriller, and military adventure, and set against the backdrop of the popular holiday resort of Pafos, A Killing Place In The Sun recounts the struggle for supremacy between two determined adversaries, one as ruthless and dangerous as the other is principled and daring, as they each seek the resolution they desire.Hanging over the action, is the mystery of what happened to the consignment of gold that disappeared during Murray and his team’s last military mission, and its connection, if any, to the house in the sun. Things are complicated further when the local police chief’s vivacious daughter's feelings of sympathy for Murray’s plight start evolving into something deeper. And when her life is threatened, it triggers a nail-biting climax that finally brings Murray and Podruznig face-to-face in a way that is not just unexpected, but puts several twists on all that has gone before. As the new dawn casts its first shadows over what has, by now, become, A Killing Place In The Sun, the shattering truth finally reveals itself. But who will be left alive to witness it? Find out by buying it, today.Robert F Barker was born in Liverpool, England. During a thirty-year police career, he worked in and around some of the North West’s grittiest towns and cities. As a senior detective, he led investigations into all kinds of major crime including, murder, armed robbery, serious sex crime and people/drug trafficking. Whilst commanding firearms and disorder incidents, he learned what it means to have to make life-and-death decisions in the heat of live operations. His stories are grounded in the reality of police work, but remain exciting, suspenseful, and with the sort of twists and turns that crime-thriller readers love.5* Praise for Robert F Barker's books'A gripping read about an exceptional detective and the complexities in his life'(Last Gasp)'Fabulous writer and solid knowledge of police procedures. Can't wait for more from this writer' -Last Gasp'A fantastic page turner with a hugely sinister and disturbing villain at its heart' -Family Reunion'As exciting and ‘real’ as anything I have read in a police detective novel in a long time' - Family Reunion'Well written and fast paced.... a great read for crime-thriller fans' - Final Breath'Loved, loved, LOVED this book! Couldn't put it down. Always left on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next!'(Last Gasp)'A very well crafted mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat'(Final Breath)'Jamie Carver is a mix of genius... and emotional wreck!' - Out Of Air'So compelling and well written that I can't wait to read the next in the series' (Final Breath)

    Nui Ba Dien or the “Black Virgin Mountain” served as a major staging area for the last finger of the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail as it crossed the Cambodian border just a few miles to the West. Honeycombed with hundreds of caves and fortified with elite NVA and Viet Cong soldiers, she stood as a “Thorn in the Side” of American military control of the region. The 25th Infantry Division held a communication site on her highest peak and also the land encircling her base but her slopes were voraciously defended by large numbers of elite enemy soldiers. Anytime any American unit undertook to engage her slopes, a hellacious battle was guaranteed with the “Angel of Death” always hovering near! These memoirs illuminate more than just the courage of battle but also the courage and inner strength that the soldiers of Vietnam had to shoulder upon their return home. Courage and dignity qualify all Vietnam Veterans such that the country that at one time turned their back on them now holds them in high esteem. This is my story, start to finish and it was written to enlighten the reader to a greater understanding of the American men and women and their struggles for survival in America’s most unpopular war!

    This account has many illustrations of the grinding stress of intense combat in Laos, and the periodic clashes with the distant headquarters that had little knowledge of an extremely complex combat environment and was more focused on control rather than results.

    Doyen is a fast-paced action-adventure story from World War 2 detailing the birth of modern amphibious warfare. The book follows the US Navy attack transport ship the Doyen (AP-1), the first of its kind, from its exciting launch on the California coast to its deadly assaults on the shores of Saipan, Leyte, Luzon, and Iwo Jima.

