Another River, Another Town: A Teenage Tank Gunner Comes of Age in Combat, 1945Many narrative accounts of men in combat during World War II have conveyed the horrors and emotions of warfare. However, not many reveal in such an intimate way the struggle of innocent youth to adapt to the primitive code of "kill or be killed," to transform from lads into combat soldiers. "Another River, Another Town is the story of John P. Irwin, a teenage tank gunner whose idealistic desire to achieve heroism is shattered by the incredibly different view of life the world of combat demands. He comes to the realization that the realm of warfare has almost nothing in common with the civilian life from which he has come. The interminable fighting, dirt, fatigue, and hunger make the war seem endless. In addition to the killing and destruction on the battlefield, Irwin and his crew are caught up in the unbelievable depravity they encounter at Nordhausen Camp, where slave laborers are compelled to work themselves to death manufacturing the infamous V-rockets that have been causing so much destruction in London, and that are expected one day to devastate Washington, D.C. At the end of the war, the sense of victory is, for these men, overshadowed by the intense joy and relief they experience in knowing that the fighting is at last over. |
Contents
The Education of a Hero | 3 |
First Lessons | 23 |
Closing the Rose Pocket | 42 |
Copyright | |
8 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Another River, Another Town: A Teenage Tank Gunner Comes of Age in Combat--1945 John P. Irwin No preview available - 2003 |
Another River, Another Town: A Teenage Tank Gunner Comes of Age in Combat--1945 John P. Irwin No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
3rd Armored Division Ah'm ahead ammo armored infantry army artillery back deck barracks Battalion bazooka cannon Captain Harkin cigarette climbed combat Corkscrew crew damn defenses Dessau doughs drive driver's hatch enemy engineers exclaimed felt fighting fire firepower Fort Knox front fuckin German armor gonna gotta Graver grinned guard gunner guys half-tracks hand head heard hell intercom Joe and Pete Joe shouted K rations killed knew Kowanski Krauts looked machine-gun military mortar move Mulde never Nordhausen Okay Paderborn panzer Panzerfausts prisoners ready Regiment river road Rudy Collins rumor Sangerhausen Second Lieutenant Shankers seemed Sergeant shells Sherman tank shoot Shorty shouted Joe smile Smitty smoke soldier stood stopped street tank commander tank destroyers Task Force Welborn telescopic sight thing thought town troops trucks turret turret hatch U.S. Army waiting wanted watched y'all Yeah yelled