New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute [Hardcover]

Eric Hammel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2008

Between late 1942 and early 1944, the Marines took part in a series of major campaigns in and around the Solomons--including New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester--all part of the effort to reach the Japanese at Rabaul. Eric Hammel has scoured the National Archives to unearth every extant combat photo of these campaigns that paved the way to victory in the Pacific.

Although the 1st Marine Division had broken the back of the Japanese on Guadalcanal in furious combat in October and November of 1942, there was still much hard fighting up the "slot" in the Solomons first in New Georgia, then Bouganville, and finally Cape Goucester on the west end of New Britain, where the 1st Marine Divsion returned to battle at the end of 1943 after being restored following its grueling fight for Guadalcanal.

The Marines campaigns in the Solomons and onto New Britain resulted in the mighty Japanese fortress at Rabaul on the northeast coast of New Britain being isolated and the flank of the continuing army campaign for New Guinea under MacArthur being secured from attacks from Fortress Rabaul. The high watermark of the Japanese in the South and Southwest Pacific had now passed, and the Marines would continue their island hopping in the Central Pacific all the way to Japan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Leatherneck Magazine, August 2008
"Eric Hammel's work is more than exceptional. He ties in his collected photos with a sage narrative that illuminates each shot. In an easy-to-understand package of words and photos."

Midwest Book Review, July 2008
"Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor -- everyone knows of those battles, but there was much more to World War II in the Pacific. New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester is a pictorial history of these forgotten battles and the men who fought and died, only to be lost in the sands of time. Filled cover to cover with countless black and white photos and accompanying explanations, New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester is a top pick for community library photography and history collections."

USNI Proceedings

“The operation at New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester have, according to some, ‘been poorly documented.’ Hammel remedies this with a striking pictorial tribute to these South Pacific warriors. His first-class research adds much to this fascinating collection of photos.”

Military Trader
"This book comprises the most complete collection of combat photos of U.S. Marine Corps operations in New Georgia, Bougainville, Cape Gloucester and Rabaul that we are likely to see, with photo reproductions of impeccable quality. These campaigns have not received the coverage of more 'glamorous' Marine Corps battles, such as Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa. Thus, this generaously illustrated work is a most welcome tribute, and treat."

Book Description

After the 1st Marine Division defeated the Japanese on Guadalcanal late in 1942, there was still fighting to be done in and around the Solomons—including New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester—before reaching the Japanese fortress at Rabaul. Between late 1942 and early 1944, the Marines took part in four major campaigns in the Solomons and onto New Britain, isolating Rabaul and securing MacArthur’s New Guinea campaign from attacks from Fortress Rabaul. Eric Hammel has scoured the National Archives to unearth every extant combat photo of these campaigns that paved the way to victory in the Pacific.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Zenith Press; 1st edition (May 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760332967
• ISBN-13: 978-0760332962
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,115,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > History > Australia & Oceania > Papua New Guinea

More About the Author

Eric Hammel's writing career began in the 1960s, when he was a teenager. He has had forty military history books, one novel, and more than sixty-five non-fiction articles published. Eric has worked as West Coast contributing editor for Leatherneck Magazine and as a publishing acquisitions and content editor, but he has spent most of the years since 1983 as a full-time author, editor, and publisher.

Free sample chapters from all of Eric Hammel's in-print books can be viewed at his author site, http://www.EricHammelBooks.com
All of his books are available on Amazon.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent History of Marines in Combat in the Pacific!, December 10, 2008

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute (Hardcover)

Though there have been dozens of books written on Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Tarawa, the campaigns for Bougainville, New Georgia and Cape Gloucester have been poorly documented. Noted military historian Eric Hammel offers up this striking 'pictorial tribute' to the Marines in action. It's a wonderfully done and long overdue tribute to those South Pacific warriors of long ago.

Following the Marine triumph on Guadalcanal, American forces advanced up the central and northern Solomons, 'Operation Cartwheel' aiming at isolating the major base at Rabaul. Airpower would play a decisive role in the long haul northward; hence the never-ending Allied need for new airfields such as the Japanese field at Munda, New Georgia. The first steps to capture Munda began in June 1943; by August, Munda was operational. In November Marines landed on Bougainville island with the aim of establishing air bases. In December, Marines went ashore on Cape Gloucester, New Britain and so on. Fighting was often as bitter as it had been on Guadalcanal, the weather just as inhospitable and the terrain even worst.

Eric Hammel's book is sub-titled 'A Pictorial Tribute' and it is that and much more. Hammel tapped a variety of agencies, museums and individuals to assemble what is probably the largest collection of photographs of Marines in the Solomons ever published. The book features hundreds of shots of gyrenes on the battlefield, landing under fire, rear area scenes, Marine aviation pix, etc. Many of the frontline shots are riveting.

Yet Hammel's book is far more than a collection of photos. He does an excellent job of summarizing those largely unheralded campaigns, emphasizing the important role each played in the Allied advance along with the cost in men.

Pacific War enthusiasts and anyone interested in Corps history will want to add this excellent volume to their collection. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent informed background writing with Photos, October 4, 2009

By 

Eugene Katzman "Geno the old timer" (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute (Hardcover)

New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute

Along with the pictorial there was excellent background regarding the strategy, the mistakes and the paths chosen and references to units actions primarily of the Marine Air and Ground Units in addition to the Army participation. It doesn't include much about the Naval units involved but it explains the Japanese mistakes and the American approach including choices made to select an approach to getting at Japan through New Guinea and the Solomon Islands versus going through the Central Pacific.

It was well written and contained photographs which provide some feel for the terrain and the conditions on the ground.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pictorial history of these forgotten battles and the men who fought and died, July 11, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute (Hardcover)

Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor - everyone knows of those battles, but there was much more to World War II in the Pacific. "New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II" is a pictorial history of these forgotten battles and the men who fought and died, only to be lost in the sands of time. Filled cover to cover with countless black and white photos and accompanying explanations, "New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II" is a top pick for community library photography and history collections.