    

    They operated out of Chu Lai the sprawling base camp on the coast of South Vietnam, home to the 23rd Infantry Division and the 75th Rangers. Their missions were conducted in the northern provinces, dubbed by the military as 1st Combat Tactical Zone (1CTZ).From Rosemary's Point at Chu Lai, to Da Nang, to the Tuy Lon River and the White Mountains, across the Hai Van Pass to Phu Bai. They were both recon and striker unit, sometimes just looking for intell, sometimes attacking and sometimes being attacked. Often deployed to reinforce a small camp or firebase. Sometimes workng as convoy security.Mostly it was HOT! Life for them was either base camp boring, or "boonie rat" intense in full "battle rattle". Sometimes assigned missions to locate or capture specific targets. All of their missions were both classified and clandestine. Even their existence was denied. As much as possible their movements were hidden or camouflaged within larger unit operations and movements. Their operations were usually conducted with niether back-up, nor support readily available. They were required to move and survive on their bush skills, to adapt, over come, improvise, or if that failed E&E (escape and evade) back to a pick-up or rendezvous point for extraction. This story is about serving in Vietnam as professional soldiers in a "No Such Unit Exists" status. Part of the "other" Army in - South Vietnam, Republic of "A HARD PLACE."

    His infantry training eventually leads him to the elite Recon platoon in the 101st Airborne Division's 2/502 Infantry Regiment "Strike Force" Battalion. Soon he is involved in brutal combat that leaves many of his comrades dead or wounded. He faces bunkers and machine guns and ends up within touching distance of North Vietnamese soldiers. All eyes were on the Cambodian invasion and Kent State. The big battles were going on west of Hue in the area of operations of the Screaming Eagles. Thirty infantry grunts died taking hills 714 and 882 on the road to the A Shau valley. Nobody knew, and nobody cared about their heroism. They fought only for each other. He then finds out that going home was harder than going to Nam. Years later he finally had to confront the past. This is a story of a military veteran's reconciliation with life, and triumph over the painful memories from the hills west of Hue.

    

    Horton's experiences being thrown into heavy combat after just a few months of training. Recommended reading for all. Survival against all odds - in the trenches of Vietnam - I still can't believe they get out of there alive - couldn't put it down. This first person narrative of hand-to-hand combat in the trenches of Vietnam left me scared, glad to be alive and eternally grateful to those who died for my freedom Could not put it down - A friend had mentioned this book to me. Once I received it I could not put it down. Jerry Horton joined the army to simply be able to afford to go to college. 40 years later he has a PHD and multiple degrees but they were earned at a heavy price for this patriot. Jerry shares his experiences in Vietnam in an articulate, honest and direct assessment of his time in Vietnam, the men he served with and the horrors of war. Incredible story of leadership and survival. Shake N Bake Sergeant aka Instant NCO - Jerry Horton absolutely nailed the life of a "Shake 'n Bake" Sergeant when he tells the story of dedicated soldiers trained at Fort Benning, GA and then follows them to Vietnam. This book is not only absolutely dead on accurate but gives the reader every aspect of what it was like to experience the war as a Shake 'n Bake Sergeant. Instant NCO's were trained for only one reason - to lead United States soldiers into combat and they did it with heroic efficiency and effectiveness with limited resources. This book is not just a home run - it is a Grand Slam. Interesting, accurate, full of suspense and you can't put it down. This book should be required reading for everyone so they can understand that Freedom is not Free. There is a cost and sometimes that cost is heavy. Horton brings it all across in a nonstop action format. It is a great read! If you really want to know what it was like...This has to be the most realistic 'must read' book to come out of the VN war. If you ever read any book about this war - this is the one to read. You won't put it down and you won't ever forget it! From the book's review by the late COL(R) David Hackworth (most-decorated Vietnam veteran): "In 1968, the U.S. Army was running out of sergeants in Vietnam. Throughout military history, as least as far back as the Revolutionary War, sergeants were the backbone of the Army. This shortage of sergeants meant disaster in Vietnam. The NCO candidate school was created to solve this serious problem by doing one thing - train soldiers to lead men in combat. It was modeled after the Officer's candidate school but streamlined to meet this critical need for leaders in half the time. Graduates were known by most as "Shake 'n Bake Sergeants" or "Instant NCOs" since they got their rank fast from going to school. This book is the first time this important part of American history has ever been published. It is the first time anyone has given credit to Shake 'n Bake Sergeants - a credit that they so greatly deserved. At the time there were many who said they would fail. It seemed many did not respect them even though all were destined for front line positions. The book documents how they proved their worth over and over again as front line infantry leaders even though for thirty some years their sacrifices have been unknown." An unforgettable mixture of vivid realism, poignant sadness and unexpected humor. Once you begin reading The Shake 'n Bake Sergeant, you will find it hard to put it down. See www.shakenbakesergeant.com.

