Once an Eagle: A Novel

A book comes along once in a great while that not only entertains but inspires... not only educates but enlightens. There are few of those. Then there is another kind of very special book that is in a league entirely of its own - Anton Myrer's Once an Eagle. Not only does it do all of the above, but it also uniquely serves a niche audience - budding young military officers. In terms of capturing what it truly means to be an officer in any branch of the service, this book has no equal. In ensuring an eminently readable work of fiction with broad, universal appeal, Myrer's prose is simply as good as it gets.Once an Eagle reminds those of us who have chosen the military profession what a legacy we have to uphold, the one handed down by our forefathers and embodied in these words: duty, honor, country. One need merely observe Sam Damon, the protagonist in Once an Eagle, for an example of how one serves a cause greater than himself. Though a fictional character, Damon exhibits an All-American authenticity uniquely his own. The reader cannot help but feel a deep affinity for him and to believe unreservedly in his inherent goodness. He is someone who you, frankly, would love to meet and share a beer with. That he is the creation of a gifted novelist matters much less than the opportunity to learn from his abundant qualities as a soldier, as a leader, and as a man. He IS the ultimate leader, unparalleled in his ability to motivate soldiers to do what no human being wishes to do: assault an enemy fighting position.Damon, a WW I battlefield commissionee and Congressional Medal of Honor winner, is every man's hero and every military officer's demigod. He is the epitome of professionalism. His dedication and selfless service to the nation in spite of the many hardships he experiences in far-off lands stands out as practically anachronistic - a throwback to the era of the Roman legionnaire. Although several times in the story it seems the Army has finished with him, Damon somehow receives yet another duty assignment, smartly salutes and moves out. He eventually achieves flag rank and another combat command. Through all he maintains his deep and abiding commitment to his profession. He lives his life stoically and by a higher set of ideals than many Americans of his era. His integrity is awe-inspiring.Courtney Massengale, Damon's antagonist, by contrast epitomizes the careerism and self-centeredness that was an unfortunate feature of the Army during parts of the early and mid-20th Century. A West Point graduate, Massengale ascends the rungs of the career ladder effortlessly. What makes his behavior particularly odious is that it often results in soldiers being killed needlessly in combat. Equally disturbing, he relies on a Machiavellian approach to manipulating individuals and circumstances such that he is best positioned for promotion and highly coveted commands. Unlike Damon, his loyalties are not to his country, the Army or his soldiers... no, simply to himself. In spite of an unremarkable combat record, he ascends to flag rank by relying on intellect, a magnetic personality, and cunning.Myrer's strength as a novelist is clearly in his ability to spin a mighty tale pitting good against evil. Once an Eagle, though quite lengthy at 1,200+ pages, reads so easily and grips the reader from start to finish. In addition to ensuring the book is historically accurate, the author does a brilliant job of capturing almost every nuance of serving as an officer in the U.S. Army (even though he was an enlisted Marine!). It's uncanny how accurate the story details are! The characters are so real and richly textured! And as the book wears on, they act even truer to form. We can even anticipate what they will do in the next situation. One is able to easily identify with the people who populate a Myrer novel. All of us have known a Courtney Massengale, but likely very few a Sam Damon.In one great novel we get an epic tale spanning the major 20th Century wars along with the all-too-human Army officers who fight them. Courage, selfless service, and honor are but a few of the qualities demonstrated in abundance in Once an Eagle. Most significant, we readers witness a consummate leader at the very pinnacle of his profession who is able to get there purely on merit. Lesson learned for those newly minted military officers out there: Sam Damon's success springs from an unshakable belief in placing duty first, serving honorably, and taking care of soldiers (or sailors, airmen, or Marines). He offers an extraordinary example of a fearless and committed warrior without an ounce of guile... only an uncommon character and an intense desire to accomplish the mission.Sam Damon represents the very conscience of the U.S. Army Officer Corps!Every reader connected to the military would do well to follow Damon's example.For everyone else: If you are ever going to read a military novel, this is it!Simply awesome!

