Good Marine Corps Books

[decuervo]

Just curious if anyone's read a good Marine Corps book lately. I just finished "Making The Corps" and am working on "Keeping the Faith" and "Mustang" now. If you know of a good one (other than the field training manuals) let me know.

[MarineMiss]

Some other good ones are "Jarhead" and also "Flags of our Fathers" which is about the battle of Iwo Jima. I read "Keeping the Faith", I didnt really think it was as good as they made it out to be. Never heard of "Mustang", whats that about?

[jerryd6818]

West Dickens Avenue by John Corbett - Details one Marines tour in a mortor platoon at Khe Sanh.
The Proud Bastards by E. Michael Helms
Guns Up! by Johnnie M. Clark - The life of an 0331 during Tet.

They're all non-fiction and done fairly well

I read the entire Corps series (to date) by W.E.B Griffin. I had read the first two, many years ago and didn't care for Griffins style of writing. His characters are all bigger than life. Everyone's rich, promotions come quickly and the people they know are like a chapter out of Who's Who For WWII. An aquaintence of a friend gave me the series through book nine and I started on them again. The writing style wasn't any better the second time around but for some reason I got hooked on them. Go figure.

[fulmetaljackass]

"Generation Kill" by Evan Wright. There are a handful of inaccuracies due to the fact that the guy's a journalist, not a Marine, but there's some good insight as to why Iraq is such a problem now.....and it's a kick@ss read.

[ImAPuke]

I have read Jarhead and I am also going to read Generation Kill.

[Osotogary]

decuervo,
Awhile back there was a similar thread on this website and there were more than quite a few responses. It was quite a list of Marine Corps related books. Maybe it has flown away into cyberspace, I don't know. I didn't check the "Search for... " box and do my own reseach to add to your, I'm sure to be growing, book list. You may wish to give it a go.
Gary

[LivinSoFree]

Generation Kill is excellent... I read that one for my Intro to National/International Security course. Balanced, well written, and an easy read. Keeping Faith and Making the Corps are good "boot camp stories," and "Jarhead" is an interestin counterperspective.

[top1371]

I just finished Mission Compromised and the Jericho Sanction, both by LtCol Oliver North. I thought they were great and am waiting for the third part of the trilogy. It would make a cool movie.

The colonel's insignt to the Corps and it's ways were a plus.

Top

[semperfiman]

just finished [with the old breed at peleiu and okinawa] by e b sledge one of the finest books about ww2i have read to date

[marinemom]

semperfiman, now available from the University of Alabama Press is Eugene Sledge's second book - published posthumously - about his service after the Japanese surrender It is called "China Marine", and my son - an 0331 - rates it as outstanding.

[greensideout]

"A TABLE IN THE PRESENCE", By Lt. Carey H. Cash. 2004

Lieutenant Cash is a battalion chaplain to infantry Marines based at Camp Pendleton.

His unit, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment was the first to breach the line into Iraq in the march to Bagdad.

It's a good first hand account of the march and the battle from moment one and the effect it had on the Marines as he witnessed it.

"Dedicated to the courageous men of the First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, who were not afraid to live and die for a just cause; and to the countless families and friends back home who unceasingly prayed on our behalf."

[Lock-n-Load]

Months ago [in another post] I recommended Pfc Sledge's two books as marinemom's son mentioned...respected Marine historian, Colonel Joesph Alexander, went on record to say Pfc Sledge's books were the greatest testimony to a Marine in combat with his twist of words...that's good enough for this combat Marine...other Marine books...Cpl Joe Saluzzi's revealing expose on Marine valor awards in Korea, "Red Blood and Purple Hearts"..."Soldiers of Misfortune" is the most riveting read of my life about POWs [WW2-Korea-Vietnam"]...Marine: Lee Ballenger's 2 books, "US Marines in Korea 1951: The Outpost War"...and US Marines in Korea 1953: The Crucible"...Gen Douglas Mac Arthur's, "Reminiscences" includes accolades about USMC in two [2] Wars...M/SGT Don Myers':"101 SeaStories"....Marine: Bill Barry's, "Honor Clean"...Marine: Roger Baker's, " USMC Tankers in Korea"....Marine, Bob Boardman's, "Unforgetable Men in Unforgetable Times"...Jimmy Brady's, "The Coldest War"..and just released, "Flamedragons in Korea" by Marines: Ravino & Carey..."Korean War Vignettes:Faces of War"..."Red Dragon: Round Two"...just a few for reading on a cold winter's nite....Semper Fi SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

[decuervo]

Greensideout, 1/5 is all I needed to hear.
That's my unit, I think i'll be reading this book real soon. Thanks! Nothing like reading about people I probably knew (wonder if any of them are mentioned in there?)

[decuervo]

"Mustang" is about a retired Marine Corps mustang (enlisted man turned officer) through his entire tour of service and what it was like to serve from WWII to his retirement date. I'm not very far into it yet but it's ok so far.

[docsavage]

How About "Doc Randall's Revenge?"

reviewed by several marines at this very website.

If you had your heart broken by a "dear john" letter while in Vietnam - what would you do if you found the daughter (the spitting image of her mother) of the woman who wrote that letter?