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Battle for Honor

by Edward Keehan

129 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0690; ISBN 1-4120-2861-2; US$17.95, C$22.00, EUR14.30, £10.50

Walk the decks of two US Navy cruisers during the throes of World War II and fight small town politics in Connecticut in "Battle for Honor," A World War II vet's memoir.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

Battle for Honor chronicles Edward "Edyo" Keehan's coming of age during the hardships of the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II, a time when the future of the free world hung in the balance. It's a coming of age story that follows a skinny 17-year-old kid dropping out of high school shortly after Dec. 7, 1941 to enlist in the US Navy. The book follows Keehan's assignment to a light cruiser USS Savannah, and to her subsequent fighting of Axis forces in North Africa and Europe, including taking a German 3400 pound radio control bomb on Sept. 11, 1943 and inflicting the ship with over 200 casualties. From the Savannah, Keehan assigned to another fighting ship, the USS Saint Paul fighting in the pacific.

The Saint Paul had the honor of firing the last major salvo of the war on mainland Japan, Keehan decked in dress blues is aboard the Saint Paul at Tokyo Bay when Gen. MacArthur accepts the Japanese unconditional surrender, thus ending the war.

The book chronicles Keehan's readjustment to civilian life as, and his subsequent life's mission: the honoring of Westport's sons and daughters that left the safety of the hearth and home to join the armed services to fight during World War II. However, Westport's World War II monument, called the Honor Roll, which was built during the war, is missing, a victim of both time and neglect. In an effort to find out what happened to the Honor Roll and to have another war memorial rebuilt, Keehan faces numerous obstacles, including opposition from warring town boards and committees, small town politics, and a few vindictive Westport residents bent on derailing Keehan's plans.

Battle of Honor is a must read for World War II buffs, for those who enjoy history and for anybody who enjoys a good story.

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About the Author

Ed Keehan, grew up in Westport, Connecticut. At just 17 years of age he answered his country's call and joined the Navy. He served on two cruisers... After the war he married, had three children and worked as a truck manager for 18 years and retired and sold real estate. He erected an honor roll for World war II veterans. He still resides in Westport.

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Excerpt

The war to end all wars didn't get the job done, apparently. The year was 1939, and I was 14. Sitting in Mr. Scully's Social Studies class, I learned what was unfolding. Germany had just invaded Poland, and Russia agreed to carve Europe up with the Nazis. My teacher, Al Scully, gave the prediction. Everyday before class he'd pull a map down, and tell us kids what Russia, Germany and Poland were getting into, he'd take his pointer; place it on a map of Europe and say, "The way it's going, looks like we will all be in this one."

The year started out in less than glorious fashion. On January 2 Time magazine announced Adolph Hitler Man of the Year for 1938, but for the first time the magazine didn't show the face of their selection on the front cover.

Soon after, the Nazi blitzkrieg started to roll. In March, they took Czechoslovakia. In August, the Germans and Russians signed their infamous pact to divide the spoils of war. Later in the month, Britain and Poland agreed on a Mutual Assistance Treaty. By September 1, Britain would have to make good on their promises. That day, Panzer divisions crossed into Poland. The Germans made light work of the Poles.

In some battles fighting was gruesome; armor against horse- flesh, 20th century weaponry against that of the old world. In just three weeks Poland surrendered and the Swastika flew in Warsaw. By May the next year, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France were attacked by the Germans, and fell in quick succession. German bombers also filled the sky over England and started their reign of terror against British cities.

The only bright spot that year came May 10 when the cigar smoking, bulldog-looking Winston Churchill became Britain's new Prime Minister. But at the time no one knew if he would have the right stuff to see the British Empire through its darkest hour. Ominous days loomed.

Back at home I struggled to make the grades at school. Not that I liked school much, I saw it as a necessary evil, something that had to be done. But I did enjoy shop. In shop I made metal trays and candle holders. Friends would bring in carburetors and generators and I fixed them at my father's Dodge Plymouth Dealership to make a little pocket change.

Not only did most of us tolerate school, but Mr. Douglas Young, our Staples High School principal, didn't like a lot of us. He'd tell us: "Why don't you drop out and go join the service?" It wouldn't be long and he'd have his wish.

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Catalogue Information

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