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2nd Battalion, 34th Armor

authors and their books

This is a new page that features books and writings by veterans of the Battalion. This is a web page that showcases their literary works and is not an endorsement.

The authors thus far identified and featured are:

Journal of a Combat Tanker; by Toby Brant - Sergeant, A Company, 1st Platoon, 1969, W.I.A.

Gold Pieces; by Gary Gill - Specialist 4, A Company, 1970

Betrayal, The System that Failed; by Steven M. Florence - B and C Companies, Medic, 1967

Tears in the Rain: Understanding the Vietnam Experience; by Rick Whittaker - Lieutenant, Headquarters Company - Recon Platoon, 1970 and 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry 1970-1971

Desert Storm: Dreadnought; by Joseph George - D Company, M-1 Tanker in Desert Storm.

Journal of a Combat Tanker

by Toby Brant - Sergeant, A Company, 1st Platoon, 1969, W.I.A.

(Materials shown above provided by Billie Brant)

Toby Brant called me just weeks before his untimely death and he talked of his re-release of his book. He and another Dreadnaught of A Company, Roy Adams - 1969-1970, spent many hours going over the things that needed work. During our conversation, it became apparent that this new and revised book's expenses (again) were coming directly out of his own pocket. Toby had confided in me at the 2003 Reunion in Washington D.C. that the first time he got the book to print - it cost him over $5000.00 . During our last conversation, I decided to feature his book and all the other Dreadnaught veterans on a dedicated web page - just to help them out. Weeks after Toby's passing, his wife Bille sent me a copy of the new and updated book. It is a good read (I have bought and read much, much worse for other Vietnam veterans) and Toby wrote it they way his saw and experienced it. Please use the information on the form shown above to order a copy of the book directly from Bille Brant. Web Master - Doc Cherry

Gold Pieces

by Gary Gill - Specialist 4, A Company, 1970

According to Gary, this site ( www.authorhouse.com) tells about the book, a little about him and then gives a short preview from the first story, but I asked Gary to provide me with some more detail on the book if he chose to. In part, here are some excerpts on his book from his email in December 2004.

"Doc, just a few notes about the book that can't by found on the website but, if you choose. . . . . . . . .

    1. Gold Pieces is what I call a novel of eleven short stories. They are about a civil war veteran and, although I identify him as a Confederate soldier he could just as easily have been a Union soldier, whose life has been changed by war. Not exactly a new theme. The first story and the remaining ten cover a period from 1867 to 2003 and they are about veterans
in his family returning from war and trying to "win the peace." Peace of mind and peace in their daily lives. The first story is the basis for the rest although, I hope, each of the remaining ten stands alone.

    2. I don't have a drum to beat. This isn't meant to doctrinaire or to have some profound moral. But as you and any other Dreadnaught knows, all of it stays with us for better or worse. (sometimes at the American Legion
listening to older veterans talk about WWII or Korea like it was yesterday and with a vitality that is absent from normal conversation-----or with others at our reunions. Same, same GI.)

    3. I know from our reunions and meeting with other Vietnam vets over the years that there are far better and far more articulate spokesmen for our generation. I have done the best that I can do.

    4. The overall story that I am trying to tell is one that, although fiction, I do . . . .(have a) deep respect and compassion for all of my brothers whether they have returned to lead normal lives like the vast majority have done, or whether life has taken them down a different road.

Doc I'll tell you the same thing I told my wife when talking about Gold Pieces. I have had people read it and make comments--mostly good, , have been asked to sign copies, and have had a nice write up in our local paper. All of that is well and good but the most important audience to me is what my brothers think.   ............"

The book can be ordered by credit card from the listed website, The best way to order is as follows:
1.) Go to www.authorhouse.com 2.) Go to The Book Store on this site 3.) Put in the name Gary Gill, where it asks for author (it can also be identified by title-Gold Pieces-or by ISBN which is 1414001193 for the paperback ($13.25 plus shipping and handling) or 1414001207 for the electronic book ($4.95).

Betrayal, The System that Failed

by Steven M. Florence - B Company, Medic, 1967, 57th Medical Company - Dustoff. Steven also spent 24 years in the Army Reserve.

I do not know anything about this book and I do not have any review or promotional material to offer at this time.

Steven's book is $24.95 and is available directly from him at: 3709 NW 59th St, Okalahoma City, OK 73112, Phone: 405-947-3534 Email: SMFLORENTZ2000@YAHOO.COM

Tears in the Rain: Understanding the Vietnam Experience

by Rick Whittaker - Lieutenant, Headquarters Company - Recon Platoon, 1970 and 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry 1970-197

Rick's ebook is another book that I do not have any review material on. It is $9.50, plus the other charge. There are some reviews on the web, See these links.

TheMen - (Note: please disregard "Un-Published statement at the bottom.)

FOR SALE AT:

Please also reference the information that is posted on the links provided below. It is a self published book. It's number is ISBN: 097260541X and is available from a many sources such as:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:j31VL38SD5oJ:www.edifyingspectacle.org/thanks/authorsearch_Rick%2520Whitaker/mode_books/+%22rick+whitaker%22+%22tears+in+the+rain%22&hl=en

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008BX1B/qid=1049814222/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-1703192-6843210?v=glance&s=books

http://www.ebookmall.com/ebook/65743-ebook.htm

Desert Storm: Dreadnought

by Joseph George - D Company, M-1 Tanker in Desert Storm.

Joseph emailed me and informed me of the following: " You can order the book at www.authorhouse.com/bookstore, Amazon.com, Barnes&Nobles.com, Borders.com, booksamillion.com, and etc. can order the book at www.authorhouse.com/bookstore, Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles.com, Borders.com, booksamillion.com etc....... I'll have a B.A. degree in Social Work in May (2005). I was a M-1 Tanker in Desert Storm. I plan on working with veterans when I finish school. It's hard to promote the book because I don't have the time or the money. The book can help vets coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. My e-mail address is jbgeorge56@hotmail.com Thanks a lot, Joe. This is a link to a review that Joe got from Amazon . . .103-4666035-1962244-v=glance&s=books, just click on it.

Again, I have not yet read or received anything on this book yet.

Are you a Dreadnaught Author? Have you written a book? Would you like your literary work mentioned here? Please contact Pat Forster with your information.

Need to contact our Association President, Pat Forster? Click on the Letters below to send him an e-mail.

This new page that features books and writings by veterans of the Battalion. Neither the Web Master or the Battalion Association have any financial interest or receive any remuneration from the authors, publishers or printers, or have any other connections to the cited links, reviews, or other external lists on this page. All responsibilities for the contents, sale, distribution, any other liabilities associated with the featured items are those of the author, their agents, their publishers, and their distributors.

All publishers, retailers, book and E-book outlets and links mentioned on this web page are assumed to be Registered Companies and use of their names and links to their businesses is done for promotional purposes only.

Creation Date: March 19, 2005

Revised: July 1, 2013