D-Days in the Pacific With the US Coastguard: The Story of Lucky Thirteen (U)

Winner of the 2008 Foundation for Coast Guard History Book AwardThe images of soldiers and marines coming ashore on hostile shores are embedded in our collective memory of World War II. But what of the sailors who manned the landing craft, going back and forth under fire with nowhere to take cover, their craft the special targets of enemy gunners?In this book, Ken Wiley, a Coast Guardsman on an Attack Transport in the Pacific, relates the intricate, often nerve wracking story of how the United States projected its power across 6,000 miles in the teeth of fanatical Japanese resistance. Each invasion was a swirl of moving parts, from frogmen to fire support, transport mother ships to Attack Transports, the smaller Higgins boats (LCVPs), and during the last terrifying stage the courageous men who would storm the beaches.The author participated in the campaigns for the Marshall Islands, the Marianas the Philippines and Okinawa, and with a precise eye for detail relates numerous aspects of landing craft operations, such as ferrying wounded, that are often discounted. He conveys the terror and horrors of war, as well as, on occasion, the thrill, while not neglecting the humor and cameraderie of wartime life.An exciting book, full of harrowing combat action, D Days in the Pacific also provides a valuable service in expanding our knowledge of exactly how World War II’s massive amphibious operations were undertaken.Table of ContentsPreface. The Last Seven MilesChapter 1. The Attack Transport EmergesChapter 2. The Children of the Thirty’sChapter 3. Seventeen, Going on MaturityChapter 4. Misery in the MakingChapter 5. Guys, Gals and GamesChapter 6. A Touch of Salt SprayChapter 7. The Mighty Middie MaruChapter 8. Fiery Introduction at KwalaliemChapter 9. Boys Become Men at EniwetokChapter 10. One PunchChapter 11. It’s a Small WorldChapter 12. Commit Their Bodies to the DeepChapter 13. The Pearl of the PacificChapter 14. Idle Time ChatterChapter 15. A Rose by any Other NameChapter 16. Saipan; Rattling Toyko Rose’s CageChapter 17. Good Morning CharlieChapter 18. A Little Fun in the Middle of ChaosChapter 19. The Suicide LCVPChapter 20. The South PacificChapter 21. Lucky 13 Gets Her NameChapter 22. In The BurstChapter 23. Special MissionChapter 24. Return to the PhilippinesChapter 25. Mail CallChapter 26. The Japanese Strike Back at LeyteChapter 27. Lucky ThirteenChapter 28. Shove Off Cox’nChapter 29. New Hebrides IncidentChapter 30. The Grass is Always GreenerChapter 31. April’s FoolsChapter 32. Okinawa ShimaChapter 33. Confusion on the RoadChapter 34. Forty Eight in DiegoChapter 35. StatesidePostscriptAppendix: 1944 Arthur Middleton RosterIndex