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Task Force Baum
In the tradition of Saving Private Ryan and Bridge Over the River Kwai, bestselling author James D. Shipman delivers a powerful, action-packed novel that illustrates the long-buried secrets and unending costs of war--based on the true story of General Patton's clandestine unauthorized raid on a World War II POW camp.
March, 1945. Allied forces are battle-worn but wearily optimistic. Russia's Red Army is advancing hard on Germany from the east, bolstering Allied troops moving in from the west and north. Soon, surely, Axis forces must accept defeat. Yet for Captain Jim Curtis, each day is a reminder of how unpredictable and uncertain warfare can be.
Captured during the Battle of the Bulge after the Germans launched a devastating surprise attack, Curtis is imprisoned at a POW camp in Hammelburg, Bavaria. Conditions are grim. Inmates and guards alike are freezing and starving, with rations dwindling day by day. But whispers say General Patton's troops are on the way, and the camp may soon be liberated.
Indeed, fifty miles away, a task force of three hundred men is preparing to cross into Germany. With camps up and down the line, what makes Hammelburg so special they don't know, but orders are orders. Yet their hopes of evading the enemy quickly evaporate. Wracked by poor judgment, insufficient arms, and bad luck, the raid unravels with shattering losses. The liberation inmates hoped for becomes a struggle for survival marked by a stark choice: stay, or risk escaping into danger--while leaving some behind.
For Curtis, the decision is an even more personal test of loyalty, friendship, and the values for which one will die or kill. It will be another twenty years before the unsanctioned mission's secret motivation becomes public knowledge, creating a controversy that will forever color Patton's legacy and linger on in the lives of those who made it home at last--and the loved ones of those who did not.
March, 1945. Allied forces are battle-worn but wearily optimistic. Russia's Red Army is advancing hard on Germany from the east, bolstering Allied troops moving in from the west and north. Soon, surely, Axis forces must accept defeat. Yet for Captain Jim Curtis, each day is a reminder of how unpredictable and uncertain warfare can be.
Captured during the Battle of the Bulge after the Germans launched a devastating surprise attack, Curtis is imprisoned at a POW camp in Hammelburg, Bavaria. Conditions are grim. Inmates and guards alike are freezing and starving, with rations dwindling day by day. But whispers say General Patton's troops are on the way, and the camp may soon be liberated.
Indeed, fifty miles away, a task force of three hundred men is preparing to cross into Germany. With camps up and down the line, what makes Hammelburg so special they don't know, but orders are orders. Yet their hopes of evading the enemy quickly evaporate. Wracked by poor judgment, insufficient arms, and bad luck, the raid unravels with shattering losses. The liberation inmates hoped for becomes a struggle for survival marked by a stark choice: stay, or risk escaping into danger--while leaving some behind.
For Curtis, the decision is an even more personal test of loyalty, friendship, and the values for which one will die or kill. It will be another twenty years before the unsanctioned mission's secret motivation becomes public knowledge, creating a controversy that will forever color Patton's legacy and linger on in the lives of those who made it home at last--and the loved ones of those who did not.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 26, 2019
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1,213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 10, 2021
Captain Jim Curtis was captured by the German army the day he landed in the Ardennes forest, and in March 1945, he’s in a prisoner of war camp near Hammelburg, in Bavaria. Coming from different directions, the Russian and American armies are advancing into German held territory, and will they arrive in time to liberate the desperate POW’s?
Fifty miles away a task force has been quickly formed for a special mission, Captain Abe Baum is in charge, and the battle hardened veteran always follows orders. Supported by ten Sherman tanks and five light tanks, he sets off with three hundred poorly armed soldiers, and it doesn’t take long for things to start going wrong.
After seeing action in Russia and being in the German army for six years, and Hauptmann Richard Koehl is putting his entire and depleted force in danger. He wants to avenge the death of his sister Gerta, he’s disobeying orders by continuing to pursue to the American task force and he desperately wants to find them!
Task Force Baum is based on a true story, and real reason for the mission being kept secret for twenty years, was because Commander George S. Patton wanted his son-in-law Colonel John Waters rescued from the prisoner of war and it was hushed up.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review, it’s a fast paced story, full of military action, brutal battles, and tactical movements. I’m looking forward to reading James D. Shipman’s next book, Beyond the Wire, and I gave Task Force Baum four stars.
