Military & War Short Stories Collection

Running off to join the French Foreign Legion used to be every boy's dream of action and adventure. But for Lieutenant Bill Reilly-half Irish, half American, and like Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, a Westerner at war in the desert-the dream has turned into a nightmare. And it all begins with the gruesome delivery of a severed hand. . . .The dead, gnarled fingers hold a message from the Berber chief Abd el-Ulad. He challenges the courage of the Legion soldiers and says he holds an American woman captive-who, if Reilly doesn't come to her rescue, is next up for dismemberment. Reilly abandons his post guarding the trains and goes after her. But it's all a trick. In his absence, the railroad falls victim to a terrorist attack. But who set the trap and engineered the sabotage? Reilly is caught in a triangle of treachery as the French, Spanish and native Berbers vie for control. His fate-as well as that of the American woman-rests on his ability to escape a spider's web of double- and triple-crosses and uncover the truth in a desert of deception. Hubbard's knowledge of the Berber raiders as well as of the Arab culture was comprehensive. As a young man he traveled extensively, following and studying numerous nomadic cultures and tribes. Combining those insights with his experience operating everything from machine guns to field telephones in the Montana National Guard and Marine Corps Reserves, Hubbard brought unique authenticity to his tales of the Foreign Legion. His stories were so exceptional, he was sought after by the premier writers' magazines of the time to write how-to articles-two of which appeared the same month that Hostage to Death was published.* An International Book Awards Finalists

Embittered by past failures and broken dreams, American fighter pilot David Duane believes in but one cause-his own. Europe is at war, and he'll fight it for a price, selling his deadly flying skills to the highest bidder. Just as Bogart came to Casablanca to escape his past, Duane has come to the icy white wastes of Scandinavia to wage a private war in the skies. But he's about to take off on a flight and undertake an unforgettable journey-On Blazing Wings-to a place beyond the imagination . . . leading to a revelation that will open his eyes and his heart. In a world divided by war, Duane discovers that sometimes you have to make a choice, and that making the wrong one could cost him the woman he loves. . . . As a barnstorming pilot in the early days of aviation, Hubbard was dubbed "Flash" Hubbard by the aviation magazines of the day. His unique personal and pioneering knowledge of flight streaks across the page in novels like On Blazing Wings.

Meet Lieutenant Flint: hard-edged and muscle-bound, radiating machismo-a bull of a soldier. In the opposite corner stands Captain Turner: with his pencil mustache and tailored shirts, he's a Trick Soldier-smart, crisply-dressed, and always at attention. They're fire and ice, oil and water . . . Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox in Casualties of War. Ten years ago and a thousand miles away, they attended boot camp together. They didn't get along then . . . and they don't get along now. Reunited in the Haitian jungles, in the midst of a fierce rebel uprising, they confront the most dangerous enemy of all-each other. It's time for heroes to rise and cowards to fall, and in the case of Lieutenant Flint and Captain Turner, bravery runs deep. When brute strength confronts military honor, the true measure of a man is not in his fists, but in his heart. A First Sergeant with the 20th United States Marine Corps Reserve, Hubbard knew exactly what it meant to be a Marine. As he wrote in 1935: "Most of the fiction written about [Marines] is of an intensely dramatic type, all do-or-die and Semper Fidelis." But the reality, he said, was far different. "I've known the Corps from Quantico to Peiping, from the South Pacific to the West Indies, and I've never seen any flag-waving. The most refreshing part of the U.S.M.C. is that they get their orders . . . and do the job and that's that." It's that kind of unique and pointed insight that he brings to stories like Trick Soldier. Also includes the military adventures He Walked to War, in which Marine Sergeant E.Z. Go appears to take it easy, but always gets the job done . . . even if it's hard as nails or dangerous as hell-in the end E.Z. does it; and Machine Gun 21,000, the story of a soldier who loses a gun and faces a court martial, but finds a way to save the day.

