I am a freelance author with a passion for history. My main historical interests are the American Revolution and World War II. My published work includes feature articles for Portland-area publications and technical articles for national trade magazines. I live in Portland, Oregon with my wife, Susan, and rescued poodle, Joey. Righteous Might is my first full-length book. Next up is a book on the battle for Lone Tree Hill in the New Guinea campaign.
So why the interest in World War II? And why the Pacific?
World War II was a unique period in world history, a world gone mad. Unlike World War I, which was essentially concentrated in Europe and the Middle East, World War II involved immense tracts of the globe, bringing devastation to civilian populations as well as combatant armies. I had always been interested in the war – the causes, the campaigns, the major characters – and I thought I knew a good deal about it. But one day I noticed my father-in-law’s army portrait, surrounded by a group of medals. After a fair amount of prodding, he began relating his experiences in the U.S. Army’s 6th Infantry Division in New Guinea and the Philippines.
It turns out that, compared to what I knew about the war in Europe, I knew considerably less about the war in the Pacific. And what I did know was mostly about the Marines. A quick analysis shows why. There is simply so much more in print and movies about the Marines. (For one thing they had a better public relations department.) So I decided to do my small part to help balance the scale a bit by telling some stories focusing on the Army’s contributions in the Pacific Theater.