Fifty miles away a task force has been quickly formed for a special mission, Captain Abe Baum is in charge, and the battle hardened veteran always follows orders. Supported by ten Sherman tanks and five light tanks, he sets off with three hundred poorly armed soldiers, and it doesn’t take long for things to start going wrong.
After seeing action in Russia and being in the German army for six years, and Hauptmann Richard Koehl is putting his entire and depleted force in danger. He wants to avenge the death of his sister Gerta, he’s disobeying orders by continuing to pursue to the American task force and he desperately wants to find them!
Task Force Baum is based on a true story, and real reason for the mission being kept secret for twenty years, was because Commander George S. Patton wanted his son-in-law Colonel John Waters rescued from the prisoner of war and it was hushed up.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review, it’s a fast paced story, full of military action, brutal battles, and tactical movements. I’m looking forward to reading James D. Shipman’s next book, Beyond the Wire, and I gave Task Force Baum four stars.
November 26, 2019
I received this Advanced Reader Copy via a goodreads giveaway. It is listed as fiction; but, it seems pretty close to everything you can find (at least) online. I think it should have based on a true event of WWII on the cover. (From history online: )
There are real people involved in this story; some who made it through WWII, some who didn’t. The people involved in the event which took place in this book (On the American side) are General George S Patton ( Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams ( Captain Abraham Baum for who the book is titled ( Major Alexander Stiller () ; Second Lieutenant William Nutto ( Lieutenant Colonel John Knight Waters, for who the rescue was attempted () .
On the German side (which are quite difficult to find online we have Haupmann (Colonel) Richard Koehl, a Catholic Priest; Sergeant Knorr, known as ‘the Ferret� due to his skulking and dangerous means by which he guarded prisoners and Colonel Hoepple who commanded German Forces around Oflag XIII ().
Finally, we have two fictional characters Captain Jim Curtiss and Lieutenant Sam Hall, each represented a different soldier type from WWII.
The author has done a great deal of research and I found the book to read as a war thriller from beginning to end. It always amazes me that the WWII stories based on fact are so often as much a thriller as the thrillers I love to read. This book is no exception!
Praise for James D Shipman and his book Task Force Baum!
There are real people involved in this story; some who made it through WWII, some who didn’t. The people involved in the event which took place in this book (On the American side) are General George S Patton ( Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams ( Captain Abraham Baum for who the book is titled ( Major Alexander Stiller () ; Second Lieutenant William Nutto ( Lieutenant Colonel John Knight Waters, for who the rescue was attempted () .
On the German side (which are quite difficult to find online we have Haupmann (Colonel) Richard Koehl, a Catholic Priest; Sergeant Knorr, known as ‘the Ferret� due to his skulking and dangerous means by which he guarded prisoners and Colonel Hoepple who commanded German Forces around Oflag XIII ().
Finally, we have two fictional characters Captain Jim Curtiss and Lieutenant Sam Hall, each represented a different soldier type from WWII.
The author has done a great deal of research and I found the book to read as a war thriller from beginning to end. It always amazes me that the WWII stories based on fact are so often as much a thriller as the thrillers I love to read. This book is no exception!
Praise for James D Shipman and his book Task Force Baum!
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September 29, 2019I am going to read this. My grandfather, whom I interviewed in 2003 about WWII td me about this mission because he was part of it. I recall thinking how unethical Pattons’s decision seemed. My grandfather assured me that they asked for volunteers and said they knew who they were going to rescue. He received a Purple Heart after walking back to a US camp—the result of having lost all vehicles. He was then taken into custody as a POW on the US side until they could verify the identity of him and one other soldier who stammered back with him. They were full of shrapnel and had nothing to ID them on there persons. I cannot wait to read this now. When we spoke about it, I don’t think her knew how controversial this was and I don’t think he had ever read anything about this task force. I al looking to see when publications began on this mission. Anyone know?
