The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima [Hardcover]

John C. Shively (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2006

"Shively has documented in a very readable fashion the transformation of a young Hoosier into a disciplined member of the United States Marine Corps. His book is a detailed and touching tale of one man's experience of the battle of Iwo Jima, and the many excellent photographs and maps enhance the story." —Major General Fred Haynes, USMC (Ret.)

The 36-day assault on the small volcanic island known as Iwo Jima resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead. Of the 20,000 Japanese defenders, only 1,083 survived. The Marines' efforts secured what would become a vital emergency landing strip for crippled B-29s returning from bombing runs. Twenty-seven Medals of Honor were awarded to Marines and sailors, many posthumously, more than were awarded for any other single operation during the war.

Jim Craig was a platoon commander with the Marines on Iwo Jima. This book presents his story, as told to his nephew, John C. Shively. A particularly vivid and exciting account of some of the most intense fighting of the Pacific War, the immediacy of the story is heightened by the detail that Shively's research has added to Craig's recollections. The result is one of the most realistic depictions of combat ever written.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue." -- Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

"His book is a detailed and touching tale of one man's experience of the battle of Iwo Jima..." -- Major General Fred Haynes, USMC (Ret.)

About the Author

John C. Shively is a practicing physician with a long-time interest in World War II. He lives in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (March 20, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253347289
• ISBN-13: 978-0253347282
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A quick, fair read., August 23, 2006

By 

Toe Tag (Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima (Hardcover)

This book is a pretty good read. It is not a first person account but stands alone fairly well. It wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the battle of Iwo Jima. It's well written, well documented and has a host of photographs that are not that common in other books on the subject.

I did have some minor technical issues with the book, but I think they were based on the fact this book was written by the nephew of a combat veteran and not the man himself. These in no way overshadowed the value of this book.

Accounts of the Pacific War aren't as common as those from Europe so I will recommend the following. Goodbye Darkness, Helmet for my Pillow, With the Old Breed, and Flags of our Fathers.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story of One Platoon in a Giant Battle, May 15, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima (Hardcover)

Iwo Jima was the last of the really big battles in the Pacific. It was taken for two reasons:

First, the Japanese radar on the island gave the warning of coming air raids two hours before the B-29s would get to Japan, plenty of time to get the air defenses ready.

The long flight back from Japan cost a lot of American lives in the crashing of planes damaged or otherwise failing during attacks on Japan. Iwo was the only place an airstrip could be built that would take B-29s and provide maintenance and hospital services.

To get Iwo, on the other hand would cost 28,686 casualties. On the part of the Marines, Iwo cost just about one-third of all the Marines killed in the Pacific. Was it worth it? Returning B-29's that landed at Iwo held just about 30,000 airmen. While some of these would not have made it back to their bases, most wouldn't have. And we will never know how many B-29s were not shot down because the radar station was taken down.

This book is the story of one Marine platoon. It began Iwo with 41 men, received 19 replacements and after four weeks of combat came away from Iwo with the Lieutenant and ten men. From a total of 60 men, twenty were killed and thirty evacuated because of wounds. All this in 28 days. This book is the story of that Lieutenant, the uncle of the author.

Thank God for these men. Thank God again that I didn't have to go where they did.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Lieutenant -- an excellent Iwo read, February 28, 2007

By 

K. Fox "Retired and luvin' it" (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima (Mass Market Paperback)

I have to agree with all the foregoing reviews -- this book accurately portrays the Marine's bitter battle against determined defenders for that island. I've read nearly a dozen documentary sources of this battle, and learned some personal accounts from my dad, a platoon sargent in the 3rd Marine division. Ironically, he fought next to the airfields and areas where this 2Lt also fought. I'd say the author, though not a veteran of this campaign, got it right. And it's a fast and compelling read. If you know of Iwo, this is another and more personal accounting. Well Done, Mr. Shively, Five stars.