Larry Smith

Beyond Glory

This first oral history of living Medal of Honor winners evokes Flags of Our Fathers with stirring accounts of patriotic valor.

This epic account of legendary battlefield courage celebrates the larger-than-life sacrifices of those awarded the nation's highest honor for valor in combat. Exclusive interviews with these twenty-four men—firsthand accounts of battlefield sacrifice from the greatest generation to Vietnam, along with before-and-after stories—form the core of this book. The recipients, as portrayed here, represent a cross section as diverse as America itself—officers and enlisted men; African Americans, Japanese Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians; men who went on to become famous (Daniel Inouye, James Stockdale, and Bob Kerrey), and others who returned proudly to small towns in Idaho, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Many of these men are nearing the end of their lives, and their candid and forthcoming recollections make for extremely compelling and emotional reading. Beyond Glory, in the voices of these heroes, thus becomes a work of living history, a testament to the courage of the American nation. 24 b/w photographs.