Description:
Charlie Geiger (93), one of five WWII veterans in a senior living facility, passes, and Sam Lombardo (100) wrestles with what comes next, challenging the other four to meet him out back of the "home" at 5:00 a.m. the next morning.
Brief description: Richard Barlow Adams (Rich), is a man of faith, a writer/speaker, and a lover of American and world history and historical fiction, Christmas, and all things Dickens. He is the son of an Army officer, the first of three brothers to graduate from West Point, a Vietnam veteran, an Army aviator with a tour in the Middle East, a registered professional engineer, the founder of an international consulting company, and currently the Chief Strategy Officer for Ion Power Group LLC, an innovative eco-friendly renewable energy company. Adams has also served as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University and as an associate professor at the United States Military Academy. Born in 1945, a month after V-J Day, he sees himself as part of a generation that grew up in a time of great change and hope for a brighter and more equal world, those espousing racial equality and equality of sexes being increasingly heard.A collegiate gymnast at West Point, five months after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree and commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Army Field Artillery, Adams was one of the first in the Class of 1967 to serve in Vietnam. Prior to deployment to serve as a forward observer for D company, 1/506th Infantry Battalion ("Band of Brothers" fame), 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne/Airmobile Division, and then as the fire direction officer for A Battery, 2/319th Field Artillery, Adams shared a barracks room with an African-American lieutenant during Airborne training-Clyde Oates, he recalls. He remembers Oates responding to him as Redman does in Sông Bé when queried by Foxworth if he wanted to go into Columbus, Georgia, with the guys for a few beers and to blow off steam at the end of the first week of training ... it wasn't going to happen.Upon his return from Vietnam, and prior to taking command of a basic training company at Fort Ord, CA, Adams served as a Casualty Assistance Officer to a family suffering the loss of a husband and father, a noncommissioned officer killed in Vietnam. After making a branch transfer to the Corps of Engineers and while in fixed-wing flight school at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Fort Rucker, Alabama, he fell in love with Deborah Jean Pierce, a 20-year-old registered nurse in Savannah. His last military duty assignment included administration of the race relations program and the unit-wide race relations seminars for the 24th Engineer Group (Construction), Kaiserslautern, Germany, in 1973-74 during a very tense time in American military race relations. Adams enjoys golf, traveling, talking about his books, life experiences, and faith, as well as hiking, biking, and skiing (five years as a Vail Resorts ski instructor). He and his wife live in Sandestin, Florida, and have two married children and five grandchildren. They are active members of the Destin Methodist Church, where he is one of the teachers for an adult Sunday School class. Most Thursday mornings, you will find him in Destin at Crackings enjoying fellowship and breakfast with a group of veterans who call themselves the Crispy Warriors and are featured in Adams' third narrative, Charlie's Ashes: A Greatest Generation Story.
Review Quotes:
Charlie's Ashes: A Greatest Generation Story, a Story Based in Fact, is an absolute joy to read. Richard Adams, a masterful storyteller, keeps you guessing as he spins this tale, juxtapositioned with the chronicling of the lives of Lombardo, Beard, McCowen, and Gossen. These four men come alive again as the book's primary characters on their final two missions-one on a misappropriated bus and the second on a vintage B-25 WWII Bomber. Charlie's passing hits Lombardo hard, and after living a century on this earth, he is determined to make one last statement. Before I finished page three, I sensed the chills running up my spine and the need to fight back the tears as they welled up in my eyes. Read Charlie's Ashes if you are interested in history and some of the most interesting Americans ever to serve this great country. - Major General Douglas Stauffer, pastor, and the author of more than 20 books.
This is the wonderful short story of the last escapade of some old WWII Vets. All in their 90s & 100s. They "borrow" the nursing home's shuttle bus early one morning and set out on an adventure. Too old to drive, they enlist the help of a Vietnam vet to drive them. A consummate author, Adams keeps you guessing and captivated the whole way. In the end, you truly know these heroes of WWII. He gives you an account of each Vet's personal story. The Epilogue is the coup de grace for Charlie's Ashes, and it is an awesome celebration. It had me in tears. Wholeheartedly recommend this book. - Linda Rothchild.
"Charlie's Ashes" is the third book I've read and enjoyed by author, Richard Adams. He is a master at character development who quickly captured my attention. Not being a veteran, I felt like an interloper and part of a very special group of heroes, at least for several hours. In "Charlie's Ashes," Adams captures the stories of four vets as they live out their lives back at the "home," share their stories and find comfort in supporting each other along with other veterans at breakfast on Thursdays. The book culminates with a beautiful ending. This is a very thoughtful, informative book and an easy afternoon read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mike Connell
This is a tale of four WWII Vets and their Vietnam vet helper on a mission to honor their departed friend and accomplish his final wish. Along the way, they reminisce about long-ago experiences and give life lessons to those they encounter as well. You will learn things about the war you'll have never known, besides enjoying an adventure story that will surprise you until the end. Thank you, author Adams for capturing the spirit of the Crispy Warriors and honoring these men by telling this Greatest Generation story. - Colonel Tom Godbold
If you love America, if you have a heart for veterans, and if you want a book that will pick up your spirits, this is the book for you. Adams begins with an introduction of the main characters and the situation at hand. After these few pages, the book becomes a page-turner as the characters take their journey and tell their stories of bravery and sacrifice with utmost humility. I just could not read it fast enough. Easy to read, the pages warm one's heart. Give this to any veteran as a gift. It will be greatly appreciated. - John Severson
Great, fast read. As the son of a WWII aviator who flew in the Pacific theater, and as a surviving Army Field Artillery forward observer from the VN war, I can assure you the stories told describe the realities of war. The storyline is a great vehicle for the telling of wartime experiences and keeps one's attention 'til the end. Highly recommend! - Ken Strong, Brigadier General (US ARMY, Ret)