Tour of Duty: 50 Inspiring Stories From Our Men and Women in the Armed Forces

Sea Power, Jul 2003 by Gardner, Sherry L

TOUR OF DUTY: 50 Inspiring Stories From Our Men and Women in the Armed Forces, by Lynne Marie Rominger and Milos James, Gloucester, Mass.: Fair Winds, May 2003. 176 pp. $14.95 ISBN: 1-59233-012-6. Lynne Marie Rominger, who grew up in a military family, and Milos James, a U.S. Army veteran, teamed forces to produce this collection of moving stories.

The 50 real-life narratives included-collected from around the country-are told by both veterans and active-duty personnel and span four wars dating from World War II to the current global war on terrorism. All of the stories in-cluded are relatively short and, while pro-viding an easy read, still touch the reader with their patriotism, humor, and enthusiasm. The contributions range from tales from the frontlines to the stories of those who were anxiously waiting at home. Whether the story is of three brothers meeting far from home during World War TI, a Marine adrift in the middle of the ocean, or an astronaut on a shuttle mission, the personal accounts described pull together into a cohesive whole to explain-partially, at least-the noble ethos shared by those who experience military life. They also go a long way to illustrate both the diversity and the universality of American service personnel and to demonstrate the courage and devotion that are present in all of the generations who have served in uniform.