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Battling for Saipan Paperback – February 4, 2003

by Francis A. O'Brien (Author)

11 customer reviews

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When V Amphibious Corps were preparing for the invasion of the Marianas Islands—Saipan, Guam, and Tinian—they were expecting a relatively easy fight. The Japanese appeared to be on the run. As D day for Saipan (the first of the three islands scheduled for conquest) loomed, V Corps planners felt safe in allocating a single army division as corps reserve for the conquest.

As Lt. Col. William J. O’Brien’s First Battalion and the 105th Infantry landed on Saipan, they had little idea what was in store for them. Enemy opposition was fierce. For the next several weeks they faced the unremitting terror of nearly continuous combat. For the 105th Infantry, the battle climaxed in an overwhelming Japanese banzai attack July 7, 1944. The regiment suffered more than 900 casualties, almost half of whom were killed in action, including First Battalion’s commander, William O’Brien, who later received the Medal of Honor for his efforts. Throughout the battle, O’Brien provided a stirring example of frontline leadership to his previously untested troops. His story is just as inspiring today.

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Product details

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Presidio Press; 1 Reprint edition (February 4, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0891418040
ISBN-13: 978-0891418047
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 11 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #824,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2126 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military > World War II
- #7436 in Books > History > Military > World War II
- #8814 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States

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3.6 out of 5 stars

5 star		46%
4 star		18%
3 star		18%
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Interesting and I learned much but this was not the best book I have read on the subject of Saipan

ByD. BlankenshipHALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERon May 31, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I’ve read a number of books concerning the operations on Saipan during the Pacific War with the Japanese. Some of the books were good, some not so good and some I personally would classify as semi-wretched. One thing all these books, including the one by Francis A. O’Brien being reviewed here is that I learned from each and every one of them.

O’Brien’s main premise in this work is the defense of the 27th Infantry Division and the long standing battle of Smith verses Smith. I personally have no dog in this particular fight. I am retired military; retired Air Force and was never a member of the Army or Marine Corps. I simply enjoy reading military history.

There were parts of this work I enjoyed and other parts I did not. The first half of the book was bogged down into minute details of which I normally enjoy but felt the details here were not handled all that well from a literary and historian’s point of view.

I did find the enter service infighting before and after the battle of some interest though as it is something to consider when reading any military history. Who was right and who was wrong will never, in my opinion, be absolutely decided. Old wounds run deep and even though all or most participants in the battle are no longer with us, we find we still have relatives and various service members who have definite opinions...O’Brian was one of these and the reader must take this into consideration.

I will say that the battle itself was quite well covered; better than in some of the other books I have read but most of this material was taken from after action reports and interpreted by the author.

Overall all I learned much from this work but have read better accounts. I suppose the one primary thing I took from reading this work is that it reinforced my long held belief that if you study any history at all you should read as many accounts and opinions as possible and make up your own mind.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Painful reading way to much detail in the beginning

ByKindle Customeron October 28, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Painful reading way to much detail in the beginning, okay great you discovered all this neat stuff in your research, doesn't mean the reader can wade through it and survive.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByJ. D.on August 5, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

SO WELL WRITTEN.

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I found that my brother was mentioned it this book. He was one of two to survive in his company so I was told.

ByDavid and Joanne Lynchon January 8, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It was so true to what I was told by my brother who survived. It is hard to believe such atrosities were committed by the Japanese.

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Four Stars

ByRandall S.on August 10, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

A good read from the Army's point of view.

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Saipan from the US Army viewpoint

ByStargazeron June 8, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Didn't realize I'd ordered the Army version of the Battle. What littleI've read, looks like O'Brien has done a lot of research.
However, I served in the Marines and Gen. H. M. Smith was an
Alumni of present day Auburn University so naturally I believe his side of the events and if he felt the Army let the Marines down, then they did.

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A Moving Apology

Byolihiston September 21, 2003

Format: Paperback

I found Francis O'Brien's work on the 27th Division to be moving account of an army unit that served its country well at the expense of criticism. His account of the 1st battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, was especially touching, and, I feel, deserves mention along with other memorable units of WWII.
However, I do agree that O'Brien's work does lack much objectiveness at the expense of defending the reputation of the 27th Division. This was essentially the purpose of his book, and there are certainly more objective accounts of the 27th to be found elsewhere, some of whom O'Brien refers to in his book.
Nonetheless, I found this book to be an enjoyable read and quite a service to those who fought and died with the "New York Division" in WWII.
As O'Brien states at the end of his preface: "I trust I have shown that [the families'] fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers served their country honrably and well in WWII."

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Rebuttal to Reader from Texas

ByDesertDocon June 7, 2004

Format: Paperback

Like your Reader from Texas, I am not a marine but I have read many books about the war in the Pacific and the Smith vs. Smith incident.
HM Smith was not one of the great captains of WWII. As Professor Harry Gailey points out in "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", Saipan was the first and only time HM Smith ever had hands on responsibility for troops in battle. He did not conduct a very brilliant campaign. He constantly underestimated the strength of Japanese resistance on the island, made his plans based on his underestimates, and then blamed the Army Division and its Commander, MG Ralph Smith, when his plans did not work.
The 27th Infantry Division was the most unfairly maligned unit of WWII, Its commander, MG Ralph Smith was the most unfairly vilified leader of WWII. This happened because the Marine Corps and its advocates needed to create and maintain the legend that HM Smith was a great captain, needed to explain away HM Smith's less than brilliant performance on Saipan.
This book, while not a thoroughly researched as Edmund Smith's 27th ID's History or Professor Gailey's "Howlin' Mad Versus the Army", it is an honest attempt to tell the correct history, that the 27th ID fought hard and fought well on Saipan.

22 comments 17 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most recent customer reviews

Injustice and Honor in War

I've often wondered over the years how justifiable Howlin' Mad Smith's relief of Ralph Smith was during the battle for Saipan.Read more

Published on November 14, 2003 by John Henderson

It was OK but ....

This book was interesting but it had several flaws. It was a basically a defense of the army's 27th Infantry Division during the Saipan invasion during the Pacific war.Read more

Published on July 11, 2003

Very informative

Mr. O'Brien gives a vivid detail of the 105ths movements from the landing on the beaches of Saipan to the final evacuation from the Gyokusai attach in Tanapag.Read more

Published on April 29, 2003 by Amazon Customer

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