Customer Reviews

The Final Crucible: U.S. Marines in Korea, Volume 2: 1953

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This second volume of Lee Ballenger's 2-book series on Marines in Korea during the last 2 years of the war can be read as a standalone work, but it is recommended if possible to first read his Volume One -- "The Outpost War". Either way, this book can be enjoyed for the major contribution it makes to the shadowy history of individual combat units (Marines in this case) in the "stalemate" Korean war of 1952-53. Ballenger thoroughly documents with gripping individual stories the often brutal fighting in mid-Korea between UN forces and the Chinese and North Korean armies. Historically accurate, Ballenger's book highlights "unknown" major skirmishes that more than once came down to desperate hand-to-hand combat over a few meters of rocky Korean hills. The author was there himself, and it shows. The 2-volume series produced by this neophyte author is worthy of considerable editorial and public attention. Excellent US military history.

In The Final Crucible by Lee Ballenger, Ballenger centers the attention of the book around the soldiers and their heroic battles throughout the final stages of the Korean War. These battles include numerous small interactions with the enemy in the form of ambushes and raids and also in larger battles. Larger battles consisted of those for Carson, Vegas, and Reno, which were outposts named for Nevada cities, and also Ungok, Gray Rock and of course Boulder City. Boulder City, which is "a place unheard of by most Americans" ended up being the last engagement of U.S. Marines in Korea and also a major turning point in the War. Ballenger describes all of these events through soldier's letters and Command Diaries which offers a first hand view of the action that took place in Korea. The book is a great read and is recommended for all those who want to learn about the hard life of a soldier in Korea during the Korean War!

The author Lee Ballenger served in the 1st Marine's Division 's Recon company and the 1st Tank Battalion during the Korean War. He was there. He also has a gift for writing that put's you on a Marine Outpost along the Jamestown Line in 1952-1953.
'Three Chinese soldiers, in green uniforms, are running in the main trench of Vegas from our left toward the middle of the outpost. They are running for the entrance of a bunker. The tanker sees them. One round hits behind the three soldiers. and then two rounds hit the trench berm directly in their midst. The rocks and bodies arch up above the trench, The bodies rotate slowly through the air and fall on the slope of the trench.' Lieutenant Chenoweth, 3rd Platoon, Fox Company 2/7 during a counterattack to retake Outpost Vegas on 27 Mar 1953.
Buy the book.

My brother was killed in action at Boulder City, the last battle fought by the Marines in the Korean War. Until I read this book's account of the battle, I had little knowledge of the circumstances around Marvin's death.

(This reviewer was with the Marines in Korea from September 1952 till August 1953) The two volumes by Lee Ballenger are absolute fact.

Lee Ballenger has written a follow up book (Volume II 1953) to his wonderful historical account of the the US Marines in Korea (Volume I 1952). This completes his story of the terrible, bloody war in Korea which is now essentially forgotten. Buy the two volumes from Amazon...You will find it hard to believe how the the last few years of the war were called a "stalemate". Yes it's true, very little territory was gained or lost (all political), but thousands of Marines, (many drafted) were killed and maimed in battles over useless bits of territory stuck in the middle of "No Man's Land". These two books will REALLy tell you how it was...(Forget the M*A*S*H nonsense)