Spearhead (Adapted for Young Adults): An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives in World War II

by Adam Makos, Johnathan McClain (narrator)

Adapted for young adults from the New York Times bestseller, a riveting and true WWII story of a young man--an American tank gunner--who meets his destiny in an iconic armor duel and forges an enduring bond with his enemy.

Shut the hatches. It's time to roll out. You'll find yourself behind enemy lines with Clarence Smoyer and the 3rd Armored Division, the workhorse unit knows as Spearhead, the best in the tank armor ranks.

You'll feel as if you are right beside Clarence and his fellow crew members--all formerly strangers from across America who have now become family to each other. You will be jarred by enemy fire, and then explore the other side, stepping into the boots of German tanker soldier, Gustav Schaefer and his crew. You'll witness the heartbreaking tragedy, when an innocent young woman is caught in the crossfire. You'll see what happens when all of these lives collide, and realize how the aftershock still affects the survivors more than a half a century later. A riveting and true account of the perils of war as well as the prospect of forgiveness.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War II, War, Historical, Military Fiction, Friendship

10 pages, Audio Cassette

Published February 15, 2022

About the author

Hailed as “A masterful storyteller” by the Associated Press, Adam Makos is the author of the New York Times bestseller, A Higher Call, and the critically-acclaimed, Devotion. Inspired by his grandfathers’ service, Adam chronicles the stories of American veterans in his trademark “You Are There” style, landing him “in the top ranks of military writers,” according to the Los Angeles Times. In pursuit of a story, Adam has flown a WWII bomber, accompanied a Special Forces raid in Iraq, and journeyed into North Korea in search of an MIA American serviceman.

Reviews

[Catherine Boddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I'll definitely plan to take this to middle schools. Great for our readers who want narrative nonfiction of front-line soldiers. Makos' adult books are already popular with some teens so I'm glad to see some of his work being adapted.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since this story has been adapted for young readers from its original version for adults, the author is sure to find his intended audience in youngsters interested in stories of war and war heroes. The focus is primarily Clarence Smoyer, an American tank gunner with the 3rd Armored Division in Europe during the closing months of WWII. His story juxtaposes with that of Gustav Shaefer, a German tanker, on the streets of Cologne, and while the two men never meet until they are much older, fifty years later, as it turns out, they have much in common. Clarence's journey from innocence to awareness of the very real human costs of war is traced throughout this narrative, which uses chapter headings with the date and place where the action is taking place so that readers can keep the events sorted in their minds. Although the last portion of the book is quite emotional and engaging for readers, there were times during the earlier parts of the accounts of these various skirmishes where I had to stop and think in order to sort out what was happening to whom and why it was important. There are quite a few military men mentioned in the story, some of whom appear only briefly and then die almost immediately. While that's often what happens in such a conflict, it can be hard to summon much empathy or sorrow when there is little information provided about them. The central event of the story--the killing of two civilians--sometimes gets lost in all the other detail. Still, I appreciated the care with which the author tells this story and his dedication to getting all the facts and military terminology and movement right. I'm glad I read it, but I didn't enjoy this one on an emotional level as much as Devotion, another of his war-themed books.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was probably never going to do well with me, so take my review with a grain of salt. I've read too many WWII novels to be particularly interested, and I don't like battle-focus (in history or in story). This book has a lot of in-the-trenches battle stuff that I kind of glazed over.

The best part of this book was the end/epilogue where the soldiers who were the focus came into the picture as adults who hadn't ever dealt with their trauma and sought each other out (American tanker seeking out a German one who had experienced the same battle/traumatic moment). This depth and consideration shifted the entire story for me and I kind of wished I'd given it more credit. I wish the adults and the "after" part were somehow integrated... and the actual action maybe as flashbacks? I don't know. Something to make what felt really important to me by the end important throughout.

If you read this, maybe consider reading the end first and then go back to read about the actual battle experiences. I think that would have made it work differently for me.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly affecting tour around WWII tank combat on the Western Front. There are many characters - most American, a couple of Germans - whose stories overlap during the last stages of the Ally push through Belgium into Germany. While the main of the book covers events of 1944 and 1945, the most significant pages recount events that come when the tankers are in their eighties. For fans young and old of military history, this is a fine a tale told well.

A few quibbles: the photographs and maps could be a bit clearer, orienting readers to the various armored vehicles on both sides and the course they charted in their various engagements. The book is detailed, which means there are many characters introduced (often to meet violent ends in short order). Some less skilled readers will find this to be a hurdle.

For the audience who wants war stories with action and realism, this is a good choice.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a young adult adaptation of an adult nonfiction which I haven't read but I was interested because it was a war story, which are generally popular with teen readers. This one has action and a human element as it shares the dichotomous story of an American soldier and a German soldier and the death of two civilians in a battle in Cologne. There are pictures from battle and plenty about how they only met in person as old men and had a lot to share about their experiences. It's the human connection after war that was the highlight but plenty of action during the war.

This wasn't the heart-pounding thrilling narrative that I'm used to and there were details that likely still should have been edited from the adult to the young adult to make it a more focused story for youth, however those that read stories of war will like it.

[Kristi Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

An American tank gunner in the Spearhead division of the Army battles German tanks and gunners to keep his crew alive, but war is brutal. Meet Clarence Smoyer and his German counterpart Gustav Schaefer as they engage in a deadly dance on battlefields and city streets. Though their story is almost 80 years old, it's not so very different from wars being fought today.

This is a book that demonstrates both the savageness of war and the fickleness of fate. It also shows the toll that war and brutality exact on innocents as well as those fighting, but offers hope for peace and reconciliation between former enemies.

[Emily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Makos writes. I enjoyed the original of this book and the YA adaptation did not disappoint! Makos’ writing style is so engaging and is very capable of capturing teens’ attention and pulling them into the story. The inclusion of photos was nice and adds a lot of interest. While some teens may be interested in the previous version (intended for adult readers), I like that Makos has offered this version for young adults so the story of these brave men can be transmitted to teens as well as adults.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set between Normandy and Cologne after D-day, the book chronicles the war from the seat of American and German tanks. As the fighting continued, Clarence Smoyer sees firsthand the cruelty and devastation of war. To kill or be killed. He was good at his job, but he never liked killing and was heartbroken over his fellow friends and soldiers when they were gunned down. Through the circumstances of liberating Cologne, Germany, he meets Gustav, a German tank gunner. 60 years later, Clarence reunites with Gustav. A very interesting look at WWII and the horror of war.

[Toni FGMAMTC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of two soldiers one on the American side and one on the German side during WWII. Neither one really knew what they were getting into when the war started, and neither was prepared for all the hardships and the killing of enemies. This isn't a story showing good guys and bad guys. It's more about showing how the soldiers are the same. Many characters tales are told. Some survived and some didn't. I can't really do it justice in this review. It probably sounds like boring history but it's really good. It's made for younger readers but I'm an adult and really got into it.

[Jbussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Day by Day, minute by minute, breath by breath > account of what it is really like to "be there". One person assumes command of a tank and it lasts for four hours as he dies quickly. BUT! You got to know him, how he got there, his life, etc. You spent time with him. You KNOW him. When his story is done, you FEEL the loss! I have read tons of WW2 and other books like this.

This first-person account is ten stars for me.

It is 12-23-24. I think I found the best book I have read so far this year.

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Kassy Nicholson]

This book was just not for me. Everyone raved about it, so I thought I'd give it a try. But I'm just not interested in military history, especially not WWII.