Please join friends and neighbors in Mt. Vernon’s restored 1894 Railroad Depot at 200 S. Kaufman Street for an Author’s Talk by Mark A. Olinger about his book ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME. Come and meet Mr. Olinger, congratulate him on his service on Veterans Day, and wish him much success with his new book.
The 340-page book is published as an official title in the American US Army Book Program. It tells the story of the eight-month grind up the boot of Italy, leading to May 1944 with American forces at the doorstep of Rome. U.S. commander Mark Clark’s Fifth Army converged on the ancient city, and gritty American GI’s fought scores of small-unit battles each day, fighting for road crossings, for hills and ridges, for bridges (17 across the Tiber alone). On June 4, 1944, U.S. forces entered the city. The first of the Axis capitals to fall to the Allies. Two days later was D-Day at Normandy. American soldiers marched north from Rome for 11 more months of hard fighting while Allied forces marched east from the French beaches. D-Day eclipsed the Italian campaign in publicity. This book provides a vital military history of the important American victory in Italy.
Mark A. Olinger retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel after more than twenty-five years on active duty, including service with the 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Armored, 1st Infantry, and 101st Airborne Divisions. A native of Portland, Oregon, he graduated from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, received a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University, and is a graduate of the National War College. He lives in Northeast Texas.
After comments from Mr. Olinger, please cross the street to the Fire Station Museum and join the author for a 10:30 a.m. reception. Books will be available for purchase. There will be a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. in recognition of the significance of the date and hour. The two floors of the Fire Station Museum currently feature military memorabilia in honor of the 250th anniversary of American Independence. The public is urged to visit the exhibits and to meet Mr. Olinger on this day of remembrance.
