War memoir reviews (3 Viewers)

[Jack]

'Red Blood, Black Sand' by Chuck Tatum


The author was a very keen volunteer for the Marines, joining up in the middle of 1943.

Is there such a thing as a Marine who is not all that keen?

Thanks for the review - I am off to google that MOH winner.

 

[larso]

"Is there such a thing as a Marine who is not all that keen?"

Apparently. To fill the ranks in the last year or two, some marines were drafted, which annoyed many of the real-deal volunteers. I don't know the details, but maybe it was a case of 'You're drafted - pick a service' and they went in that way?

 

[larso]

Summaries of some of the marine memoirs I have read -

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge
5 stars: This is Sledge's epic account of his time as a mortar-man with the 1st Marine Div (K 3rdBn, 5thRegt) on Peleliu and Okinawa. It is a true war memoir in that it is virtually entirely about the author’s combat experiences, almost on every page, very graphic & often not for the faint hearted. This book is one of the top three memoirs of war that I have ever read. Very Highly Recommended!

God Isn't Here by Richard E. Overton
4¾ stars: An astounding book! Overton was a Naval Corpsman with D Co 26th Marines, 5th Div on Iwo Jima. His descriptions of battle are incredibly detailed, virtually rush by rush, graphically conveying the incredible tension & danger. While a medic, Overton is very much in a combat role & he recounts some absolutely gripping events. In some ways this surpasses Sledge’s account. A must read!

Hell in the Pacific: A Marine Rifleman's Journey From Guadalcanal to Peleliu by Bill Sloan and Jim McEnery
4¾ stars: McEnery served with the now famous K/3/5 Marines, of 1st Marine Division, fighting on Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester & Peleliu. He sees an enormous amount of close combat, including with the bayonet. There is more detail on Cape G than in other memoirs & his account of capturing Ngesebus (off Peleliu) is extrodinary. There are views on Sledge & the others and heaps of vicious combat!

Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War by William Manchester
4½ Stars: Manchester, later a celebrated historian, fought on Okinawa with 2/29th Marines, 6th Division. This book is testament to how the written word can knock your socks off! Some of his descriptions of combat are jaw dropping! They are revealed around a later return to the Pacific where he also explores the history of the war, and a curious implication he was in a greater part of it.

Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific by Robert Leckie
4½ stars: Leckie was with 2/1st Marines, 1st Marine Div on Guadalcanal, New Britain & Peleliu. It is a fairly raw account, covers things like being AWOL, drunk & in the brink. As for battle, he uses his firearm to deadly effect and endures much in the way of return fire & malaria. It is a deeply considered and extremely descriptive account & I found it amazing in many ways. Highly Recommended!

The Long Road of War: A Marine's Story of Pacific Combat by James W. Johnston
4½ stars: Another outstanding book by a 1st Marine Div man. Johnston served with E 2/5th on Bouganville, Pelelieu & Okinawa. Johnston is particularly articulate in the way he reveals combat & wounds. Also fascinating is his journey from naïve country boy to hardened marine. His reflections cover nightmares and a critique of the Corps. A shorter book but a very intense read. Highly recommended!

Faithful Warriors: A Combat Marine Remembers the Pacific War by Dean Ladd
4½ stars: Ladd was with 1/8th 2nd Marine Div on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan & Tinian. Ladd’s central narrative is engrossing, he writes extensively about his own actions, including killing but includes intelligent context and the relevant experiences of others. So it is broader in scope than a standard memoir and while this is a strength I will rate it just under Sledge. Highly Recommended!

Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Beyond: A Mud Marine's Memoir of the Pacific Island War by William W. Rogal
4½ stars: Rogal volunteered & fought with ‘A’ Co 2nd Marines of 2nd Marine Div on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan & Tinian. He is very much involved in the fighting & several times he comes face to face with the enemy. He writes in detail on these and much else & you are left with a very clear picture of what it meant to fight in this war. A very interesting book.

Islands of the ****ed: A Marine at War in the Pacific by R. V. Burgin
4¼ stars: Burgin was Sledge’s Sgt in K/3/5th Marines of the 1st Division, fighting at Cape Gloucester, Peleliu & Okinawa. He clearly recognized that Marine training & practices were to make him able to kill & he certainly goes about doing that, sometimes at very close quarters. He also gives some interesting commentary on Sledge & the events in ‘With the Old Breed’. Stark & unsanitised.

Red Blood, Black Sand: Fighting Alongside John Basilone from Boot Camp to Iwo Jima by Charles W. Tatum
4¼ stars: Another memoir stemming from the TV series ‘The Pacific’. Tatum was a member of Medal of Honor winner John Basilone’s group that forced its way off the beach when the landing on Iwo Jima had stalled. His story here covers in great detail his Iwo experiences as a machine-gunner with B/1/27, 5th Marine Division, clearly revealing the relentless nature of this battle. Strongly recommended.

Stories from the Pacific: The Island War 1942-1945 by Lawrence F. Kirby
4 stars: This is a special book. Kirby served with 3rd Marine Division on Bouganville, Guam & Iwo Jima. While not a standard linear memoir, it is a collection of stories about various events & experiences, explored as it suits the author, it reveals the journey of a young marine with rare power. He revisits boot camp, killing, the bond between men, all with incredible insight. Highly recommended!

Guadalcanal Marine by Kerry Lane
4 Stars: Lane got into the Marines at 16 (Sgt at 17!) & was with 1st Pioneers of the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal, later winning the Silver Star on Cape Gloucester with 2nd/17th Marines (Engineers). He is often in the line & experiences combat, particularly on patrol. He is adept at providing bigger picture context & his book is engaging on many levels. A good starting point for this battle.

Marine at War by Russell Davis
4 stars: Davis served with 2/1st Marines on Peleliu & Okinawa. Apparently the ‘Scholar’ referred to by Leckie, Davis is very articulate & really conjures up the chaos of battle. A runner, he shoots less than others but he is certainly shot at a lot. Some of his material is very vivid, the Peleliu landing in particular but also some fascinating stories of being off the line. Highly Recommended

God Shared My Foxholes: The Authorized Memoirs of a World War II Combat Marine on Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima by Joseph Friedman
3¾ stars: Friedman enlisted in Sept 42 & was posted to 3/21st Regt of the 3rd Marine Division. He was in the heavy weapons platoon & had quite a variety of interesting experiences in training, at sea & in combat on Bouganville, Guam & Iwo Jima. He is involved in beach assaults, patrols & close quarters fighting, with the first two campaigns being particularly revealing. A short but engaging read!

Boondocker Ballet by Melvin H. Thomas
3½ stars: Thomas was assigned to F-2-10, the artillery regiment of the 2nd Marine Division and fought on Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian & Okinawa (as well as in Korea with B-1-11 as FO with F-2-5). There is a lot of variety in the author’s experiences, with many desperate battles, particularly in Korea! There was real insight into the complications of peacetime soldiering too. A very rewarding book!

Fragments of War: A Marine's Personal Journey by Bertram A. Yaffe
3 stars: Yaffe, an officer with 3rd Marine Tank Bn,fights on Bougainville, Guam & Iwo Jima. He is extremely articulate & fits a lot into a short book. He has some combat in Stuarts early on but largely directs the actions of Shermans. Even so, everywhere was dangerous & he has some extraordinary experiences with the combat very vividly described. The thinking mans war memoir. Highly recommended

Tanks on the Beaches: A Marine Tanker in the Pacific War by Kenneth W. Estes & Robert Neiman
3 stars: Neiman fought on Kwajelein, Saipan, Tinian & Iwo Jima as CO of ‘C’ Co, 4th Marine Tank Battalion before going to Okinawa to join 1st Marine Tank for the final stage there. As such, he is mostly directing the fighting but he is certainly in the thick of things, though without being too specific on his own deeds. The strength is the wealth of info on organization & tactics. Recommended

On the Canal: The Marines of L-3-5 on Guadalcanal, 1942 (Stackpole Military History Series) by Ore J. Marion
3 stars: Marion was a squad leader on Guadalcanal with L/3/5, 1st Marine Division & was very much in the thick of things. He conveys the swirling nature of battle & there is some vivid stuff but he generally writes only sparingly of his personal actions. There is a lot of detail though on the conditions in the beachhead & he witnesses some extraordinary things. Overall, a fascinating read.

On Valor's Side by T. G. Gallant
3 stars: Gallant served with the 11th Marines (1st Div artillery) on Guadalcanal but most of this memoir concerns his training & few have exposed it so comprehensively. While written with edge, Gallant has little to say about direct combat (his book on Iwo is more of a novel), though he has many interesting observations to make. There is some wry humor & it is an interesting read all together.

Once a Marine by Mike Masters
3 stars: Masters served with 2/2nd Marines of 2nd Marine Division on Tulagi (Guadalcanal), Tarawa and Saipan. He joined the Marines as a young man before the war, learned soldiering properly & had a varity of experiences. His battles are as a machine-gunner & as leader of a recon squad. Despite being in such epic battles & having several close shaves, Master’s account generally lacks detail.

 

[larso]

Brazen Chariots by Robert Crisp

Crisp, a South African, served with 3rd Battalion RTR in Greece, the desert and briefly in Normandy(He writes of his Greek experiences in ‘The Gods were Neutral’ but doesn’t appear to have written at all of his time in Normandy). This book covers just four weeks of his experiences in the Crusader battles in late 1941. It must be said though, that these four weeks – for those who didn’t become casualties, were extremely intense and Crisp is a good enough writer to convey it all in a very powerful fashion.

The most astonishing thing is the incredible tempo of the operations. Crisp’s brigade is shuttled all over the place and his regiment and often, just his understrength squadron, seem to be continually operating in isolation against well concentrated Axis forces. Also, long, hot drives, and nights spent prepping the tanks for the next day’s actions, meant that the men were in a constant state of exhaustion.

The Crusader battles were meant to break Rommel’s siege of Tobruk and ultimately they achieved this but there were many twists in the proceedings which led to swirling advances across the desert, frequently interrupted by bitter combat. Crisp was a troop commander of Honey (Stuart) tanks, a weapon that was heavily outgunned by the German panzers. Crisp goes into great detail about the efforts he went to, to compensate for the imbalances. Dash was often his only option and his account is full of very dramatic armour battles. The deadliness of which he spells out, particularly so during his own traumatic journey as a casualty at the conclusion of his account.

