The battle of Iwo Jima Books

[uplandmod]

It has been just non stop reading about the Battle Of Iwo Jima over the last few months. I just wanted to consulate my reviews on three Iwo Jima books I have read and and four more to the list today as well as one next week. Feel free to add your own Iwo Jima related book reviews here.

 

Here is an overview of the three I already posted

 

 

Surgeon At Iwo James S Vedder

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...=134490&hl=

 

So far the best book I've read, a must own and lots of detail! This book is second to none!

 

Coral and Brass

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...=135020&hl=

 

Controversial book, but some nice small details of the battle that I haven't read anywhere else.

 

Trust Truth and Evil

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...=135997&hl=

 

Written by a former Raider, sadly the book is not as detailed as it should be (only about 10 pages devoted to the battle, even less for the Makin raid) but again some small details of battle are gems.

 

Beachmaster at Iwo by JD Cooley,

 

Written by a Iwo Jima Beachmaster, sadly what could have been one of the most unique books about Iwo has only a six page basic history of Iwo when the battle is written about and no details of the operations that he was assigned to and how it works.

 

Iwo Jima Portrait Of A Battle

 

I bought this book on advise from members of USMF when I first discovered this site and was just lurking, this is THEE book on what the Iwo Jima Marines look like through the campaign and what I'm modeling my USMC display after. hey that mess hall spoon shouldn't be at the battle!

 

Iwo Jima Legacy Of Valor Bill D Ross

 

One of those cornerstone books, this book is a nice snapshot of the personal stories of the many Marines who fought and died during the battle. The first part of the book reads very quick but there is a lot of detail as the battle rages in the second half of the book.

 

I'm starting Iwo Jima Recon tonight....

 

Leonardo

[DHolly]

If you haven't yet read it I would recommend "So Sad To Fall In Battle: An Account Of War Based On General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's Letters From Iwo Jima" by Kumiko Kakehashi. Even though I had read a bit about Iwo Jima before reading this book I learned a lot from it. I had failed to realize what a horrible environment Iwo Jima had. I have several more Iwo Jima books queued up to read when I have time.

 

Dave

[teufelhunde.ret]

Picking the best book about IWO, is akin to picking your favorite child. Here is one few have read or know exists: African American Voices from Iwo Jima: http://pdfcast.org/paid/9780786441587 I found it VERY enlightening - you will to.

[uplandmod]

Picking the best book about IWO, is akin to picking your favorite child. Here is one few have read or know exists: African American Voices from Iwo Jima: http://pdfcast.org/paid/9780786441587 I found it VERY enlightening - you will to.

 

Thanks! I have it on my Amazon List, good to hear that you liked it.

 

In fact the only Iwo vet I ever met was a Black Marine who was in one of the Supply units. I met him when I was in College back in the 1990's.

 

Thanks!

 

LF

[uplandmod]

If you haven't yet read it I would recommend "So Sad To Fall In Battle: An Account Of War Based On General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's Letters From Iwo Jima" by Kumiko Kakehashi. Even though I had read a bit about Iwo Jima before reading this book I learned a lot from it. I had failed to realize what a horrible environment Iwo Jima had. I have several more Iwo Jima books queued up to read when I have time.

 

Dave

 

there is also a book written by Major Yoshitaka Horie, one of the key defense strategist at Iwo:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Spirit-Memo...id=HQM2NNOX5LO4

 

 

I found this one on Amazon JP written by an Iwo Jima Japanese POW. It's in Japanese, I have yet to read a full book in Japanese but there is a first time for everything!

 

http://www.amazon.co.jp/硫黄...507&sr=1-12

 

 

Hopefully I can get to these two books and your suggestion soon!

 

Leonardo

[USAFnav]

Here are a couple from my collection. It has been a long time since I read them, but I think they are both good.

 

Caruso, Patrick F. Nightmare on Iwo. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2001. First printing. Cloth, 164pp.

Caruso was a rifle company officer with Co. K, 9th Regiment, 3d Marine Division. He was wounded and evacuated on March 10,1945.

 

Muscarella, Anthony. Iwo Jima: The Young Heroes. Memphis, TN: Freedom Press, 1989. Paperback, 106pp.

Muscarella was a rifleman in the 4th Division.

