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The Battle History of the U.S. Marines: A Fellowship of Valor
 
 
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The Battle History of the U.S. Marines: A Fellowship of Valor [Paperback]

Joseph H. Alexander (Author), Don Horan (Author), Norman C. Stahl (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)


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Book Description

October 6, 1999

The Battle History of the U.S. Marines is the only single-volume, definitive combat history of the United States Marines, covering more than two centuries of battles in the air and on land and sea--literally "from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli," from Suribachi to Somalia. It presents graphic narratives of such epic engagements as Belleau Wood, Wake Island, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Saipan, Okinawa, the Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh, and many more.

You will meet the Marine sharpshooters in the "fighting tops" of our young country's legendary frigates, as they took on the British navy during the American revolution; discover the exploits of Marine pilots in the "Banana Wars," in the skies over the Pacific during World War II, and later over Korea and Vietnam; and share the tension and terror of stalking the enemy on a Marine patrol in the jungles of the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia.

An award-winning military historian and a retired Marine colonel, Joseph H. Alexander served two tours of duty in Vietnam. He tells the Marine combat story in a no-holds-barred narrative, with dozens of sidebars full of fascinating vignettes and Marine lore accompanied by nearly one hundred rare combat photographs and vivid sketches and numerous maps.



Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Marines have fought and died for the United States since the Revolutionary War. "There is a fellowship of valor that links all U.S. Marines, past, present, and future," observes Joseph Alexander, through more than two centuries of battles in the air, on land, and at sea, from their inauspicious genesis as an unimpressive gang of seagoing musketeers to their present standing as the deadliest amphibious force in the world. This common virtue of uncommon valor links proud generations of warriors who have earned the right to wear the eagle, globe, and anchor on their collars and over their hearts: from Captain Samuel Nicholas, the first senior officer of the Continental marines, to Captain Randolph Guzman, killed in the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City; from Lieutenant Alfred A. Cunningham, the first marine aviator, to Opha Johnson, the first "Lady Leatherneck."

As Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons writes in his foreword, "Marines are not noted for their modesty." The same sentiment was also phrased in less diplomatic terms by President Harry S. Truman: "They have a propaganda machine that is almost equal to Stalin's," the commander in chief remarked during the Korean War. Marines are smug about their collective accomplishments, to be sure: esprit de corps, they call it. They are quick to educate the ignorant that the history of the United States would be much different if not for the United States Marine Corps. Alexander, a 28-year veteran of the corps, is no exception. The retired colonel takes obvious and unapologetic pride in the legendary mystique of "the Few and the Proud." His narrative is not a dry textbook compilation of footnoted factoids so much as a gung ho war story--drenched in blood and sweat and delivered with swagger for the transcendent glory of the corps--whose chapters read like a night of beers at the local VFW. Though incurably biased, the award-winning military historian has created a thoroughly researched and meticulously detailed account of the battles fought by those who are proud to claim the title of United States Marine. --Tim Hogan

Review

"Alexander vividly chronicles the heroic part played by the Marines during turbulent periods of U.S. history." -- -- American History

Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (October 6, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060931094
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060931094
  • Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,216,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Semper Fidelis, February 27, 2000
This review is from: The Battle History of the U.S. Marines: A Fellowship of Valor (Paperback)
Colonel Joseph H. Alexander has brought forth an outstanding book on "The Battle History of the United States Marine Corps". His skill in writing is further enhanced by his selection of photos, maps, and sketches, and the inclusion of sidebar stories gives the reader more "meat and potatoes" in regards to the men and machines of war.

Col. Alexander's manner of writing and attention to detail brings you up close and personal without over-glorifying battle. The narratives as well as true-life events are quite captivating, and will hold your interest from beginning to end. It's refreshing to note that the book does not bog down in trivial detail, but keeps moving right along taking the reader from one account to the next.

Upon finishing I would recommend getting a copy of "A Fellowship of Valor" on VHS tape, to accompany the book. Both are extremely well done and give you the very essence of the USMC.

This one book says it all when it comes the United States Marine Corps!

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on Marine Corps Combat History, February 10, 2000
This review is from: The Battle History of the U.S. Marines: A Fellowship of Valor (Paperback)
This book is great. It doesn't have much technical info, but it more than makes up for that in the depth of the combat history of the Corps. Notice this book describes combat history, so you won't find a description of recruit training or anything, but you will find information on every Marine Corps combat action from when the first Marines fought(unnoticed by most)in the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War and beyond. Don't think this is just a general history book, because there are plenty of specific battles and actions described in good detail in this book. World War II is described more than any other conflicts, but otherwise all conflicts are described relatively equally.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book, January 3, 2000
By 
Evan Burt (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Battle History of the U.S. Marines: A Fellowship of Valor (Paperback)
This book is just great, it tells you everything you would ever want to know about the USMC, in just 1 book. This book tells you how the Marines fought, why they fought, how the fought, and where they fought. Its just a great book period.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
combat base, amphibious corps, defense battalion, old breed, amphibious task force, amphibian tractors, amphibious ships, battle history, banzai attack, boo yards, expeditionary brigade, ooo casualties, landing force, amphibious warfare
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Khe Sanh, Iwo Jima, Medal of Honor, United States, Belleau Wood, Air Force, Pearl Harbor, Chesty Puller, Holland Smith, North Koreans, Viet Cong, Navy Cross, Eighth Army, Imperial Navy, Charles Waterhouse, Henderson Field, Julian Smith, Korean War, Red Beach, South Pacific, Oliver Smith, Chosin Reservoir, Red Mike Edson, Cape Gloucester, Cold War
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