There are about a dozen memoirs by British tank men and though it is hard to compare desert accounts with those of Normandy and beyond, this is certainly the most action packed of all of them. Crisp was a post-war journalist and his writing is vivid and detailed. He conveys very well the fear and gore of unrelenting armoured warfare (as well as the absolute ignorance the actual fighting men were left in of what was happening). There are deadly mistakes and amazing incompetence too. The author comes across as very ‘British’ in terms of his understated, almost humble tone. This is particularly intriguing when considered with the way he actually lived his life. Besides being a test cricketer and some amazing developments in his military career, he was a rake who would make rock-stars blush! A very interesting article on the man is here -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/05/the-spin-bob-crisp-amazing-life

This aside, his account of desert warfare is compelling. 4.75 stars

 

[lancer]

Brazen Chariots by Robert Crisp

Crisp, a South African, served with 3rd Battalion RTR in Greece, the desert and briefly in Normandy(He writes of his Greek experiences in ‘The Gods were Neutral’ but doesn’t appear to have written at all of his time in Normandy). This book covers just four weeks of his experiences in the Crusader battles in late 1941. It must be said though, that these four weeks – for those who didn’t become casualties, were extremely intense and Crisp is a good enough writer to convey it all in a very powerful fashion.

The most astonishing thing is the incredible tempo of the operations. Crisp’s brigade is shuttled all over the place and his regiment and often, just his understrength squadron, seem to be continually operating in isolation against well concentrated Axis forces. Also, long, hot drives, and nights spent prepping the tanks for the next day’s actions, meant that the men were in a constant state of exhaustion.

The Crusader battles were meant to break Rommel’s siege of Tobruk and ultimately they achieved this but there were many twists in the proceedings which led to swirling advances across the desert, frequently interrupted by bitter combat. Crisp was a troop commander of Honey (Stuart) tanks, a weapon that was heavily outgunned by the German panzers. Crisp goes into great detail about the efforts he went to, to compensate for the imbalances. Dash was often his only option and his account is full of very dramatic armour battles. The deadliness of which he spells out, particularly so during his own traumatic journey as a casualty at the conclusion of his account.

There are about a dozen memoirs by British tank men and though it is hard to compare desert accounts with those of Normandy and beyond, this is certainly the most action packed of all of them. Crisp was a post-war journalist and his writing is vivid and detailed. He conveys very well the fear and gore of unrelenting armoured warfare (as well as the absolute ignorance the actual fighting men were left in of what was happening). There are deadly mistakes and amazing incompetence too. The author comes across as very ‘British’ in terms of his understated, almost humble tone. This is particularly intriguing when considered with the way he actually lived his life. Besides being a test cricketer and some amazing developments in his military career, he was a rake who would make rock-stars blush! A very interesting article on the man is here -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/mar/05/the-spin-bob-crisp-amazing-life

This aside, his account of desert warfare is compelling. 4.75 stars

Read this as a teenager and have always remembered it. It was one of the best miltary reads I have ever had. There are images that have never left me of the Honeys in combat. -- Al

 

[larso]

Red Dust by Donald Black

Leonaur, 2008. Paperback, 205 pages

This is the memoir of a Light-horseman who served in Palestine in 1917-18. The name Donald Black is a pseudonym, the author’s actual name being John Lyons Gray. He enlisted at age 17 at Newcastle and joined the 6th Lighthorse Regiment prior to its role in the Battle of Beersheba (Third Gaza). Aside from one spell of leave in Cairo he serves continuously with this unit until the Armistice.

Black/Lyons is certainly in a lot of action. The Turks had significant numbers of troops in this theatre and inflicted a number of defeats on the allied forces, that saw them stalled considerably. For the author this meant spending far too long in the pestilent furnace that was the Jordan Valley. A chronic lack of basic supplies and a variety of deadly diseases took a steady toll on the Australian forces. Lyons writes graphically on what this meant. Men wasted away, some died, others lost their minds. The regiment almost ceased to be a formation he could recognize. It was incredibly hard on the horses too. In the modern age the business of keeping horses healthy is alien to most of us. Here we read of disease and starvation, days without water and bellies full of sand. A thrown shoe or too cold a night could leave a horse unable to carry his rider. It was surprising how complicated being a cavalryman could be.

As for combat, the author sees plenty of it, some at the closest of quarters. Combat at night in particular was likely to see bayonet or rifle-but use, certainly this was the author’s experience. There was also vicious shelling and even air-raids. Towards the end they encounter German crewed machine guns and find them to be suicidally committed to their role. There are many casualties and perhaps the most sobering element of this is that the men become so enured to it.