April 19, 2020
Very enjoyable and quick read. It’s realistic fiction based on the events of the Hammelburg raid. It follows several characters with multiple perspectives of the raid: the US forces on the raid, US forces in the POW camp, and the German forces stationed in the camps area.
December 25, 2022
This book is a fictional retelling of an event that happened during WWII - several of the characters are fictional but the rest are real people. Towards the end of the war, General Patton sent three hundred men behind enemy lines to liberate a POW camp that contained his son in law, Lieutenant Colonel John Waters. When the men reached the camp, they found out that their Intel was wrong. Instead of three hundred men, there were fifteen hundred. They had no way to liberate them all, so they took what they could and the Germans retook the camp. When Patton was asked if he knew his son in law was in the camp, he lied and said no. Those who knew otherwise kept quiet and said nothing. The truth came out twenty years later.
This was a fascinating read. It kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.
This was a fascinating read. It kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.
January 27, 2020
**won this via Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveways**
3.75
I really enjoyed this book at the beginning. There was a lot of back and forth that I got tired of. Overall an interesting read, not something I would ever pick up. Glad I won it.
3.75
I really enjoyed this book at the beginning. There was a lot of back and forth that I got tired of. Overall an interesting read, not something I would ever pick up. Glad I won it.
February 23, 2021
A true story, very well told, with strong historical characters .
June 24, 2020
The good: This is an interesting topic that has received little to no mention in many history books let alone in historical fiction. I'm glad the author chose this topic as I learned a considerable amount about the raid. It is an easy to read book and one that moves along rather quickly. Additionally, it is apparent the author conducted considerable research on the topic and associated events.
The bad: The book is written along the lines of a juvenile novel more appropriate for a teenage audience. Although well researched, it is apparent the author (or editors) have little to no actual military experience or knowledge. The devil is in the details and this is where they were missed.
SPOILER ALERT
Some examples: 1) a major addressing a lieutenant general by his first name? As in calling LTG George Patton as George. Not going to happen. If they are on a first name basis, the major calls the LTG either "Sir" or "General". 2) The same thing when addressing a colonel, as in Creighton Abrams. 3) I've never known of Abrams being referred to as "Creight". Maybe "Abe", but not Creight. 4) When tending to wounded, you use their bandage and not your own. It's also something you always carry with you in the event you are wounded. 5) The M1911 and the Thompson both fire the .45 cal round. If you are out of one, you are out of both and do not need to search for separate types of ammo. 6) The M1 Garand uses a clip. The M1911 and the Thompson both use magazines and not clips. 7) It's the Distinguished Service Cross not Medal. 8) An LT blackmailing a MAJ? Can you say "lit up faster than a lightning-strike"? Talk about a swift end to a short career. That's almost an instant court martial.
The bad: The book is written along the lines of a juvenile novel more appropriate for a teenage audience. Although well researched, it is apparent the author (or editors) have little to no actual military experience or knowledge. The devil is in the details and this is where they were missed.
SPOILER ALERT
Some examples: 1) a major addressing a lieutenant general by his first name? As in calling LTG George Patton as George. Not going to happen. If they are on a first name basis, the major calls the LTG either "Sir" or "General". 2) The same thing when addressing a colonel, as in Creighton Abrams. 3) I've never known of Abrams being referred to as "Creight". Maybe "Abe", but not Creight. 4) When tending to wounded, you use their bandage and not your own. It's also something you always carry with you in the event you are wounded. 5) The M1911 and the Thompson both fire the .45 cal round. If you are out of one, you are out of both and do not need to search for separate types of ammo. 6) The M1 Garand uses a clip. The M1911 and the Thompson both use magazines and not clips. 7) It's the Distinguished Service Cross not Medal. 8) An LT blackmailing a MAJ? Can you say "lit up faster than a lightning-strike"? Talk about a swift end to a short career. That's almost an instant court martial.
October 19, 2020
Author James D. Shipman () published the novel “Task Force Baum� in 2019. Mr. Shipman has published six novels.
I received an ARC of this novel through in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R� because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in March 1945 in Germany. The primary characters are a mix of Americans and Germans. While this is a novel of fiction, the event is part of history. Most of the characters in the novel are real people.
