All Comments on 'The Greatest Love'

Nice work, great story. Enjoyed it all the way.

Cagivagurl

That was a pretty good read. Was a bit telegraphed that Carol would do something to screw it up, since leaving the Leilani thread hanging in the air wasn't an option. Otherwise he'd have to find her while he was happily married, and either abandon his marriage, or accept that he wouldn't be sharing a life with Leilani and make a peace with it. Might have been more realistic that way, but obviously most would like the great love story to have a happy ending between them.

Did feel like the ending was rushed. After all that time, we only get a couple of perfunctory lines exchanged between the two of them and then the story's done. Felt a bit cheated there, even though it's a good story.

great story...even second time through...(chuckle) Ah well guess its golden oldies week for the February contest...

WOW. Who would have thought I would enjoy a simple love story with a happy ending. Perhaps there is a ray of sunshine in my black heart after all. Well written and enjoyable. Many thanks. Cheers.

Very good story, looking forward to even more. Thank you, 5 stars

somewhere east of Omaha (Neb, not beach)

It was a great story, but that ending was totally rushed. Times like these, I wish Literotica used a 10-star instead of five so I could give this nine.

Alas, 4-stars it is. Still a good read though.

-JMFC

brilliant story

Thank you for sharing your talents! I really enjoyed the story. In a small way I find that I am envious of your abilities but really appreciate being able to enjoy the efforts you generously share. 5*

Well done!!!!!!!

I was hoping Reid would find Leilani again. And they both finally found each other after so many years. Thank you.

Great story, as usual.

Just one small detail : the USA did not declare war on Germany and Italy at once, it was the other way around. Germany, then Italy, declared war on the United States. People in the Roosevelt administration were probably aware of the fact that once in a war against Japan, war against Germany would soon follow, but ordinary people probably did not expect it. I still remember seeing some moovie theater news from december, 1941 when Roosevelt said that the USA were already at war with Japan and Germany, and could fight Italy too after the Italian declaration of war.

A nicely told story with a beginning, a middle and a joyful ending. Well told! 5*.

Ending seemed really rushed. 4/5

More!!!!!!! 5 *****

Top of the range story as always ltw. Thank you very much for an excellent story. 5*

What a great story. Romance after love lost. Very well done!

Wonderful story!! My dad was a WW II vet and saw action on D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Only spotted one minor historical error — in the late 40’s and early 50’s attorneys couldn’t have ads in the Yellow Pages; a boldface listing was the closest to an ad allowed back then. Would have liked more in the ending, but it still ties a great story together!!

Well done, sir! And thanks for including the description of heroism at Pearl Harbor. We must never forget.

Really enjoyed the story, thanks for sharing! 5*

Great story.

I agree with JoeMoeFromChicago, the ending was rushed. Still, I loved it. A great story. -5+

5 star year jerker, thank you!

The tenth anniversary in 1951 would have been better. They would have been young enough to start their own family. But otherwise, a very good story. Thanks

What a wonderful story. The struggles that such a good and honorable man went through to finally find his one true live was a testament to his character. Well written with such heart and compassion.

Thoroughly enjoyed that, but the ending felt a bit rushed.

Really fine story with a rather abrupt ending. Very enjoyable, thanks for the great read.

Wow, that was a well researched and gripping romance. Wonderfully done. Easy 5*

Wonderful story!

Your ending, after such a lengthy build up... the end. You're better than that.

Carol never had a chance. Growing up like that does things to you. I have an aunt who us the nicest women in the world. She worked 3 jobs to give my cousin the best life possible, sent him to private school. She had NO social life outside of spending time with my parents, brother and I.

She might as well have been Carol, in every single way. She was young, stupid but the only difference was her husband was a gigantic asshole.

People grow up. She was always my favorite aunt, got on the floor with us, spoiled us rotten even though she couldn't afford it. Aunti is a grandmother now and I hope that someday I can have her energy at 74. Some of you need my foot up your ass, that is to say, perspective.

Classy story was a classy author. I love these writing events, we get the best from the best of the best. This tale so beautifully crafted, is set so wonderfully in WWII, where romance against the backdrop of war sets the scene for a story you just know that you’ll love.

Well done, l cannot praise this story enough

Scores a well deserved 5/5

Absolutely Beautiful story, LTW!

Well, of course it's a 5. What did you expect? This is laptopwriter we're talking about. A very moving, and very sad story. Too bad they re-connected so late in life that it's unlikely they got to have children of their own. But at least, they got to have each other.

