Sgt, Dunn number 4 - first draft is done!

I finished the first draft of the new Sgt. Dunn novel (number 4) on Friday night, 10/2/15. Now the editing process begins.

My fascination with military stuff

My fascination with military stuff probably started when I was about nine or ten. My mom was a WWII Spar (the Coast Guard’s version of the Waves). She had a 1944 copy of Bluejackets' Manual, the Navy’s training manual that she’d been given at boot camp, which was in Florida, a long way from the farm in central Missouri. I read that whole thing, all 500+ pages of it. Granted, my little boy brain probably didn’t really understand all of it, but I clearly recall doing something interesting with my new found knowledge.

I wanted to start some sort of club, I have no idea what kind now, and wanted something to identify us in a hierarchy (although I doubt I knew that word then). I had a six-pointed sheriff’s star (maybe it came with a six-gun and holster outfit I had?). I got some stiff card paper, maybe the thickness of two index cards, and traced the star shape on the paper, about eight stars to a sheet.

Next, in pencil, I painstakingly labeled each star with a Navy officer’s rank from Ensign to Admiral. Finally, I cut those things out, which must have been exhausting with those goofy “safe” round-tipped kids’ scissors. It makes my hand hurt to just think about it.

Whether the club ever really got off the ground is hard to say. I think I was the only one interested in being an admiral. Sometimes, great kid ideas just die a natural death.

I signed that book at some point in the long-ago past and included our home address. My handwriting was a lot better then.

I still have that manual. It sits on the bookshelf with all of my WWII history books. Who knows, maybe I’ll start writing a series about the Navy in WWII.

Happy Father's Day!

Wishing all fathers everywhere a Happy Father's Day!

Warm wishes for a wonderful day,

Ronn

6 June - D-Day

Today is the 71st anniversary of D-Day.

Please take a moment to remember the men who died that day.

Here's a good question / answer site about D-Day:



Thanks,


Ronn

Battle of Midway underway 73 years ago.

It was 73 years ago that the U.S. Navy met and decisively defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midway. Many historians, but not all, believe this was the turning point in the Pacific.

Strength
3 carriers 7 heavy cruisers 1 light cruiser 15 destroyers 233 carrier-based aircraft 127 land-based aircraft 16 submarines[1]	4 carriers 2 battleships 2 heavy cruisers 1 light cruiser 12 destroyers 248 carrier-based aircraft[2] 16 floatplanes Did not participate in battle: 2 light carriers 5 battleships 4 heavy cruisers 2 light cruisers ~35 support ships

Casualties and losses
1 carrier sunk 1 destroyer sunk ~150 aircraft destroyed 307 killed[3]	4 carriers sunk 1 heavy cruiser sunk 1 heavy cruiser damaged 248 aircraft destroyed[4] 3,057 killed[5]

Memorial Day

Please take a moment today to give thanks for those men and women who have served and given their all for our country. Keep their families in your hearts and prayers.

We watched PBS's Washington D.C. Memorial Day concert last night and were, as always, brought to tears by the stories told.

My old flag was starting to fray at the bottom, so I bought a new American flag Saturday and have it flying today. What a great country we live in.

With respect,

Ronn

My family members who served in WWII

Amos Munsterman – U.S. Army, Silver Star

Olga Munsterman – U.S. Coast Guard

Hugo Munsterman – U.S. Army, Bronze Star, Purple Heart

Maxwell Elder – U.S. Army

Lester Knisley – U.S. Navy

Served Post WWII

Norman Munsterman – U.S. Army

Sgt. Dunn novel 3, Brutal Enemy on sale for .99 cents starting today.

Sgt. Dunn series book 3, Brutal Enemy, is on sale starting today for only .99 cents!

http://amzn.com/B00RIFHJS6