Henry West

Monastery Ridge is a fictional account of a U.S. Army rifle company's battle on Monastery Ridge during the Korean War. The book was based on Mr. West's experiences while fighting in Korea. Henry West was born and raised in Los Angeles. He was a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 107 and earned an Eagle Scout award. He played the tuba, trumpe... t, and piano and performed with big bands such as Tex Beneke and Stan Kenton as well as the Los Angeles City Orchestra. After high school he joined the U.S. Army and served in the infantry as a Rifle Platoon Leader, in the 3rd Division, Company of the 7th Regiment, in Germany during the tail end of World War Two. Following a battle in a German village he was wounded and tossed in a jeep for dead. However, he recovered and received the Combat Infantry Badge and the Bronze Star Medal for his time in World War Two. He returned home to attend Occidental College where he played football and tennis, and in his sophomore year, met his future wife, Mary Kay Somers. Awarded the Phi Beta Kappa Key in a short three years, he was accepted early to Stanford Law School to finish his degree and begin law school concurrently. His studies were interrupted though when he was recalled to the Army, joining the Korean conflict with the California National Guard 40th Division. Mr. West and Miss Somers married November 22, 1950 on Thanksgiving Eve, and a few months later he shipped out with his division. During his Army career he served in every position from Private to Company Commander. He was the youngest Captain in Korea at the time; he was a Rifle Company Commander. His duty over, he returned home to attend Stanford Law School, earning his AB and JD in two and a half years. He was also an Associate Editor of the Stanford Law Review. Finishing law school early, Mr. West began his legal career as a lawyer for Convair, a major aircraft company in San Diego, while also studying for the California Bar. He worked as Counsel to Convair's Astronautics (Atlas Missile) Division. After five ...Read More