It's your story... Did you really have to make him wait 20 years to find Leilani again???

Liked it all the way thru- would have liked to read more. Thanks

Excellent story, but the editing not so good. I’m also thinking the Medal of Honor was never passed out so freely. Usually presented by the president. The Navy Cross would have been more appropriate especially as he was rushed back to the war. I’ve never heard of a bathtub referred to as a tube. I don’t underscore a story because of any of this, it was a very readable story, thank you. 5* from me.

Excellent writing (despite the typos)! If you are going to write about the military I humbly suggest you familiarize yourself with the terminology. For example, warships don't have "stairs," they have "ladders." True they make look like stairs and ashore and away from a Navy installation they would be "stairs," but to the Navy it's "ladder." A minor detail but it adds to the realism of the writing. There were 16 CMOH awarded for the action at Pearl Harbor Dec 7, 1941, 11 posthumously. Fifteen of the recipients were Navy and one was USMC. One name is notably absent. Petty Officer Doris Miller serving aboard USS West Virginia manned anti-aircraft weapons for which he had no training and returned fire on the attacking Japanese and was seriously wounded. When he ran out of ammunition he braved fires on the ship to evacuate wounded shipmates at the risk of his own life. While his acts were arguably worthy of the CMOH he received no acknowledgement of his actions. When FDR became aware of this slight he ordered the Navy to decorate Miller. Miller was awarded the Navy Cross by Adm. Nimitz. There is no doubt that PO Miller deserved the CMOH but it was denied him because he was black.

5 Stars of course, normal. Tears in my sentimental old eyes at the end.

I do NOT believe that anyone shot down 5 Zeros with a 20mm canon.

five kills? medal of Honor? seaman first to PO1?

too unrealistic even for fantasy lovestory

This was a very good story except for a few issues. 1. SCPO rank was created in 1958, and MCPO in 1959. WWII highest enlisted rank was Chief Petty Officer, CPO 2. True name is "Congressional Medal of Honor" is by an act of Congress and very unlikely congress would award this medal in just 3-5 days and a mere Capitan would not be a lone presenter nor pull it from his briefcase - maybe a Navy Cross but no CMH. Plus if a CMH asked to go to Hawaii while his ship was merely traveling to homeport during peace time, he'd have been sent on TAD to Hawaii. Many may not know but a person wearing the CMH will be saluted fist even by Admirals and then the CMH will return said salute.

/

5*, Hooyah, Salutes for a good story..... USN-10yrs CPO Vietnam Vet

That's a wonderful romance. 5* telling throughout. Good job.

Great story. Very appropo. Today is Pearl Harbor Day - 80 years since the attack. Thanks.

Very rushed

What a wonderful, sweet story Thank you. 5 stars

Another great story. Five stars, plus.

Well done.

The part dealing with his actions at Pearl Harbor, was undoubtedly inspired by the true actions of Dorie Miller, eventually awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism that day:

.

Doris Miller, known as "Dorie" to shipmates and friends, was born in Waco, Texas, on 12 October 1919. He worked on his father's farm before enlisting in the U.S Navy as Mess Attendant, Third Class, at Dallas, Texas, on 16 September 1939, to travel, and earn money for his family. He later was commended by the Secretary of the Navy, was advanced to Mess Attendant, Second Class and First Class, and subsequently was promoted to Cook, Third Class.

.

Following training at the Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia, Miller was assigned to the ammunition ship USS Pyro (AE-1) where he served as a Mess Attendant, and on 2 January 1940 was transferred to USS West Virginia (BB-48), where he became the ship's heavyweight boxing champion. In July of that year he had temporary duty aboard USS Nevada (BB-36) at Secondary Battery Gunnery School.

.

He returned to West Virginia and on 3 August, and was serving in that battleship when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Miller had arisen at 6 a.m., and was collecting laundry when the alarm for general quarters sounded. He headed for his battle station, the antiaircraft battery magazine amidship, only to discover that torpedo damage had wrecked it, so he went on deck.

.

Because of his physical prowess, he was assigned to carry wounded fellow Sailors to places of greater safety. Then an officer ordered him to the bridge to aid the mortally wounded Captain of the ship. He subsequently manned a 50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition and was ordered to abandon ship.

.

Miller described firing the machine gun during the battle, a weapon which he had not been trained to operate: "It wasn't hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine. I had watched the others with these guns. I guess I fired her for about fifteen minutes. I think I got one of those Jap planes. They were diving pretty close to us."

