"Ever hear about a man whose life hangs by a thread? Well, my silk (parachute) is my silent weapon, and my life hangs by its thread." - 101st Airborne paratrooper
 |
Comes a Soldier's Whisper:
A Collection of Wartime Letters with
Reflections and Hope for the Future by Jenny La Sala Trafford Publishing
book review by Annie Laura Smith
The letters in this collection were written during World War II by David Clinton Tharp to both his sweetheart and future mother-in-law back home in Indiana. They give a compelling assessment of the war in Europe from a soldier's viewpoint. The author is the daughter of the writer, David Clinton Tharp, and was inspired by Tom Brokaw's book, The Greatest Generation. Three of her father's letters were published in The Greatest Generation Speaks in 1999.
In her Introduction, La Sala notes: "The letters are one of the best things we can do until our soldiers return home again." Her father's thoughts and feelings, expressed in his letters after he receives mail from home, confirm his daughter's assessment. Relevant poetry and quotes begin each chapter. Footnotes throughout the text explain events of the war mentioned in the letters. Chapter X, "BATTLES, CAMPAIGNS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS" cover David Clinton Tharp's life chronologically and pictorially. Quotes on the back cover from several of his fellow soldiers show how much he was respected by others in the military.
Some of the letters are on display at the Military Museum of Kissimmee in Kissimmee, FL. La Sala shows well in her relevant comments the subtitle of the book: A Collection of Wartime Letters with Reflections and Hope for the Future. Her writing gives voice and recognition to the wartime thoughts and feelings of her father. Similar sentiments are no doubt echoed by other soldiers.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review