Compass
U.S. Army Ranger, European Theater, 1944-45
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In 1943, seventeen year old John Gorman joined in the Army Specialized Training Program, a pioneering recruiting program that offered enlistees an opportunity for a college education after completing basic training. In February 1944, while Gorman was still in boot camp, the Army converted all its “textbook commandos” into regular infantrymen. By April, Gorman was in England where he volunteered for the U.S. Army Rangers. Gorman landed in Normandy less than a week after D-Day, and for the next eighteen months served as an infantry scout in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, among the most celebrated units of the war. Compass is his story.
Gorman shares with the readers his memories of the rigors of Ranger training, combat in the French bocage, the terrible battle for the port of Brest, the “romp across Europe” after the Normandy breakout, the horrors of the fight in Huertgen Forest, challenges from pneumonia and frostbite and the heart-rending experience of seeing his friends die in battle. Gorman returned home after the war to college, career and family. Compass includes contributions from his children that reveal the many ways in which his wartime experiences shaped the rest of his life.
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About the Book
In 1943, seventeen year old John Gorman joined in the Army Specialized Training Program, a pioneering recruiting program that offered enlistees an opportunity for a college education after completing basic training. In February 1944, while Gorman was still in boot camp, the Army converted all its “textbook commandos” into regular infantrymen. By April, Gorman was in England where he volunteered for the U.S. Army Rangers. Gorman landed in Normandy less than a week after D-Day, and for the next eighteen months served as an infantry scout in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, among the most celebrated units of the war. Compass is his story.
Gorman shares with the readers his memories of the rigors of Ranger training, combat in the French bocage, the terrible battle for the port of Brest, the “romp across Europe” after the Normandy breakout, the horrors of the fight in Huertgen Forest, challenges from pneumonia and frostbite and the heart-rending experience of seeing his friends die in battle. Gorman returned home after the war to college, career and family. Compass includes contributions from his children that reveal the many ways in which his wartime experiences shaped the rest of his life.
About the Author
John W. Gorman grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Following his World War II service, he graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors and Doctorate in Chemical Engineering. He authored numerous technical publications and co-authored “Fitting Equations to Data”. He retired from the energy industry in 1984. Dorothy Gorman Yundt, daughter of John W. Gorman, grew up in Munster, Indiana. She graduated from Purdue University and the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. She previously worked as an energy industry executive and is now living in the mountains of Colorado. Patrick Quinn’s work has appeared in magazines ranging from "Mountain Gazette" to the "Boston Book Review" to the "Kansas City Star". He is the author of "Thick As Thieves".