In the closing weeks of WWII General Patton sent a small force behind enemy lines to free prisoners held in a POW camp. This novel is a dramatization of that raid.
Task Force Baum had many things working against it. The force sent was too small, a reinforced company. Baum is leading merely 300 men on the mission. The intelligence on the POW camp was faulty. Though the end of the war was near the German troops resisted the American thrust.
I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 338-page historical fiction novel. This was a well-written novel that I think gives a good feel for the military on both sides. The majority of the events described are factual. While the cover art is a little dull, I do think it represents the plot of the novel. I give this novel a 4.5 (Rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( ).
I received an ARC of this novel through in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R� because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in March 1945 in Germany. The primary characters are a mix of Americans and Germans. While this is a novel of fiction, the event is part of history. Most of the characters in the novel are real people.
In the closing weeks of WWII General Patton sent a small force behind enemy lines to free prisoners held in a POW camp. This novel is a dramatization of that raid.
Task Force Baum had many things working against it. The force sent was too small, a reinforced company. Baum is leading merely 300 men on the mission. The intelligence on the POW camp was faulty. Though the end of the war was near the German troops resisted the American thrust.
I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 338-page historical fiction novel. This was a well-written novel that I think gives a good feel for the military on both sides. The majority of the events described are factual. While the cover art is a little dull, I do think it represents the plot of the novel. I give this novel a 4.5 (Rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( ).
December 10, 2019
Readers looking for a new World War II action thriller are the only conceivable audience for this fictional retelling of a real-life attempt in March 1945 to rescue General Patton's son-in-law from a POW camp in Germany. Presumably drawing upon declassified papers, diaries, and at least three previous non-fiction books (48 Hours to Hammelburg, Raid! The Untold Story of Patton's Secret Mission, and Patton's Last Gamble), the story is a blow-by-blow, hour-by-hour retelling of the three-day raid by a vastly under-strength American force.
Eight of the ten main characters are real-life figures, with the other two being composite "types." The effect of this and the tiny window of time in which the story takes place, is that they are fairly one-dimensional. The dialogue is workmanlike and more or less what you'd expect from watching a lot of WWII movies. The German and American sides each have a villain who's quite broad in their villainy, as well as a character who's tormented by loss and failure.Ìý
The main attraction of the book is the ground-level tactical details, which are abundant. Fuel levels are important to the story, as are the rate at which clips of ammo are expended -- and soforth. If that whets your whistle, this is the book for you. On the whole I found it to be a reasonably engaging page-turner, good enough for the poolside or airplane.
Eight of the ten main characters are real-life figures, with the other two being composite "types." The effect of this and the tiny window of time in which the story takes place, is that they are fairly one-dimensional. The dialogue is workmanlike and more or less what you'd expect from watching a lot of WWII movies. The German and American sides each have a villain who's quite broad in their villainy, as well as a character who's tormented by loss and failure.Ìý
The main attraction of the book is the ground-level tactical details, which are abundant. Fuel levels are important to the story, as are the rate at which clips of ammo are expended -- and soforth. If that whets your whistle, this is the book for you. On the whole I found it to be a reasonably engaging page-turner, good enough for the poolside or airplane.
March 17, 2020
Disappointing ! Very amateurish writing... Dialogue very stilted... people do not talk that way! In conversations we use contractions, such as "we'll go to lunch now", NOT "we will go to lunch now".
Ridiculous mixture of German and English when Germans are speaking. Overall a bummer and wase of money.
Ridiculous mixture of German and English when Germans are speaking. Overall a bummer and wase of money.
January 26, 2023
Late in March 1945, six weeks before Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender, then-Lieutenant-General George S. Patton set in motion a bold initiative to rescue several hundred American officers from a POW camp forty miles behind enemy lines in Germany. He ordered twenty-three-year-old Captain Abraham Baum to lead an armored column of 300 men and 50 vehicles, including 16 tanks, to liberate Oflag XIII-B near Hammelburg in Bavaria. Three of Patton’s staff officers present at the meeting, and Baum himself, protested that the force was far too small, but the general was adamant. And Task Force Baum set out on March 26, 1945. James D. Shipman’s novel about Task Force Baum is a highly fictionalized account of the action that ensued during the following three days.
