"PHENOMENAL"
"This book is not only a MUST READ for Infantry Leaders
(USMC and US Army), but also for anyone developing
young men and women to be American leaders of tomorrow!”
​
“This magnificent book links experiences from Tom’s youth to his success in combat. It provides a foundation for all Fathers to develop their sons to be successful in life. Tom’s attention to detail, captured in his journals, allows him to accurately account for his experiences, good, bad, and ugly. His story captures your attention and excites you to go to the next page. Tom is a remarkable storyteller who lays out the critical events and portions of his life and ties them to the realities of brutal combat in Vietnam.
​
- Col Robert E. Choppa, (RET)
President, National Infantry Association
​
“Most of us do not have the discipline to faithfully,
over time, record our experiences."
"Lieutenant Colonel Tom Williams did so during his over three decades in the U.S. Marine Corps. The result is an incredibly detailed and rich recounting of his experiences, particularly his service in Vietnam as an infantry officer.”
— Gen W.E. Boomer, USMC (RET)
"INCREDIBLY DETAILED"
MUST READ
​
“Tom William’s book Doorsteps of Hell
is a must-read for every combat veteran."
​
"His lucid descriptions of life as the leader of a small combat unit are a premier on leadership and soldiering. It will bring back many memories, good and bad, for veterans about combat, leaders, buddies, and war. Tom’s experience as a Marine stood him in good stead for the rest of his life, his continued concern for the troops he led and his steel discipline are the foundations of duty, honor, country!”
— Lt Gen Robert S. Coffey, U.S. Army (RET)
STIR THE MEMORIES
“Doorsteps of Hell will stir the memories
of all who have had the privilege and responsibility
of leading young men and women in combat;"
​
"...it also reminds us—or, perhaps, teaches us—that the freedoms which we enjoy, and take largely for granted, come at a huge cost. Tom, an old-fashioned patriot and servant of his country, is one of those who were prepared to pay the price.”
— Lt Col Andrew Eames, RM (RET)
"ADDICTIVE"
"It is easy reading and addictive in many ways."
(...) a remarkable first-hand testimony of men of honor
fighting a war in the absence of a clear political framework and strategic end goals,"
"Tom,
I really enjoyed the book for many reasons. It is well written, well-structured. It is easy reading and addictive in many ways. I was very much interested to see how you were able to construct your own personality through various experiences, including the hard times of your early childhood, mixing the tough life of a Georgia country boy with the glorious dreams of an adventurous Huckleberry Finn. Your account of how you transitioned from childhood to young adult, and later on to full-grown US Marine Officer through your time at NGC and later at OCS , is inspirational.
- Gen Francois Dureau, (RET)
French Foreign Legion
"BORN A MARINE"
"(...) his story immerses you in the facts and for one moment
you can smell the rotten vegetation, the acrid smoke of the shots,
the sweat of men, (...) and the soldiers under his command."
​
“I met Tom Williams during my second duty in Afghanistan, a vigorous ‘old soldier’ who worked for the MPRI company as a staff trainer of 207th Afghan Army Corps in Herat. He was a real volcano, my G3 officer’s nightmare. Immediately a strong cooperation was established between us which then turned into cordial friendship. Tom Williams was born a Marine, serving in the Corps was a natural consequence. READ MORE
— Brig Gen Luigi Gigi Vinaccia, Italian Army (RET)
"QUINTESSENTIAL RESOURCE"
“Tom Williams’ book series, The Heart of a Marine,
is more than an anthology of life in military service,
​
... it is a quintessential resource of lessons learned for young people who are seriously interested in making the armed forces their life’s profession. The unpredictability of combat, and the "firsthand realism that the "first book, Doorsteps of Hell, brings out, along with lessons learned—this
is the intent of Tom’s book series as evidenced by his writing. Furthermore, his future books will endeavor to captivate the reader with exotic travel, historic archeological sites, and the challenges of
working with our allies, whether during amphibious operations, or during arduous arctic and/or desert training exercises. For these reasons, Tom’s books are essential reading.”
— MAJ. GEN. JAMES E. LIVINGSTON, USMC (RET)
MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT