Honor Through Sacrifice
“Realizing the success of his attack depended upon the diversion of enemy fire from his attacking forces, Lieutenant Lippman charged up the slope to within six feet of one enemy foxhole and 10 feet of another. Wounded early in the fray, he fired his .45 automatic and threw hand grenades while his assault teams maneuvered up the narrow approaches … When he had thrown all of his grenades, he threw his rations at the enemy.”
That event, during a battle in the Korean War, is quoted from one of the many citations received by Gordon Lippman over a distinguished 22-year military career that spanned three wars and is documented comprehensively in author Robert E. Lofthouse’s Honor Through Sacrifice: The Story of One of America’s Great Leaders (Koehler Books), which recently won first place for a 2021 Royal Dragonfly Book Award in the Biography/Autobiography/Memoir eBook category.
SMALL-TOWN BOY MAKES GOOD
Lippman was a small-town boy from South Dakota who tasted his first combat action at age 18 in Italy, was part of a key parachute jump in World War II into southern France, led soldiers through Belgium and Germany before he graduated high school, led a segregated Black company through Korea in freezing rain and mud, and commanded a new generation of soldiers into Vietnam.
He earned three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, a Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, and numerous other awards from the United States, France, Belgium, South Korea and South Vietnam. He accumulated enough medals and citations to take up a 10-page appendix at the back of the book.
But the story of Gordon Lippman is not so much about his list of accomplishments as it is about his character, his penchant for leadership, and what he represents as a shining example of American pride and one of many unsung military heroes.
The author asks several times throughout the book, “Where does America get such gallant men?” This book plays a part in identifying one of them, giving readers a firsthand look at how Lippman led his men in more than 20 close-combat battles stretching over 11 military campaigns.
ONE MAN IN THE MIDST OF WAR
Lofthouse as a chronicler provides great detail on Lippman’s character, family, accomplishments, influencers and decisions he made. He introduces readers to those who served by his side, “spending many rain-soaked or freezing cold winter nights in muddy fox holes together.”
“It takes boldness to win the day,” writes Lofthouse. “He walked in front of his team and rallied them into battle from the front, not the rear. He didn’t ask his men to do anything he wasn’t willing to do himself.”
“He was a hard, no-nonsense officer, but he was fair and an inspiration” to all the men who served under him. He was confident but not big-headed.
With the focus squarely on Lippman, the book is more than just a study of one man. Lofthouse provides intricate descriptions of the circumstances causing — and some of the specific experiences defining — three major wars: World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. Beyond Lippman’s exploits, the author takes you into the situation rooms where strategies are outlined and life-and-death decisions are made. He has great command of his subject matter, and he writes clearly and concisely to capture the essence and emotions of the times.
Writes Lofthouse, “Men and women like Gordon are among those responsible for the freedoms we enjoy today. By contextualizing the history of significant world events and putting this man’s place in history in clearer focus, you will … watch him snatch victory from certain defeat in devoted service to the American ideals of truth, freedom and justice.”
Honor Through Sacrifice is available for purchase here.
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About Robert E. Lofthouse:
Robert E. Lofthouse has for four decades managed projects as an IT professional nationally and internationally while serving the business planning and delivery needs of enterprise IT projects for the nonprofit, commercial business, and government sectors. His initial professional writing experience covers more than 50 years and includes sports articles published in local and regional media from Pennsylvania to Kansas and Missouri. Honor through Sacrifice is his first publication in book form, prompted by his love of history and keen desire to extend the legacy of his subject. Rob knew Gordon Lippman, the subject of the book, because their mothers were sisters, so this story is personal.