A very interesting element of this memoir are the extensive reflections the author goes into. He writes in great detail on Australia’s role with Britain, particularly of Australia being young and free of the class issues inherent there. There is also much on his attitudes to officers, rear-area troops, military police and the role of brothels. Another is his shock at the horrors of war and how they shake his biblical beliefs, something he recognizes is quite ironic given he is serving in the Holy Land. He doesn’t see too much that is Holy though. He despises the inhabitants (and there are many stories of rough conduct towards them) and finds most places decrepit or faked. It is a remarkable deposition for a man of these times (the book was first published in 1931). The views have clearly been carefully considered before being strongly delivered (it seems the author was a lawyer post-war) and they make this memoir stand out from most others. This is intriguing as the author is not as explicit when writing of the front. He never specifies his regiment or names a comrade beyond a surname. It is quite likely too that these are pseudonyms, given Lyons himself writes under a pen-name (apparently he was concerned about reaction to his negative views). There is still much that is graphic on battle and killing but the reservation shown likely stems from the author’s strong hatred of war and the epic waste of life that he saw at such close hand. A strong memoir on several levels 4 stars

 

[Jack]

Red Dust by Donald Black

Leonaur, 2008. Paperback, 205 pages

This is the memoir of a Light-horseman who served in Palestine in 1917-18. The name Donald Black is a pseudonym, the author’s actual name being John Lyons Gray. He enlisted at age 17 at Newcastle and joined the 6th Lighthorse Regiment prior to its role in the Battle of Beersheba (Third Gaza). Aside from one spell of leave in Cairo he serves continuously with this unit until the Armistice.

Black/Lyons is certainly in a lot of action. The Turks had significant numbers of troops in this theatre and inflicted a number of defeats on the allied forces, that saw them stalled considerably. For the author this meant spending far too long in the pestilent furnace that was the Jordan Valley. A chronic lack of basic supplies and a variety of deadly diseases took a steady toll on the Australian forces. Lyons writes graphically on what this meant. Men wasted away, some died, others lost their minds. The regiment almost ceased to be a formation he could recognize. It was incredibly hard on the horses too. In the modern age the business of keeping horses healthy is alien to most of us. Here we read of disease and starvation, days without water and bellies full of sand. A thrown shoe or too cold a night could leave a horse unable to carry his rider. It was surprising how complicated being a cavalryman could be.

As for combat, the author sees plenty of it, some at the closest of quarters. Combat at night in particular was likely to see bayonet or rifle-but use, certainly this was the author’s experience. There was also vicious shelling and even air-raids. Towards the end they encounter German crewed machine guns and find them to be suicidally committed to their role. There are many casualties and perhaps the most sobering element of this is that the men become so enured to it.

A very interesting element of this memoir are the extensive reflections the author goes into. He writes in great detail on Australia’s role with Britain, particularly of Australia being young and free of the class issues inherent there. There is also much on his attitudes to officers, rear-area troops, military police and the role of brothels. Another is his shock at the horrors of war and how they shake his biblical beliefs, something he recognizes is quite ironic given he is serving in the Holy Land. He doesn’t see too much that is Holy though. He despises the inhabitants (and there are many stories of rough conduct towards them) and finds most places decrepit or faked. It is a remarkable deposition for a man of these times (the book was first published in 1931). The views have clearly been carefully considered before being strongly delivered (it seems the author was a lawyer post-war) and they make this memoir stand out from most others. This is intriguing as the author is not as explicit when writing of the front. He never specifies his regiment or names a comrade beyond a surname. It is quite likely too that these are pseudonyms, given Lyons himself writes under a pen-name (apparently he was concerned about reaction to his negative views). There is still much that is graphic on battle and killing but the reservation shown likely stems from the author’s strong hatred of war and the epic waste of life that he saw at such close hand. A strong memoir on several levels 4 stars

How long did the discussion on the role of brothels take?

I have read recently that the link between a Light Horseman and his horse has been consistently overstated. Apparently many were happy to be rid of them.

 

[larso]

This guy was deeply sad about his horse. But it's belly was full of sand and it was a wreck after several years in the Middle-East. He fed it some sugar then let it be taken with the others that were to be destroyed. It seems that the shooting of horses by their riders is mostly a myth. Black's passage here is used in an article arguing just that (AWM mag??). Most of the horses were passed on to the Indian cavalry divisions staying on as security. It seems none were ever planned to be sold of to the Arabs - by the Australians at least.

As for brothels. The author writes that they were virtually the only place left to go, as almost every reasonable hotel was 'officers only'. He writes that you could have a drink or two and leave it at that. His policy seemed to be to have a drink or two in a fair few though! Fighting men didn't get much opportunity for either. They were mainly the haunts of base-wallahs and the MPs.

 

[Jack]

This guy was deeply sad about his horse. But it's belly was full of sand and it was a wreck after several years in the Middle-East. He fed it some sugar then let it be taken with the others that were to be destroyed. It seems that the shooting of horses by their riders is mostly a myth. Black's passage here is used in an article arguing just that (AWM mag??). Most of the horses were passed on to the Indian cavalry divisions staying on as security. It seems none were ever planned to be sold of to the Arabs - by the Australians at least.

As for brothels. The author writes that they were virtually the only place left to go, as almost every reasonable hotel was 'officers only'. He writes that you could have a drink or two and leave it at that. His policy seemed to be to have a drink or two in a fair few though! Fighting men didn't get much opportunity for either. They were mainly the haunts of base-wallahs and the MPs.

Your great grandfather was a base-wallah in Egypt wasn't he?

 

[larso]

"Your great grandfather was a base-wallah in Egypt wasn't he?"

