The Making of a Spy: Memoir of a German Boy Soldier Turned American Army Intelligence Agent
The Making of a Spy: Memoir of a German Boy Soldier Turned American Army Intelligence Agent
Overview
There are so many people to whom I have become indebted for support, encouragement and understanding during the course of my unorthodox career. First and foremost, Erwin Erdmann Erich Thamm, my father, whose love for America compelled him to encourage me to leave family and everything familiar to return to the distant land of my birth. The Harold Kuehnel family of Detroit; they took me, a total stranger, into their home. For me it was the first of many wonderful experiences of American hospitality. The U.S. Army that nurtured me and became my surrogate family. Ann Marie Holstad Thamm, my first wife, who shared with me the initial lean years of army life; who had to endure the tensions inherent in the occupation that had been thrust upon me; who gave birth to our two sons, Erik and Erwin, and our daughter, Renita. Ann Marie's grandfather, Sigurd H. Holstad, the "Old Viking," who made my father's dream to come to America reality.The colonel in army personnel--I have long forgotten his name--who propelled me into a lifelong career in foreign intelligence operations. Manfred "Fred" Herz, aka Doktor Hermann, my long departed friend and mentor in the clandestine service, who taught me the "street smarts" needed to survive in the upside-down world of espionage.Joe Milewski, my longtime friend, and the many other colleagues who, as tradition requires, must remain nameless; they supported me and made survival in this perilous endeavor possible. And last only in chronological sequence, but foremost, Suanne Zuzel Thamm, my second wife, who patiently encouraged me to engage in the difficult task of writing, of selecting what can be said, and what cannot.She is a supreme editor; she gave this manuscript all the polish it has. She too had to endure the tensions inherent in being married to an intelligence operative. She packed my bags, waved me goodbye, and rarely knew where I went, or when or if I would return. She tried not to pry, although I wonder how often she must have been tempted. She is my wife. She is my best friend, and she made my "third life" worth living.Description
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Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
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- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
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- Downloadable software products
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To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
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We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
Overview
There are so many people to whom I have become indebted for support, encouragement and understanding during the course of my unorthodox career. First and foremost, Erwin Erdmann Erich Thamm, my father, whose love for America compelled him to encourage me to leave family and everything familiar to return to the distant land of my birth. The Harold Kuehnel family of Detroit; they took me, a total stranger, into their home. For me it was the first of many wonderful experiences of American hospitality. The U.S. Army that nurtured me and became my surrogate family. Ann Marie Holstad Thamm, my first wife, who shared with me the initial lean years of army life; who had to endure the tensions inherent in the occupation that had been thrust upon me; who gave birth to our two sons, Erik and Erwin, and our daughter, Renita. Ann Marie's grandfather, Sigurd H. Holstad, the "Old Viking," who made my father's dream to come to America reality.The colonel in army personnel--I have long forgotten his name--who propelled me into a lifelong career in foreign intelligence operations. Manfred "Fred" Herz, aka Doktor Hermann, my long departed friend and mentor in the clandestine service, who taught me the "street smarts" needed to survive in the upside-down world of espionage.Joe Milewski, my longtime friend, and the many other colleagues who, as tradition requires, must remain nameless; they supported me and made survival in this perilous endeavor possible. And last only in chronological sequence, but foremost, Suanne Zuzel Thamm, my second wife, who patiently encouraged me to engage in the difficult task of writing, of selecting what can be said, and what cannot.She is a supreme editor; she gave this manuscript all the polish it has. She too had to endure the tensions inherent in being married to an intelligence operative. She packed my bags, waved me goodbye, and rarely knew where I went, or when or if I would return. She tried not to pry, although I wonder how often she must have been tempted. She is my wife. She is my best friend, and she made my "third life" worth living.Description
Condition Guidelines
Books - New and Used
The following guidelines apply to books:
- New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.
Shipping & Delivery
Shipping Fees
- Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
- Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
- No additional fees and charges.
Delivery Times
The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.
Estimated delivery times:
- Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
- Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days
Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.
Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times.
Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.).
If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.
Returns & Refunds
You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.
Additional non-returnable items:
- Gift cards
- Downloadable software products
- Some health and personal care items
To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)
- Book with obvious signs of use
- CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
- Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
- Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery
Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.
Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.
If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:
- Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
- Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
- Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.
Shipping Cost
We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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