Spearhead (Makos novel)


Spearhead: An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives in World War II is a war biography by the author Adam Makos. Published on February 19, 2019, the book reached number 3 on The New York Times Best Seller list on February 27, 2019.

Characters

The novel honors an unknown hero, Clarence Smoyers, who despite his hatred for violence, becomes the gunner of one of the first Pershing tanks in the European Theatre. Smoyers and his tank crew lead the American invasion of Nazi Germany. Smoyers, whose tank crew is instrumental to the Battle of Cologne, recounts his step-by-step moves in the battle, particularly, shooting a car which unbeknown to him is carrying civilians. At the same time, the car is being shot by a German tank whose gunner is named Gustav Schaefer. Schaefer and Smoyers shoot each other for a few seconds. It ends when Smoyers' crew shoot down a nearby building which disables Shaefer's tank, but leave the Germans inside the tank unharmed. Schaefer and his crew later retreats into German positions. Schaefer credits Smoyers for saving him and his friends.
The biography comes to an end with the meeting of Smoyers and Schaefer in Cologne, sharing their war stories and getting up to date since the war.

Critical reception

The book has received generally positive reviews.
, it had a 4.61/5 community rating on Goodreads.
It was listed on The New York Times Best Seller list on 26 February 2019.

Later events

On September 18, 2019, Makos presided over a ceremony at the National World War II Memorial in which Smoyer and the other members of the Pershing tank crew were awarded Bronze Star medals with "V" device for valor. Smoyer attended the ceremony in person while the families of the other crewmembers, who have passed away, received the medals on their behalf.