I wish! No the last war that a Larsen took part in (of Dad's specific line at least) was the Danish-Prussian war of the 1860s. He was my grandfather's grandfather and it went so well that he promptly immigrated to Australia. There are some disturbing family murmours that he used his military skills to 'displace' Aboriginal peoples from the land where he eventually settled. At more agreeable community gatherings he had a party trick where he would use his old sword skills to 'disarm' opponents of their walking sticks.

 

[larso]

The Little Men by K. W. Cooper

Subtitled: One platoon’s epic fight in the Burma Campaign

Robert Hale, London, 1973 (Paperback 1992), 186 pages.

Cooper is a former RAF man, who following an accident becomes an infantryman. While he does not write of this, or any other combat service, his book is very full of action in the drive to recapture Burma in 1945. For this he is principally a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion the Border Regt, the British element of the 100th Brigade of 20th Indian Division.

This is very much a combat account. Cooper is prominently involved in all the usual light infantry actions. He patrols, sets defences and leads attacks. At this point in the campaign the Japanese were still a formidable force. Many of the actions described are very willing affairs indeed. There is to me, something particularly oppressive about jungle fighting. The thick foliage makes identification of enemy positions extremely difficult and Japanese tactics accentuated this. Supply is haphazard, with no scope for any comforts and there is a complete lack of recreation options. The only thing to do is to advance on the enemy. In this book, this happens a lot.

Sometimes the Japanese in Burma are described as disorganized and clumsy. This is not the case here. Positions are defended with grim determination and attacks launched, often predictably but with absolute ferocity. There are some very horrible fates for soldiers on both sides and Cooper doesn’t spare too many details. The crash of battle, with smoke and fire and hellish noises could stun the senses. The night fighting seemed to me the worst. The tension of manning a foxhole while the Japanese searched for you in the dark must have been nigh on unbearable. Not all made it through. But there were many ways to die, including drowning during river crossings.

The Fourteenth Army is often referred to as the Forgotten Army. Cooper’s story explains the ordinary soldier’s experience of being on the end of a very long supply chain. Indeed, the demands on the troops in this extreme theatre are hard to believe. Men were unable to go on, NCOs refused orders but still the advance continued relentlessly. Cooper’s perspective as a commander is compelling. He details his plans and actions and writes painfully of men lost. I did read once that elements of his account are slightly exaggerated, but be that as it may, it is at face value a very hard fighting account. I think this memoir is a must read if you want to see what jungle fighting was about. Highly recommended 4 ½ stars

 

[larso]

Storm from the Sea by Peter Young

Young was an officer in the regular army who, following action in France in 1940, volunteered for the Commandoes. He then had an extraordinary war thereafter, being part of several raids on Norway, then Dieppe, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and finally a brigade command in Burma. He is the only person I’ve come across who was entitled to wear the African, Italian, Burma and France & Germany stars!

All ranks in the commandoes were volunteers, so they were highly motivated and keen fighters. It is remarkable that so many men came forward to undertake the arduous training and a leading role in major battles. While mainly trained to operate as a sea assault force aimed at crucial targets, they often spent considerable time in the front line as well (85 days in Normandy for instance). With so much demanded of them, many volunteers did not make the cut and it was also common for men to be returned to their original units if they didn’t measure up on an operation.

Young served almost entirely with 3rd Commando. He had a lead part in the formation and then refinement of the organization. While junior officers were expected to take a lead in any fighting, it was even more the case in the commandoes. Young fires on and is fired on by the enemy. While there were direct assaults in the normal sense, there was much made of surprise and operating at night. Small groups were expected to do a lot and it was remarkable how often they prevailed against larger German forces. Young reveals that the quality of the German soldier was almost universally high and despite their daring, the commandoes suffer many casualties. This was hard as the small size of the unit led to a strong sense of camaraderie.

This book was first published in 1958 and it has a tone typical of its time. Young’s stiff upper lip style reminded me of several other memoirs by British veterans. It is also humorous, crisp and informative. It does not have strong language or gore, more typical of later examples but it is very clearly a combat account. When Young went into action it was serious stuff. He aimed to achieve his objectives and killing Germans was a part of this. His men are stoic and even excited at the prospect of action. He himself seems to have enjoyed every minute of it! Such men win your wars for you. This is a very interesting and exceptionally broad account of life in the commandoes in WW2. You see the development of the arm into an extremely deadly and valuable tool and it’s told through the eyes of a brave man who saw it all. Highly recommended 4 stars.

 

[Jack]

Another couple of interesting reviews. How is the fence painting going?

 

[larso]

"How is the fence painting going?" There's still a bit to go.....

Combat Marine at Seventeen by Don L. Jardine

East Bench Publishingm 2013, Paperback, 285 pages.

Don Jardine grew up in Rigby, Idaho. It was a rural area and he spent a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities. He fished and hunted and had many adventures. He also endured the Depression and like many others of his generation, took a great deal of responsibility in helping his family. Following Pearl Harbor he accepted an even greater responsibility and at the age of just seventeen volunteered to fight. He served with both the 4th and 2nd Marine divisions in combat on Tinian, Saipan and occupation duty in Japan.

