That Such Men Lived

Seventeen-year-old Johannes Schmitt can do nothing but watch as the Gestapo murders his father in his own home.

Forced to flee Germany, Johannes is torn from the girl he loves and the mother he swore to protect, boarding a ship to America with nothing but a suitcase, a broken Star of David, and the weight of survivor's guilt. He arrives alone, enraged, and powerless to help those he loves.

That is, until he's finally drafted into the US Army.

From there, Johannes is sent to the most unlikely of places: the top-secret Camp Ritchie, where he and fellow Jewish immigrants learn advanced interrogation techniques and German order of battle, strategies that promise to change the tides of the war. From the burning streets of Briedheim to the secretive Camp Ritchie to the very walls of Hitler's Fortress Europe, Johannes must navigate a journey haunted by the past as he tries to keep his honor intact.

In this evocative retelling of the real-life German-born Jewish immigrants known as the Ritchie Boys, That Such Men Live is a gritty and emotional story of sacrifice, war, and maintaining hope when all seems lost.

Bryan currently lives in Idaho with his wonderful wife and three amazing children. He's a happy follower of Jesus, a proud member of the United States Air Force, and an often disappointed but always dedicated fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars (This is our year!).He started his writing career late in life (if you consider almost 40 late), mostly because his little buggers wanted to eat every day and have health insurance. His daughter says he can't talk without teaching (and no, he's not a teacher). According to his son, if you want to know anything else, then you'll just have to meet him (come to Idaho, it's not that cold).By drawing on real events and stories from history, Bryan writes quality fiction with powerful character arcs that display and encourage real change. Though always reflecting a Catholic worldview, he strives to write fiction that is accessible and relatable to people from all faiths and cultures, that excludes no one.