Brotherhood of War is a series of novels written by W.E.B. Griffin about the United States Army from the Second World War through the Vietnam War. The story centers around the careers of four US Army officers who were lieutenants in the early 1940s. The series is notable for the amount of attention it does not devote to combat—rather than skipping forward, it follows the main characters though their peacetime service as the Army evolves in the forties, fifties and sixties, particularly in the development of Army Aviation and the Special Forces. W.E.B. Griffin (born William Edmund Butterworth III on November 10, 1929) is a writer of military and detective fiction with some thirty novels in five series published under that name. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... It has been suggested that Aerial warfare be merged into this article or section. ... Special Forces (SF) or Special Operations Forces (SOF) are highly-trained military units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions. ...

16:29, 22 September 2007 (UTC)Cdnguy68==List of books==

• Book I, The Lieutenants (North Africa, Germany, Greece, CONUS 1942–1950)
• Book II, The Captains (Korea 1950–1953)
• Book III, The Majors (French IndoChina, Algeria, CONUS 1954-1958)
• Book IV, The Colonels (Vietnam, Cuba, Germany, CONUS 1958-1961)
• Book V, The Berets (Vietnam, Germany, CONUS, 1961-1962)
• Book VI, The Generals (Vietnam, CONUS, 1962-1985)
• Book VII, The New Breed (Congo, CONUS, 1963-1964)
• Book VIII, The Aviators (Vietnam, Congo, CONUS 1963-1965)
• Book IX, Special Ops (Congo, Argentina, CONUS, 1965)

Primary Cast of Characters

Colonel Sanford "Sandy" Thaddeus Felter, USA

Sandy Felter is a son of Jewish immigrants who resigns while a Second Classman (Junior) from the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy to accept a direct commission as a German and Russian interpreter in the last year of World War II. While doing so he is instrumental in locating a group of allied POWs and assists in their repatriation. He subsequently serves in a variety of Infantry and Intelligence posts where his keen intellect proves valuable. He subsequently becomes Counselor to the President for four US Presidents. Though Felter wishes several times to return to the conventional army, he is kept on in his role as Counselor to the President due to his demonstrated abilities. In the books, Felter is respected, feared, and even hated because of the clout he wields with the President and his analytical and espionage abilities, as he usually has information before anyone else and is sometimes the only one to analyze that information correctly. Despite his short stature and unimposing appearance (earning him the nickname, "Mouse"), he becomes a highly capable officer. In the Epilogue of The Generals, he reaches the rank of Lieutenant General, and head of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). Szkoła Rycerska Szkoła Rycerska Full name: Akademia Szlachecka Korpusu Kadetów (English :Knight School) was the first state school in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth established in 1765 in Warsaw, by King Stanislaw August Poniatowski. ... “USMA” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ... For other uses, see Intelligence (disambiguation). ...

Colonel Rudolph George "Mac" MacMillan, USA

Mac MacMillan was an 82nd Airborne Division sergeant who received a battlefield commission while participating in Operation Market Garden, although he was taken prisoner before he learned of it. For his actions in that abortive river crossing, he was later awarded the Medal of Honor. He was the senior NCO of the prisoners of war in the same POW camp as Bob Bellmon. As a former NCO with a tenth grade education, he doesn't always think very far ahead, but is a survivor and knows his way around paperwork in his recurring role as an aide-de-camp. MacMillan qualifies as an aviator prior to the Korean War although his flying escapades are limited largely to The Captains. The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army was formed originally as the 82nd Infantry Division on August 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Brian Horrocks Roy Urquhart James M. Gavin Maxwell Taylor Stanislaw Sosabowski Walter Model Wilhelm Bittrich Kurt Student Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 11,377 dead,wounded or missing 6,450 Captured 2,000 Killed 6,000 Wounded Operation... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... An aide-de-camp (French: camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders...

Colonel Craig W. Lowell, USA

Craig Lowell is an extremely wealthy Harvard drop-out who was drafted and sent to the US occupation forces in Germany. Because of his polo skills, he was assigned to manage a polo team for the commanding general "Porky" Waterford. Since he was essential to the general's team and a game against the French could only be played by officers, Mac MacMillan figures out how to get him commissioned before the game. When the general dies during the polo match, the Army doesn't know what to do with him so he is sent off to be an adviser to the Greek Army in the Greek Civil War. Here he meets Sandy Felter and serves under Paul Hanrahan. Lowell takes command of a large group of Greek forces and is eventually awarded the medal of the Order of St. George and St. Andrew. In Korea, Lowell commands an element of the 73rd Heavy Tank so well that he is promoted to Major. An incident with a visiting movie star, his defense of Phil Parker during Parker's murder trial, his smart mouth, and his penchant for circumventing the rules when it suits him all hurt Lowell's career, as he is almost thrown out of the Army several times before finally being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after rescuing Sandy Felter and an "A" Team during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Lowell is a superb aviator and a de-facto Green Beret. Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... A game of polo. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Hellenic Army, Royalist forces, Republicans, British troops Communist guerillas (ELAS, DSE) Commanders Alexander Papagos, Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos, James Van Fleet Markos Vafiadis Strength 150,000 men 50,000 men and women Casualties 15,000 killed 32,000+ killed or captured The Greek Civil War (Greek: ) was fought between 1946 and... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Though Lowell ends the series as quite the reputed ladies' man, he was a faithful and devoted husband to Ilse von Greiffenberg Lowell and their son, "P.P." (Peter-Paul), until Ilse was killed in a car accident while Lowell was serving in Korea. Lowell's escapades with women often nearly cost him career, and his last affair with a wife of an Air Force POW in Vietnam sees him immediately retired. His administrative skills, along with his planning ability and superb leadership abilities, make him an invaluable asset to almost every unit to which he is assigned. Lowell is also described as quite the "guardhouse lawyer" and knows how to manipulate the rules, his rank, and situations to his advantage. Lowell was admired and respected by the soldiers who served with him, though some of the more traditional officers, such as Bob Bellmon and Bill Roberts, dislike Lowell because his womanizing and his disregard for the rules. They all have a grudging respect for both his administrative duties and his warrior abilities.

Colonel Phillip Sheridan Parker IV, USA

A 1946 graduate of Norwich University, Phil Sheridan is a 4th generation professional Buffalo Soldier serving in Armor. Because he is black, he knows that he has to be the best in every class to stay even with the others in an a Army just beginning desegregation. He begins a lifelong friendship with Craig Lowell while attending an Armor Officer's course at Fort Knox (as told in Book I: The Lieutenants). Norwich University (NU) is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont. ... Saddle and accessories of the Buffalo Soldier. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ... Desegregation is the process of ending racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States. ... This article is about United States Army post. ...

However, this friendship with Craig Lowell often works against his career. His career is very nearly ended in Korea due to his being charged with murder. He is subsequently acquitted of the charge with the help of testimony given by Craig Lowell, but they are both branded as troublemakers. After the war, Parker "volunteers" for Army Aviation, and later qualifies as a Green Beret. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Parker is sent to Viet Nam as an aviator and becomes a Prisoner of War through an act of sabotage on his OV-1 Mohawk (as told in Book VII: The Generals). Married to Anoinette Parker, a Doctor and former associate professor of pathology at Massachussetts General. Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... OV-1 Mohawk in flight The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk is a heavily armored and armed military observation and attack aircraft, designed for battlefield surveillance and light strike capabilities. ...

Supporting Cast of Characters

Lieutenant General Robert F. Bellmon, USA

Bob Bellmon, USMA '39, the son of one general and the son-in-law of another (Porky Waterford), is a quintessential career Army officer. As a very young Armor Major in the Army of the United States he is captured at the battle of Kasserine Pass. As a POW of the Germans in Poland, he is executive officer of the prisoner detachment and its de facto Commander. Bellmon moved from Armor to Army Aviation and eventually became the Commanding General of Army Aviation at Fort Rucker. While he is a typified as a bit of a stuffed shirt, there is no doubt as to his abilities and his devotion to the US Army. In The Generals he was the Commanding General of XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft. Bragg. Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... The Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription (U.S. term: draft) force of the United States Army that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress in the event of the United States entering into a major armed conflict. ... The Battle of the Kasserine Pass took place in World War II during the Battle of Tunisia, fought between the German Afrika Korps under General Erwin Rommel, and the Americans under General Lloyd Fredendall in the Kasserine Pass (a 2 mile wide gap in the Dorsal Chain of the Atlas... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... While Executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an organization, the exact meaning of the role is highly variable, depending on the organization. ... Armor or armour (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Fort Rucker is a US Army base located mostly in Dale County, Alabama. ... Fort Bragg is a census-designated place and United States Army base, or post, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, near Fayetteville. ...

