First Lieutenant B. David Mann,
USA (ret.) “graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in history and from Georgetown University with
a degree in Foreign Service. Following an initial career in business and industry, he served for 30 years as a development
officer in five private colleges in Virginia. During World War II, David Mann served as a Platoon Leader in the Philippines
in the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division. His combat service included the Battle of Zigzag Pass on Luzon, a week-long
battalion operation on Mindoro, and the entire 75-day campaign to liberate eastern Mindanao, followed by occupation duty in
Japan. While serving as a reserve officer, Mann was called to military service again in 1950 and served in various capacities.”
B. David Mann is the author of Avenging Bataan: The Battle of Zig Zag Pass and They Were Heard from: VMI
Alumni in the Civil War.
According to the book description of
Avenging Bataan: The Battle of Zig Zag Pass, “When General MacArthur and the United States
suffered a devastating defeat by surrendering the Bataan Peninsula to the Japanese in 1942, it was only worsened by learning
of the brutal treatment of the American POWs. Outraged by this news, the entire country and particularly the Army vowed to
avenge the defeat and the infamous Bataan Death March. Avenging
Bataan: The Battle of Zigzag Pass" is a well-researched and detailed historical account of the struggle to liberate Bataan
in 1945 by opening the highway through Zigzag Pass. Featuring coverage of both the American and Japanese forces, this account
provides insight into the day by day life and death struggle of battle. The story is told through interviews, letters, and
reports by men - from both sides - who fought the battle . Complete with the historical background of events leading up to and surrounding the Battle of Zigzag Pass, the author’s
research includes strategic information along with personal accounts. A gripping portrayal of both the Americans and Japanese
at war, Avenging Bataan helps preserve the legacy of World War II for future generations.”
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According to the book description of
They Were Heard from: VMI Alumni in the Civil War, “They Were Heard From introduces the reader
to the greatest generation of the 19th century. It illuminates the record of VMI trained officers - they were heard from in
every rank from private to general; they were found on every battlefield and they fell in greater numbers than any other college
alumni body in the South. When the war ended they took leadership roles in business and government, carrying out the VMI education
model of the Citizen-Soldier.”
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