Coral and Blood

CORAL AND BLOOD: The U.S. Marine Corps Pacific Campaign by Eric Hammel In only a lifetime, the long United States Marine Corps campaign across the Pacific Ocean has become the stuff of enduring legend. We are down to just a few Pacific Warriors who lived it and can still tell us about it from their own experiences. Now, in Coral and Blood, military historian Eric Hammel, who has specialized in writing about Marines in the Pacific, has compiled a brief but comprehensive history of the Marines island war. This book was conceived as a starting point for readers who have not yet read much about the Pacific War, but it is also designed to provide a simple yet complete overview for seasoned Pacific War enthusiasts who have not yet examined the island campaigns as an integrated whole. Perhaps by finding out about battles not yet examined, an experienced Pacific War enthusiast will find inspiration for moving on to new battles and looking for even broader understanding. Hammel begins with the development of the U.S. Marine Corps unique amphibious doctrine, then moves briskly into the Pacific War by enumerating the Marine Corps presence on the eve of war. Thereafter, every significant action involving U.S. Marines during World War IIfrom Pearl Harbor and Wake Island to Okinawais examined, including the role of Marine Air in the Philippines. Coral and Blood, at a respectable 96,000 words, is a valuable overview of the legendary efforts of Marines in the Pacific War.