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The author’s book is a historical novel set in late 1960 during the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ). The main character, Spenser McCall, is a chief executive for an American oil company. Concerned about rising dependence on the Middle East’s oil supply, McCall urges his company to fund stateside sourcing. This radically changes the direction of his life, ricocheting to affect others on his team, including a lady newspaper publisher.
Also affected is Cordell Jackson, a WWII veteran whose war injury and race limited his chances for success. Still, while shining shoes in the building where McCall worked, Cordell was respected by all who knew him. His world was shattered for a second time by a luger-wielding, blond-haired enemy. This boy made purse-snatching his business until Cordell gained control of the weapon. Then, the ex-corporal relived the day he lost his leg on a German road during the Battle of the Bulge.
With the stage set for suspense, the author has McCall and his team push to discover whether a respected military leader was awarded his medal of honor based on color instead of courage. Miga presents research regarding the kind of men who have received the Medal of Honor starting with the Civil War. He also provides petition requirements for contesting a medal-assignment decision. The author has fully developed a colorful set of characters, including the large-as-life LBJ. The author has mastered “show, not tell” so that even a reader unfamiliar with the time period can relate. Across two decades Miga pulls off a surprise ending that makes one proud of our war veterans.