Plumlee was admired for his effort, knowing his limitations, and occasionally surprising fans by exceeding them (e.g. making a 6 foot jumper)

I read it decades ago too, it was lying around the house. I don’t remember atrocities-as-strategy as much as I remember the former Nazi’s being better soldiers: leaving trinkets on the trail to determine if anyone had used it; buying vitamins out of their own pocket to maintain their health.