Words of Praise for
Ride to the Sound of the Guns

Watch this short video “Ride to the Sound of the Guns: The Life of a Cold War Warrior” and learn about the Mataxis family, additional book information, and helpful links for those interested in military history.

Visit www.legacyofduty.com to purchase a signed/personalized hard bound copy of Ride to the Sound of the Guns! The book is also available in digital format.

In the Words of Reviewers

Within the pages of this book is a description of the extraordinary odyssey of a man and his quest to master the Spartan mother’s ancient command to “return with your shield… or on it”; his family’s commitment and sacrifice during the course of that journey, and the extraordinary multi-generational legacy of service to nation by his family that he fostered through examples of word and deed.

Personally, this story resonated with me due to the extraordinary ways in which it paralleled, intersected with, and reflected my own family’s experiences with a father who was a professional Soldier for 32 years, spanning WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War. Two of his sons, a grandson, a granddaughter, and a son-in-law have served, or still serve, covering every conflict since.

Professionally, BG (R) Ted Mataxis, Sr., epitomized the U.S. Army Warrior Ethos: Always Place the Mission First; Never Accept Defeat; Never Quit; and Never Leave a Fallen Comrade. As a leader he lived the Army Values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage to their fullest.

In a free society where less than 1% of our citizens serve in the armed forces, this story needs to be known more broadly. While we all hear the mantra that “Freedom is not Free,” too few really understand the fully burdened cost borne by so few. — Peter J. Schoomaker, General, U.S. Army (Ret.), Former CinC, U.S. Special Operations Command & Former Army Chief of Staff

From humble but sturdy beginnings and experiencing hardship and hard work, BG Mataxis was raised around veterans to include an instructor commander at ROTC, who had a lifelong impact. This experience shaped him as a leader and mentor. Of all his incredible contributions, his position at Valley Forge Military School, where he developed future leaders like Gen H.R. McMaster, must be included as one of his greatest legacies.

This is the story of a Warrior. This is the story of an Army family that was dedicated, resilient, innovative, and fought through the hardships of constant separation and often assignments into less-than-desirable conditions. This is the story of a Nation that was forced to grapple with challenges from the world at war to insurgencies and counter-insurgencies and foreign affairs issues at the PhD level. Mataxis was integral to all the solutions.

I have read lots of leadership books, but this one now goes to the top of the list for the Army officers that want to aspire to doing leadership and mentorship correctly. They will also see what sacrifice and service to nation really looks like. As I meet with those about to take command of Army units, my #1 recommendation will be to read, study, and understand Ride to the Sound of the Guns. — Bryan “Doug” Brown, General, 7th Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command

Ride to the Sound of the Guns, by Theodore Mataxis Jr., is the story of a great soldier who epitomized selfless service, duty, and service to our great Army and nation.

General Mataxis was a mentor and special friend throughout my service, from when I first met him while serving with his son, Ted, in the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) following our service in Vietnam, and later when we again crossed paths in the final days of the Khmer Republic in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1975 when the city was under intense rocket and artillery fire, and later in the Northwest Frontier of Pakistan where, as a battalion commander and later Group Commander of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), our soldiers provided support and training to the Mujahedeen. Never “stacking arms” after retiring from the Army, he continued to march to the sound of the guns, serving our great nation and allies.

General Mataxis was a true combat leader who was truly an unsung hero of our victory in the Cold War. Future generations of soldiers will find this book a must-read to enhance their professional development, and all will find it a special story of a great soldier and his family. —Kenneth R. Bowra, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army, Smithfield, Virginia

Ride to the Sound of Guns is a splendidly detailed account of an “Old School” warrior and military scholar who embraced every mission with the same aplomb and courage. Gen. Mataxis’ acquired knowledge of warfare over the course of several crucial engagements is set out in excellent prose by his own son, just one of the General’s myriad mentees and admirers. Mataxis’ story is an American tale of courage, hard work and adaptability. His example and his lessons learned will live on forever!
— Philip Smucker, War Correspondent, author of My Brother, My Enemy and Al Qaeda’s Great Escape, and Riding with George: Sportsmanship and Chivalry in the Making of America’s First President, Washington DC

In today’s increasingly divided country, it’s truly time for a book on a humble American warrior, Ted Mataxis Sr., who served with valor during WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War from its’ start in Berlin in 1946 to its conclusion after Russia’s failure in Afghanistan. How better to have his story written with exquisite detail than by his son, Ted Mataxis, Jr., who had his newly minted captain bars pinned on his uniform by his father while serving our country in Vietnam in 1971. The author of Ride to the Sound of the Guns tells how Teds his grandfather arrived from Greece penniless in 1907 at Ellis Island. His grandfather was able to realize the American dream through hard work and dedication. Ted became so enamored with the land of the brave and the home of the free that he set out on a life course of service to the United States.

Over the years, there have been thousands of American veterans who returned from war in foreign lands after serving our country and took their stories of service to the grave with them. Thankfully, Ted Mataxis, Jr., who served in three wars, stepped up to the plate to document his father’s unique story for all of us to read, while humbly noting that his son Ted Mataxis III is proudly serving our country. Those three generations of soldiers saw combat in eight different wars following in the footsteps of Ted Mataxis, Sr., whose story and family history of personal sacrifices are captured in Ride to the Sounds of the Guns. —Green Beret SOG Veteran John Stryker Meyer, author of Across the Fence, On the Ground, and SOG Chronicles Volume One.

Ted Mataxis’ Ride to the Sound of the Guns is an amazingly detailed account of his father’s career. His ability to weave General Mataxis’ personal and professional anecdotes into a readable and relatable story gives the reader insights into the life of one of the United States’ most accomplished soldiers. The General’s interactions with so many storied individuals throughout a career that spanned so many critical intersections in our nation’s modern history, gave him an influence and impact that are almost immeasurable. And all of it is conveyed deftly within the narrative. Regardless of if you are a military professional or just an avid reader of biographies and history, you will enjoy this book. —Joe Muccia, Marine combat veteran and co-author of Cry Havoc! An Untold Story of Rangers at War.