Military Audiobooks | History

Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire

Brought to you by Penguin. Some years ago a stash of family records was handed down to Michael Palin, among which were photos of an enigmatic young man in army uniform, as well as photos of the same young man as a teenager looking uncomfortable at family gatherings. This, Michael learnt, was his Great-Uncle Harry, born in 1884, died in 1916. He had previously had no idea that he had a Great-Uncle Harry, much less that his life was cut short at the age of 32 when he was killed in the Battle of the Somme. The discovery both shocked him and made him want to know much more about him. The quest that followed involved hundreds of hours of painstaking detective work. Michael dug out every bit of family gossip and correspondence he could. He studied every relevant official document. He tracked down what remained of his great-uncle Harry's diaries and letters, and pored over photographs of First World War battle scenes to see whether Harry appeared in any of them. He walked the route Harry took on that fatal, final day of his life amid the mud of northern France. And as he did so, a life that had previously existed in the shadows was revealed to him. Great-Uncle Harry is an utterly compelling account of an ordinary man who led an extraordinary life. A blend of biography, history, travelogue and personal memoir this is Michael Palin at his very finest. ©2023 Michael Palin (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Michael Palin (Author), Michael Palin (Narrator)

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The Pledge to America: One Man's Journey from Political Prisoner to U.S. Navy SEAL

Retired Navy SEAL Drago Dzieran takes listeners behind the scenes of his incredible life, from an impoverished childhood in Communist-controlled Poland to his time as a political prisoner, to his twenty years as a member of the United States military's most elite fighting force. Everything I have, I owe to America-the greatest country in the world. I have been fighting oppression and defending freedom my entire life. When I became a United States citizen, I felt it was my moral obligation to give back to this country and the people who had given me freedom. I wanted to serve my new country in the best capacity I could, so when the first Persian Gulf War broke out, I decided to join the military. During my Navy career, I performed over one hundred combat direct action missions in Iraq from 2003 to 2005. My chance to live as a free man is only possible because of the ideals the founding fathers fought for and that have been carried forward to this day by Americans. Every person has a voice, and every voice matters. I will continue to encourage others to get involved, stand up, and preserve and cherish the freedom and liberty we have in America.

Drago Dzieran (Author), Joel Richards (Narrator)

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Live. Fight. Survive.: An ex-British soldier’s account of courage, resistance and defiance fighting

Brought to you by Penguin. Shaun Pinner was a retired and decorated British soldier, living a peaceful and happy life in Mariupol with his Ukrainian family. What follows is the true story of his six months spent imprisoned in Russian-occupied Ukraine. After the horrors of frontline fighting, Shaun had to survive his capture by the Russian soldiers, and his removal to a Black Site - an off-the-grid prison untethered to human rights conventions - where he was subjected to a campaign of torture by Putin's secret police. It saw him shocked with electricity, stabbed, beaten, and almost starved to death, all while trying to maintain his morale with the other POWs. Shaun tells a story that is both an unputdownable record of the fierceness of the fighting and a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit. ©2023 Shaun Pinner (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Shaun Pinner (Author), Shaun Pinner (Narrator)

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Gunboat Command: The Biography of Lieutenant Commander Robert Hichens DSO* DSC** RNVR

This biography draws heavily on the personal diaries of the subject, Robert Hichens (or ‘Hitch’ as he was universally known). After a brief description of his early life, time at Oxford, his motor racing achievements (including trophies at Le Mans in his Aston Martin), and RN training, the book focuses on his exceptional wartime experiences. Hitch was the most highly decorated RNVR officer of the war with two DSOs, three DSCs and three Mentions in Despatches. He was recommended for a posthumous VC. We read of his early days in vulnerable minesweepers and the Dunkirk ‘Dynamo’ operation, (his first DSC). In late 1940, Hitch joined Coastal Forces serving in the very fast MGBs, soon earning his own command and shortly after command of his Flotilla. He was the first to capture an E-Boat. His successful leadership led to many more successes and his reputation as a fearless and dynamic leader remains a legend today. The book contains detailed and graphic accounts of running battles against the more heavily armed E-boats. Tragically, he was killed in action in April 1943, having refused promotion and a job ashore.

Antony Hitchens (Author), Alex Hyde-White (Narrator)

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The Grunts of Wrath: A Memoir

Combat diaries from elite operators and commanding officers dominate the space. But what happens when regulars face the fire? Ronny Bruce is a renaissance man: philosopher, drifter, Gen X rock 'n' roller, and gentleman. At thirty-two, divorced and burnt-out with the burbs, Ronny bails on his teaching career and seeks army infantry. It's no joke when boot camp is mandatory since his marine corps' service ended ten years beforehand. Assigned to Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Ronny's platoon hunts an Afghan foe who's never surrendered. Half collapse from wounds. Ronny's decade-long postwar journey examines victory and failure. Six men expire before thirty-five as a result of four suicides, one unexplained death, and murder. Labels for the living include felon, vagrant, drunk, addict, depressed, and suicidal. Ronny checks some boxes. Graduate, businessman, engineer, teacher, accountant, and rich describes other paths. Ronny checks some of those too. War through the eyes of this offbeat ATLien provides explosive payoffs that get smothered by each page-answering an age-old question: what drives warriors over the edge?

