Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

I have several of Eric Hammel's photo tributes to the Marines in World War 2 and each is rich in photographs that have been seldom, if ever, seen anywhere else, for the most part. I've thoroughly enjoyed this volume as it deals with the Marine's combat in the dense jungles of the Solomon Islands and New Britain from mid 1943 until early 1944.

I have to admit, though, that Eric Hammel's information can be somewhat incorrect at times. There is a photo of an M3 Half track (armed with a 75mm cannon) on page 111 and another of a similar vehicle on page 143 that states they are also armed with 20mm cannon, which isn't correct. They have .50 caliber M2 machine guns mounted on the aft part of the vehicle, not 20mm cannon. Anyone who has made any sort of study of American weaponry should know that.

I would have loved to give this book (and the others in the series) five stars but these flaws in specific information take it down a notch. There are other discrepancies of a similar nature in some of the other volumes he's written as well. He seems to take certain things for granted without necessarily making sure of their accuracy.

For the quality and quantity of the photos alone, regardless of any flaws in the writing, this book and the others he's written regarding the Marines in the Pacific during World War 2 are very much worth the purchase. I have yet to see another collection that does photographic justice to the Marine Corps contribution to victory in World War 2.

I have a number of this author's books. I really enjoy the focus that these books provide. The pictures and text bring to life what it was actually like to have participated in one of these pacific battles. I would highly recommend this book.

Well done and very interesting. I am old enough to remember many of the pictures and events at that time