The Tenth Trail Mark (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798999130181)

Two mountains, two impossible climbs, one chance to break the war in Italy wide open.

Adirondack woodsman Johnnie Grey grew up hunting to survive the Great Depression. A chance encounter with a broken pair of skis unlocks a natural talent that leads him to the newly formed National Ski Patrol-the primary recruiting ground for the Army's first-ever 10th Mountain Division. Trained in the frozen Rockies and on the sheer cliffs of West Virginia, Johnnie becomes a new kind of soldier, uniquely prepared for the mission General Hays is about to authorize.

The mission: a silent, nighttime climb straight up a 1,500-foot cliff with 75-pound rucksacks into a fortified German base at the summit. The slightest sound-a falling rock, a clink of metal-means instant annihilation for the 140 men Johnnie leads. Johnnie's heart belongs to Ellie, the West Virginia farm girl who slips a silver St. Andrew's Cross around his neck-a trail mark of love meant to guide him home from the abyss.

The Tenth Trail Mark is a blazing tale of mountain warfare, where love and friendship are forged in the crucible of combat, and courage is the only compass. Inspired by the true events of WWII, it is a testament to the sparks of innovation that light the darkest ascents and a powerful story of the unbreakable resilience of the human spirit.