If you'd rather place an order by talking to one of our cheerful order desk clerks, please call 1-888-232-4444 (USA and Canada only) or 250-383-6864. From Europe, ring our UK order desk clerk at local rate number 0845 230 9601 (UK only) or 44 (0)1865 722 113.

Luzon

by Howard K. Storms

53 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #01-0207; ISBN 1-55212-807-5; US$12.95, C$19.95, EUR13.00, £9.00

A young GI from Brooklyn finally gets in the Army towards the end of World War Two.

Read more!

about the book      about the author      excerpt      catalogue info

About the Book Near the end of World War Two, a young man from Brooklyn enters the Army. Luzon relates his camp experiences and travels to and through the South Pacific. A landing in the Philippines launches his career as a combat soldier and brings an escaped POW Army Nurse and a Filipino Army Sergeant into his life. They become entwined by fate in an ongoing mission. After a stint in Occupied Japan they are teamed up to rescue gold reserves and help slow down the HUK uprising in the Philippines. Intrigue and romance accompany their military efforts to the very end.

---

About the Author Howard Storms was born in New York, where he still resides. He is a veteran of World War Two and worked for 25 years as an instructor at the New York State Department of Correction. He was also a police officer and served as Chief of Police. He is a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the National Association of Police and he is a past president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Sullivan County. Howard and his wife of 49 years, Betty, live in upstate New York. They have one daughter, four sons, and ten grandchildren.

---

Excerpt

    Things settled down aboard ship as we cruised the South Pacific. Finally we were put ashore on a beach in upper Luzon in the Philippines. We were to secure an area and there were reports of some Japanese holdouts in this area. Before anything could get going a loud explosion came from the water and our troop ship went down. It had hit a floating mine. Since all our records were still on board the ship, the Brass interviewed us on the beach as to name, rank and serial number. You can bet I got my stripes back with interest. I was appointed platoon sergeant of a provisional company and we dug in.
    The next day I was sent with two squads to a nearby village where the chief had asked for help. He was threatened by some local communists who were organizing. This bunch was made up of deserters and outlaws; Japanese, Filipinos, Americans and natives who had been promised land for their service. They wanted money, weapons and food. The chief had told them to get lost, so every evening they would fire into the village. We searched during the day and found nothing, but rounds seemed to be coming from the direction of the local cemetery. We got the idea to check the above ground stone sites. We would knock down the front stone and flip a grenade inside. This is the way we found our elusive raiders. This group was associated with a movement that became known as the HUK's and would plague the island for years.
    Since we had done such a good job with that bunch we were sent to another village deeper in the jungle where another cell of these people was acting up. This time they had a light mortar and small arms, according to reports given us. We traveled a day and finally arrived at the village and were met by some native guards and a Filipino Army sergeant named Manny Florez. He would assist us in the morning to find the trail and locate this band. We spent the night in the village and I was given a shack all to myself. I had just dozed off when something or someone touched me. I reacted by swinging and grabbing a lovely young gal. The chief had sent me a present and not wanting to offend the chief or the girl I told her to stay if she behaved herself.
    The next morning we moved out to a barrio where the last action had taken place. The HUKs had raided and killed some of the natives, taking what loot they could. We were following their trail when a native coming our way told us he had passed them as they were going into some deserted shacks a couple of miles ahead. We watched for booby traps as we neared the shacks. We surrounded them and opened fire, clearing one shack at a time. The last hut was returning fire and we were getting ready to toss a grenade into it, when they came out with their hands up. Inside we found two gals tied up who had thought their time had come. The one gal told us they were US Army nurses and had been captured by the Japanese and escaped only to be imprisoned and abused by several of these groups for a couple of months.
    The other nurse was semiconscious and could not walk. We make a litter to take her back. The gal who could walk told me this group had orders to shoot them and get rid of them. I guess we got to them just in time. Stopping to rest several times we were finally getting back to our command post on the beach. The one gal finally fell and could not get up, so I carried her the last few hundred yards. She was as light as a feather and emaciated. We were told on returning to our base that Japan had surrendered and we were all to be picked up by landing craft and put on board a victory ship which had just arrived off shore. The first day on board was spent showering, shaving and getting uniforms changed. I went up to sick bay to see how the girls were doing. A guard told me the upper deck was off limits to enlisted men. Before I could get a chance to throw that guy overboard, the nurse named Tess said I was permitted to visit. She looked a lot better since some of the nurses on board shared clothes with her. She mentioned that the sick bay shower had fresh water and one of the girls gave her some shampoo. The troops used salt water and salt water soap so our hair and clothes were like cardboard. Tess was being very attentive and had taken a shine to me. I felt a little uncomfortable as I didn't want her to feel obligated to me for her rescue.
    We discussed this and agreed to see each other after we got settled in Japan. It was getting dark and we were on the fan tail rail of the upper deck. The ship was starting to roll a bit. Suddenly it pitched and Tess grabbed for me at the same time I grabbed for her. Our lips met and it was a sweet, tender kiss; the kind that looks for more.

---

Catalogue Information

---