By Doug La Rocque
A small crowd gathered around John (Red) Parkinson in the basement reading room of the Petersburgh Public Library this past Wednesday night as he signed copies of the new book Devotion, and spent about an hour detailing his experiences from the Korean War. The struggle by Parkinson and 95 fellow marines to survive the frozen battle at Chosin Reservoir is a major part of the new book by New York Times bestselling author Adam Makos. [private]
The book is described as an epic story of heroism, friendship and sacrifice. It centers on the lives of two Navy pilots, Captain Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, the first black naval aviator. Brown lost his life on December 4 in 1950, flying cover along with Hudner for the Marines on the ground, battling North Korean and Chinese forces in temperatures exceeding 40 below zero. Hudner also crashed after running out of fuel trying to protect Brown.
Makos collaborated with Parkinson for four years in writing the book. He spent a significant time recalling the horrors the Marines went through in places like “Hell Fire Highway,” a stretch of road leading from the reservoir that Parkinson and his company were trying to protect. He talked with passion and often deep emotion of the sacrifices the Marines made in the battle, including personal scares that will last a lifetime. One such memory is the death in his arms of the platoon sergeant they all loved. Parkinson said the devotion they all showed for each other was the inspiration for the book and its title.
The book has sold more than 36 thousand copies and is receiving great reviews on Amazon, with 85 percent of those rating the book 5 out of 5 stars. Parkinson said the rights to the book have been bought by famed director and actor Stephen Spielberg and Clint Eastwood. Universal Pictures is, according to Parkinson, watching the reviews and sales and is considering making a full length motion picture based on the book. The author, Adam Makos, has also written “Voices of the Pacific” and “A Higher Call,” the bestseller for which he is best known.
For his heroics at the Chosin Reservoir, Parkinson received the Silver Star, a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts. Of the 96 men in his unit, only six lived through the battle. Today, he is the lone surviving member.
The Petersburgh Public Library has two copies of Devotion to lend out, and the book is also available on Amazon, at Walmart and Sam’s Club, as well as most major book stores.[/private]