Stories and Books By Jerry L. Burton
Christian, Military, Humor, Biography, and History
My love of words and writing started almost from the time I first began to read. Over the years, I’ve gone from reading others peoples words to writing my own. Please look through my updated Writing Portfolio to discover more about my work.
Completed Projects
Below are my completed projects. I hope you find some of them interesting. If so, please let me know. I'd love to hear your feedback.
Have a great day. God Bless!
Jerry
Clouds of War is a special book. I wrote it for and about a close friend of mine. He and I are both retired USAF Lt. Colonels. He and I met in Civil Air Patrol. His name is Bill Drumm - more formally, William Henry Drumm, Jr.
The book is part biography and part "history of war". Here's how the book flows:
A. Competition between world empires - those that are declining and those that are emerging. This leads to the Great War, World War 1.
B. Bill is born during the roaring 20's. He and his family struggle through the Great Depression, he graduates high school, starts college and then signs up with the US Army Air Corps.
C. By this time, World War 2 is in full swing. Bill learns to fly, is assigned to B-24s, and is shipped to India where he becomes a "Flying Tiger". The stories from this part of his life are hilarious - I heard them many times and love them each time Bill tells them. Yes, Bill is still alive!
D. Bill's life winds through every Cold War Crisis up through Vietnam. After Vietnam, he retires form the Air Force, but not from flying.
E. I meet Bill in Civil Air Patrol and we fly many different aircraft and missions together for a decade and a half. Our missions include some exciting border patrol missions and disaster relief missions including Hurricane Katrina.
F. To close his book, Bill expresses his concerns for his country and fellow Americans. His fear is that the Marxist insurgency in this country has neared completion. The Constitution and our way of life is under attack. He shares his thoughts about how we, the People, can hold on to our country and improve our quality of life for ALL Americans.
The book was written ABOUT history and Bill. But it was written FOR you, our fellow Americans.
Jerry
Pacific Book Review
Title: Clouds of War: Past, Present and on the Horizon
Author: Jerry L. Burton
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-6641-2171-3
Pages: 270
Genre: Biography, History
The term “fog of war” refers to the experience of uncertainty or confusion in battle and military situations. In this book, Clouds of War, denotes the present day uncertainty about what lies on the horizon: how can we steer this country in the right direction? These two principles of uncertainty are perfect metaphors for framing this work which is actually a three-part synthesis of narratives: the fascinating life of Ret. Lt. Col. William H. Drumm, Jr., interspersed with a thorough history of the United States from World War I to the present, and a political prescription for the future of this country: those figurative clouds which lie ahead.
This story/history, dedicated to the memory of his wife Mary Lou begins with William (Bill) Drumm’s formative years. Although he was not born until 1924, his formative years really begin with World War I 1914-18. The significance of history plays such a pivotal role in Bill’s life that this was the most fitting place to begin. His father William Sr., father-in-law Luther G. Maloney, and aunt Sadie A. Krause all served in the first world war. Bill weaves his personal reflections on his family’s service with incisive analyses of the international events that led up to World War I. It is a really effective and engaging way of wedding the personal with the historical.
Bill’s life is marked by an idyllic childhood followed by a lifetime of military service. He is called up during World War II and goes through extensive education and aviation training. When finally sent to war, he is tasked with flying a B-24 Liberator similar to the famous Memphis Belle - a B-17 Flying Fortress, to deliver fuel from India to China. This is noted as one of the more dangerous flying missions during the war because of the explosive cargo and because his flight path ran over the Himalayas: some of the worst weather in the world. Following 27 missions, including a particularly harrowing journey through a hail/thunderstorm, Bill returns stateside.
Bill’s hectic, eventful life marches on with marriage, children, and a truly itinerant military career, moving from base to base constantly while in the states. He also served in the Berlin Crisis, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, and search and rescue missions notably following Hurricane Katrina. There are too many interesting anecdotes to get into here. A few sticks out: of course, his treks over the Himalayas, his interactions with Pentagon/DEFCON officials during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his personal reflections on history and the future of this country.
Ret. Lt. Col. Jerry. L. Burton’s biography of Ret. Lt. Col. William H. Drumm Jr. is a shrewd, inviting piece of writing. I thoroughly enjoyed the seamless blending of historical lessons with the admirable life of a war hero. In the end, William Drumm lays out the current threats to the Constitution and the freedoms we all enjoy. He implores us to “step up” and learn from history. His aim is to inspire the reader to sift through the clouds of modern politics: to move forward but also to honor and maintain the Constitutional foundations of America. If you’re looking for thought-provoking historical analysis told through a sweeping story of an admirable life, look no further than Clouds of War: Past, Present and on the Horizon.
Other Reviews:
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Completed Project: Released November 4, 2020
Get-A-Grip on the Bible
Genesis through Ruth
Get-A-Grip On the Bible
Genesis through Ruth
This Bible study guide is different from most. It is designed to give enough information to familiarize you with each book but not overwhelm you. The books covered in the guide are Genesis through Ruth. Subsequent study guides will cover the remaining books.
For context, I discuss the author, why and when each book was written, and for whom it was written.
Additionally, I discuss the culture and history of the time.
A few key stories from each book are shared in “story-telling” format. The stories chosen will be those that present key doctrines that appear consistently throughout the Bible.
Your goal should be to remember just one or two things about each book.
My objective is to give you confidence in your ability to read and understand the Bible.
This study guide has been
formatted for use by Sunday school classes, small group Bible studies, and individuals.
God bless you as you study His Word!
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Guest Page
These are projects that have been completed by other authors. Their work appears here by invitation. I hope you find them interesting. Feel free to provide comments and suggestions at their personal sites.
Halcyon Book 1 of the Chaos Series
By James Burton
The story of Nathaniel Mertens takes place in the present day wilderness state of New Mexico. Despite being a successful linguist, he is plagued by his own mental demons and insecurities. In this parallel universe there is an enormous asteroid unofficially named "Fate"on an inescapable collision course for Earth. In light of this the world seems quiet for the moment, as the book begins with Nathan’s memory of his newly found lover, Ariadne. This opening memory is accompanied by a beautiful sunset that covers the doomed landscape from Ariadne's dew covered window. Soon, though, it is clear that Nathan’s dream-like state is just that, a mere memory. His broken body covered in ash and clay lay dying at the feet of horrors untold. The world crashes and burns around him. With the impact of Fate in his life, what options does he have left other than accept what is in front of him. Or is there another way…?
About the Author
James L. Burton was born and raised in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He was born with extreme allergies which later contributed to a severe speech impediment. He was about eight years old before he was able to communicate at a minimal level. Even then, few people could understand him and most didn't even try. He felt isolated for much of his younger life as he struggled with this uphill battle. Instead of allowing himself to actually become isolated, he found outlets that allowed him to be with others in meaningful ways. James was an avid reader. He engaged himself in science, music, and writing as means of self-expression. He even competed in science fairs. By the time he graduated high school, he had overcome his speech problems. He joined the Marine Corps as an Infantry Assaultman, becoming a part of 2/4 Echo Company and deploying to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Shortly after his unit returned from Afghanistan, he was Honorably Discharged. He had tolerated three years of active duty service while suffering repeated cases of extreme stress fractures in his lower legs.
Next, James enrolled in the Business College of the University of New Mexico. While still a student, he began acting, hiking, scuba diving, and even started his own business.
James graduated from UNM in December 2016 with a degree in Organizational Leadership. He was selected as the commencement speaker for his graduating class at the Anderson School of Management. James followed up with a Masters from UNM and, again, was selected to give the commencement speech.
Presently, James is employed at Sandia Labs at Kirtland Air Force Base, pursuing his doctoral degree, and enjoys rock climbing and outings in the wilderness areas of New Mexico with his two dogs, Lobo and Dakota.
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