My War by Andy RooneyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amazon Book Description
One of America's favorite commentators writes a moving, funny, and highly evocative account of his life as an Army private and Stars and Stripes reporter during World War II. Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, My War features endpapers showing dispatches and photos taken during the war.
With comic thoughts and observations mixed in with an interesting and exciting account of his life as an enlisted man and reporter for "Stars and Stripes" during World War II, Andy Rooney delivers a five star memoir.
The story of his exploits at Fort Bragg was hilarious. He recounts the scenario of how a blow-up mattress that his wife sent him after he complained about how uncomfortable the beds were went unnoticed for several days until his Sergeant started to wonder how the quarter was bouncing so high on Rooney's bed. When he's caught he must go out and retrieve his old mattress that he had stuffed under the barracks, wet and moldy from being exposed to the rain and humidity. Living in NC and being very familiar with Fort Bragg, I found it particularly humorous when he sarcastically lamented about his punishment being a loss of his weekend pass to the fun and exciting city of Fayetteville.
In recounting his life as a reporter for "Stars and Stripes" in the E.T.O. he shared the experience of his mandatory fly-along with a bombardier group on a mission over Germany. He came back with so much more respect for what the boys who fought the war in air went through every time they flew into enemy territory. Andy also gives some insight to the lives and personalities of masterful war correspondents such as Ernie Pyle and is quite candid on his thoughts on General Patton. Laden with insight and wit, this book delivers a great look at what it was like for the men who risked their lives to bring the news of the war back to families on the home front. The photos are an additional bonus.
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