The Battle of Turkey Thicket: The Journeys of an Orphan, Altar Boy, Runaway, and Teenaged Soldier from Washington, D.C.

The Battle of Turkey Thicket describes the curious travels of Philip Thomas Hughes, an orphan who ran away from his adoptive home in 1949. Philip witnesses the civic evolution of Washington, D.C., endures the grime of Chicago’s Skid Row, and finds romance amidst Japan’s post-World War II reconstruction, all before celebrating his eighteenth birthday on the chaotic battlefields of the Korean War. At the same time, the story of Philip and his family is one of spiritual faith that was formed, challenged, and reconstituted through sacrifice. This book reveals the history behind a forgotten memorial, while rescuing the story of Philip Thomas Hughes - and his journeys - from oblivion.