Ronny Bruce (Author), Jamie Renell (Narrator)

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Unsung Hero of Gettysburg: The Story of Union General David McMurtrie Gregg

Gen. David McMurtrie Gregg (1833-1917) was one of the ablest and most successful commanders of cavalry in any Civil War army. Pennsylvania-born, West Point-educated, and deeply experienced in cavalry operations prior to the conflict, his career personified that of the typical cavalry officer in the mid-nineteenth-century American army. Gregg achieved distinction on many battlefields, ultimately gaining the rank of brevet major general as leader of the Second Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac. The highlight of his service occurred on July 3, 1863, the climactic third day at Gettysburg, when he led his own command as well as the brigade of Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer in repulsing an attempt by thousands of Confederate cavalries under the legendary J. E. B. Stuart in attacking the right flank and rear of the Union Army while Pickett's charge struck its front and center. Historians credit Gregg with helping preserve the security of his army at a critical point, making Union victory inevitable. Unlike glory-hunters such as Custer and Stuart, Gregg was a quietly competent veteran who never promoted himself or sought personal recognition for his service. Rarely has a military commander of such distinction been denied a biographer's tribute. Gregg's time is long overdue.

Edward G. Longacre (Author), John Mclain (Narrator)

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Hamilcar and Hannibal: The History of the Carthaginian Generals Who Brought Rome to Its Knees

One overlooked figure in the Punic Wars is Hamilcar Barca, who is now best remembered for being Hannibal’s father. However, before Hannibal marched out of Spain, it was Hamilcar who had positioned forces there, and he was already a significant historical figure in his own right. Indeed, had it not been for his death, his legacy likely would have been more important than that of his illustrious son, who is now remembered as one of history’s greatest generals. In the history of war, only a select few men always make the list of greatest generals. Napoleon. Caesar. Alexander. They are always joined by Hannibal, who has the distinction of being the only man who nearly brought Rome to its knees before its decline almost 700 years later. Rome never suffered a more horrifying defeat in its history than at Cannae, and indeed, Hannibal nearly rewrote the course of Western history during the Second Punic War. Even today there remains great debate on just how he accomplished his masterful invasion of Italy across the Alps. Since his army included war elephants, historians still argue over exactly where and how he crossed over 2,000 years after he managed that incredible feat. Although the Romans gained the upper hand in the wake of the First Punic War, Hannibal brought the Romans to their knees for over a decade during the Second Punic War. While military historians are still amazed that he was able to maintain his army in Italy near Rome for nearly 15 years, scholars are still puzzled over some of his decisions, including why he never attempted to march on Rome in the first place. Hannibal will always be listed among history’s greatest generals, and his military campaign in Italy during the Second Punic War will always be studied, but part of the aura and mystique surrounding the Carthaginian legend is that there is still a lot of mystery.

Charles River Editors (Author), Michelle Humphries (Narrator)

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Erich Hartmann: The Life and Legacy of the Luftwaffe’s Top Fighter Ace during World War II

The Third Reich's Luftwaffe began World War II with significant advantages over other European air forces, playing a critical role in the German war machine's swift, powerful advance. By war's end, however, the Luftwaffe had been decimated by combat losses and crippled by poor decisions at the highest levels of military decision-making, and it proved unable to challenge Allied air superiority despite a last-minute upsurge in German aircraft production. Few people personified the advancements and abilities of the Luftwaffe like Erich Hartmann, the most successful ace in the history of warfare. His records are made all the more remarkable by the fact that he came late to the Second World War. It had already been underway for more than three years when, on October 14, 1942, at the furthest extremity of Germany’s advance into Russia, he strapped himself into the cockpit of his Messerschmitt 109 for his first combat mission. Born in April 1922, he was still just 20, but he was certainly prepared and ready. He had been flying gliders since his early teens - including as a glider instructor with the Hitler Youth - and he received a pilot’s license for powered aircraft in 1937. Over the course of the war, Hartmann was credited with shooting down 352 enemy aircraft, 345 of which were Russian and seven being American, making him the most successful combat fighter of all time. In fact, the number is so incredible that it has inevitably come under intense criticism and scrutiny over the years, with some suggesting outright that the figure is falsified, while others have pointed to the unique combat circumstances of the Russian front and suggested that aerial combat there was somehow easier.