The author was under fire in the amphibious assault on Tinian. He is quite descriptive of the sights and scares of the approach. He does not go into great detail about the next few days but wakes up in hospital after being wounded. He has a number of bizarre episodes here and then spends some time with the 18th Engineers, mainly escorting souvenir hunters. Eventually he is reassigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, which is based on the newly captured Saipan.

The most remarkable part of Jardine’s story then takes place. It is common once a battle is declared ‘over’ to think that is the end of the fighting. However the mindset of the Japanese soldier saw thousands of them refuse to surrender and these became a major problem (some famously held out until the 1970s!). Jardine’s unit is often sent on patrol to clear out these ‘holdouts’, who hid in caves and patches of jungle. It was extremely hazardous duty and Jardine, as ‘point man’ frequently finds himself engaging these enemy in desperate face to face actions. I have read of such missions before but Mr. Jardine goes into great detail on these patrols. He is shot at and does a lot of shooting back. Some of the encounters are astonishing, with terrible things searing his mind and haunting him thereafter. He is then fortunate to avoid the fighting on Okinawa but still goes close to losing his life to a Kamikazi. His division is then assigned occupation duty in Japan and he has some interesting experiences with the people there. He also visits the Nagasaki bomb site. He has seen quite a lot by his nineteenth birthday!

The book is well written. Jardine became an artist and an educator and lived a fulfilling and interesting life after the war. He learned to fly and made the most of the opportunities that came his way. From such humble beginnings he is very much the American success story. His story is related in 104 stories, some quite short (less than a page) covering his youth and post-war career, with the bulk being about his service in the Pacific. While the Tinian and Okinawan sections are vivid but brief, his detailing of those deadly patrols on Saipan distinguish this book from the others I have read. Jardine writes on his thoughts and actions and specifically on killing. The many horrors of war are revealed here. Pleasingly, the author has done this without profanity or gratuitous gore. His experiences are sometimes confronting but always informative. I feel this book would be a good gift for most people. It tells a fascinating story about America during a tumultuous time, through people, like Mr. Jardine, who carried it to greatness.

 

[DMNamiot]

I received several WWI Books this fall. (Birthday/Christmas) They are all either WWI Tank Corps related or Desert Mounted Corps in Palestine with one being an over view of the operations by this Corps and the other being a War memoir from a Camel Corps Officer. Very interesting books! I will post the titles in the nest post since they are already in my office and I would have to sneak by the sleeping kids...

Dave

 

[DMNamiot]

Ok I ment to reply again here sooner but you know how it is. I just finished reading a WWII memoir called 7000 KM in a Stumgeschutz. Great book with a ton of photos. Anyone read it? If you are interested in early to mid war development and use of this vehicle there are a ton of candid photos from the Author who is also a Knights Cross recipient for the single handed destruction of 14 Russian Tanks in one engagement. Great story and if anyone wants the info I will provide the ISBN.

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

Storm from the Sea by Peter Young

Young was an officer in the regular army who, following action in France in 1940, volunteered for the Commandoes. He then had an extraordinary war thereafter, being part of several raids on Norway, then Dieppe, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and finally a brigade command in Burma. He is the only person I’ve come across who was entitled to wear the African, Italian, Burma and France & Germany stars!

All ranks in the commandoes were volunteers, so they were highly motivated and keen fighters. It is remarkable that so many men came forward to undertake the arduous training and a leading role in major battles. While mainly trained to operate as a sea assault force aimed at crucial targets, they often spent considerable time in the front line as well (85 days in Normandy for instance). With so much demanded of them, many volunteers did not make the cut and it was also common for men to be returned to their original units if they didn’t measure up on an operation.

Young served almost entirely with 3rd Commando. He had a lead part in the formation and then refinement of the organization. While junior officers were expected to take a lead in any fighting, it was even more the case in the commandoes. Young fires on and is fired on by the enemy. While there were direct assaults in the normal sense, there was much made of surprise and operating at night. Small groups were expected to do a lot and it was remarkable how often they prevailed against larger German forces. Young reveals that the quality of the German soldier was almost universally high and despite their daring, the commandoes suffer many casualties. This was hard as the small size of the unit led to a strong sense of camaraderie.

This book was first published in 1958 and it has a tone typical of its time. Young’s stiff upper lip style reminded me of several other memoirs by British veterans. It is also humorous, crisp and informative. It does not have strong language or gore, more typical of later examples but it is very clearly a combat account. When Young went into action it was serious stuff. He aimed to achieve his objectives and killing Germans was a part of this. His men are stoic and even excited at the prospect of action. He himself seems to have enjoyed every minute of it! Such men win your wars for you. This is a very interesting and exceptionally broad account of life in the commandoes in WW2. You see the development of the arm into an extremely deadly and valuable tool and it’s told through the eyes of a brave man who saw it all. Highly recommended 4 stars.

It might be rare for Army personnel to wear all of those stars - but it is common to find them for Navy types. Ships frequently stood off the shoreline - and provided landing platfoprms - and an "Artillery" function for troops before landing - and on beachheads afterwards. Such sailors were of course entitled to wear these campaign stars ( when they survived the encounter - as they were not immune from return fire and bombing).