THE ACTION UNFOLDS THROUGH THE EYES OF THREE JUNIOR OFFICERS
In Shipman’s imaginative telling, the experiences of three fictional junior officers dominate the story.
** Captain Jim Curtis, a draftee recently promoted to lead a full company, is on the front lines in the Ardennes in December 1944 when the Germans launch the Battle of the Bulge. He is taken prisoner and sent to Oflag XIII-B, and we follow his grim experiences from within the camp as Task Force Baum approaches.
** Meanwhile, Patton has ordered First Lieutenant Sam Hall to accompany the task force. Hall sees it as an opportunity to win a medal and a promotion to ease his way into politics back home in Washington State. He observes the action from a Jeep as the task force breaks through the German lines on its way to Hammelburg.
** And Hauptmann (Captain) Richard Koehl leads a platoon of motorized 180-mm anti-tank weapons dispatched to attack the task force as it penetrates more deeply behind the lines. When Koehl’s sister inadvertently dies under fire from the Americans, he becomes obsessed with destroying the entire task force and repeatedly defies orders in a frantic attempt to do so.
THREE MEN, FIGHTING THEIR OWN PERSONAL BATTLES
Like Hauptmann Koehl, Captain Curtis and Lieutenant Hall fight their own personal battles as the story moves forward. Curtis has made an enemy of a sadistic SS guard who sees it as his duty to make the captain’s life as miserable as possible. And Patton has sent Hall under the command of the grumpy, battle-hardened major who is the general’s observer within the task force. The major has taken an instant dislike to Hall, and the feeling is mutual. But the three unfolding personal battles play out against the drama of the task force’s penetration into central Germany. And that is a truly tragic story, as German snipers and anti-tank weapons steadily erode the tiny force.
WHY PATTON SENT TASK FORCE BAUM INTO GERMANY
The events on which this novel is based are well known to history. Among the officers imprisoned at Oflag XIII-B was Colonel John K. Waters, Patton’s son-in-law. When Eisenhower later reprimanded him for ordering the mission, the general insisted that he did not know Waters was one of the prisoners, and there was no mention of the younger man in his diary. However, a letter to his wife at the time indicates that, in fact, he did know.
Circumstantial evidence also suggests that Patton ordered the mission to rescue his son-in-law. As his own staff unanimously argued, a 300-man task force was far too small to do the job. More to the point, Task Force Baum didn’t include enough vehicles to transport all the nearly one thousand officers held in the camp. Patton would have been well aware that sending a large enough force would be sure to come to Eisenhower’s attention—and anger him. The supreme commander wanted a coordinated attack on the German lines, not a solo mission.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James D. Shipman writes on his author website that “I’m a northwest author and attorney. I live with my wife and our blended family of seven children north of Seattle. �
“I have always loved history. My father started giving me children’s history books when I was very young. He was an avid civil war buff and book collector. I was fortunate to study history at the University of Washington before moving on to Gonzaga Law School.�
Google Books adds that he “James D. Shipman, an Amazon bestselling author, was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He began publishing short stories and poems while� attending college and law school. “He opened his own law firm in 2004 and remains a practicing attorney. Constantinopolis, his first published novel, depicts the epic fifteenth-century battle between the Turkish and Roman empires for the fabled city of Constantinople. Going Home, his second novel, is based on a true Civil War story. An avid reader, especially of historical nonfiction, Shipman also enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.�
Shipman’s novel about Task Force Baum is one of his eight historical novels.
THE ACTION UNFOLDS THROUGH THE EYES OF THREE JUNIOR OFFICERS
In Shipman’s imaginative telling, the experiences of three fictional junior officers dominate the story.
** Captain Jim Curtis, a draftee recently promoted to lead a full company, is on the front lines in the Ardennes in December 1944 when the Germans launch the Battle of the Bulge. He is taken prisoner and sent to Oflag XIII-B, and we follow his grim experiences from within the camp as Task Force Baum approaches.
** Meanwhile, Patton has ordered First Lieutenant Sam Hall to accompany the task force. Hall sees it as an opportunity to win a medal and a promotion to ease his way into politics back home in Washington State. He observes the action from a Jeep as the task force breaks through the German lines on its way to Hammelburg.