I was reminded of my first cousin an 18 year old PFC marine, Robert Glenn Huff. He went down while on the Arizona battleship. Appreciate the story and reminder.

Fantastic story but it needed a fact checker. I'm not certain about the rank but I'll take KRD19254 timeline of when the rank of Master Chief was adopted but I am pretty certain that the highest NCO was Chief Petty Officer during the war. The CMH was only awarded by Congress and took months to clear all the red tape before it was given to Congress for a vote by the full body. It's a very BIG deal. Admirals have to salute the medal and the man regardless of his rank. He would have been pulled off the ship and sent on War Bond tours to raise money and moral back in the states and being in the Pacific Fleet he would have been back to Pearl Harbor for the ship to be maintained, repaired, R&R and take on supplies, and replacements. Pearl was fleet HQ. Otherwise overall a great read. Thanks.

Excellent story as usual but I thought you missed something. Reid wins the Medal of Honor and goes back to his small home town and nothing happens? And this is right after WW II? No way.

John Basilone won the Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal and his small home town in New Jersey went crazy. He had a parade and they erected a statue. To this day they still have an annual parade in his honor.

Nice history tie-in and a great story. Always a primo day when an LTW story is on the menu.

Hooked

Good story but I wish Leilani and Reid had a little more story at the end after finally finding each other

I think… this is the best story I’ve ever read on Literotica. The history tie-in is Amazing and a credit to your research (that’s the real Captain of the USS California in this tale). Released the story on December 7th. I Had a tear in my eyes 👀 when I read the part about Leilani standing next to Reid’s mother… 5 stars and a standing ovation for Laptopwriter… a true master of his craft!! 👏 👏 👏

I really enjoyed the story, but the ending seemed rushed. Leilani only appeared on the first and last pages. It might have been nice to have more of her story.

One part had me wondering: immediately after his father died, why didn’t Reid take his mother to Hawaii? At that point he didn’t have feelings for Carol, mom could use a getaway, and Reid was looking for hope/Leilani.

By far the best of all The Art of Falling stories.

Excellent as always! Love your writing.

Great story

They have to come up with a 6 star rating, this story goes beyond a 5.

A truly epic love story...and maybe I'm just an old softy but it was so good to get a happy ending

I hope you enjoyed writing this as much as I enjoyed reading it. I saw the Pearl Harbor attack coming from a mile away, but not the ending. Simply wonderful and tear-jerking. Thank You so much sir!

Great story!

5

Wonderful wonderful story. Definitely a 5 star ✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟✨🌟

Superior story! 5-stars

This kind of leaves you hanging waiting for more to be read. I'm certainly hoping for a sequel

Very enjoyable to read. To help you approach nearer to perfection:

“We both can't fit in my tube, …”. “Reid knelt beside the tube …”. “Still naked, Leilani knelt beside the tube …”. [Is “tube” Hawaiian for “tub”?

“… then continue their moonlight stroll another four blocks to the USO. As they got to the end of her street, they were faced with a great view to the west."Oh, Reid, look at the sunset.” (No way for author to know, but in 1941 the USO club was in Kailua; mountains to the west.)

“Hickam Field was home to Hawaii's army airfield and bomber base. It was also the headquarters for their air force.” (Air Corps; there wasn’t an “Air Force” in 1941.)

"Dante's Infernal.” ! <smile> (“Inferno” of course)

He looked up and saw a burning oil slick drifting his way (Unrealistic; oil slick woudn’t drift in the harbor waters and he wouldn’t be able to detect it anyway.)

“Not far away, inside New Hope Church, the brave pastor led a terrified congregation in prayer …” (New Hope wasn’t started in Honolulu until 1995.

"... a piece of flesh covered steal" (“steel” surely)

A few historical inaccuracies, but overall a pretty good love story.

So sad. 20 years lost.

Great story, Thanks!

Overall good story I wqantedd to hear more of leilani and he spending more time possibly kids but still decent story 4

Sad sad storie

Overall a good entertaining read.

Is it cynical to think that it would be more in keeping with the story and with Reid's deep love for Leilani that he would have resisted more his mothers interference? Even if he gave in, he would leave and go find his one true love after his father died?

Or if not then, even after he felt compelled to stay and look after his Mum by getting a job, then why did he waste money buying a new fang dangled magic box, aka Television?

Why was he not saving up every cent for when his holidays came so he could fly off to Hawaii and find his one true love?