The reason that I know - is that my Dad was one such sailor. I now have those Stars - plus a few more alongside them.

My Dad's brother was a Royal Marine Commando - and also had a chestfull ( as described above). They interestingly met once, on board HMS Dorsetshire. My Dad was helping to disembark some commandos onto a beach in Italy - when he realised it was his brother that he was assisting over the side. They had both been on board for a week - and neither realised it! Quite a shock for both. The next time he saw his brother was after the War was over!!! Both survived - for a while, I'm happy to say, and I have his medals still. jb.

 

[larso]

Thanks guys for those contributions. Here's another that I really liked -

The Spearheaders by James Altieri

Popular Library, 1961. Paperback, 271 pages.

Altieri was a member of the 1st Armoured Division’s artillery but volunteered for the newly forming Rangers. He was interested in the notion of small groups fighting with initiative and daring but looking for excitement was part of it too. He then survived the relentless training regime that their British Commando instructors put the Rangers through. Following this he fought in Africa, Sicily and Italy, finishing as a company commander.

The key part of the first half of the book is the training. It is incredibly grueling. It starts in Scotland in one of the British Commando camps and involves very demanding marches and mountain work. There is a focus on beach assaults and live ammunition is used. Many prospective rangers fall out and those that remain, including Altieri, are extremely capable soldiers when they are committed to battle. This involves a night assault on French manned guns in Algeria. It goes like clock-work and helps establish a bridgehead for the 1st Infantry Division. In the lull that follows, there is more intense mountain training, to the point that moral slips and men begin to leave. Finally, Major Darby, the legendary commander of the Rangers, is able to show what his force can do in an attack on Sened Station, on the Tunisian front.

This action is astonishing. The long march in, the perfectly timed night attack and the brutal violence showed the full capability of the Rangers. Altieri is right in the thick of it and writes extremely vividly of his actions. There is some harrowing content here. There is then a painful march out and air attacks. It is the most powerful part of the book. This includes detailed Altieri’s reflections on killing. It is remarkable and if Altieri had written of his later actions in the same detail, I feel this book would be in the very top flight of war memoirs. As it is he proceeds to write mostly about the Rangers as a whole. This includes more action in Tunisia, landing under fire at Gela, Sicily, Salerno and finally the virtual destruction of the Ranger force at Anzio. There is interest in all of this but given Altieri was wounded twice and earned two Bronze Stars, there was clearly a lot more that he could have said for himself.

Altieri’s point in writing seems to be to detail the process of becoming a ranger and the techniques they utilized to be so effective. It is also a tribute to those he served with, particularly with regard to Darby who he idolized. There is some great description, aided by suitable dialogue and some of the characters of the force are revealed. It is in total a very informative and often exciting book. Following his actions at Sened and to a degree at Gela, I would have loved to read more of Altieri’s personal deeds. Perhaps he felt he had delivered enough of this with those first actions and shifted his focus to the Ranger force to give a broader picture. Regardless, I found this an absorbing read. 4.5 stars

 

[larso]

Back to the Marines. I think.....

The Dennis Olson Story by Karl Eriksen

iUniverse, Inc, Bloomington, 2011. Paperback, 237 pages.

Dennis Olson was a WW2 marine who served on Tarawa, Guam and Okinawa. Karl Eriksen tells Olson's story, writing in the first person. As such we learn that Olson was a radar operator with the 2nd Marine Defense battalion, later redesignated 2nd AAA battalion. For a specialist, he sees an inordinate amount of extreme combat but frankly there are many things that bring the authenticity of Olson's account into question.

Olson/Eriksen write that he was part of the 1st Day assault on Tarawa. His boat is hit and he and his best buddy are the only survivors out of the 60 on board. He is able to gain the partial shelter of the Pier between beaches Red 2 and 3 and gets to shore where he narrowly escapes a Japanese soldier's attempt to bayonet him. Later he advances with the tanks and is involved in pillbox clearing. It is all very dramatic but several questions are worth asking. While the 2nd Defense battalion weapons support company did indeed land on Tarawa on Day 1, it is odd that a radar specialist would find himself in an assault wave. Another issue is the casualties Olson writes of. Not a single name he mentions shows on the Tarawa casualty list. While changing the names is not uncommon in war memoirs there appears little reason for it in this case. Much harder to reconcile though is the number of casualties. Those 58 men who died on his boat alone exceed the official total of four dead suffered by the 2nd Defense.

Another question is raised by Olson's description of advancing with the tanks. While a number of Shermans did indeed advance from Red 3, Olson's description of the action does not match with official accounts. Another story has him witness the at sea murder of sixteen Japanese prisoners. Then there is the bizarre business of venturing into the burned out Japanese bunker, to basically do some exploring, in the middle of the battle! This whole passage is just inexplicable. Then there's the incident involving the raising of the British flag which is flatly contradicted by film footage of the event.

Following occupation duty on Tarawa the 2nd AAA goes to Guam. Here Olson does indeed do radar work as well as go on patrol where he kills several Japanese in knife fights. I've read over thirty memoirs by WW2 marines and by the end of his story Olson has killed more Japanese with his kabar than all of those others managed together! The incident he describes on Okinawa just defies belief!