American pilot Mike Malloy has learned his lesson: when you join the French Foreign Legion, it's best not to wipe the floor with two French officers . . . no matter how richly they deserve it. And it appears he has all the time in the world to think about it. He's been sentenced to five years in a Moroccan penal battalion-which is French for death sentence. But Malloy, who could easily pass for actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., is about to get a reprieve . . . if he's willing to fly into the heart of the Sahara and into the teeth of a Berber rebellion. It's an offer Malloy can't refuse. All he has to do is fly two passengers into the desert and return with a book that disappeared 800 years ago. But as he's a man who doesn't go by the book, this expedition could turn out to have unexpected benefits. One of his passengers is a young American woman whose eyes are as beautiful and blue as the wild blue yonder. . . .Hubbard once said that writers too often "forget a great deal of the languorous quality which made the Arabian Nights so pleasing. Jewels, beautiful women, towering cities filled with mysterious shadows, sultans equally handy with robes of honor and the beheading sword . . . these things still exist, undimmed, losing no luster to the permeating Occidental flavor which reaches even the far corners of the earth today." Hubbard brings this unique insight to his stories of North Africa and the Legionnaires, investing them with an authenticity of time, place and character that kept his readers asking for more.

Triumphant tales of heroes, honor and impossible odds. Launch into the action with these gripping and gritty tales that appeared in the pages of the most popular pulp fiction magazines of the 1930's and 1940's. "It's certainly loads of fun." -Ellery QueenThis Collection includes: International Book Awards Winner: On Blazing Wings, International Book Awards Finalists: The Phantom Patrol & Hostage to Death as well as Orders is Orders, While Bugles Blow!, Sabotage in the Sky, Wind-Gone-Mad, The Falcon Killer, Hell's Legionnaire and Red Death Over China.

When it comes to flying gliders, ace pilot Breeze Callaghan is as smooth as they come. He perfects a skill that will prove vitally important for decades to come-even into the jet age, as demonstrated by Captain Sully Sullenberger, who famously landed his disabled passenger plane on the Hudson River. Sully's jet was brought down by a flock of geese, while Breeze is going up against a vulture named Badger O'Dowell. Both pilots are vying for a Navy contract, and Badger would love to shoot the Breeze . . . literally. Short of that he'll do everything he can to sabotage Breeze in flight. It's game on, and as Breeze is about to discover, Badger's an expert at playing dirty. And there's much more than money at stake: there's his reputation, his life, and his love of a beautiful woman. A storm is brewing, and as for danger, the sky's the limit when Sky Birds Dare! During his undergraduate days, L. Ron Hubbard served as the president of the George Washington Glider Club. He held numerous records for sustained powerless flight and was renowned for his wild aerial antics that, according to an eyewitness, "made women scream and strong men weep." In short, there wasn't a single flying feat in Sky Birds Dare! that Hubbard himself hadn't dared to do on his own.

The doomed Chinese city of Shunkien was being systematically destroyed. Japan's war machine was pounding wreckage into ashes-wiping out a city that had thrived since the time of Genghis Khan. One of the few buildings still standing is the American consulate where one hundred and sixteen US refugees are facing almost certain death, either from high explosives, the ravages of starvation or Asiatic cholera. Unbeknownst to the refugees, their fate rests in the hands of one Marine-- Gunnery Sergeant James Mitchell--and his ability to negotiate two hundred miles of occupied territory in order to bring desperately needed gold and medicine, while overcoming bullets, dive bombers, butchery and his own personal nemesis-alcohol. Add to these seemingly insurmountable odds, a seductive American fan-dancer who hitches along for the ride and saving the lives of the hostages is far from a fait accompli. As a young man, Hubbard visited Manchuria, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence in northern China. Hubbard gained a unique insight into the hostile political climate between China and Japan-a knowledge that informs stories like Orders Is Orders. In addition, he served as a First Sergeant with the 20th United States Marine Corps Reserve-giving him first-hand knowledge of what it means to be a Marine.

Private detective Sam Spade nearly died, several times over, chasing The Maltese Falcon. But what Spade faced in pursuit of the black bird was child's play compared to what Lieutenant Bill Mahone of Naval Intelligence endures when he sets out to find the Green God. He's tortured with knives, threatened with a slow, painful death, and buried alive. And then things get really nasty. The entire Chinese city of Tientsin is under siege from within-the streets filled with rioting, arson, mass looting and murder. And all because the city's sacred idol, the Green God, has gone missing. Mahone's convinced he knows who stole the deity of jade, diamonds and pearls. To retrieve it, though, he'll have to go undercover and underground. But he's walking a razor's edge-between worship and warfare, between a touch of heaven and a taste of bloody hell. As a young man, Hubbard visited Manchuria, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence in northern China. Hubbard gained a unique insight into the intelligence operations and spy-craft in the region as well as the criminal trade in sacred objects. It was on this experience that he based The Green God, which was his first professional sale, published in February, 1934-the beginning of a very remarkable and prolific writing career. Also includes the adventure Five Mex for a Million, in which an American Army captain, falsely accused of murder, finds himself taking on the Chinese government, a powerful Russian general, and a mysterious, unexpected passenger.

