Messengers Of The Lost Battalion
Yet another fragment in the intricate mosaic of World War II, this book is part battle history and part detective story but mostly an angst-ridden memoir to a troubled father. The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion fought its way across Europe until it was nearly annihilated in a heroic assault during the winter battle in the Ardennes. Years later, Orfalea, a poet and the son of one of the survivors, became aware of the lost outfit and set out to uncover its story. In a sensitive and deeply introspective narrative, he has pieced together the experiences of his father and explores the "mystery" of the heroic unit's present obscurity. This conspiracy angle is somewhat overblown, but the story of the 551st needed to be told, and Orfalea does it better than most of the official unit histories. His narrative is enlightened by numerous deft character sketches, vivid flashbacks, and poignant anecdotes gleaned from army reunions. Recommended for military collections and larger public libraries.?Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History Prog., Edwards AFB, Victorville, Cal.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.