There are other problems with Okinawa. Olson states he landed from LST20 and while it did land at Okinawa at this time, there is no mention of it taking a kamikaze hit `killing twenty men', that Olson says he witnessed. There is then apparently action as extensive as Sledge wrote of in `With the Old Breed', reducing Olson's company of 280 down to 20 odd. Refuting this, official 10th Army records state that ALL the AAA battalions on Okinawa suffered only 39 KIA in total. (Anti-aircraft Journal July-Aug 1949)

Then there are things that are just inexplicable. Olson says his father served in the 4th Marine Division in WW1. Later he writes his AAA battalion went to Okinawa with the 3rd Division. How could someone so closely involved with it all get basic details like these so wrong? Perhaps the sort of person who apparently murders his former D.I. by tipping him overboard while at sea? Or the sort who shoots his best buddy in the arm on purpose after making a bizarre pact? There are these and more in Olson's account.

Can a man make a mistake about an event from fifty years ago? Can official histories get it wrong? Clearly the answer is `yes' on both counts. Almost every individual story Olson relates was capable of happening and probably did, to someone, somewhere. However, were these many remarkable events all truly part of Dennis Olson's experience? Frankly, it seems beyond improbable. The unlikely scenarios, differences to official records and it seems, blatant falsehoods all contribute to a compelling case that Olson's story is simply not creditable. Whether the issue is with Olson himself or Eriksen's reconstruction, I have no idea. (Certainly Eriksen's dialogue featuring the word `dude' is utterly incongruous.) While there are no pictures, Olson appears to have been real enough. He died in 2004 and `Second Marine Division' is engraved on his headstone. I don't doubt that Olson did indeed serve in the Marines but the kindest thing I can say is that this book is little more than a collection of tall stories. If lurid war fictions interest you, then this book may well suit. However, if instead you are looking for a clearly authentic account of marine combat in WW2, see my list for some excellent options. 1 star

A strange one for my 1,000 post.

 

[larso]

Leakey’s Luck by Rea Leakey

With George Forty. Subtitled – A Tank Commander with Nine Lives.
Sutton Publishing, 1999. Hardcover, 158 pages.

The author has possibly the most far ranging career of any memoirist I have come across. He starts the war as a young regular army officer in 1RTR serving in the Western Desert. As the campaign continues he finds himself serving in a wide range of roles, including as an infantry corporal in Tobruk! He fights in Tunisia and Sicily and then from Normandy to Germany, as commander of 5th and 7th RTR. In between he is a staff officer with the Australian Airforce and 10th Army in Persia! There are indeed many close calls. It is astonishing that he survived and his story is one of the most fascinating I have read!

Leakey grew up in Kenya and spent some of his youth watching lions attack game from the front porch! Bad times see him sent to England where relatives go to remarkable lengths to support him. It is incredible how life could hinge on the sacrifice and good will of virtual strangers. Leakey does well in officer training and is fortunate to get in some extensive pre-war service in the desert. The close calls weren’t confined to the war either, something his later stint in Persia confirms.

The desert war begins against the Italians and Leakey is in support of mainly Australian infantry. There is quite a spirit of adventure in his writing and it is a jolt when he recounts the first of the horrific events that leave him with lifelong nightmares. Another, worse instance, occurs when he is besieged in Tobruk. So this is no ‘Tally Ho chaps’ cartoon version of war. Leakey shares the stories that you can’t tell the children. Tobruk is also the venue for an absolutely astonishing foray into front-line artillery spotting. Except he puts himself in, well behind , the German front line! Again, this is no sanitised account of battle. Leakey kills and does his best to keep killing enemies. Some of the things he has to do, to keep doing it, are bracing.

The stint in Persia probably saves his life (at least from battle). He continually sought front line roles and it’s hard to keep track of who he fights with at times. It was that type of campaign. Leakey has considerable run-ins with difficult commanders and army bureaucracy. The bulk of his story here though is of tank battles and the extent and tempo is amazing. After missing Alamein while in Persia, Leakey is assigned to 3RTR for Tunisia and then 44RTR for Sicily. This gets him back to England for Normandy.

The campaigns from France to Germany are markedly different to those of the desert. There is little room for manoeuvre and the concentration of German troops and resources is much greater. Leakey still tries to lead from the front but there are many difficulties. His first command, that of 5RTR is very different in that (after a horrific baptism) they spend a lot of time in an infantry role besieging Dunkirk! Then he commands 7RTR in the final drive through Germany. These campaigns are related in a briefer way than those desert battles but there are still some astonishing stories. By VE-day Leakey has done and seen an extraordinary amount but he is still slated to go to the East to invade Japan!

This is a remarkable combat memoir. Aside from the breadth of experience, the revelations of battle confusion and horror are compelling. There is also some fascinating notes on the differences between regiments and what had to be done as a commander. Forty’s contribution is to introduce each chapter with a few paragraphs of context, which help nicely to explain what is going on. He also writes the concluding chapter which recounts Leakey’s post-war career and life, which was welcome as Leakey’s finish was somewhat abrupt. For the rest, Leakey is unsparing of the realities of battle and command. This is an engrossing book. The range of experiences is incredible. Very highly recommended!