** And Hauptmann (Captain) Richard Koehl leads a platoon of motorized 180-mm anti-tank weapons dispatched to attack the task force as it penetrates more deeply behind the lines. When Koehl’s sister inadvertently dies under fire from the Americans, he becomes obsessed with destroying the entire task force and repeatedly defies orders in a frantic attempt to do so.
THREE MEN, FIGHTING THEIR OWN PERSONAL BATTLES
Like Hauptmann Koehl, Captain Curtis and Lieutenant Hall fight their own personal battles as the story moves forward. Curtis has made an enemy of a sadistic SS guard who sees it as his duty to make the captain’s life as miserable as possible. And Patton has sent Hall under the command of the grumpy, battle-hardened major who is the general’s observer within the task force. The major has taken an instant dislike to Hall, and the feeling is mutual. But the three unfolding personal battles play out against the drama of the task force’s penetration into central Germany. And that is a truly tragic story, as German snipers and anti-tank weapons steadily erode the tiny force.
WHY PATTON SENT TASK FORCE BAUM INTO GERMANY
The events on which this novel is based are well known to history. Among the officers imprisoned at Oflag XIII-B was Colonel John K. Waters, Patton’s son-in-law. When Eisenhower later reprimanded him for ordering the mission, the general insisted that he did not know Waters was one of the prisoners, and there was no mention of the younger man in his diary. However, a letter to his wife at the time indicates that, in fact, he did know.
Circumstantial evidence also suggests that Patton ordered the mission to rescue his son-in-law. As his own staff unanimously argued, a 300-man task force was far too small to do the job. More to the point, Task Force Baum didn’t include enough vehicles to transport all the nearly one thousand officers held in the camp. Patton would have been well aware that sending a large enough force would be sure to come to Eisenhower’s attention—and anger him. The supreme commander wanted a coordinated attack on the German lines, not a solo mission.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James D. Shipman writes on his author website that “I’m a northwest author and attorney. I live with my wife and our blended family of seven children north of Seattle. �
“I have always loved history. My father started giving me children’s history books when I was very young. He was an avid civil war buff and book collector. I was fortunate to study history at the University of Washington before moving on to Gonzaga Law School.�
Google Books adds that he “James D. Shipman, an Amazon bestselling author, was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He began publishing short stories and poems while� attending college and law school. “He opened his own law firm in 2004 and remains a practicing attorney. Constantinopolis, his first published novel, depicts the epic fifteenth-century battle between the Turkish and Roman empires for the fabled city of Constantinople. Going Home, his second novel, is based on a true Civil War story. An avid reader, especially of historical nonfiction, Shipman also enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.�
Shipman’s novel about Task Force Baum is one of his eight historical novels.
June 30, 2021
I'm not generally a big fan of military history, both fictionalized and non-fiction. I'm not into the strategies, tactics, and equipment used in war. But I do like some well-written books that illustrate the lesser-known nuances and complexities of warfare, and the difficult emotions of participants at all ranks of the military. I'm not sure what the point of the slightly fictionalized 'Task Force Baum' is.
The operation has already been covered in at least two non-fiction books. The author has added two key fictional characters and fictionalized the behavior of at least two real characters. It appears the author used the fictional elements to showcase well-defined heroism and villainy. I think the fiction elements generally miss the mark. One fictional American character is presented as an arrogant, self-serving, dishonorable punk. I don't see what the character adds to the story, except to emphasize the honor and heroism of the other characters. What was not examined in very much detail was the shockingly dishonorable and self-serving behavior of General George Patton. There was no real attempt to look closely at the concept of honor, as it concerns loyalty to individual men versus loyalty to the truth and to high principles.
The operation has already been covered in at least two non-fiction books. The author has added two key fictional characters and fictionalized the behavior of at least two real characters. It appears the author used the fictional elements to showcase well-defined heroism and villainy. I think the fiction elements generally miss the mark. One fictional American character is presented as an arrogant, self-serving, dishonorable punk. I don't see what the character adds to the story, except to emphasize the honor and heroism of the other characters. What was not examined in very much detail was the shockingly dishonorable and self-serving behavior of General George Patton. There was no real attempt to look closely at the concept of honor, as it concerns loyalty to individual men versus loyalty to the truth and to high principles.