 

Pete

[uplandmod]

Great thanks for the suggestions...will put them on my list of Iwo books to read!

 

Leonardo

[navrocky]

Thanks for bringing this book to our attention. I little known subject, at least to me. I have looked into obtaining a copy so I can assure you, your effort was not wasted. Thanks again.

 

Picking the best book about IWO, is akin to picking your favorite child. Here is one few have read or know exists: African American Voices from Iwo Jima: http://pdfcast.org/paid/9780786441587 I found it VERY enlightening - you will to.

[38Driver]

Two by Iwo Vet Richard Wheeler. He was E Company and wounded quite badly.

 

"Iwo" and "The Bloody Battle for Suribachi"

 

The photo history "Iwo Jima-Portrait of a Battle" by Erich Hammel is well worth it for the images.

[ptogi]

Another thread on the same topic which lists some other good Battle of Iwo Jima books:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...mp;#entry898170

[uplandmod]

Thanks! So many books! I try to read one Iwo book week, I have Mustang Combat Marine by Gerald P. Averill on it's way, covers Iwo, Korea and Viet Nam.

 

Leonardo

[uplandmod]

Just finished reading Iwo Jima Recon last night, it was a fast read about two night.

 

Excellent book on the Underwater Demolition Teams and their supporting craft that did the pre invasion recon on Iwo two days before the invasion. Mostly mentioned in passing in most other Iwo Jima books writer Dick Camp did an excellent job bringing many people to life with their training and objectives on Iwo Jima. The battle they fought was brutal and in the middle of it many wore just a knife, shorts, goggles, fins and a knife and were given the nickname Frogmen: Half Fish Half Nuts.

 

Many of the supporting craft were sunk or badly damaged and many sailors and marines were killed during this operation. But overall they did an excellent job on their pre invasion recon and one Sailor was awarded the Medal of Honor.

 

This book is inexpensive on Amazon and Ebay right now, under $5.00, pick it up for the pictures alone 2/3 that I've never seen in any other book.

 

Next is "Mustang"

 

Leonardo

[uplandmod]

Mustang A Combat Marine by Gerald P Averill

 

My latest Iwo Jima related book is Mustang A Combat Marine by Gerald P Averill. Gerald was a Marine Paratrooper who was part of the 5th Division that landed on Iwo Jima. More than a Iwo Jima book this book covers three wars: WWII, the Korea War and the opening stages of the Viet Nam War in the early 1960's.

 

This book can be split into 5 different eras:

 

1) He enlisted in 1941 before the war and his basic ended the week before Pearl Harbor. He was selected to go into Officer candidate school and later volunteered for the Paratrooper battalion at Lakehurst New Jersey. His training to be a qualified paratrooper is one of the best accounts I have read of USMC paratrooper training and in opinion the highlight of the book.

 

2) he participated in two large battles with Iwo Jima being one of them. He was wounded and evacuated about a week into the battle.

 

3) Between the wars such as his Mediterranean cruise and his account of his time in the Korean War are well written, it was great reading about his time in Korea as I do not read much about that war.

 

4) After the Korea war he recounts his many leadership training roles that he participated in especially the testing of new paratrooper equipment for the Army and the commander of the Marine Cold Weather Training Center in Northern California.

 

5) Finally his final days with the Corp in Loas and Viet Nam in the early stages of the Viet Nam war with his eventual movement to the CIA when we realized he was not going to get any more promotions due to not having a college education.

 

Overall it was a great book that covered a lot of territory of a marine who served from 1941 to 1967. I must point out his writing style is excellent, Averill is an unique writer from most autobiographical ex military writers I have read. I like the honesty of his own life and his love for the Corp is without the doubt the theme of this book. He would go on to have two sons serve in Viet Nam which one would be sadly killed in combat.

 

A highly recommended book especially if you like to read about Marine Paratrooper training which I believe is the highpoint of this book.

 

Leonardo Flores

[uplandmod]

A Virginia Marine On Iwo Jima

 

 

I bought A Virginian Marine on Iwo Jima on a whim as there was no reviews anywhere on the net and I couldn't even find a photo of the cover, for all I know it could have been a novel. At only 99 pages it was a small book but wow this is perhaps one of the best self publish Iwo Biography I have read.

