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Colder Than Hell: A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir Mass Market Paperback – August 30, 1997

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Joseph R. Owen (Author)
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Joseph R. Owen (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 82 customer reviews
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  • Colder Than Hell: A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir
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Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (August 30, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0804116970
  • ISBN-13: 978-0804116978
  • Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.8 x 6.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsAn excellent personal narrative on the Korean War.
By A Customer on January 1, 1998
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Colder than Hell: A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir. By Joseph R. Owen. Reviewed by Mike Davino
Army Korean War expert Lieutenant Colonel Roy Appleman has called the 1st Marine Division of the Chosin Reservoir campaign "one of the most magnificent fighting organizations that ever served in the United States Armed Forces." The remarkable and inspiring story of the division at the Chosin Reservoir has been the subject of numerous books and several films. During their fighting withdrawal, the Marines decimated several divisions of the Chinese People's Liberation Army while at the same time fighting an exceptionally harsh winter environment.
Joseph Owen's new book on the subject tells the story from the cutting edge perspective of a rifle company. The author served as a mortar section leader and rifle platoon commander in Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines from its activation in August 1950 through the Inchon-Seoul and Chosin fighting where he was severely wounded.
There are many reasons given for the outstanding performance of the Marines in northeast Korea during the winter of 1950. It is clear from this book that a large measure of the credit goes to the Marines and their leaders at the small unit and rifle company level.
Owen's narrative covers the hasty activation and training of the company, its brief participation in the fighting north of Seoul after the amphibious assault at Inchon and the details of its intense fighting at Chosin. He candidly discusses the mistakes made by the leaders and Marines of Baker Company, to include his own. More importantly, Owen covers what they learned from these mistakes and how they used that knowledge to defeat the Chinese in a series of intense actions.Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsSEMPER FI ! Good job.
By Mcgivern Owen L on August 9, 2000
Format: Mass Market Paperback Verified Purchase
"Colder Than Hell" tells the story of a Marine Corps platoon from its formation at Camp Pendleton, NC at the outset of the Korean War to the famous breakout from the ("frozen") Chosin Reservoir in the winter of 1950-1951. The author puts the reader right there with the men. One can almost taste the frozen chow, the cold seeping through your parka and the onset of frostbite through the snopaks. "Personalities" are included and we cringe when one of them is wounded or killed. There are two minor drawbacks: 1) We get little taste of a wider war, but this is understadable. Why should the men care about any other war but theirs? 2) As with so many similar stories, there is a dearth of MAPS!!. Where were these guys? Every editor should be forced to include usable MAPS in military stories. Other than these, the lieutenant does a fine job of writing. I was impressed by the leval of leadership and courage displayed by the Marines under terribly difficult circumstances- all the more so because so many were not "regulars" but activated reservists. "Colder Than Hell" was first written in 1996. I wonder why Lt. Owen waited so long to tell his story, but I'm glad he did. Former or current Marines should jump on this book, as should serious students of the Korean conflict.
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5.0 out of 5 starsChosin Up Close And Personal
By S. Annand on May 1, 2004
Format: Mass Market Paperback
There are essentially two ways to approach an historical review of a compaign, either as an historian who was never there (reviewing documents, etc.) and the personal viewpoint. The latter gives you a good overview of the whole campaing, whereas the former provides a very focused view.
Naturally, it is best to view all options, but I prefer to read the first-person accounts for some real perspective. This is what you get--the unvarnished look at how one company dealt with the catastrophe of Chosin, turning it into a victory (no matter what the Chinese reviewer has to say). That one division, the 1st Marine Division, was able to survive against ten Chinese division, and survive intact as a fighting force, speaks volumes of the men in that division.
When you read how Owen and his men coped, you can appreciate the fighting capabilities of the American soldiers--particulary when they are put in unprepared situations by idiots like MacArthur and his so-called intelligence officers in Tokyo fighting by remote-control. Owen showed how the men in the field could see the train-wreck coming, but were never listened to. This is where the first-person account deviates from the outside approach with the old "we told you so" and can prove it.
I would also like to mention that I have met Owen and Chew Enn Lee, when they gave a talk on the book. You could not imagine two more opposites in personality. Lee, who goes by "Karl," is still to this day highly respected by his men. They have petitioned the Department of Defense for Karl to receive the Medal of Honor for leading part of the breakout. No matter how much they petition on his behalf, it just falls on deaf ears. I think this is just the continuation of the we-know-better-than-you that permeates the rarified air breathed by higher ups. When you see what Bob Kerrey did for his Medal of Honor--and not taking anything away from him--you wonder why Karl Lee walked away with less.
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5.0 out of 5 starsWow, just Wow!!!!
By Glenn B. Knight on August 15, 2001
Format: Hardcover
My dad served as a soldier in the Pacific War and has never talked about it--even after I saw combat as a Marine. So I was shocked when he handed me "Colder than Hell" and recommended it as a true account of what combat is really like. We agree and can't understand why it has not been made into a movie. This is a rare account of a subject that generally can't be explained unless you have experienced it. He captures the breathless horror that is combat. Combat vets will finish it and simply say "Yes". The rest of the world will say "Oh my God" and thank men like Owen who have faced the dragon. A must real for the universe.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA really excellent account of the Chosin battle.

An accurate account of this battle. It was a terrible time for the 1st Marine division so outnumbered and terrible cold. I was there.

Published 2 months ago by Robert C. Roach
5.0 out of 5 starsTerrifying yet inspirational story of the Marines at Chosin Reservoir

After getting interested in the history of the Chosin Reservoir campaign of the Korean War I searched for online recommendations regarding the "best" book on the subject. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Michael Brannan
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

excellent read

Published 5 months ago by karen r
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Having met the author, I thought the book was very interesting !uh

Published 7 months ago by G. J. Schwenk
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat Read

Great read. Author does a very good job of giving you his story

Published 8 months ago by Stephen McPeek
5.0 out of 5 starsI did not know very much about the Korean War ...

I did not know very much about the Korean War and definitely didn't have any appreciation for what our Marines had to endure until reading this book. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

a good historical account of maybe the worst part of the Korean War. Well done

Published 11 months ago by William Lee Burch
4.0 out of 5 starsReally great read about the marine rifle company Baker-1-7 in the...

Great book, and for fans of this title, there's a new book - "Fighting for the Dream" - out now that features a detailed, 40-page interview with Chew-een (Kurt) Lee about... Read more

Published 11 months ago by Shanester
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Excellent history of the Marines in Korea

Published 12 months ago by CHARLES G. VINEYARD
4.0 out of 5 starsGreat read!

This book was great from start to finish.A very honest account of a man and the men he served with.It starts with a very confident and cocky officer and ends with
just a... Read more

Published 12 months ago by shannon pennington

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