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Spearhead
Publisher's Summary
New York Times Best Seller
“A band of brothers in an American tank...Makos drops the reader back into the Pershing’s turret and dials up a battle scene to rival the peak moments of Fury.” (The Wall Street Journal)
From New York Times best-selling author of A Higher Call comes the riveting World War II story of an American tank gunner’s journey into the heart of the Third Reich, where he will meet destiny in an iconic armor duel - and forge an enduring bond with his enemy.
When Clarence Smoyer is assigned to the gunner’s seat of his Sherman tank, his crewmates discover that the gentle giant from Pennsylvania has a hidden talent: He’s a natural-born shooter.
At first, Clarence and his fellow crews in the legendary 3rd Armored Division - “Spearhead” - thought their tanks were invincible. Then they met the German Panther, with a gun so murderous it could shoot through one Sherman and into the next. Soon a pattern emerged: The lead tank always gets hit.
After Clarence sees his friends cut down breaching the West Wall and holding the line in the Battle of the Bulge, he and his crew are given a weapon with the power to avenge their fallen brothers: the Pershing, a state-of-the-art “super tank”, one of 20 in the European theater.
But with it comes a harrowing new responsibility: Now they will spearhead every attack. That’s how Clarence, the corporal from coal country, finds himself leading the US Army into its largest urban battle of the European war, the fight for Cologne, the “Fortress City” of Germany.
Battling through the ruins, Clarence will engage the fearsome Panther in a duel immortalized by an army cameraman. And he will square off with Gustav Schaefer, a teenager behind the trigger in a Panzer IV tank, whose crew has been sent on a suicide mission to stop the Americans.
As Clarence and Gustav trade fire down a long boulevard, they are taken by surprise by a tragic mistake of war. What happens next will haunt Clarence to the modern day, drawing him back to Cologne to do the unthinkable: to face his enemy, one last time.
“The tension, death, and courage that were everyday experiences for American tankers fill the pages of Makos’s book. This moving story of bravery and comradeship is an important contribution to WWII history that will inform and fascinate both the general reader and the military historian.” (Publishers Weekly)
What the critics say
“A band of brothers in an American tank.... [Adam] Makos drops the reader back into the Pershing’s turret and dials up a battle scene to rival the peak moments of Fury.... Brilliant...[a] gripping action narrative...a thoroughly enjoyable battle story, and a tribute to the everyman warrior.” (The Wall Street Journal)
“[Spearhead is] a compelling, exciting adventure.... An in-the-moment re-creation of the Allied breakthrough of the West Wall into Nazi Germany by a remarkable cadre of tank crewmen of the 3rd Armored Division.” (Kirkus Reviews)
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What members say
Average Customer Ratings
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Curtis
- 2019-03-16
Fantastic, powerful story
Great story, I really liked how the author brought all the storeies together of these brave men. This book has given me a different perspective of how I thought WW2 might have been.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Msgr. John R. McGrath
- 2019-03-11
Excellent
Spearhead is the best historical story of WW II I have heard and recommend it with out hesitation.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2019-03-12
An Exceptional Story
This Book was amazing, Adam Makos is an amazing author. At points in this book it made me almost want to cry thinking of what our soldiers went through defending liberty in a place far from home. Clarence Smoyer and his tank crew as well as the other characters in this book deserve our undying gratitude for all that they gave for us. This is an amazing book that is definitely a must read/ listen.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Christopher
- 2019-03-06
The Story is great , but...........
The author does a great job in his research and bring the tank crews to life. The story is laid out well, and is very emotional!
My only problem is with the style of writing. The author writing make it seem like he is writing for a 6 year old. I felt that I was being talked down to for 2/3 of the book. The last 1/3 was must better.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-03-21
shocking the price that was paid on both sides
it was a great book I cant even imagine what these guys saw on a daily basis and I am eternally grateful that these men stepped up to the plate and defended the country thank you
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Stephen
- 2019-03-19
Extremely Well Done!
For anyone looking to experience more of what was in the movie "Fury" and also encounter the human cost before, during and after the war this book is magnificent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Connie Lilly
- 2019-03-18
best tank book yet
I love tanks books are hard to come buy and when you do find them there all number and dates this is not that book it is personal story's from boots on the ground.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Lowball
- 2019-03-17
Realistic portrayal of some true war heros
Adam Makos writs an accurate spellbinding account of a tank crew leading the fight through Europe in an incredibly dangerous Sherman tank who's nickname was Ronson, like the cigarette lighter, because “it lights up the first time, every time. This was in part due to the fact that they ran on gasoline and not diesel.. I enjoyed it immensely.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Robert
- 2019-03-17
Just...Too...Dramatc
Loved the story, but the delivery was way too dramatic. Just wished he had told the story instead of inserting a meaningful pause every 4 or 5 words, throughout the book. Drove me to distraction.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James M. Wendler
- 2019-03-17
This book needs to be made into a movie.
Seriously. Clarence Smoyer's wartime story should be made into a motion picture. It's so good!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 2019-03-16
Best book I’ve ever read
Such an intense true story that it brought me to tears which does not happen, especially from a book. Very well written and performed. You feel a part of the crew and the battles, the true stories of wars horror filled and beautiful moments are on full display in this book. Such an incredible story that everyone should read.