Charles River Editors (Author), Steve Knupp (Narrator)

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Tod is God: The Authorized Story of How I Created Extreme Championship Wrestling

The uncensored inside story of ECW's founder Tod Gordon's journey from jewelry store owner to one of the three most powerful promoters in pro wrestling. In Tod is God-so named for a chant the ECW fans created to honor the founder-Gordon chronicles each step of the company's meteoric rise to prominence, as well as the elements that led to his removing himself from the company before its demise. Gordon's former partnership with ECW booker Paul Heyman made for magical TV and in-ring moments. The friendship between Gordon and Heyman, both a blessing and curse, was the once-in-a-lifetime bond responsible for so many of history's greatest teams, bands, and partners. Gordon has stayed silent on the causes for the split and, by doing so, assumed blame for it. Until now. Tod is God is the closest you'll ever get to living ECW's ride to the top. Come sit beside Sandman, Sabu, Terry Funk, Cactus Jack, and other ECW stars as Gordon brings you inside the locker rooms, hotel rooms, and car rides. From the triumphs and breakthroughs to the frustrations and tragedies, you'll live it all alongside the man who started it all.

Sean Oliver, Tod Gordon (Author), Sean Oliver (Narrator)

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Small Victories in a Great Big War: The Terrifying and Sometimes Hilarious Adventures of a World War

An incredible journey of traumatic near-death moments, day to day drudgery, amusing situations, and brushes with greatness in World War II. Life for a World War II paratrooper was grave and perilous; John H. Canfield's experience was no different. However, this young man found himself in so many crazy-sometimes humorous-situations that he almost forgot about how dangerous it was. Filled with pranksters and superiors full of bravado and an unfortunate brush with racial bigotry with a fellow African American soldier, Canfield shares his many stories from basic training and jump school. But his best stories are from the war. From having to translate a dinner for an inebriated superior using his scant French, to getting chewed out by none other than General George S. Patton, Canfield shares a wealth of experiences from his WWII tour of the European theater. In Small Victories in a Great Big War, John H. Canfield shows that half the battle is surviving, and that he did. With bravery and flair, Canfield returned home to Connecticut with more than a few amusing anecdotes. More than seventy-five years after the end of World War II, John H. Canfield's stories are now shared with the world.

John H. Canfield (Author), Eric Smies (Narrator)

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Navy Dog: A Dog's Days in the US Navy

Having Seaman Jenna as the mascot on the USS Vandegrift was never meant to be a statement or symbolic act, or to put the crew on the radars of four-star admirals. Jenna came aboard unannounced, a Christmas gift that brought instant joy to the crew and transformed a gray ship into a home for 225 sailors. Her addition was not pre-approved by the chain of command-contrary to military protocol. Before long, Jenna became a phenomenon-the only dog on a Navy ship since World War II-despite the best efforts to keep her from the public eye. This orphaned Shiba Inu and the displaced crew shared countless adventures and trials during her five years on board. Jenna dodged being eaten in Korea (a country that still views dogs as edible fare), sidestepped Hawaii's strict quarantine law, avoided threats of being shot in Australia, charmed a Chinese admiral, and nearly initiated an international incident in Pakistan. Jenna became a symbol of the ship and of free will, and created a bond amongst the crew that remains strong decades later . . . long after her death. Neal Kusumoto is proud to say that he was the captain of that fine ship, blessed with a magnificent crew that included one special sea dog. Join Seaman Jenna as a part of the crew on her five-year adventure on the high seas.

Captain Us Navy (ret) Neal J. Kusumoto, Neal J. Kusumoto Captain Us Navy (ret) (Author), Chris Monteiro (Narrator)

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Flawed Hero

The shocking story of the case against Australia's most highly decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith VC MG, and the defamation trial of the century. With a Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry, Ben Roberts-Smith was the most highly decorated Australian soldier, the best of the best. When he returned to civilian life, he became a poster boy for a nation hungry for warrior heroes. He embodied the myth of the classic Anzac, seven-foot-tall and bulletproof. But as his public reputation continued to grow, inside the army rumours were circulating. Gold Walkley Award winning journalist Chris Masters was the first to investigate the rumours of summary executions, bloodings and bullying, and began to examine more closely the man we wanted to hero-worship. When the stories hit the headlines, and with a billionaire media baron's backing, Ben Roberts-Smith sued. So commenced the defamation trial of the century, a courtroom contest of tightrope tactics and fierce wit. Chris Masters tells the extraordinary story of Ben Roberts-Smith, the man at the centre of this de facto war crimes trial, from the battlegrounds of Afghanistan to the front lines of the Federal Court. ‘After 40 years of producing landmark journalism, Masters is still doing it. And he's still obsessive about the truth, relentless and fearless.' Nick McKenzie 'If there was a Victoria Cross for bravery in journalism, Chris Masters deserves to receive it.' Phillip Adams 'There's seriously no one else in Australia with the knowledge that Chris Masters has in relation to Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan.' Former Commando Major

Chris Masters (Author), David Tredinnick (Narrator)

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Military Audiobooks in History