An Angel on my Shoulder: A true diary of WWII

An Angel on my shoulderSynopsis
By David R Long
A true story written in the diary of Howard S. Goldman of his time spent in the Army in WWII.

At the age of 27, Howard S. Goldman was inducted into the United States Army. The date was March 20, 1943. On that day he began to write into what was to become two volumes of a diary that describes a vivid and captivating story of his life and those around him.
We progress through basic training. Then suffers severe frost bite of his hands while shoveling snow for hours without any gloves.
Being treated by a cute nurse names Vivian made the pain much more tolerable.. A promise of a date with Vivian after he completes basic training
Aboard a ship bound for England.
Promoted to Sergeant, he is later busted back to Corporal when he decides to slug a Lieutenant. He also meets Vivian Adan when he discovers she is assigned to a hospital nearby. Falling deeply in love they both endure the horrors of the London blitz together. They find and apartment near the hospital where on more than one occasion Vi reveals her premonition of doom and her belief that she will not live to see the end of the war.
The death and destruction he witnesses takes its toll. He loses several more of this buddies, but his heroism begins to surface when on more than one occasion he pulls civilians from burned and bombed out buildings and is badly burned during the rescue of over 30 civilians from a building already engulfed in flames. Again Vivian nurses his as he goes through the long and painful recovery and skin grafts to heal his burns.
When Vi is transferred to duty in North Africa the days seem endless for Howard when he must endure the torture of not knowing whether Vi is coming back.
Howard's reluctance to commit to a lifetime of marriage to anyone is finally overcome by his deep love for Vivian. He writes. "I've tried to convince Vi that now is no time to get married but she insists. She still fears something is going to happen to her. We've set the date for June 18th.
D day interrupts their plans as they both are sent into battle with the allied forces to invade occupied France against the Germans.
War is hell, and the hell for Howard becomes a reality as his unit advances toward Paris and he watches as a German plane bombs the Hospital unit only a few miles to the rear. Commandeering a jeep, he rushes back for Vi only to find her lying on the ground wounded and dying. Her head cradled in his lap, the Chaplain attempts to marry them but it is too late, unable to speak, Vi dies in his arms.
Devastated and crazed by her loss, hi launches himself on a personal death with campaign to kill 100 Germans to avenge her death and the join her. He partially succeeds in his extraordinary vendetta by sneaking out of camp at night on his own to hunt down and mercilessly kill more than 50 German soldiers Taking prisoners was not on his agenda. Only a relentless quest to kill driven by a rage quenched only buy the blood he sees spilling from the enemy he now vies only as the murderers of his precious Vi.
His angel no longer at his side, his luck seems to run out. Sadly wounded, he wakes up in a hospital in London. The overwhelming sadness finally overcomes him as he learns that on the same day he was wounded, his best friend Johnny, that last of his original company was killed.
Months later the saga end as he writes on last entry and vows to never write in the diary again in the belief the diary has surely brought bad luck or death to all who were mentioned in it.