And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
After reading this book I am convinced that every single Marine in the Pacific Theater had balls the size of church bells. I'm surprised they could walk, what with balls so big.
My Dad went into the Marines in 43 when he turned 17 in early year and was severely wounded on Okinawa as he was blown up. He spent the next year in Naval Hospitals. His scars were horrible: one massive from his left shoulder to right hip and many across his legs down to his ankles. He would never talk about the war and every 6 months we went with him to the VA to get his back straighten out.
My Cousin Red joined the Marines on Dec 8th, 1941. Always said it was the dumbest thing he ever did. He got to participate in the invasion of Guadalcanal, Peliliu and Okinawa. Was twice busted from Sergeant and re-promoted quickly to rank. He was blown out of a shell hole on the Canal with shrapnel in his ass and evacuated to an off shore hospital ship then to Pearl, patched up and sent back to the 'canal. Was shot by a sniper on Okinawa in the right shoulder, exited the left hip, didn't hit anything on the way through. BAR man lit up the palm tree the sniper was sitting in, not much left after that. Cousin Red came home with a "Less than Honorable Discharge" from the two Article 31's and two Purple Hearts, Bronze Star (saving the 1st Lt life on the Canal), Silver Star (knocked down from a MOH by REMF's. Something about only taking out two pill boxes single handedly by satchel charge and flame thrower on Peliliu wasn't good enough.) The "Less than" made it difficult to get a job after the war so he accepted employment as a construction supervisor for the Mob controlled construction union in NJ. He was sent to Miami in the early 70's to oversee construction of Mob legitimate businesses. He was divorced by then from an Atlantic City Showgirl who was as dumb as a stump. (Scenes of the Goodfellas, Casino and the Sopranos should suffice for what he was doing and with whom he was hanging.) He married a very beautiful but hard as nails 4'10" Japanese lady. Go figure. He passed in 2008, thank God such men as these lived.
I read it after watching the Pacific and it is very good. Some of the most horrific parts were watered down a bit or not used.
ReplyDeleteHighly recommended. He said that Peleliu was worse than WWII trench warfare.
ReplyDeleteRead it... great book... the pacific theater was brutal...
ReplyDeleteI read it back in the early 80s when it first came out. Awesome book.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I suggest buying an early used edition
Deletebecause they do not have Pedo Toms endorsement
on the cover
Tremendous book, both in content and in the writing.
ReplyDeleteI have read this book at least a dozen times. Always shocked at the visceral descriptions of the brutal combat these men faced.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this book I am convinced that every single Marine in the Pacific Theater had balls the size of church bells. I'm surprised they could walk, what with balls so big.
ReplyDeleteGod bless the United States Marine Corps!!!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad went into the Marines in 43 when he turned 17 in early year and was severely wounded on Okinawa as he was blown up. He spent the next year in Naval Hospitals. His scars were horrible: one massive from his left shoulder to right hip and many across his legs down to his ankles. He would never talk about the war and every 6 months we went with him to the VA to get his back straighten out.
ReplyDeleteMy Cousin Red joined the Marines on Dec 8th, 1941. Always said it was the dumbest thing he ever did. He got to participate in the invasion of Guadalcanal, Peliliu and Okinawa. Was twice busted from Sergeant and re-promoted quickly to rank. He was blown out of a shell hole on the Canal with shrapnel in his ass and evacuated to an off shore hospital ship then to Pearl, patched up and sent back to the 'canal. Was shot by a sniper on Okinawa in the right shoulder, exited the left hip, didn't hit anything on the way through. BAR man lit up the palm tree the sniper was sitting in, not much left after that.
ReplyDeleteCousin Red came home with a "Less than Honorable Discharge" from the two Article 31's and two Purple Hearts, Bronze Star (saving the 1st Lt life on the Canal), Silver Star (knocked down from a MOH by REMF's. Something about only taking out two pill boxes single handedly by satchel charge and flame thrower on Peliliu wasn't good enough.) The "Less than" made it difficult to get a job after the war so he accepted employment as a construction supervisor for the Mob controlled construction union in NJ. He was sent to Miami in the early 70's to oversee construction of Mob legitimate businesses. He was divorced by then from an Atlantic City Showgirl who was as dumb as a stump. (Scenes of the Goodfellas, Casino and the Sopranos should suffice for what he was doing and with whom he was hanging.) He married a very beautiful but hard as nails 4'10" Japanese lady. Go figure. He passed in 2008, thank God such men as these lived.
Spin Drift