Reviews

 

Reviews through Amazon may be reviewed or posted by clicking here:

 

 

"This is a superb book, expertly researched and skillfully written. The author has unearthed many new details of the fighting from D-Day to Brest. I found the book particularly intriguing because the Rangers and the 29th Infantry Division, which I have now written about for thirty-five years, fought side-by-side on Omaha Beach and the first few days of the Normandy campaign, as well as at the siege of Brest. Highly recommended! Rangers Lead the Way and Twenty-Nine, Let's Go!"

                                                                                                                Joseph Balkoski (Historian/Author: Omaha Beach)

 

"This book started out as a quest to learn about the author's grandfather, Sgt Herbert Hull, a ranger in the 5th Ranger Battalion during the Normandy Campaign. It turned into the most informative history of the 5th Ranger Battalion I've come across. Richly detailed and profusely illustrated, it traces the battalion from its formation in 1943 through the bloody siege of Brest where Sgt Hull was badly wounded and evacuated back to the United States. The book goes far beyond Sgt Hull's personal experiences and details the tumultuous events that shaped the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions into the elite fighting forces that played such an important role during the invasion of Normandy and the bitter fighting that followed. If you're a student of WWII military history, this book belongs in your collection."

                                                                                                                 Jim Schneider (Author: My Father's War)

 

"The Lost Ranger: A Soldier’s Story is a well-written, vivid history of WWII that puts you side-by-side with a US Army Ranger, from basic training through the events culminating in D-Day. The book is a must read for any serious scholar of US military history, the Rangers and more so for anyone with a family member who served in WWII."                                                     Michael F. McCarthy (USA)

 

"For anyone interested in an untold history of why the US 5th Rangers, and one in particular, came to Swanage, England to train and from there invade Nazi Europe and beyond, then this is a must read. This book is unique, in my view, for it's research and detail."

                                                                                                                 Michael Ford (Historian: Swanage, England)

 

"This a must read, especially for the one interested in the WW2 Ranger 's history and WW2.  What Mr Mehlo was able to do in his research about his grandfather Herbert Hull is outstanding , you can follow the steps of the 5th Ranger Bn during the training in USA , England and day by day from Omaha beach to Brittany and Brest area!  The compiled details are very Sharp as they came from the "morning reports" and after "action reports"."                                                                                                                      Franck Maurouard (Historian, France)

 

"Like a brilliant, multi-faceted gem, The Lost Ranger: A Soldier’s Story is dynamic and has something valuable for everyone. As a book about World War II, its historical significance cannot be overstated. Noel Mehlo’s research is meticulous and adds important details to WW2 literature that were overlooked for years. Between the inclusion of first-hand accounts and the perusal and subsequent compilation of many varied documents, Mehlo has brought together information that had previously been inaccessible. Hundreds of photographs also help the reader to understand and appreciate this period of history. Mehlo’s willingness to travel to many locations, listen to many people, and dig through many obscure and dusty volumes has resulted in a book that is meaningful both to the learned historian and to the student who is just beginning his journey."                                                                                                                                                          Patricia Hartsough (USA)

 

"It is clear by the extent of detail in the book the lengths to which the author went to complete his investigation. The book is extemrely informative and an enjoyable read."                                                                                   Gerald Solomon (USA)

 

"Written by a soldier with specialized training and skill set as a researcher, who successfully reconstructs his Grandfather's military service as a Ranger in the 5th Battalion during WWII. This book is for those want to know the first-hand accounts of what it was like to be a Ranger who stormed the beaches and cliffs at Normandy, or for those who want to learn how to research the service history of a US veteran."                                                                                                                                                               Roger Ryder (USA)

 

Phenomenal Book!                                                                                         Elmo Banning (nephew of slain Ranger Elmo Banning)

 

"This is the finest, and most detailed book not only on the 5th Rangers, but also on how a civilian became a soldier in WWII. I have nearly every book on the Rangers/Merrill's Marauders in WWII....this is the best Ranger history to date covering the 5th Rangers....and really the best historically researched book on WWII that I have ever read!!! The detail is outstanding!!! The photographs of the Rangers do NOT appear in any other volume. The story in itself is a wonderment....but the unit history is outstanding!!!!! Even if you just want a detailed account on the induction process in WWII, or the battle at Pointe Du Hoc.....this the book. But it goes far beyond this....it clearly puts into perspective what was like for a civilian to become an elite soldier during WWII. As a former U.S. Army Ranger, and current history educator, I highly recommend this book on it's historical research, and as a Ranger....you MUST have this one!!!!! In closing, I have only one word for your book Mr. Mehlo......HOOOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                                                                                  Kevin Kuss (History Teacher and Army Ranger)