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Ronald J. Drez

Twenty-Five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men inWorld War II Hardcover – November 28, 2001

by Stephen Ambrose (Author), Ronald J. Drez (Author)

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These accounts come from low-ranking soldiers rather than from the commanders who sent them into the fray. Featuring pivitol battles such as Midway and Normandy, as well as lesser-known operations that were also essential to victory, here is an extraordinary opportunity for fans of military history to understand what it really means to fightand live througha war.

Print length

296 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Hyperion
Publication date

November 28, 2001
Grade level

8 and up
Reading age

13 years and up
Dimensions

6.38 x 1.13 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

0786867833
ISBN-13

978-0786867837
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drez (Voices of D-Day), a research associate at the Eisenhower Center at the University of New Orleans, interviewed numbers of WWII veterans, and here compiles 10 accounts of a soldier's 25 yards the length and breadth of the war for him at any given moment. There are a few well-known stories here Ensign George Gay's recollections of watching the Japanese aircraft carriers get bombed at Midway; the sad tale of one of the Indianapolis's survivors but Drez has crafted several chapters that work popularly to overturn some of the "conventional wisdom" of WWII history. The tale of the Rangers who stormed Pointe du Hoc on D-Day is vastly different from that portrayed in the early '60s movie, The Longest Day. Marines who fought in the bloody battles of Tarawa and Iwo Jima bring the savage warfare of the Pacific theater into focus for readers who may not know many details about what it was like to fight an unseen enemy. An 18-man platoon of the 99th Division held up an entire German panzer column on the first day of the Ardennes Offensive, a feat not recognized until recently. Released to coincide with the Pearl Harbor attack's 60th anniversary, this is not a book of analysis or critique. Drez, a Vietnam veteran, is in sync with his interviewees, and his facile pen brings their stories to life. Stephen Ambrose provides a foreword. 16 pages of photos not seen by PW.

From Booklist

In Greatest Generation vein, Drez refracts the personal war experiences of a dozen Americans, but Drez bests Brokaw in that he's been a soldier himself, and the camaraderie of experience infuses his accounts. To be sure, some of these veterans' stories have been previously published (that of USS Indianapolis survivor Harold Eck was incorporated into In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton [BKL Mr 15 01]), but Drez manages to present them with freshness and adequate context. The conflicts include the Doolittle attack, recalled by an airman; the Battle of Midway, witnessed from amidst the Japanese fleet by the sole survivor of a destroyed torpedo squadron; the ghastly battles of Tarawa and Iwo Jima, remembered by a surviving marine from each; and other clashes such as DDay. In a palpable, unfeigned way, Drez extols their heroism and valor through his focus on the individual combat experience. Resonant reading. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hyperion; 1st edition (November 28, 2001)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786867833
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786867837
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 1.13 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,651,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,849 in WWII Biographies
- #17,470 in World War II History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
16 ratings

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4 star		29%
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Robert Carey

great read

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

well written and fascinating stories. I highly recommend it.

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Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great work by Ron Drez. Must read for anyone who loves the individual hero stories of WWII.

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H. Lee Dixon

Personal Accounts of True Patriots & Heroes

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2006

Ron Drez is a US Marine Vietnam combat veteran but rather than talk about his own heroic accomplishments he shares twelve stories of WWII. The Twenty-Five yards of war from the title refer to the individual in combat and how major events of conflict impact the individual. Some of the events such as Doolittle's raid over Tokyo and the sinking of the USS Indianapolis are well known but some of the stories are much less familiar. By seeing events unfold from the soldier, sailor, airman, and marine's perspective you feel like you're part of the battle. The book is well-written and each story keeps your attention. One of the great surprises of this book involved the actions of Navy flyers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. After the Marianas Turkey Shoot where over 350 Zeros were destroyed, the Japanese made a run to escape. The Task Force 58 commander decided to try to intercept the naval force with airpower but the distances involved meant that the Navy pilots would be flying "one-way" missions and ditching at night on the return leg. Almost eighty aircraft splashed into the ocean on the return flight and the next day, half of those pilots were recovered along the path of their flight. You'll learn similar facts in the other eleven stories. You won't be disappointed.