June 22, 2024
I’m only a few chapters in, but I am very disappointed that I found a major error in the first lines. Literally the first sentence. The Battle of The Bulge began on December 16, 1944 not December 19. While the bulk of POWs captured from the 106th division were taken on December 19, the writer portrays this scene at the onset of the Battle of The Bulge, which is inaccurate. I find it hard to move forward with this story given it is a historical fiction yet the writer and/or publisher and/or editor could not get one of the most critical dates in World War II, correct. In this genre, I find that to be inexcusable.
Aside from that, already just a few chapters in and these characters are so over the top. There is so much nuance from modern or more recent times mixed in with dialogue and this is starting to shape up to be a very inaccurate portrayal of 1940s American GIs. I’m going to keep on reading because I find this particular WW2 story fascinating one from historical standpoint, but I am not convinced.
I will give it a chance because I must credit the writer for covering this particular chapter in World War II history but I’m really hoping this improves. If I spot another blatant historical inaccuracy, I will be putting this book down.
Aside from that, already just a few chapters in and these characters are so over the top. There is so much nuance from modern or more recent times mixed in with dialogue and this is starting to shape up to be a very inaccurate portrayal of 1940s American GIs. I’m going to keep on reading because I find this particular WW2 story fascinating one from historical standpoint, but I am not convinced.
I will give it a chance because I must credit the writer for covering this particular chapter in World War II history but I’m really hoping this improves. If I spot another blatant historical inaccuracy, I will be putting this book down.
November 3, 2021
The reason I love this genre is because I always learn something new. I remained interested because the operation was new to me but I wasn't swept away. The writing style incorporated mostly telling rather than showing, the characters were never fleshed out for me (once I spit out coffee when Hall's fear and excitement of surviving his first attack was compared to messing around with women in college...). This lack of depth is an unfortunately missed opportunity in literature, commercial or not. However, this novel may be exactly what one wants from a military and war novel. It's a detailed hour-for-hour account of the events and filled with Bruce-Willis-action-movie scenes and dialogue.
May 8, 2020
Good historical novel
This is a fictionalized account of mission to free allied prisoners of war in Germany at the end of World War II. The author does well in adhering to the facts of this doomed from the start mission to rescue Patton’s son in law. Under and, and out gunned by 5he Germans, the mission unfolds and the reader rides along from start to finish. There are some things about the fictional characters which put me off and detracted from the tale.
This is a fictionalized account of mission to free allied prisoners of war in Germany at the end of World War II. The author does well in adhering to the facts of this doomed from the start mission to rescue Patton’s son in law. Under and, and out gunned by 5he Germans, the mission unfolds and the reader rides along from start to finish. There are some things about the fictional characters which put me off and detracted from the tale.
July 3, 2020
Not a bad tale
Having read both this version and Abe Baum's account , personally I preferred the original.
Though both versions point out Patton's folly,what army besides ours would have even cared???
Patton's mistake was not doing what Patton did best, and just smashed through.
But I apologize for getting led astray.
Personally I did not care for the extra fictional drama inserted into an already tragic tale .
Having read both this version and Abe Baum's account , personally I preferred the original.
Though both versions point out Patton's folly,what army besides ours would have even cared???
Patton's mistake was not doing what Patton did best, and just smashed through.
But I apologize for getting led astray.
Personally I did not care for the extra fictional drama inserted into an already tragic tale .
March 26, 2021
Interesting story, lightweight writing
I’m a sucker for a good WW2 Story. This one would not disappoint if it were not for the writing. Far too many convenient situations for the good guys. ( Knoor about to shoot Curtis in the chest. Pulls the trigger, the building falls on him. Really? ). Not very believable antagonists ( Knoor & Hall).
Bottom line. Not enough depth on the characters.
I’m a sucker for a good WW2 Story. This one would not disappoint if it were not for the writing. Far too many convenient situations for the good guys. ( Knoor about to shoot Curtis in the chest. Pulls the trigger, the building falls on him. Really? ). Not very believable antagonists ( Knoor & Hall).
