Baritone Books announces its release of “The Battle of Turkey Thicket,” a true story inspired by a simple memorial plaque displayed in a Rehoboth Beach church. Author Christopher Russell’s book reveals two stories. One is about 18-year-old Philip Thomas Hughes, a Washington, DC native killed in action during the Korean War in 1950. The other is the present-day experience of assembling the curious backstory of Philip’s life and the Brookland community from which he came.
When tracing Philip’s life, readers learn about the civic evolution of Washington, DC and the changes endured by his community during the late 1940s. These forces, plus Philip’s family dysfunction, triggered his journeys to a Canadian boarding school, the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, Chicago’s Skid Row, a shipboard Pacific crossing, and a U.S. Army billet in occupied Japan. Philip participated as one of the first – and youngest – American soldiers in the Korean War, leading to the unique and lasting consequence of his sacrifice.
In researching Philip’s story, Russell found and befriended Philip’s kid brother, now a retiree living comfortably in Washington, DC. Their collaboration revealed a fascinating snapshot of mid-20th century America, the harrowing Korean War, and a family’s enduring legacy.
Pub date: September 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9990983-2-5
Softcover, $14.95, amazon.com
Washington, DC & Military History
Baritone Books
255 pages
About the Author
Christopher Russell applies most of his writing chops to historical non-fiction. There’s more work in the pipeline, including the biography of a would-be fighter pilot who opines on faith-driven leadership styles. Russell also has a treasure-trove of vintage photos and documents that are the foundation for a future book about a Minnesota man’s adventures in World War I.
A vagabond musician and do-it-yourself home renovator, Russell is an American in the truest sense of the word: one of his parents is an immigrant while the other has roots tracing back to the first U.S. census of 1790.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CggJ-TP6v5A