Major General Paul "Red" T Hanrahan, USA

One of the original Airborne officers before the war, Red Hanrahan served in the OSS in Greece during World War II, nominally as a Signal Corps Officer. He served as Felter's and Lowell's commanding officer when they served as advisors during the Greek Civil War. He is an advocate of the concept of Special Forces to assist allies in fighting their own wars. Eventually, Hanrahan was named Commandant of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency and was the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency, the Special Forces, and Navy SEALs. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Signal Corps is a military branch, usually subordinate to a countrys army. ... Combatants Hellenic Army, Royalist forces, Republicans, British troops Communist guerillas (ELAS, DSE) Commanders Alexander Papagos, Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos, James Van Fleet Markos Vafiadis Strength 150,000 men 50,000 men and women Casualties 15,000 killed 32,000+ killed or captured The Greek Civil War (Greek: ) was fought between 1946 and... Special Forces (SF) or Special Operations Forces (SOF) are highly-trained military units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions. ... Commandant is a military or police title or rank and can mean any of the following: The commander of certain military corps and services, such as the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Coast Guard in the United States or the Commandant of the (now obsolete... unit crest John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) trains United States Army personnel for the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) and Army Special Operation Forces (ARSOF). ... Fort Bragg is a census-designated place and United States Army base, or post, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, near Fayetteville. ...

Barbara Waterford Bellmon

The daughter of General Porky Waterford, Barbara is the classic officer's wife, assisting with the families of her husband's command. She is amused by some of the junior officers and often reminds her husband to relax a little with them.

Colonel Phillip Sheridan Parker III, USA, Retired

A Norwich graduate, Colonel Parker commanded a colored tank destroyer regiment in North Africa and Northern Europe under General Porky Waterford. He led the task force that rescued Bob Bellmon. A self-propelled anti-tank gun, or tank destroyer, is a type of armoured fighting vehicle. ...

Generalleutennant Graf Peter Paul von Greiffenberg

A member of the German professional officer corps, he is made commandant of the POW camp Bob Bellmon is held in after suffering wounds commanding a Regiment in the Ardennes. After the war, he becomes the head of German intelligence. For nearly five years after the war he was a prisoner in a Russian Gulag, and was identified and repatriated by Sandy Felter where he found his daughter married to Craig Lowell.

Ilse von Greiffenberg Lowell

Ilse is Graf von Greiffenberg's daughter and becomes Craig's wife. She is killed in an automobile accident in Germany caused by a US Army Quartermaster Officer, while Craig is in Korea.

Major George Washington "Father" Lunsford, USA

A talented, black Special Forces Officer, his skills at Swahili allow him to play a key role in support of operations in the Congo. He becomes a good friend to John Oliver. Lunsford appears in The Aviators, The New Breed, and Special Ops.

Brigadier General [Designate] Geoff Craig, USA

Craig Lowell's cousin, he was drafted into the army and placed in the stockade after assaulting his NCO. Craig Lowell was able to get him into Special Forces school was given a promotion to Sergeant. While in Vietnam, he was given a battlefield commission after being the last American able to fight in a fort they were protecting. After Vietnam, he became an aviator. NCO may mean: a numerically-controlled oscillator in electronics a non-commissioned officer in the military   This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Sergeant (disambiguation). ... A Battlefield Commission is given to enlisted soldiers who are commissioned for outstanding leadership on the field of battle. ...

1st Lieutenant Jacques Emile "Jack" Portet, USAR

The American-born son of a commercial airline pilot from the former Belgian Congo, he is an accomplished aviator whose knowledge of the area proves invaluable in the operation detailed in The Aviators and The New Breed. He later marries the Bellmons' daughter Marjorie.

Captain John S. Oliver Jr., USA

A Norwich University graduate, Captain Oliver served in Vietnam commanding the 170th Assault Helicopter Company. He earned the Combat Infantryman Badge during a Special Forces operation where his plane was shot down. He led the Green Beret A-Team to safety through the woods. He served as General Bellmon's aide-de-camp while stationed at Fort Rucker. Norwich University (NU) is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont. ... The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, warrant officers and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit, brigade... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An aide-de-camp (French: camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. ... Fort Rucker is a US Army base located mostly in Dale County, Alabama. ...

