Iwo Jima: World War II Veterans Remember the Greatest Battle of the Pacific

Author Larry Smith says it himself in his introduction: "This book does not presume to offer a definitive account of what has been called the thirty-six days in hell of Iwo Jima . . . Rather, it is a series of snapshots offering a glimpse into the lives of twenty-two men who took part in various aspects rof the conflict and how they have faired since."

It is a remarkable and remarkably well done effort.

Smith groups the twenty-two stories into seven topical sections, each dealing with a specific aspect of the battle, except for two which deal with the aftermath and the use of Iwo Jima as a base for fighters and emergency landing field for B-29s flying back from bombing Japan.

Smith is both an excellent interviewer and writer. He truly does let each of the veterans speak for themselves and tell their stories. What is a bit unique in Smith's approach is that he lets the veterans tell of their experiences on Iwo Jima and their lives since then.

It is sad in a way to see the contrasting photographs for most of these men as they appeared when young and in their warrior prime and now when they are in their eighties and nineties.

It is good that Smith reached these men before they passed taking their stories with them. It was a different America back then, an America when young men were willing to give their lives in the name of freedom. Smith doesn't ask these veterans for their opinion of today's American society.

Several of the men received major awards for valor. Almost all received the Purple Heart, the medal signifying that the holder was wounded in combat.

From the pre-invasion jitters to the post-conflict burying of the dead by the graves registration unit, Smith and the veterans recall the battle. Pilots who flew after Iwo Jima was won tell their stories as well.

All in all, a unique and well done collection of personal histories and well worth reading.

Jerry

I love this book. It's like sitting down in front of you grandfather and listening to his old war stories. Once I start reading it's very hard for me to put down. One of the things I find fascinating is the mind of these old warriors. Many of them extremely patriotic. It seems almost all of them enlisted into the Marines immediately after turning 18, one of them enlisted at 16 and somehow escaped notice. The way they thought of life was different. If you got it (died), you got it. Many of these soldiers were from the 24th Marines Division and many of them knew each other.

The stories here are memorable, from one soldier who accidentally shot a hole in the American flag because he thought it was a Japanese (the hole is still there btw - in the second stripe, it's on display), to the group of soliders who traded a weapons carrier in exchange for a pallet of beer (all under the noses of their superiors), this is a wild ride that is both entertaining and enriching.

great book