Thoughts on Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos

Aaron Sharp | January 22, 2021

It’s time for another book reaction. 

This time it is Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos.

For those that haven’t seen my method on writing about books,the premise is that one of my readers is asking me questions. For the record, this is just a device I am using to have fun. I’m the one asking and answering. It’s more interesting for me to write them this way, and it gives the other voices in my head a chance to talk. If you don’t like it, well, there are plenty of other things to do online.

Well, let’s get on with it!

Why did you read Devotion?

A while back I read On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War's Greatest Battle by Hampton Sides, a fantastic author by the way, and he referenced the story that is found in Devotion. I spent some time looking up the people involved and that led me to this book by Adam Makos. It really is a fantastic story and some very heroic actions.

What war is this book about again?

The Korean War.

Which one was that again?

The one right after World War 2.

Where was this war fought?

Kor…

Just kidding. Obviously it was Vietnam.

This is why we’ve got to stop ignoring history in our educational system.

Anyway, you read a lot of books about military history, what makes this book different?

Well, as I alluded to, the Korean conflict is criminally neglected. There are reasons for that, but I don’t think we as a culture do a particularly good job of self reflection, so I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Beyond that, the particular people and circumstances of this story are unique. A large portion of this book revolves around the life and (spoiler alert) death of Jesse Brown, the first black pilot in the United States Navy. The quality of man he was, and the lengths that his wingman Thomas Hudner went to try and save him were just extraordinary. I probably think of these things a little different now as a dad, but (even though you know it is coming) the depictions of Jesse Brown’s parents, wife, and young daughter dealing with his death are just overwhelming. At the end of the book is a reprint of the last letter Jesse wrote his wife on the night before he died. You could do worse as a man and as a husband than modeling yourself after that letter.

What most impressed you about the writing of this book?

As a reader it is easy to find a book with this many characters overwhelming. I think it is the sign of a good job by the author that I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to remember who people were, or how they factored in. A number of pieces of the story, such as the description of Tom Hudner being given the Medal of Honor for his attempts to save Jesse, with Jesse’s wife in attendance, was some fine writing.

You aren’t exactly a crier, but you told Elaina that this book was almost a tearjerker. What did you mean by that?

I’m not really a crier, but I will tell you that there is something about fatherhood that makes the tears flow freer, for me at least. This book was tough because I knew what was going to happen, I knew that it was going to happen to a good man, and then I read about how everyone responded to him. His wingman risked a court martial to try and save him, his shipmates (who weren’t exactly rich) took up a collocation to pay for his daughters college education, his mother had a stroke within a month, and the description of his wife’s grief was very powerful.

Want to read more of my bookish thoughts? Click on the links below to see what I had to say.

Village of Secrets: Defying the Nazis in Vichy France by Caroline Moorehead

On Writing: A Memoir of the the Craft by Stephen King