3 Quotes & Sayings By Robert Leckie

Robert Leckie was born in Pike County, Texas and raised in Oklahoma and Colorado. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Class of 1956, and served as a naval aviator and flight instructor during the Korean War. He left the Navy in 1964 to go to law school, but was called up for the Vietnam War. During his tour he flew as a forward air controller for the Army Read more

In 1970, Leckie finished his first book, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire. It has been translated into seventeen languages. In 1976, Leckie published his second book, The Story of World War II.

The book became an international bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice. In 1979 he published his first novel, Inside the Fire: An American Fighter Pilot's Mission Behind Enemy Lines in North Vietnam. It became a #1 bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic and was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel by the Mystery Writers of America.

In 1984 Leckie followed with The Outpost: A Novel about Vietnam Combat Tactics and SERE School, which was also a #1 bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1986 Leckie published his first non-fiction work, Suicide Missions: Rescues of World War II aces and pilots who saved their own lives by deciding to sacrifice theirs instead. This book won the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière from France's prestigious Académie Française and was a #1 bestseller worldwide.

Since 1986 Leckie has published over twenty books including five collections of short fiction; two novels; two collections of short stories; three books on writing; four books on aviation; two books about men's issues; two biographies; one history book; one memoir; one book on motorcycles (one million copies sold); one biography (for which he won several awards); four young adult fiction novels; two children's fiction novels; two non-fiction books (one about men's issues); one biography (for which he won another award); two biographies (for which he won yet another award); one textbook (which he wrote with his daughter), various articles on writing and aviation; ten audio books (including three acclaimed audio versions of The Rising Sun); two anthologies (of short stories) through major publishers; eight video courses through major interactive media companies; interactive e-books at major online retailers such as Amazon Kindle Store, Barnes

1
Our muddy machine gun pits were transformed into Courage Clubs when bombs fell or Japanese warships pounded us from the sea. There was protocol to be observed, too, and it was natural that the poor fellow who might break into momentary terror should cause pained silence and embarrassed coughs. Everyone looked the other way, like millionaires confronted by the horrifying sight of a club member borrowing five dollars from the waiter. Robert Leckie
2
There was no feeling of dedication because it was absolutely involuntary. I do not doubt that if the Marines had asked for volunteers for an impossible campaign such as Guadalcanal, almost everyone now fighting would have stepped forward. But that is sacrifice; that is voluntary. Being expended robs you of the exultation, the self-abnegation, the absolute freedom of self-sacrifice. Being puts one in the role of victim rather than sacrificer, and there is always something begrudging in this. I doubt if Isaac would have accepted the knife of his father, Abraham, entirely without reproach; yet, for the same master, he would have gladly gone to his death a thousand times. The world is full of the sacrifice of heroes and martyrs, but there was only one Victim. . Robert Leckie