Phil Kline

Meet Phil. With interests ranging from writing, staying in shape, photography to dance, Phil spends his time volunteering with vets, helping them in whatever area they need.

BIO: Phil joined the Navy at age 17. After boot camp at Great Lakes, Michigan, he was an enlisted man aboard the USS Haskell, APA 117, crewman of their 28 landing craft scheduled to invade the home islands of Japan. Discharged from the Navy in August 1946, Phil signed up for the Army in 1948 and attended Officers Training with the Class 9-A Officer Candidate School at Fort Riley, Kansas. Following graduation, Second Lieutenant Phil Kline was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. Within weeks, North Korea invaded South Korea. By the time Phil was to go, 8th Army had been sent to defend South Korea. When the war was over, he resigned his Commission. After attending numerous reunions with comrades who had served in Korea - and just prior to the 50th anniversary of the Korean War - Bill traveled 18,000 miles to interview them on video and record their stories. His latest book, "One Helluva Soldier" was inspired by true events and real soldiers.

The story follows a US Army Officer Candidate School graduate who became a prisoner of the Korean War. Woven into true events is the account of 21 year old George Martin, married and the father of a young son. In spite of being known as one helluva soldier, he is harassed by two other officers who pegged him as homosexual. Martin is eventually given a general court-martial by the army of the country he was willing to die for. Author Phil Kline has written a powerful, passionate and dynamic story that goes far beyond a tale of war.

You can read his book with a click on the button above.