Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Bennett pens book on uncle, Joe E. Mann
REARDAN – Byrne Bennett has made it his life's mission for the last several years to immortalize the story of his uncle, Medal of Honor recipient and Reardan native Joe E. Mann. Now, that mission is one step to completion. Bennett's historical fiction book telling the story of Mann, titled "A Greater Destiny," has been published and is available for sale.
Mann posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the highest recognition a military member can receive, after jumping on a grenade to save his comrades in Holland during World War II in 1944.
The first half of the 461-page book details Mann's life growing up in Reardan, beginning with his senior year of high school.
"It reveals his flaws...paints him as an impulsive person," Bennett said. "Reardan-ites have enjoyed reading about their hometown...there's football, farming (and) tension with women."
The story is based in fact following hours of interviews with family members and investigation of old Army reports. Bennett wrote the dialogue, but based the rest of the story on those interviews and records.
"I didn't put in anything outlandish," Bennett said. "It all either happened or could've happened."
The second half of the book, which is written in third-person, delves into Mann's time in the Army, which ends with his ultimate sacrifice.
Bennett spent between three and four years writing the book. Boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he now is selling the book on Amazon and is hoping to promote the book at Davenport Pioneer Days next weekend and the Lincoln County Fair in August.
"I haven't looked to see how many copies I've sold," Bennett said. "That's not the point. The point is to get his story out there."
The book is available now for order in either paperback or e-book form on Amazon.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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