December 7, 1941, . . .

. . . a date which will live in infamy, . . .

Remembering all who died at Pearl Harbor 

on December 7, 1941.

USS Arizona exploding

USS Arizona Memorial

Oops, that's not quite right . . .

 You know I write based on a plot that I prepare first and then update as needed. Yesterday evening, in Dunn's main story line's climatic chapter of the new book, I discovered I'd written myself into a corner, or a box. 

Rather than trying to figure out the solution at 9:45 pm, I switched to a different, earlier chapter for Saunders. This morning, while walking our dog, Lila, the solution suddenly presented itself all on its own. 

Fixed the problem and it only cost me 78 words.

Thank you, Lila!

Thank you Veterans!

To all veterans: 

Thank you for serving. Thank you for your sacrifices.

In Loving Memory (deceased)

Olga Munsterman (Mom) – U.S. Coast Guard

Major Harvey Mellion (Father) – U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force

Amos Munsterman (Uncle) – U.S. Army, Silver Star

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

Norman Munsterman (Uncle) – U.S. Army

Maxwell Elder (Wife’s Father) – U.S. Army

Lester Knisley (Uncle) – U.S. Navy

Master Sergeant Frank O. Champion – High School ROTC teacher

In Loving Honor (living)

Alexandra (Granddaughter) Page Robinson – Army National Guard

Don Munsterman (Cousin) – U.S. Army

Joe Stutler (Friend) – U.S. Army

Dr. Byron Thornton (Nephew) – U.S. Army

Sgt. Dunn #14 update

 I thought I'd take a moment to say "Hi." I haven't posted anything for some time. I hope you are doing well and are safe and healthy.

I'm working on the next Sgt. Dunn novel, number 14. Hard to believe it's that many! I'm about 50% done with the first draft. Dunn and Saunders are back at it causing trouble for the Nazis in their own backyard.

That's it for now. Do take care.

Ronn

Our flowers were so beautiful the neighborhood deer snacked on them . . .

Our Asian Lillies bloomed late this year, but were as beautiful as ever. 

We have deer who browse through our neighborhood.

One liked our birdfeed. Another liked a shrub on the side of the house.

One of them ate all the Asian Lillies . . . 

Sigh. I forgot one night to use our Deer spray.

Maybe next year.

Radioactive no-man's land

In my book, Lethal Ground, published in 2018, Sgt. Dunn's main mission is to prevent the Germans from spreading nuclear material over the ground to sicken, kill, and stop the Allied advance into Germany. The story was triggered by my research, which found Operation Peppermint. It was created by the Americans in case the Germans did just that on the beaches of Normandy. The Germans didn't do it, but it was a real concern.

Fast forward to the present.

I'm reading The Korean War by military historian Sir Max Hastings. A few days ago I read the chapter about the dismissal of General Douglas MacArthur. It turns out, unbeknownst to me, that MacArthur wanted to drop atomic bombs in such number that a radioactive no-man's land would be created between the Korean peninsula and mainland China, which would made that area uninhabitable for years. 

Here's an interesting article about Truman firing MacArthur.

100th anniversary of my mom's birthday

My mom, Olga R. Munsterman, was born on this day in 1920. She passed away on 3 January 3, 1991, and is buried at the Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. She served as a SPAR in the United States Coast Guard, a Yeoman Second Class.

She left the family farm (near Stover, MO, about 95 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri) when she was 18 and moved to KC for work.

Her boot camp was in Palm Beach, Florida, where the Coast Guard had taken over the famous Biltmore Hotel. Here's a history of that period. Her assignment was at Norfolk Virginia. After the war, she went to college at Woodbury College in Los Angeles. Following that, she moved back to Kansas City.

Olga Regina Munsterman 

16 June 1920 - 3 January 1991