Uncommon Valour

Uncommon Valour
Author: Paul O'Brien
Publisher: Mercier Press Ltd
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2010
Genre: History
ISBN: 185635654X

A look at the Irish Volunteers who fought in the South Dublin Union building during the 1916 Easter Rising.

Uncommon Valour

Uncommon Valour
Author: Granville Allen Mawer
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 303
Release: 2019-03-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 1526755394

A military historian presents a provocative study of the Victoria Cross, the heroes it honors, and the ethics of the British honors system. What is the nature of courage? How and when should it be recognized? How has our appreciation of it changed over time? These are among the questions Granville Allen Mawer seeks to answer in this absorbing history of the Victoria Cross, the highest honor awarded to members of the British Armed Forces for valor in the presence of the enemy. Uncommon Valor is both an analytical account of the institution of the Victoria Cross and a fascinating study of the ethics of rewarding bravery. It explores the origin of the award, the rationale behind individual awards, and the ways in which the institution has evolved over its long history. Historian Granville Allen Mawer compares individual actions that led to a Victoria Cross, analyzing the circumstances in which they took place, the character of the individual concerned, and the shifting criteria for giving awards. This unconventional treatment of the Victoria Cross may be controversial, but it should stimulate a deeper understanding of the history of the medal and of the heroism of those to whom it has been awarded.

Eamonn Ceannt

Eamonn Ceannt
Author: Mary Gallagher
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2014-10-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1847176984

The son of a Head Constable in the Royal Irish Constabulary, by the age of twenty-five, Éamonn Ceannt was married with a young son. He played the uilleann pipes and was passionate about the Irish language. His commitment to a politically independent, Gaelic-speaking Ireland led him from the classrooms of the Gaelic League to the National Council of Sinn Féin and the senior ranks of the Irish Volunteers. He was a member of the Military Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, which planned and carried out the Rising of Easter 1916, outright rebellion against the world's biggest imperial power. During Easter week 1916, he was Commandant of the 4th Battalion of the Irish Volunteers and a signatory to the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. His severely depleted battalion held the strategic South Dublin Union until ordered to surrender. He was executed by firing squad on 8 May 1916. 'an epic new series of books' - RTE Guide on 16Lives

Uncommon Valor

Uncommon Valor
Author: Dwight Jon Zimmerman
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2010-09-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 1429988916

Uncommon Valor from Dwight Jon Zimmerman and John D. Gresham presents a fascinating look at six of our bravest soldiers and the highest military decoration awarded in this country. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor, has been presented to only eight men for their actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Six of the eight were young men who had fought in the current war in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. All of these medals were awarded posthumously, as all had made the choice to give their lives so that their comrades might live. Uncommon Valor answers the searing question of who these six young soldiers were, and dramatically details how they found themselves in life-or-death situations, and why they responded as they did. For the first time, this book also provides a comprehensive history of the Medal of Honor itself—one marred by controversies, scandals, and theft. Using an extraordinary range of sources, including interviews with family members and friends, teammates and superiors in the military, personal letters, blogs posted within hours of events, personal and official videos and newly declassified documents, Uncommon Valor is a compelling and important work that recounts incredible acts of heroism and lays bare the ultimate sacrifice of our bravest soldiers.

Set Apart

Set Apart
Author: Albert A. Henry
Publisher: Word Alive Press
Total Pages: 53
Release: 2017-11-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1486608825

The same yesterday, today, and forever? This book reveals the details of an extraordinary time in the past when the uncommon was not that uncommon. Albert A. Henry takes readers on an incredible voyage through the corridors of time to experience the life-changing power that a few uncommon acts have had on the whole of human history. As you read these amazing stories and meditate on the meaning they bring to your life today, be inspired to challenge the status quo and embark on a search for the uncommon acts that are still happening in our world today.

War at Sea

War at Sea
Author: Nathan Miller
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 614
Release: 1997
Genre: History
ISBN: 0195110382

From the sinking of the British passenger liner Athenia on September 3, 1939, by a German U-boat (against orders) to the Japanese surrender on board the Missouri on September 2, 1945, War at Sea covers every major naveal battle of World War II. "A first-rate work and the best history of its kind yet written".--Vice Admiral William P. Mack, U.S.N. (Ret.). 30 photos.

Uncommon Valor

Uncommon Valor
Author: Stephen Moore
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2018-10-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1682473120

Uncommon Valor is a look into the formation and operation of an advanced Special Forces recon company during the Vietnam War. Code-named the Studies and Observations Group, SOG was the most covert U.S. military unit in its time and contained only volunteers from such elite units as the Army's Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and Air Force Air Commandos. SOG warriors operated in small teams, going behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, tasked with performing special reconnaissance, sabotaging North Vietnamese Army ammunition, attempting to rescue downed U.S. pilots, and other black ops missions. During that time, Forward Operating Base-2's (FOB-2's) recon company became the most highly decorated unit of the Vietnam War, with five of its men earning the Medal of Honor and eight earning the Distinguished Service Cross-America's second highest military award for valor. Purple Hearts were earned by SOG veterans at a pace unparalleled in American wars of the twentieth century, with casualties at times exceeding 100 percent. One, Bob Howard, was wounded on fourteen different occasions, received eight Purple Hearts, was written up after three different missions for the Medal of Honor, and emerged from Vietnam as the most highly decorated soldier since World War II's Audie Murphy.

"Lost In The Forest"

Author: Robert Michael Ballantyne
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 70
Release: 2023-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9358595868

"Lost in the Forest" is an enthralling adventure novel written by R.M. Ballantyne. The story takes readers on a thrilling journey through the untamed wilderness as they follow the experiences of the young protagonist, Ralph Rover. Set in the 19th century, the book begins with Ralph, a teenage sailor, surviving a shipwreck and finding himself stranded in an unfamiliar forest. Alone and facing the challenges of the wilderness, Ralph must rely on his resourcefulness, courage, and survival skills to navigate the harsh environment. As Ralph explores the forest, he encounters various obstacles, including dangerous animals, hostile natives, and treacherous landscapes. Along the way, he forges unlikely friendships, learns from the wisdom of indigenous people, and discovers hidden secrets about the land. The novel not only provides a gripping narrative but also offers insights into the power of human ingenuity, the importance of respecting nature, and the bonds of friendship.