A Brief Summary Of Company Commander By Charles B. Macdonald

Company Commander, written by Charles B. Macdonald in 1947, is a personal account of first-hand experience narrating the every-day events during World War II as a Captain in the United States Army. Ronald H. Spector, a Vietnam veteran and author of Eagle Against the Sun, opens the book with an introduction, highlighting Captain Macdonald’s accomplishment of becoming the Army’s Chief Historian. The book is written candidly, offering every memorable account that he and his men went through—the good times and the bad times—during World War Two, on the front lines and in the rear. This non-fiction text cost less than 12 dollars and contains captivating, vivid accounts of the war form Captain Macdonald’s point of view. It also encompasses the remarks and expressions of those who found themselves in the war, voluntarily and involuntarily. The conventional wisdom of war is that it comes at the expense of soldiers’ lives. Charles Macdonald understands that notion and also dedicates this book

As an inexperienced officer leading veteran soldiers, Captain Macdonald makes an effort to earn his men’s trust and overcome his uncertainty—two important factors that would lead him to much success. “I must give these men confidence in me despite the fact they know that I am inexperienced” (Macdonald 1999, 14). Countless engagements and embracing K-rations, undesirable conditions, and sickness with his men, finally brought him to the conclusion that “these veterans of Company I had accepted their replacement company commander” (Macdonald 1999, 77). This sense of confidence and mutual trust contributed to his company’s success throughout the war. Despite his acceptance, the men he served with were “cold, hungry, miserable infantrymen, scared as hell inside, but too brave to admit it” (Macdonald 1999,