Righteous Sniper

NOTE TO READERS

Many readers have asked whether there would be more adventures for Caje Cole, to the point where I was encouraged to see if I could go back and write another story or two. There seemed to be a gap in the timeline between the end of Ardennes Sniper and Red Sniper where at least one or two more stories could be set. The result is this book, although it’s a little out of order, taking place well before Cole’s stint in Korea or the events of Sniper’s Justice. However, I hope Cole’s fans will forgive that wrinkle in the reading order of the series in the spirit of allowing space for another tale.

Much of the final section of this book was written in a period that coincided with the eightieth commemoration of D-Day. The publication date also comes eighty years after the Battle of the Bulge was fought in the snowy Ardennes Forest. My heart still goes out to the soldiers when I imagine the cold and miserable conditions they endured. (Ironically, I was doing a lot of the writing during a summer marked by several record-setting heat waves.)

For many of you reading this, your fathers or grandfathers or uncles were suffering in that cold. I appreciate that some of you shared your stories about these heroes and what they went through. These stories must never be forgotten and perhaps, in some small way, these Caje Cole books will honor their memory.

The history of Bastogne and the larger Battle of the Bulge comes from so many sources that they are almost too numerous to list. That said, The Battle of the Bulge by Stephen W. Sears provided much helpful context about the overall campaign. Also useful for its detail, including maps and photographs, was The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge, a Department of the Army assessment written by Hugh M. Cole. Finally, the scene describing the soldier who used his helmet to bring beer to wounded comrades at Bastogne is based on an actual incident related by Vince Speranza of the 101st Airborne in his book, Nuts: A 101st Airborne Division Machine Gunner at Bastogne, and in YouTube interviews. Be sure to read his book or watch the entertaining videos to learn more.

I want to thank the many people who have been understanding during the writing of what is one of my longer WWII stories. As always, a big thanks goes to Mike, Aidan, and Mary for moral support and for listening to me think out loud and occasionally gripe when things aren’t going well, a small-but-mighty team of advance readers who road tested the story, Castle Walls Editing for correcting my errors and keeping the details straight, Streetlight Graphics for the cover design, Deny Howeth’s photography, and the narration skills of Scott Bennett. Most important of all, thank you for reading and making these stories possible.

— DH