And is it still cynical of me to think that Reid got what he deserved in his marriage when Carol cheated on him.

Both of them only settled for the immediate rather than waiting for something permanent .

As my Daddy always used to say, the important decisions in life aren't about choosing right over wrong. They are about choosing better over best.

She had absolutely nothing or no one as a reference point about giving or receiving love, so there would have always been a void in her life.

He however had had lived in a loving family environment and then found the love of his life.

Even though knew he was not following his dreams he still knew love..

Everything he said or did to or for Carol would have been tainted by his awareness that Carol was only 2nd choice, only second best. And Carol would have felt it too as she knew all about his preferred love for Leilani. So she lived on, knowing she was only second best and unloved.

No wonder she was still looking for love in all the wrong places.

A R W

Good story ... as the matter of fact I am currently in the old Inland Steel mill reading this.....

I'm with those who believe Reid would not have been so easily dissuaded from his quest to find Leilani after his father's death. He would have returned to Honolulu within months following the funeral. How that visit would have intersected the timeline of Leilani's move to the mainland, marriage to another man and motherhood is unclear, but the strength of his connection to her would have ensured he made the trip.

Pretty great story. This shows that life can interfere with Love. But, time will cure all.

Thanks for writing.

When I was there in 1965, the clouds over the steel mills of Gary/Hammond/East Chicago were fluffy _pink_, like pink cotton candy.

Reis should have and would have turned earth upside down to find her.

could use polish and some behaviours arn't those of the 40s, but a great luv story

Good story. But I would have moved heaven and earth to find her. Nothing would have stopped me. Otherwise those regrets are just too much to bear.

A very good luv story. It seemed a little too simplistic but then those were simpler times. Well done 5*****

Excellent story. The only nit I have is that Reid would not have been presented with the Medal of Honor by a newly minted admiral while in the hospital and then immediately assigned to another ship. When John Basilone received the MoH for Guadalcanal, he was rotated Stateside to sell war bonds. It wasn’t until after, when he pretty much demanded it, that he went back into combat.

But simply a great story.

Hits close, much too real, but still with an elusive happy ending.

Yeah, military duty, active service and tours or whatever, has fucked up countless - or could have been - relationships through history. Been there, got the loneliness and emptiness to prove it.

Surprised that he dod not ho back to Hawaii. Yes parental bonds and promises are important, but true love like that must be honored.

@SDN1955–I also wondered about that MOH situation. Not real sure about WW2, but since then it takes months or even years to push a MOH award through. I noticed a couple of more military faux pas, but nothing worth detracting from the story over. Thanks, LTW, I really enjoyed the story. Thanks for sharing.

Five stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

D

Thank you.

One MAJOR error in the story SCPO/E8 first became an official USN rank on June 1st 1958, prior it was just CPO/E7. Only two shipboard enlisted survived to receive the CMH both were CPO Ross & Finn.

\

Appears to be an intentional lack of description of what Reid's USN rate/duties. I thought he might have been a Gunners-mate. Another issue is those old battleships BB-43 were s-l-o-w 10knt oil guzzlers so leaving the Pacific would have been island hopping and then tankers to get to Panama and more tankers to Philadelphia.

\

Still a very good story....

\

6******, Hooyah, Salutes... USN-10yrs, FTGC, Vietnam Vet

Lovely.

hermosa historia, gracias😊👍

I really am getting tired of people castigating me for not using "Congressional" when I mentioned "The Medal of Honor. I just had another one that I deleted. As I've said on several occasions, I do my homework when writing these stories. I don't always get it right but I do way more than getting it wrong. So, for the guy who insulted me and his predecessors, as well as those future readers who won't read this, here it is from the horse's mouth:

Medal of Honor FAQs | CMOHS

Congressional Medal of Honor Society

https://www.cmohs.org › medal › faqs

The name of the Medal is simply “Medal of Honor” — the word “Congressional” is sometimes mistakenly used because the Medal was created by Congress.

Excellent.

A wonderful tale, really and engrossingly told. Worth five solid stats. BTW, Medal of Honor seemed a bit off for me too, but since I have heard and seen it both ways, I just accepted it and moved. Thanks for sharing your research with us. I love every one of your stories that I have read, btw. Regards.

JPB

Too many words ahead of a too abrupt ending.

Good story and fun to read. The only correction I would suggest is that no one ever refers to it as "the D-Day". It is always simply "D-Day".

This is the romance story but the Loving Wife's story turned out to be a Loving story. Thank you!!!