The Gift of the GI

by David Healey Book 9.5 in the Caje Cole series.

First published 2022

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4.3(246)

During December in the Ardennes, Caje Cole and Vaccaro occupy a concealed position in snow-covered woods. The Battle of the Bulge continues around them, and the cold is severe enough that the heat of a rifle barrel offers one of the few temporary comforts available to men waiting for an enemy sniper.

The Christmas setting reminds Vaccaro of home, while Cole treats memory as a distraction that may reveal their position. Inspired by O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, the short companion story uses the exchange and sacrifice associated with the original tale within the conditions of winter combat.