The Sound of Distant Drums

Veteran's Voices from the Heartland 1861-2003

by Chuck Knox



Book Details

Language : English
Publication Date : 09/05/2005

Format : Softcover
Dimensions : 8.25x11
Page Count : 456
ISBN : 9781418488017

About the Book

The Heroes of this book are the veterans and their families whose stories span 140+ years in protecting our country. Their stories are history, filled with the mundane events of service life, the fear of combat, the horror that front line infantrymen faced, the tension that air crews and pilots faced, the vastness of the Pacific that confronted sailors, the strain on the mind and bodies of Prisoners of War, and humor viewed through the eyes of the veterans.

As you read their stories listen to the voices of these veterans and picture in your mind an aging color guard from a local veteran’s post; visualize them marching into the mist, to the sound of distant drums and the muted bugle’s call, along with the men  and women who have gone before.

There are no large marble memorials to these individual veterans; their monument is a free United States. I am left with one thought about the experience of speaking with these people; God bless the United States of America and all who serve her.

 


About the Author

Chuck Knox developed a love of history, hearing from his mother stories about a Rebel great grandmother from Kentucky and a Union great grandfather from Illinois who marched with General Sherman.

His interest in history grew. He knew veterans from the Spanish-American War, World War I and II. He could see the stories they had to tell were slipping away each year.  After his retirement from the University of Illinois he started on journey to preserve some of the history and stories of veterans.

This is the third in a series of veteran’s stories.  His first work, The Battle Cry of Freedom, Civil War Veterans, was followed by Johnnie Has Gone for a Soldier; The Last Good War,  Douglas County, Illinois newspaper stories 1941-45. His third work is Johnnie Has Gone for a Soldier; The Sound of Distant Drums.  This book, The Sound of Distant Drums is an abridged version of the original  presenting the best of personal interviews, letters, diaries, and family stories of veterans from the heartland from 1862 through 2003.