"Once An Eagle" is the epic tale of two military men in conflict with each other over the span of 50 years during the middle decades of the twentieth century.Meet Sam Damon. At the outset, he's a dreamy, idealistic teenager in the small town of Walt Whitman, Nebraska. He's the night clerk in the local hotel and eatery. He's possessed with a first class intellect and a fiery ambition to "do something great with his life." He dreams of getting an appointment to West Point.Sam applies for admission to the U.S, Military Academy, but gets impatient at the bureaucratic delays. He enlists in the Army, serves with General John J. Pershing in the 1916 "punitive expedition" to Mexico, and ends up in the trenches of France a year later, during the last year of World War I. It is there that Sam performs his greatest act of military heroism, an act that earns him a battlefield commission as a Second Lieutenant; the Medal of Honor; and the affectionate sobriquet "The Night Clerk." Throughout his tour of duty in France, Sam continues to distinguish himself not only with valorous deeds on the battlefield, but also with his no-nonsense leadership style, centered upon his passionate dedication the welfare of his men. He consistently sets a superb example of the highest ideals of personal behavior in his dealings with both his superiors and subordinates. It is here that he begins to understand the ultimate futility of war.It is also here that he has his first encounter with his lifelong "bête noire," Courtney Massengale. Massengale is the complete antithesis of Sam Damon and everything he stands for. Like Damon, he's keenly intellectual and ambitious, but he seeks recognition and career advancement through being in the right place at the right time; currying favor with his superiors; and his incessant political maneuvering. His disdain for his subordinates is evident during his first encounter with Sam Damon shortly after Damon's unit comes "out of the line" in France.Throughout their parallel careers in the Army, most of which occurs in the years between the two World Wars, Massengale, the unctuous West Point graduate, and Damon, the heroic "mustang" (a term of respect for officers with prior enlisted service) occasionally find themselves stationed together, and almost always on opposite sides of whatever issues confront them at any given moment. Their relationship comes to a head in the heat of battle against the Japanese the Philippines during World War II, and again, two decades later, in the jungles of Southeast Asia.The Damon/Massengale relationship forms one of the central themes of this wonderful novel. For, in this relationship can be found a study in personal ethics as it applies to those not only in military life but also in the business sector as well. Through these two disparate characters, Myrer asks a fundamental question about human nature: why do people who rely on slipshod ethics and oleaginous double-talk so frequently successful at the expense of those whose moral compass is based on a well defines set of noble values and principles? It's a question that's plagued society from its inception, and such an important question that the U.S. Army War College includes a study of "Once An Eagle" as part of its curriculum in advanced leadership training for senior officers."Once An Eagle," originally published in 1968, was re-released in a beautifully bound hardcover edition in 2000. It's newly billed as "...a classic novel of soldiers and soldiering." It is indeed that, but it's also much more. For, at its heart, this beautifully crafted novel is one of the finest ANTI-war novels I've ever read. Anton Myrer, himself a veteran of some of the bloodiest fighting in the Pacific theater during World War II, pulls no punches in his condemnation of war. His battle scenes are consistently tough, gritty, highly descriptive accounts of men fighting against other men. He describes combat on the most human terms... from the perspectives of those who did the fighting and dying. Myrer takes the reader inside the minds of his characters, allowing the reader to understand the character's hopes, fears, anxieties, and physical torments..."Once An Eagle" is a long book - over 1200 pages - but it's well worth reading. Anton Myrer's style is polished and highly literate. Despite its length, it's actually a fairly quick read. I finished it in about 10 days. The book always held my interest, and in places, actually proved difficult to put down. It is an eloquent condemnation of war and its effects on the human soul. Highly recommended.

Once an Eagle is an epic tale that carries the reader through the wars of the 20th century--all on the backs of a wonderful cast of characters. It is a story about courage, corruption, romance, and politics. Myrer's descriptions of battle scenes will shock you with their detail and authenticity. You will love his hero, Sam Damon, a flawed yet heroic protagonist, and you will be disgusted by the craven Massengale. This is a book that should be on everyone's reading list.

An interesting expose on military life. No judgments on my part, but not a flattering look at those included in the book. Certainly, men and women are not necessarily changed by their positions in the social order of things, but should it be scandalous?The battle descriptions should make every reader aware of the impact war has on everyone it touches. The fear, the pain, the hard decisions, and regrets made in war are captured in this well-written book. - Mr.Bill

Famous as required reading for US Military Cadets at West Point. Great exploration into leadership.

Das Buch ist eine realitätsnahe Beschreibung des Soldatenlebens von Sam Damon. Besonders bewegend ist auch die Beschreibung der alltäglichen Herausforderungen wie der Umgang mit Frau und Kindern, lange Abwesenheiten, Abenteuerlust, Verantwortung für die Truppe und die sehr authentisch wiedergegebene Auseinandersetzung mit dem immer einen Stren vorauseilenden Schreibtisch-Kontrahenten Massengale.Bezüglich Zuverlässigkeit, Verantwortungsgefühl und Entschlossenheit kann auch der zivile Leser einen Mehrwert für seine Persönlichkeitsentwicklung aus diesem Buch ziehen. Der Leser sollte allerdings viel Zeit mitbringen, da es sich um 1.291 Seiten handelt.

In the tradition of From Here To Eternity Anton Myrer has created the archetypal American hero in Sam Damon that we would all aspire to against a backdrop of all America’s 20th century wars.A truly great and memorable book;if only it were longer than 1200 pages it would be perfect .

I first read this when it was published, and I'd not long completed my military service in Vietnam. I very rarely reread novels, but I am pleased I rediscovered this one. I highly recommend this book to anyone that really wants to understand how military organisations work, and particularly direct this book to anyone currently in the military who has a desire to improve the working of the organisation they are part of. Altogether compelling reading, highly thought provoking, and inspirational.

Excellent read. Was quickly delivered in described condition.