One Man’s War is a gripping novel that follows the journey of one man, Bob Kafak, through his experiences as a rifleman in a frontline company during World War II. It makes visceral the fear, the filth, and the cold that were his constant companions. Kafak is a reluctant hero who intentionally pisses off the brass to avoid promotion because he has seen too many of his commanding officers get blown to pieces and he doesn’t want to be next. He fights from the beaches of Anzio in Italy and battles up through the South of France toward Germany, facing one terrible heart-pounding encounter after another. Seen through Kafak’s thick-lensed army-issued glasses, the wider implications of the war remain blurry while he focuses on the simple, urgent needs of survival: keep your head down, keep your feet dry, gain the next six feet of ground, and concentrate on what tomorrow will bring.  "A fascinating fictional account of war at the tip of the spear." —Alex Kershaw, author of The Liberator: One World War II Soldier’s 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau “Through its attention to detail and its deliberate perspective, Kippert’s first novel delivers a precise, tense, and moving story.” —Kirkus Reviews “ One Man’s War will appeal to history buffs and anyone interested in the real, human stories from war that should not be lost.” — Foreword Reviews “With an impressive attention to detail and with a consummate skill as a storyteller, One Man's War clearly documents author P. M. Kippert's exceptional ability to consistently engage his reader from first page to last.” —Midwest Book Review "One Man's War honors the memory of one soldier and, in doing so, pays tribune to them all. This visceral, intense, moving experience is a worthy addition to war literature." —Historical Novels Review P. M. Kippert is an attorney whose father fought on the beaches of Anzio in Italy during World War II in the famous Third Infantry Division, Fifteenth Regiment, L Company. His father never talked about the war until he was on his deathbed and then he told his son the stories that inspired this novel. Kippert has published numerous short stories; this is his debut novel.  One Man's War A Novel By P.M. Kippert Chicago Review Press Incorporated Copyright © 2016 P. M. Kippert All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-61373-356-1 CHAPTER 1 Bob Kafak landed at Anzio on January 22, 1944, D-day for Operation Shingle, the invasion of Anzio. He walked ashore from the gate of an LCI without getting his feet wet, a good landing. "Where the fuck is everybody?" Kafak asked Willie Marshak, a friend he'd made in North Africa during his time there. "I guess we fooled the fucking Krauts, huh?" Marshak said. It was eerily silent, Kafak thought. He'd arrived in Africa in November 1943, in time to spend his nineteenth birthday there. He'd missed all the fighting and felt glad of it, though he didn't admit that to anyone. He'd expected to be met by German guns the minute he stepped out of the landing craft, and when nothing happened he felt great relief. Great disappointment, as well. He wanted to get it over with, his first time under fire. He wanted to make sure he could take it, that he wouldn't be a coward. He figured a guy never knew if he could take it until he was in it. That was another thing he didn't mention to anyone. In the event, there had been just too much coastline for the Germans to protect. They knew the Allies would be coming, they just didn't know where. They had had to pick and choose their spots. They hadn't chosen Anzio-Nettuno. A sergeant met them just off the beach. "Who you sonsa bitches with?" the sergeant said, his voice the growl Kafak had become used to from noncommissioned officers. "We ain't been assigned yet, Sarge," Marshak said. "You're here as replacements, then," the sergeant said. "Report to the rear. Ask for Lieutenant Dunphy." Kafak and Marshak wandered around the beach and what was left of the town. It had been wracked by shells, both Allied and German. After asking about a dozen people, they finally found the lieutenant. "You've been sent as replacements for the Third?" Dunphy asked. "Seems like, sir," Kafak said. "Well, the landing didn't cost us much, so we've got nobody for you to replace just yet. We'll put you in the rear until we can assign you." "Sounds good to me, sir," Marshak said, and grinned. Dunphy asked, "You fellas ain't seen any combat yet, have you?" "No, sir, that's right," Kafak said. Dunphy grunted at them and directed them where to go. There was sporadic shelling. It would get worse. Everyone told them so. They listened to the shells dropping, listened to the men who had seen combat, listened and waited, and tried not to show the fear they felt. "Hell of a spot they stuck us in, ain't it?" Marshak said. "What?" Kafak said. "That fucking ammo dump?" "Yeah, fucking ammo dump. Right fucking next door. Hell, the Krauts don't get us, the fucking US Army