Though Liberation Road is a work of fiction, it is closely based on authentic events and the actual wartime conduct of individuals and military units, both U.S. and German, during the desperate first three months of the Allied struggle to liberate France. The true designations and histories of divisions, regiments, battalions, and companies have been utilized, while most real names of soldiers and chaplains have been replaced by fictional ones. Places, dates, battles, and the intricacies of the Paris black market have been recreated with as little dramatic license and as much accuracy as my research and abilities have allowed.

At the rear of the book, a glossary is included with explanations of abbreviated military terms used in the novel. A series of annotations will supply the actual names and some additional historical details for several of the events and participants referred to in the narrative.

Many people have contributed to the writing of this novel. Principal among them are:

Kenneth J. Leinwand, Chaplain (Colonel), U.S. Army; Dr. John C. Stevens, Chaplain (Captain, retired), U.S. Army; Dr. John Brinsfield, historian at the Chaplain’s Museum, Columbia, SC; former Red Ball driver William Bennett of Petersburg, VA; Sorlie Bigman for her recollections of Pittsburgh; Jim and Rebecca Redington for their company in Normandy and Paris, and Jim for everything medical in this book; the unknown French dairy farmer whose tractor pulled my car out of a muddy hedgerow in the middle of the night; Alexandra Duckworth for her research and enthusiasm; all my MFA students at VCU for their own mistakes and surprising talents; Tracy Fisher of William Morris for her constant good advice and measured ways; Kate Miciak of Bantam for her incisive editing and fond e-mails; and my old friends Gary Green, Tom Kennedy, and Tucker Connelly who insisted this book should be written.

DLR

Richmond, VA

~ * ~

~ * ~