Hill Echoes

Manchester Center, VT: Marshall Jones Company, 1995. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. [14], 497, [1] pages. Maps. DJ has slight wear and soiling. Inscribed by the author on title page. Erling served in the 10th Mountain Division during World War II, and received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his valiant service in the Italian Apennine Mountains. Erling taught skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering to the troops at Camp Hale in Colorado. After the war, he became a certified professional ski instructor and taught skiing at Dartmouth. Erling was a contributing editor to Norway Times and Skiing Heritage, and published author of "Hill Echoes" - his novel of Norwegian and WWII experiences. A particular highlight in his writing career was Tom Brokaw's reading of his poem honoring the fallen members of the 10th Mountain Division during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City, Utah. In 2003, Erling Omland was inducted into the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. Inscribed to Horton Durfee!!! Of all of the World War II veterans of the 10th Mountain Division, perhaps none recounted their stories with as much humility and endearing honesty as Horton Durfee. In interviews and in his self-published book 'World War II Memoirs of Horton K Durfee: 1943-1946,' his accounts are infused with humor and with a full admission of all of his shortcomings in a way that is deeply human. It provides a refreshing self-acknowledgment of the frailty and limitations of men whose deeds and reputation have become the stuff of legend. Durfee provided detailed and gripping accounts of the attack on Monte Belvedere and of holding the line in preparation for the next push. During that push, on March 3, 1945 the column was hit by a short artillery barrage during a halt to eat lunch. Horton Durfee was severely wounded by shrapnel.