Publisher's summary
In 1944, the U.S. Marines were building the 5th Marine Division - also known as “The Spearhead” - in preparation for the invasion of the small, Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima. . .
When Chuck Tatum began Marine boot camp, he was just a smart-aleck teenager eager to serve his country. Little did he know that he would be training under a living legend of the Corps - Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone, who had almost single-handedly fought off a Japanese force of three thousand on Guadalcanal.
It was from Basilone and other sergeants that Tatum would learn how to fight like a Marine and act like a man - skills he would need when he hit the black sand of Iwo Jima with thirty thousand other Marines.
Red Blood, Black Sand is the story of Chuck’s two weeks in hell, where he would watch his hero, Basilone, fall, where the enemy stalked the night, where snipers haunted the day, and where Chuck would see his friends whittled away in an eardrum-shattering, earth-shaking, meat grinder of a battle.
This is the island, the heroes, and the tragedy of Iwo Jima, through the eyes of the battle’s greatest living storyteller, Chuck Tatum.
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What listeners say about
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Rodney G
- 10-11-23
Greatest Generation
The Pacific Theater is finally getting its due. That’s not to say the European theater is not as important but, these stories must be told and passed on. I hope they will always be. Nicely done.
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- Josiah Olsson
- 03-14-24
Iwo Jima Tatum
This is an excellent first hand account of a Marine veteran who fought on Iwo Jima during the first 14 straight days of combat. His sacrifice was shared by many who died on that island, including John Basilone. This is a must read for WWII buffs, especially of the Pacific Theater, alongside the works of Sledge, Leckie, and Burgin. If only more would have written down their stories for us to learn from and honor.
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- Nicholas
- 01-13-15
Chills
if you are a Marine you will have the chills. "God forgot and left for the devil"
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- J
- 08-17-22
Riviting!
Could not get through it fast enough. To hear the story from someone who was there was truly amazing. God bless all those who have served in those front lines or sea battles.
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- purchase
- 07-24-19
Excellent, detailed account
Full of wit, humor, and detail, a personalized, almost familial account of a brutal period in U.S. and Japanese history.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-09-23
Action point of view on Iwo Jima
I wanted to understand combat on Iwo Jima, from one who had been there. This has it, the perspective of a member of the 5th division, a machine gunner, who landed in one of the red landing zones.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-16-19
Great story
Out of all the books of World War II I have listened to this one gives a different perspective of the war. I believe the age of Mr. Tatum at the time of his service gives a youthful vantage point of the Pacific theater. I truly did enjoy this book.
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- Ed Mueller
- 01-29-18
Awesome historical book
loved the book and the history contained in it it hard to imagine what these men went through and endured.
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- Juventino
- 09-09-17
Highly recommended
Jocko Willink led me to this author!! Will definitely be reading more of his recommendations!
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-05-15
A Must Read.!
Chuck Tatum delivers the emotion of combat. This book is a classic. You don't have to be a vet to feel the emotions in this work. However, for those of us who have been under fire, those who have witnessed the human disease of war, this book will come alive to stir the soul. The narration of Norman Dietz is superb, and really compliments the work put into this book. God bless you Chuck Tatum!
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