World War II, Pacific Theater: Extraordinary Stories of Heroism, Victory, and Defeat

by Bennett Fisher

Overview

True World War II Stories: From Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) to the second atomic bomb (August 9, 1945) at Nagasaki was three years and nine months.

• More than sixteen million Americans were in uniform for WWII.

• One hundred and twelve thousand American military men and women died in the Pacific Theater in combat, from disease, accidents, and as prisoners of war.

This book describes the true experiences of these countless Americans. Stories of military members of the Empire of Japan, and an Australian Army nurse.

• Familiar military stories

• Unfamiliar military stories

• Untold military stories

The book Includes humor, drama, poignancy, heroism, teamwork, camaraderie, ecstasy, and despair - all realities of War. The stories include sidebar accounts. Some fast forward to current times, for comparisons.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513650036
Publisher:	Dean B Fisher
Publication date:	02/15/2019
Pages:	668
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.34(d)

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION -v

1 FIRST USS SUNK BY ENEMY AIRCRAFT -1

2 JAPANESE MINI-SUBMARINES AT PEARL HARBOR -21

3 FIRST U.S. MILITARY KILLED AT PEARL HARBOR -56

4 NIIHAU EPISODE, JAPANESE INCARCERATION -76

5 LIEUTENANT COLONEL VIVIAN BULLWINKEL -111

6 USS HOUSTON HEAVY CRUISER -121

7 DOOLITTLE RAID, INSTRUMENT FLYING -156

8 MITSUBISHI AKUTAN A6M ZERO -189

9 SIGNALMAN FIRST CLASS DOUGLAS MUNRO -209

10 SULLIVAN BROTHERS, KIN SERVING TOGETHER -219

11 ONLY U.S. NAVAL BATTLE, 2 ADMIRALS LOST -239

12 MESSMAN THIRD CLASS DORIS MILLER, NAVY RACISM -248

13 CAPTAIN LOUIS ZAMPERINI -263

14 LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BUTCH O’HARE -270

15 CHICHIJIMA ISLAND CANNABILISM -278

16 SEDGLEY GLOVE GUN -305

17 JAPAN GETS DESPERATE, SUPER SUBMARINES -310

18 USS BARB, BOY SCOUT TRAIN JAMBOREE -335

19 TECHNICAL SERGEANT BEN KUROKI, JAPANESE AMERICANS SERVING -344

20 CAPTAIN JACK LUCAS, UNDERAGE IN WWII -378

21 GUNNERY SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE -397

22 CORPORAL DESMOND THOMAS DOSS, CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION -406

23 USS INDIANAPOLIS (CA-35) -445

24 REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD ANTRIM -482

25 COLONEL WENDELL W. FERTIG -490

26 USS WILLIAM D. PORTER -515

27 HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI -521

28 LAST AMERICAN DEATH -- WWII -567

29 JAPANESE HOLDOUTS -579

30 INVOLVEMENT OF U.S. PRESIDENTS IN WWII -600

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -659

Editorial Reviews

"This book was everything I have been looking associated with that era of history!! I have already read so much about it but this book brings in so many facts and figures that I did not already know about.
It is an interesting read as well as so informative and educational.
I recommend that educational classes and/or book clubs utilize it as you will learn many things you did not previously know and that inform you about the whole era.
I think this Bennett Fisher should write more books like this!!!!"

-Informed Reader

"I just finished Mr. Bennett Fisher's WWII Pacific Theater book. I enjoy military history, World War II especially. However, I have found as I age that reading a book on one topic (such as the Doolittle Raid or the Iwo Jima Campaign) turns into a long slog. This book is thirty stories full of drama, poignancy, and irony; most of which I have never heard of - despite the fact that I have studied WWII history. The word Extraordinary in the title is definitely apt. Each story is about 18 pages, some much shorter and some much longer. This is a good length for the military history fan, as opposed to the military historic researcher and academic.

Mr. Fisher has what I would call a fond habit of taking off on tangents, related to the main story. For example, the story on the underage Marine (Jack Lucas) awarded the Medal of Honor addresses the number and reasons how and why more than a hundred thousand underage boys enlisted for WWII. As another example, the chapter on Desmond Doss addresses the history of conscientious objection in the United States. These are interesting and definitely add to the story. Another habit of the writer is cramming a lot of data in a paragraph - skimming will not work with this book.

The last chapter, the best I know, has never been written up as a composite unit. This is the one on the nine Presidents (two who were President during WWII, and the seven who were in the military during WWII who later became President) involved with WWII. The chapter end (plot spoiler) which addresses President Bush's heroism is touching, considering that he died last year.

To sum up, I definitely recommend this book. However, the best way to read it, at least in my opinion, is to read one chapter, then set the book down for a week, and then read the next chapter."

- D Gholke

From the Publisher