Major General Sid Shachnow was ten-years old when he escaped the notorious Kovno concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Lithuania. Later, he traveled to post-war Germany and he earned a living as a courier for his mother’s black market business. His family eventually came to America where he struggled to get an education, held down three jobs and courted the girl of his dreams.
Major General Shachnow began his career in the US Army as a driver for various officers in Europe, all of whom spotted potential in the young private and encouraged him to become an officer. After nearly forty years of service to his country, including two tours of duty in Vietnam, Major General Shachnow could look back on a career and a life with pride, sadness and a sense of duty spawned from freedom, both lost and earned.
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“[A] remarkable story…Brian Emerson has a resonant baritone that is stately in delivery. He is clear in his pronunciation and does well with the various non-English names and words. His delivery of dialogue is appropriately expressive.”
— AudioFile
“One of the most stunning military memoirs of all time.”
— Stephen Coonts“Sid Shachnow’s life is an inspiring story for us all...His powerful narrative is a riveting read, moving and informative.”
— General Fred Franks, Jr., US Army, (Ret.), coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Into the Storm: A Study in Command“Shachnow’s life certainly demonstrates the title qualities, as well as high professional integrity and a ferocious will to survive.”
— Publishers Weekly“An inspiring story wonderfully told, General Shachnow’s memoir is as deeply moving as it is fascinating.”
— Ralph Peters, author of Beyond Baghdad and Fighting for the FutureMajor General Sid Shachnow is a Holocaust survivor who entered the US military and became a highly decorated general and head of all US Special Forces. He lives in Virginia.
Brian Emerson is an actor and technical director with a long career in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas.
Brian Emerson is an actor and technical director with a long career in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore areas.