A young man from Alabama, became part of the 1st Marine Division–3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was thrown headlong into the battle of Pelelui. Nothing could have prepared him for what he was to face.
This is the first book I’ve read in relation to this war. It is a phenomenal read. Sledge does not beat around the bush, but instead, takes you deep into the heart of being a Marine. He faces horrors, and due to his incredible writing, it feels as if you are experiencing it too. This book does not hide any of the horrific details that he and other riflemen faced. It hands them to the reader through the pages, leaving us in no doubt that the men suffered physically, mentally and emotionally, every single day.
The book does not give you drama, it gives you truth and honesty. The reminder that war is brutal and inglorious is shown through Sledge`s words. He talks of a terrible waste and that “combat leaves an indelible mark on those who are forced to endure it”. Sledge talks of gold teeth being torn from Japanese soldiers as well as morbid souvenirs that some Marines gathered.
Through all the death, destruction of person and property, for the suffering endured and brutality of war, Eugene Sledge exudes to the reader his own disordered visions of what he is going through. The stench and mud. The fear, and not being able to get out of his foxhole. It is without a doubt one of the most realistic portrayals of war that I have ever read. It is brutal. There is no sentimentality or patriotism,
The book is very well written and gripping. Footnotes and maps supplement the pages to help the reader along, not that a reader needs this. The book will keep you interested.
While many memoirs offer the benefits of time washing away memories, and quotes and stories from others, to include in the pages, this amazing memoir does none of that.
This is one man’s picture of the war, from the notes he made. It is a small window into a war. It is a personal window through the horrors.
Eugene Sledge – Thank you for your service.
