Tanks in Hell

A Marine Corps Tank Company on Tarawa

By: Oscar E. Gilbert, Romain Cansiere

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

In May 1943, a self-described "really young, green, ignorant lieutenant" assumed command of a new US Marine Corps company. His even younger enlisted Marines were learning to use an untested weapon, the M4A2 "Sherman" medium tank. His sole combat veteran was the company bugler, who had salvaged his dress cap and battered horn from a sinking aircraft carrier. Just six months later, the company would be thrown into one of the ghastliest battles of World War II.

On November 20, 1943, the 2nd Marine Division launched the first amphibious assault of the Pacific War, directly into the teeth of powerful Japanese defenses on Tarawa. In that blood-soaked invasion, a single company of Sherman tanks, of which only two survived, played a pivotal role in turning the tide from looming disaster to legendary victory. In this unique study, Oscar E. Gilbert and Romain V. Cansiere use official documents, memoirs, and interviews with veterans to follow Charlie Company from its formation, and trace the movement, action - and loss - of individual tanks in this horrific four-day struggle.

The authors follow the company from training through the brutal 76-hour struggle for Tarawa. Survivor accounts and air-photo analyses document the movements - and destruction - of the company's individual tanks. It is a story of escapes from drowning tanks, and even more harrowing extrications from tanks knocked out behind Japanese lines. It is a story of men doing whatever needed to be done, from burying the dead to hand-carrying heavy cannon ammunition forward under fire. It is the story of how the two surviving tanks and their crews expanded a perilously thin beachhead and cleared the way for critical reinforcements to come ashore. But most of all, it is a story of how a few unsung Marines helped turn near disaster into epic victory.

©2015 Oscar E. Gilbert and Romain Cansiere (P)2018 Tantor

Great book. . .

Another important work in demonstrating the importance armoured protection accurate direct fire. Highly recommend.

Factual with alittle narrative

this book does what it set out to do. it is facts based reporting on a small part of a larger picture in a much larger puzzle. it as lots of great detail and does a good job noting the gaps in it own information. But becuase of this alot of the big picture elements are missing, if viewed as a story there is alot to be desired. It does sprinkles in some narrative elements but those are more for supporting evidance.

Great for Hobbyists

This book clarifies a lot about the battle of Tarawa, with unit markings and an in-depth look at the fate of each tank. Great for a hobbyist looking to paint some USMC early war Shermans.

This is a great book but read this review.

This is a great book but it is not for everyone. This is a book that is laid out like a textbook. Each chapter has lots of sub points with each given a section. It’s kind of weird to listen to. Also, as you go through the book it will mention someone and jump back to pre-war telling about them for a second. That was kind of confusing but I got used to it.

It’s a quick listen and it is nice to have something to listen to on Tarawa. It does refer to the beach quickly at the beginning so having a mental image of the landing zones will help you. At the very least you need to know the shape of the island. Just look up the landing zone names and you will be good. That is what all the orienting details are framed around ex: "east of zone B" or "west of beach red".

I would buy it again because I like this kind of stuff. If you just have a passing interest in Armored warfare and/or Tarawa (Galvanic) I would say you won’t get near as much from it as if you had read it. I have both, print is better but I’m a audio book and tank nut so it suited me.