Who is Wind-Gone-Mad? He is an ace pilot, a fearless fighter, and the ultimate defender of a war-torn China. But like the storied hero Batman, he is also an enigma, a man in disguise, his true identity shrouded in mystery. And, as with the Caped Crusader and the Joker, he faces one ruthless nemesis above all . . . a man known simply as "The Butcher." The epic battle has been set into motion by Jim Dahlgren-an American executive with the Amalgamated Aeronautical Company. He is determined to give China a fighting chance against The Butcher . . . and against the Western diplomats whose sole interest in the country is to profit from its internal strife. China's only chance, Dahlgren realizes, is the legendary Wind-Gone-Mad. . . . To The Butcher, China is a side of beef to carve up and serve at his pleasure. But when Wind-Gone-Mad flies into the action, it may well be The Butcher who ends up being dead meat. Ultimately, the only thing more thrilling than the mystery man's fighting spirit is the true nature of his identity. . . .As a young man, Hubbard visited pre-Communist China three times, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence. In a land where communists, nationalists, warlords and foreign adventurers schemed for control, Hubbard gained a unique insight into the treacherous and bloody battles for domination in the region. In addition, his personal experiences as a pilot gave his air stories a vivid sense of reality that no other writer could match. Combining this with his first-hand knowledge of China gave him the opportunity to create stories such as Wind-Gone-Mad, which left readers feeling like they had lived the adventures themselves. Also includes the Asian adventures, Tah, the tragic story of a twelve-year-old boy betrayed by his father . . . and by his life; and Yellow Loot, in which the pursuit of a priceless stash of ancient amber leads to a heart-stopping chase on the Great Wall of China.

Bill Trevillian is as ruggedly handsome as he is bold and brave. Kip Lee is as strikingly beautiful as she is fiery and fearless. And they've got something in common. They're both test pilots . . . for rival aviation companies. Put them together and, like a young Tracy and Hepburn, sparks are bound to fly.The Second World War is raging in Europe, and England and France are looking to America for a fighter plane to match up with the superior Nazi Messerschmitt. The competition between Bill and Kip is fierce, and the stakes are stratospheric. Because there's an added element in the mix: a deadly saboteur. People say all's fair in love and war, but when there's Sabotage in the Sky, the flight path from heated rivalry to heated romance could lead Bill and Kip to crash and burn. "If you crave air adventure written by an airman who knows what a hot plane can do, don't miss Sabotage in the Sky," wrote the editor introducing the story in 1940. And Hubbard's knowledge proved prophetic-unknown to the FBI, the German intelligence service, the Abwehr, was actively gathering intelligence about American military aircraft designs and manufacturing. The author also had personal aviation experience, earning a reputation as a daredevil pilot barnstorming across the United States, landing in farmer's fields and skimming over the top of telephone wires-experiences he put to good use as a well-known aviation correspondent and one of the most accomplished writers of aviation adventure.

It is one of the greatest conflicts-and a pivotal turning point-in history…the Chinese civil war. On one side stands Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists. On the other, Mao Zedong and the Communists. And their forces are about to meet in a decisive battle…the outcome of which is in the hands of one American pilot, John Hampton, a man who, like Bogart in Casablanca, couldn't care less… He's a mercenary, flying for the highest bidder, his only loyalty to himself and to cold hard cash. He has nothing to believe in, and nothing to lose. But just as this is a critical moment in history, so, too, is it about to become a defining moment in Hampton's life. What is the extraordinary experience that has the power to penetrate Hampton's armor of cynicism and touch his heart? What is it that makes him see that there are things, other than money, that are worth fighting-and maybe even dying-for? The surprising answers spur him to undertake the ultimate mission in Red Death Over China. Hubbard experienced China in the 1930s in a way few Westerners did. Traveling from the ports of the China Sea to Beijing to the Great Wall and onto the hills of Southern Manchuria, he came to know the land and its people-soldiers, spies, outlaws and monks-as well as any American could. It is that background that shines through in stories like Red Death Over China. Also includes the flying adventures The Crate Killer, in which a test pilot uses up his nine lives parachuting nine times from crumbling planes, only to discover that his tenth flight presents the biggest challenge of all; and Wings Over Ethiopia, the story of a pilot captured and accused of being a spy by both sides in a war-and his only means of escape is through the lens of a camera.

