The Real Pacific War: A Marine Rifleman's Trip Through Hell - Excerpt (from the cutting room floor)

Hello,
We are going to press August 1st it seems. I never thought it would take this long to go from the writing stage to the shelves, but it will all be worth it.

Yes, Eugene Sledge was a mortarman in K/3/5. I didn't really know him that well, nor did I see him in combat, since the mortars were in the rear of our point of attack...but I remember him being a nice, quiet young man who seemed to never cause a fuss or be overbearing. I think he was well liked.

But see, also, you have a company of 182 men, and there's no way to know all of them. What's more, the men seemed to gravitate towards their own kind. If you were a rifleman, generally speaking, you wouldn't pal around with the artillary men. Sure, you'd walk by and be friendly, but that's about it. Moreover, even in the rifle squads, if you were a southerner, chances are you hung around with people who came from roughly the same geographic area. Like me, I am from New York, so it was only a matter of course that I was good buddies with riflemen from New York. Seymour Levy, Billy Leyden, Larry Mahan, Gene Holland, Jim McEnery, et al.

Sterling G. Mace

 

looking foward to reading the book and judging from that excerpt it shall be a very good read

 

Well, it came out the day after you posted this.

Sterling G Mace

 

Mr Mace,

I just finished reading your very interesting, revealing, and informative book. It is a real slice of life. You not only invoked the feel and "what am I doing here" sensation in combat, you made combat very real in explaining the enduring of pain , suffering, and loss of your friends all set in the background of your life. I really was moved by your visit to Sy's mother. I have three adult sons and I hope they never have to enter into that hell of combat. Thanks to you and all the other veterans for your service, devotion to duty, and sacrifice. Semper Fi.

- J.R. Swenson