Customer Reviews

Coral Comes High

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I read this book about 25 years ago. I obtained it again to read because I worked in law Enforcement with one of the men back in the earlier 70's in Law Enforcement thats in this book. I had just started my career in law Enforcement in May 1970 after being discharged from the Marines when I met him. His name was Joseph Schmittou, the authors who wrote this books, First Sergerant. He's mentioned in this book on 6 or 7 occassions. I remember Joe talking about Capt Hunt the author and some of the things that happened on Peleliu. He became a very good friend of mine and is now passed away. I didn't understand back then when I read it how courageous my friend and these guys were. I was in the Marines and real young when I worked with my friend that's in this book. I appreciate more now what these guys went though and how brave they were. I wonder how many of these guys are still living amoung us and nobody know it. It was a great book and I'm glad I was able to find it on Amazon.com to read again.

Published in early 1946, George P. Hunt was a feature writer for Life Magazine before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. After the war's outbreak, he went into the Marines and got himself a commission. He had served with the 1st Marine Regiment (part of the illustrious 1st Marine Division) and went to the Pacific. He served on Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu. By the time he went to Peleliu, Hunt was by then a captain and was in charge of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. This classic book, a memoir of the first two days of Peleliu, where Hunt's K Company was charged with assaulting and holding "the point," a slight knob of land which by coincidence, overlooked the entire 1st Marine Regiment's landing beaches. The Point was heavily fortified and K Company lost many men in taking this vital piece of terrain. Nonetheless, Hunt's Marines took it and held on through many desperate enemy attempts to retake it. Long out of print, this is a book worth looking for. Hunt's narrative is vivid and fast moving and can be read in less than a day. It is also a nice primer on the burden of command and leadership as well as a memorial to the brave men lost. The book's main advantage was that is was written so close to the events described you can feel the dust of the coral in your teeth, the relentless, blazing sun, the cordite reek of the gunpowder, the salty smell of the vast Pacific ocean as you read. This is the Marines' answer to Charles MacDonald's own classic, Company Commander. I should mention that my copy is from the great Battery Press who republished this classic in coordination with the Marine Corps Association. The quality is superb. I got lucky and snagged the last copy. Find it if you can. You won't regret it. All Marines should read it. Semper Fi!

This book was ordered for a WWII vet, and he was very happy to receive it. He says he's already read it! thanks.