Bottom line. Not enough depth on the characters.
January 17, 2020
This was a decent novel. I was very surprised that I shipped it because it's not necessarily in my interest range. I won as a giveaway and I am glad I read it! It is very obvious that James D Shipman thoroughly researched this war and time period beforehand like all great author's do. The plot became a little far-fetched, I thought, but otherwise, it was a great read. Thank you for the book!
January 28, 2020
James D Shipman is among my list of must read authors. I have enjoyed his previous books and have been looking forward to reading this one. It is different than the others and I had a little hard time getting into it. I finally got hooked about the last half of it.
I give it three and a half stars.
I give it three and a half stars.
February 17, 2020
I can still remember the beginning of the movie "Patton." Here is General Patton standing in front of the Stars and Stripes. Task Force Baum does not so much topple that image of Patton, it make Patton seem more human with human emotions. Take that idea in conjunction with the toll that war rends upon those that participate and you see and feel empathy for both sides of the war.
March 11, 2020
Gritty, war-time drama based on real events
Non-stop action, true-to-life characters, based on real events in AMERICAN and world history this gritty war-time drama has it all and is a book that is difficult to put down. It shares the true personal cost of a world war as it was winding down to its close, exposing human frailty, ingenuity, cunning, deceit, and raw courage.
Non-stop action, true-to-life characters, based on real events in AMERICAN and world history this gritty war-time drama has it all and is a book that is difficult to put down. It shares the true personal cost of a world war as it was winding down to its close, exposing human frailty, ingenuity, cunning, deceit, and raw courage.
March 15, 2020
This book definitely kept my interest. It was sad in a way since the foolish orders by Patton resulted in many needless deaths. But also in Hall never did do the right thing. He was a selfish, brat who never learned to grow up. I was expecting a twist at the end but disappointed it didn’t happen.
May 25, 2020
Good read about the raid to rescue Patton's son in law. Puts you in the action
A good read with good character development, although I want crazy about some of them. The raid on Hammelburg to rescue American POWs was a minor action in the greater scheme of things and came very close to the end of the war. Well written with a good flow of the story.
A good read with good character development, although I want crazy about some of them. The raid on Hammelburg to rescue American POWs was a minor action in the greater scheme of things and came very close to the end of the war. Well written with a good flow of the story.
January 31, 2024
An interesting bit of historical fiction, Task Force Baum is the true story of an ill-advised rescue mission at the end of World War II. The fictional part is in several of the main characters, who go along on the mission. The writing could have used some more polishing and some of the scenes are a little hard to believe, but all in all, a fast-paced, solid read.
April 29, 2024
*warning slightest spoilers in my review* I would give this book four stars just because it made me cry! But I'm not because it was really good... truly it was! I couldn't believe the most loving character died and the main character ( which whom I hate) live! But this book was amazing.all together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
Not a new book, but I really liked it. Historical fiction about an actual mission, authorized by General Patton in March of 1945 and I never remember hearing about it. Guess they could not cover everything in school! It was easy to read and it kept me turning the pages. I looked forward to the very end where the author gave an update on the raid and his characters, some real; some fictitious.
March 16, 2020
Undermanned and tasked with a difficult mission they demonstrated courage and commitment
Engrossing and heart pounding action with outstanding characters an heroic adventure at the end of the war. A must read.
Engrossing and heart pounding action with outstanding characters an heroic adventure at the end of the war. A must read.
March 22, 2020
History explained.
An interesting event of WW2, one that definitely bears explanation. This fictionalized story is based on true events that were kept secret for too long. It offers a fresh perspective on General George Patton. A great story and a superb read.
An interesting event of WW2, one that definitely bears explanation. This fictionalized story is based on true events that were kept secret for too long. It offers a fresh perspective on General George Patton. A great story and a superb read.
April 24, 2020
Very good story
Really enjoyed this book. Was aware of the event, but not the circumstances surrounding it. Even with a couple of fictional characters, it pulled the whole event together.
Really enjoyed this book. Was aware of the event, but not the circumstances surrounding it. Even with a couple of fictional characters, it pulled the whole event together.
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