Sharon Felter

Sandy Felter's wife. She hated Sandy for wanting to be a soldier but has come to love the life they have. Later in the series, she wishes Sandy was a regular soldier but understands the importance he has to the President. Sandy's role as an intelligence officer leaves her yearning for life like her friends have. She helped buried Craig's wife, Ilse when he was in Korea and when Sandy was believed to have died in Korea, and later in a plane crash at Dien Bien Phu, helped comfort Craig Lowell when Lowell should have been comforting her. She, and Barbara Bellmon, regard Lowell as a mischievous younger brother. Lowell regards Sharon probably more fondly than any other woman in his life, and often jokes that if anything were to happen to Sandy, he would quickly propose.

Dorothy Sims

A wife of a prisoner of war during Vietnam. She becomes involved with Craig Lowell and they fell in love and married after she divorced her husband after Craig rescued him from a POW Camp. Their relationship cost Craig his career.

Other Notable Characters

• General E.Z. Black - Armor Officer, division and corps commander in Korea (see I.D. White). Later served as Vice Chief of Staff and CINCPAC. Longtime protector of Mac MacMillan (The Captains, The Colonels) and also the officer who rescued Craig Lowell's career at the end of The Majors.
• Porter Craig - Craig Lowell's cousin, and father of Geoffrey Craig; Porter is the Chairman of the Board of the Lowell/Craig family firm of investment bankers, Craig, Powell, Kenyon, and Dawes.
• Lieutenant Commander Edward Eaglebury, USN - Naval Intelligence Officer and Aviator assigned to US Army Special Forces; Disguised as an Army Sergeant First Class, he served as Tom Ellis' tormentor during his Green Beret training cycle (Featured in The Berets) Commander Eaglebury was killed while looking for missile sites in Cuba during the crisis. He was decorated posthumously by President Kennedy for his actions.
• 1st Lieutenant Tom Ellis - Airborne and later Green Beret officer (Introduced in The Colonels, Featured in The Berets). Tom Ellis was an OCS grade who enlisted to be a cook and then went to Officer Candidate and Airborne Schools at Ft. Benning, Ga. to avoid the kitchen. He was picked up by Col. MacMillan while hitchhiking to Ft. Bragg because he lost his car playing poker. Served as Aide to Paul Hanrahan after his promotion to Brigadier General. Commanded the "A" Team picked up by Craig Lowell in Cuba.
• Major William Franklin - Early Army Warrant Officer Aviator
• 1st Lieutenant Ed C. Greer - Early Army Warrant Officer Aviator (Featured in The Majors). Former assistant to Gen. E.Z. Black, later sent to Warrant Officer Candidate (WOC) school at Ft. Rucker to learn how to fly. Served in Algeria after Craig Lowell and Bill Franklin. Married Melody Dutton. Pilot of the ill-fated H-19 "Big Bad Bird".
• Major General Paul T. Jiggs - Army Armor Officer and Aviation convert; Served as Craig Lowell's CO with the 73rd Heavy Tank in Korea and later became the Commanding General of Ft. Rucker
• Major General Angus C. "Scotty" Laird - Army General and Aviation convert (Introduced in The Majors) (see Bogardus S. Cairns)
• Colonel William R. Roberts - West Point Graduate (Class of '40), Long time Army Aviation visionary and promoter. Frequently at odds with Bob Bellmon.

General Isaac D. White commanded the U.S. Army, Pacific (USARPAC) from July 1957 to March 1961. ... Fort Rucker is a US Army base located mostly in Dale County, Alabama. ...

Trivia

• One minor point is that when receiving landing instructions, winds are often reported as "negligible" The correct terms would be "calm" or "light and variable". Also in "The Majors" clearance to land on "Runway 45" is given. Runways can't have a number higher than "36" for a heading of 360 degrees is the highest possible.

• Originally, there would have been no novels written after The Generals, as the book closed with an epilogue of each officers' and characters' careers. This was skillfully pushed aside, however, in the three novels written after The Generals. However these three books were set before the last book.