Author Description

This historical novella begins with the graduation day of Albert P. Fong from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1941. He and two of his best friends Charlie Atwood and Tony Ricci decide to enlist in the Army. Because of their college educations they are admitted to the officer's training school at Fort Benning, Georgia. They call themselves the Springfield Musketeers and adopt the motto, "All for one and one for all." After they complete their training, they become 2nd lieutenants and assigned to Fort Ord, California to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Motorized Infantry Regiment, 7th Army Division. They are trained in desert warfare in anticipation of fighting the Germans in North Africa if the United States is pulled into WWII to help Britain win the war against Germany and Italy. Unexpectedly, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on the Empire of Japan and its Axis Allies. Soon Japan invaded the islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands which was an American Territory. It was the first time a foreign power did so since the War of 1812. Their occupation of those islands was unopposed by the American military as it established strongholds and airfields to protect their eastern flank of Japan and to gain strategic positions in the Pacific Islands. When the U.S. Army finally started to invade Attu Island on May 11, 1943, the Japanese had over 2,500 soldiers under the command of Colonel Yamasaki. The Springfield Musketeers must battle the most horrendous battle, suffering the second highest casualty rate next to Iwo Jima. Will Albert, Charlie, and Tony survive the Battle of Attu Island? Or will it be, "All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall?