MWSA Book Review

Thick Luck

Authors: David Combs

Publisher:  Booklocker.com

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

Insightful Look at Our Government’s Quest to Recover Missing Warriors

David Combs writes a journal of his work with the Joint Task Force Full Accounting (JTF-FA), Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and Central Identification Laboratory – Hawaii (CILHI) in finding and retrieving the bodies of men who have been lost in the jungles and mountains of Cambodia and Laos. His book “Thick Luck: The Search for America’s POWs & MIAs” chronicles some hazardous and tedious work done by a small but hardy group of people trying to bring our missing veterans back home again. The book mainly focuses on efforts to locate crash sites and find the remains.

The author, who takes great risks to his own physical being – including a piece of bamboo that lodged in his eye and countless slips, trips and falls, paints for us what it is like to be a part of his team. You will find yourself riveted to his story as he takes us on fourteen expeditions into Southeast Asia as they travel and search for whatever evidence they can find. It entails having to deal with lots of politics and red tape, lots of time and much personal sacrifice. Combs presents his book like a journey and the reader has little trouble following along as part of his team.

This book is a must read for anyone involved in MIA/POW issues or who wants to learn about these recovery teams. The author certainly enriches us with lots of facts but I particularly enjoyed his information on recovery of “Earthquake McGoon” James B. McGovern who was lost in Laos in 1954 while helping the French.

The book shows the great amount of work that goes into this recovery effort and the dedication of those who have taken on this task. These are honorable men and women and the author gives us that insider view of what really goes on within these teams. The book is both educational and entertaining as well. Add this book to your list of must buy and read books!

The MWSA gives this book its top rating of FIVE STARS.