    

    It is primarily a story to share with family and friends about my personal involvement in the conflict and the turbulent decade of the 60s and does not attempt to question the politics of the era. It begins with a brief description of my quest to gain admittance to the United States Air Force Academy, my four years at the Academy, and the subsequent year of pilot training. I flew three different types of aircraft in combat and the book provides insight into the training that took place for the C-130 Hercules, the F-105 Thunderchief, and the A-1 Skyraider. Each of the three tours in combat over Laos and Vietnam is described with emphasis on the more memorable flights including a bailout in the A-1 and the final crash on takeoff that ended my active duty Air Force career. My time in various hospitals is described at the end of the book and the epilogue tells briefly of my life after retirement from the United States Air Force. The book has been described as a combination of Band of Brothers, Top Gun, and Forrest Gump.

    There’s only one catch—the United States Navy doesn’t have an All-Star baseball Team.A special team of elite warriors is assembled from the SEALs, Marine Recon, Army Rangers and the CIA to be used as a rapid deployment force when unconventional or covert operations are needed anywhere on the globe. Using the baseball team as a cover story, the Navy All-Stars fly to Qatar to find the leader of the New Wahabi Jihad and prevent a terrorist attack. Intelligence leads point to missing Sarin gas from Syria, and possible targets include The Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, as well as the new soccer stadium built for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar—a location chosen perhaps because of a few million dollars in bribery money.Operating without the approval of foreign governments, The Team works covertly to try and locate the Sarin before a major attack can take place. With bodies piling up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the clock ticking, The Team plays hardball, on and off the field.The Team is loosely based on a real covert military operation run in the sixties in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

     When Derrick Wolf and Kent Campbell were wounded in battle, they thought the war was over for them. And while the war may have been done with them, the army was not. Of No Value is an unvarnished depiction of the absurdity of war and army life in the early 1970s. From the pitiful treatment received at the army's hospitals to the completion of their service, they were scorned and insulted by the military. The contempt continued at home, this time at the hands of their fellow Americans, who spat and called them "baby killers." Of No Value is a memoir spanning the experiences of two soldiers from the time of their combat injuries to their discharge. It not only captures the ludicrous machinations of the military but also depicts the colorful counterculture life of the United States in the early 70s. Both Wolf and Campbell are Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipients. Wolf is also the author of Boys for Men, a best-selling Vietnam memoir.

    Tailhookers who wear the US Navy Wings of Gold are renowned as the most skilled pilots in the Aviation community. This book tells the story of a twenty year-old drafted into military service during the Vietnam War, then applying to enter US Navy pilot training. His historically accurate story begins with highlights of his Navy flight training to his assignment as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot in VA-22 The Fighting Redcocks. The book chronicles facts about the frustrating air war in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970 through Lt. Dellicker's three tours as an Attack pilot and LSO. Intertwined with the war stories and close calls is a love story of two young people who met, became engaged in two weeks, and endured 18 months of war-time separation. Now, after 45 years of marriage this story was written for their kids and grandkids as an accurate historical account of the Vietnam War, True Love, and Faith in God.

    It is a genuine, firsthand account of a one-year tour that shows how a soldier grew and matured from an awkward, bewildered, inexperienced, eighteen year-old country “bumpkin” from Kentucky, to a tough, battle hardened, fighting soldier. You will laugh, cry and stand in awe at the true life experiences shared in this memoir. The awfulness of battle, fear beyond description, the sorrow and anguish of losing friends, extreme weariness, the dealing with the scalding sun, torrential rain, cold, heat, humidity, insects and the daily effort just to maintain sanity were struggles faced virtually every day. And yet, there were the good times. There was the coming together to laugh, joke, and share stories from home. There was the warmth and compassion shown by men to each other in such an unreal environment. You will see where color, race or where you were from had no bearing on the tight-knit group of young men that was formed from the necessity to survive. What a “bunch” they were! ... then the return to home and all the adjustments and struggles to once again fit into a world that was now strange and uncomfortable. "Call Sign Dracula" is an excellent and genuine memoir of an infantry soldier in the Vietnam War.