Just finished "Given Up for Dead" by Bill Sloan. This is the story of the "Alamo of the Pacific" the defense of Wake Island. From the days before Pearl Harbor to the order "Japs on island issue in doubt" throught the 44 months of brutal captivity to the reunions 60 years later. This book cronicles their story, it also focuses on several men that survived incuding one Marine that took a bullet to the brain survived the POW camp and eventually met with the Japanees doctor that saved his live a generation ago.

The book is so detailed and discriptive that even the map of the atoll in the book was not ehough for me. I located a very good map on line and printed it out. I marked out each hour of battle as I read. I also found out that one of the survivors featured in the book resides at a VA home just 50 miles from my home. The Marine still talks with students about his experinces and I hope that I will be allowed to arrange a visit soon. This was a gripping read that I highly reccomend this book.


I was also told to check out two other books by the same author, I dont recall the titles but one is about the battle of Peleu and the other Okinawa.

I just finished readingf that book myself. Great read.

Jerry

If you want a good read about Peleliu please read E.B.Sledge "WITH THE OLD BREED". Probably one of the best accounts of combat in the pacific ever written. Great book and a fascinating man!

BTW- I agree with you that "GIVEN UP FOR DEAD" was also a very good read.

Sloan was in Minnesota last year to speak at the Fort Snelling Round Table Military Historical Series. His topic was about his Peleliu book. He based much of both his books around his meeting with many members of K-3-5th 1st Marine Division. Good reads.

Kurt Barickman