Crusader: General Donn Starry and the Army of His Times

By: Mike Guardia

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Synopsis: The biography of US Army general Donn Starry, creator of the AirLand Battle doctrine that led to victory in Operation Desert Storm. Donn Starry, one of the most influential commanders of the Vietnam War, went on to become one of the &“intellectual giants&” who reshaped the US Army and, throughout his career, worked to improve training, leadership, and conditions for the men who served under him. Starry was a leading advocate for tank warfare in Vietnam. His recommendations helped shape the American armor position in Southeast Asia and paved the way for his success as commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry during the invasion of Cambodia. As commander of Fort Knox and the US Army Armor School in the 1970s, Starry brought new advances to armor tactics, training, and strategy. Most notably, he created the new &“AirLand Battle&” doctrine, which paved the way for a decisive US victory in the Gulf War. Like most Vietnam-era commanders, Starry&’s legacy has been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the war itself—but few have had as much of an impact on modern maneuver warfare. In this new biography of Gen. Donn Starry, armor officer Mike Guardia examines the life and work of this pioneering officer using extracts from interviews with veterans and family, as well as from Starry&’s personal papers.