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Johnny Trescott is as smart, tough, and fearless as they come. But he's about to lose everything-his boat, his freedom, and his identity. Long before Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips fell into the hands of modern-day pirates, Johnny faced the same high-stakes action on the high seas. Johnny's mission is to track down drug runners in the Gulf of Mexico, and he's got his eye on the biggest fish of all-Georges Coquelin. But an SOS from a downed plane that's sinking fast leads him straight to disaster. . . . Coquelin springs a trap. Stranding Johnny and the plane's passengers on a deserted island, the drug smuggler commandeers Johnny's boat and his name. In the company of a weak-kneed millionaire and a long-legged beauty, Johnny's at the end of his rope-which could turn into a noose around his neck. He's got nothing left to lose . . . and there's nothing he won't do to reclaim his reputation.The Phantom Patrol marked a turning point in L. Ron Hubbard's fiction. In writing this story he recognized the vital importance of research and realism. To that end, Hubbard toured Coast Guard vessels and interviewed officers who were actually involved in chasing down drug smugglers. The resulting authenticity and success of the tale was a sign of things to come. Read The Phantom Patrol and experience the development of a unique voice in storytelling.

American Ann Halliday is as sexy as Rita Hayworth and as fiery as the Sahara sun. And now she's feeling some real heat, as the prize captive of the Berber leader Abd el Malek . . . also known as "The Killer."But Abd el Malek wants Ann alive-and in chains-subject to his every whim and fantasy. Dusty Colton, however, an American deserter from the French Foreign Legion, has a different idea. With all the swagger of Robert Mitchum, he's determined to give "The Killer" a taste of his own bloody medicine. The only problem is . . . Dusty himself is wanted for murder.Can Ann and Dusty team up and turn evil on its head? One thing's for sure-between Ann and the Hell's Legionnaire, the temperature is about to get even hotter.On the subject of North Africa, Hubbard said that writers too often "forget a great deal of the languorous quality which made the Arabian Nights so pleasing. Jewels, beautiful women, towering cities filled with mysterious shadows, sultans equally handy with robes of honor and the beheading sword." Hubbard brings this unique insight to his stories of North Africa and the Legionnaires, investing them with an authenticity of time, place and character that will keep you asking for more.Also includes the adventure stories, The Barbarians, in which a Legionnaire sets out to avenge a savage killing and makes a stunning discovery, and The Squad That Never Came Back, the story of a man who has uncovered the secret to a city of gold-a secret that could turn into a death sentence. "Action-packed . . . standout . . . hard-core graphic." -Library Journal

He's a handsome American Lieutenant in the French Foreign Legion. She's a beautiful woman who's as fiery as the North African sun . . . and as mysterious as the far side of the moon. And she's all his-bought and paid for in the village square. Put them together-Cary Grant and Hedy Lamarr-and you're sure to get fireworks. The only reason the Lieutenant bought her was to free her from the slave trade. But now that he's got her, he's got trouble. Two violent native tribes are determined to get their hands on the woman . . . even if it means unleashing an all-out war. The warriors lay siege to the outpost-3000 of them versus 60 Legionnaires within. Can the Lieutenant hold the fort against the onslaught? And how long can he fend off the powerful feelings he has for the woman in his care? And, finally, does he have any idea of the secret in her past that could change everything? On the subject of North Africa, Hubbard said that writers too often "forget a great deal of the languorous quality which made the Arabian Nights so pleasing. Jewels, beautiful women, towering cities filled with mysterious shadows, sultans equally handy with robes of honor and the beheading sword." Hubbard brings this unique insight to his stories of North Africa and the Legionnaires, investing them with an authenticity of time, place and character that will keep you asking for more.