 

AVMAIJ is the story of Ralph Lee Edwards who was a drafted Marine who later was in the replacement group in I Company 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines 4th Marine Division during the battle of Iwo Jima in February -March of 1945. What makes this an especially interesting story is that he was a battle replacement, not knowing anybody in the Company he was assigned to, I Company, and had to learn to make friends and bonds during battle. They took away his rifle that he had since basic and where he shot Expert and gave him a much hated M1 Carbine and became part of a Machine Gun crew during the Battle.

 

Luckily he wasn't wounded but not so much of his Company where they had an overall causality of 81%. Of the 10 or so Iwo Jima autobiographies I have read, he is only one of two I know of who participated in the entire Battle until the Marines left in Mid March.

 

Perhaps the best feature of this book is the complete battle roster of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines is included which also has a short bio of the Marines and if they were causalities or not. Five stars for just including the roster!

 

This book was published in 1986 and looks like a private press so I would pick one up if you see one as they have been out of print for a long time. A Must for those who study the Battle of Iwo Jima.

 

Leonardo Flores

[tw5270]

My favorite...

 

http://www.amazon.com/First-Battalion-28th...5865&sr=8-2

 

But that's because my Grandfather is in the book-

 

 

He is listed as deceased but he survived his wounds and is still alive today. He was awarded the silver star for his actions that day.

[Kurt Barickman]

WOW!! Now that is IMPRESSIVE! Your Grandpa is truly an American Hero :thumbsup: Where was he at with the Paramarines?

 

Kurt Barickman

[uplandmod]

Incredible! Glad he made it home!

 

 

That book is on my list looking forward to picking it up. That's a reason to like that book.

 

Leonardo

[cull canyon]

Does anyone have any information on Anthony muscarella? He wrote the young heroes of iwo Jima. He was only 17 and had three battle stars the purple heart and a silver star. He joined when he was 15. Is he still alive?

[uplandmod]

Does anyone have any information on Anthony muscarella? He wrote the young heroes of iwo Jima. He was only 17 and had three battle stars the purple heart and a silver star. He joined when he was 15. Is he still alive?

 

 

Here is the link to the Book for those reading the thread.

http://www.amazon.com/Iwo-Jima-Heroes-Tony...oes+of+iwo+Jima

 

It's on my Amazon list to read.

 

Not sure about the author will have to look up his name on Ancestry.

 

Leonardo

[GEB]

Well, Does anyone have this one: THE US MARINES ON IWO JIMA "By Five Official Marine Combat Writers" published by "the Infantry Journal" in 1945

(Capt. Raymond Henri, 1st Lt. Jim Lucas, Tech Sgt W/ Keyes Beech, Tech Sgt. David Dempsy, Tech Sgt Alvin M. Josephy Jr.) Very fresh accounts including the initial misidentification of the men who raised the flag in Rosenthals picture. Paperback. and includes photographs!

[uplandmod]

I've seen it on Amazon but I have yet to pick it up. I believe it was published in 1945 or 46 and one of the first books written on the battle.

 

I'm looking forward to reading it and I love the Pulp style cover.

 

Leonardo

[Jim Baker]

Has "Red Blood, Black Sand", by Chuck Tatum been mentioned?

 

This is really a good book about the battle and an interesting read. He was with John Basilone when he was killed. This is also one of the books referenced in the mini series, "The Pacific".

[Jim Baker]

I would also like to give "Surgeon on Iwo" a thumbs up. Finally found a copy and read it nearly straight through. A very interesting perspective of the battle.

[uplandmod]

Incredibly red blood black sand was OOP even after the Pacific was released and was listed for $100 on Amazon, it was finally reissued last summer but I have yet to read a copy of it yet.

 

I'm up to about 20 books on Iwo and surgeon on Iwo is definately the top book ive read about the battle when it comes to a personal account.

 

I'm reading Marines at Iwo by five correspondents right now it was published in 1945 but its turning into a real page turning, one of the best as well!

 

LF

[Jim Baker]

If you thought Surgeon was good, you will really like Tatum's book. I read them one after the other, and would say they are a draw. The two books are from two really different points of view. Niether of them had battle experience prior to the Iwo landing, and one is an officer and a doctor while the other is a young grunt. I don't want to give away the ending but you will be surprised. At least I was.