2 people found this helpful

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Kenneth S. Smith

A fine collection of personal accounts of WWII action

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2001

This book contains accounts of 10 actions in WWII; some famous, some unknown. Some of the more famous actions covered are Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, the battles for Iwo Jima and Betio, and the 82nd drop into Normandy. My favorite account in this book is the little known stand made by Lt. Lyle Bouck and an I&R platoon from the 99th Infantry Division. This untested unit just happened to be at the town of Lanzerath when the Battle of the Bulge started. They were ordered to hold until relieved. The men fought hard until they were killed, overrun, or surrendered when out of ammunition. Although badly outgunned and outnumbered, they managed to hold up advancing German infantry and armored units long enough for engineering units at critical points behind them to blow up bridges and further delay the German advance. Their gallant stand bought time for reinforcements to arrive and stem the tide of battle. This is an enjoyable read and will appeal to anyone with an interest in WWII. The author was instrumental in the research for Ambrose's book, "D-Day June 6th, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II".

18 people found this helpful

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Thomas R. Fasulo

Why list two authors when there was just one?

Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2019

The book contains great stories of men from the Greatest Generation at war, and I recommend it to all. What I don't understand is why Stephen Ambrose is listed as an author when all he wrote was the Forward. I hope it wasn't his idea.

Helpful

Jules

Amazing

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019

This is a really good book chronicling 12 different amazing events that took place in WW2 based on interviews with the men who lived it.

Highly recommend this book.

Helpful

Laura Cindrich

The Success of Twenty-Five Yards of War

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2004

In Twenty-Five Yards of War, Ronald J. Drez tells the heroic stories of 12 men who have shown inspiring courage in their contribution to the United States' World War II effort.
It was interesting that those men and all who contributed to the war were named "Warriors". These warriors were "called upon to bear unswerving allegiance to the nation...and to surrender part of their own rights and freedoms so the people they protect can better enjoy their own. And this service is predestined to be forgotten". This quote awakened me to the tremendous gratitude that is owed to all those who have unselfishly fought for their country. The warrior theme was appropriately carried out throughout the book. In every story, each soldier, no matter what branch he was in, pushed himself to the limit to get that victory for the U.S. He never worried about whether someone back home would appreciate his deed.
The book kept me engrossed in a way that truly made me excited about history, especially World War II. I had learned about the Doolitte Raid, Battles of Midway and Tarawa, Invasion of Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, and Iwo Jima, but the book expanded upon that knowledge in a way that was clear and easy to read. Also, focusing on one person's experience at each of the battles helped me to have a better understand of what hardships and successes the soldiers went through.
I encountered, for the first time, information on the development of U.S. submarines, like U.S.S. Barb, throughout WWII. I was shocked at the number of deaths occurring on both sides of the war. After every battle the numbers were listed off in the range of hundreds to thousands of men. It was sad for me to think that each man probably had a remarkable story to tell just like the 12 men featured in the book.
Overall, the book was exciting, and was good for me in clarifying basic information. For example, I correlated, for the first time, that The Battle of the Philippine Sea was the same thing as The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. The book is a good read for someone who is interested in World War II.

5 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Good review of pivotal points of WWII

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2001

I'm an avid reader of WWII history, and found much to like in this volume. It covers 10 significant battles and key people who's actions were important to the eventual Allied victory. Covered are both Pacific and European Theatre battles, giving a good balance. This is a fine book to read if you're looking for a single volume that covers a lot of ground that can lead you to more in-depth books covering the battles that interest you most. The author works with Stephen Ambrose, and this volume is reminiscent of Ambrose' works. Enjoy!

3 people found this helpful

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