Close Combat

The Corps Series, Book 6

By: W. E. B. Griffin

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

As Japanese forces close in for an all-out effort to recapture Guadalcanal from the American forces occupying the island, many fates converge and intertwine. First Lieutenant William Dunn, 21 years old but already one of the only two pilots remaining from his fighter squadron’s original 16, must learn what it is like to lead men - and to lose them. Hot-tempered Sergeant Thomas McCoy finds he has a hero’s welcome waiting stateside - if he can avoid a court-martial first. On a bloody island, Major Jake Dillon discovers just how much combat is involved in a combat correspondent’s life. First Lieutenant R.B. Macklin, a consummate bully, is put on a War Bond tour so he will not endanger his own men. General Fleming Pickering, on a ticklish diplomatic mission, attempts to balance the hot and mighty temperaments of General Douglas MacArthur, OSS Chief William “Wild Bill” Donovan, and Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox. Corporal Robert Easterbrook, still wet behind the ears, discovers that the price of success in wartime may be uncomfortably high. From the Solomons to Australia to Washington, D.C., the warriors - plus the wives and sweethearts who love them - once more find themselves with the challenges of their lives...

©1993 W.E.B. Griffin (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Awesome Book in an Awesome Series

I have been reading books by W.E.B. Griffin for over 30 years. The Corps is some of his best work.

Captures your attention.

Just when I think I see where the storyline is going, it takes a turn in another direction. This type of story telling mixing fact with fiction also teaches you about history.

Dick hill is superb at character definition with his skillful ability to form pictures in your mind of the characters he defines so well with his voice. Anxious to start the next book in the series.

thanks to the coast watchers

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes I love how Griffin involves factual history into his fictional writing

What did you like best about this story?

Ken McCoy and Pic. On boca island

Have you listened to any of Dick Hill’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yesDick Hilll does a very good job

If you could take any character from Close Combat out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Jack or Ken

Another Excellent Contribution to The Corps Series

This is another excellent volume in The Corp series, following marine aviators, infantry, and press corps as they return to the states from the fighting on Guadalcanal. On the one hand, this book is clearly setting up the next which will focus on contacting guerillas in the Philippines and the tension between the intelligence services and especially the OSS and General MacArthur. Yet it also shows other aspects of life for servicemen and women during the war—especially the press corps—and ends with a tremendously emotional moment between a very young photographer and a medal of honor winner with an attitude problem.

This series is not high on actual combat. Griffin’s gift is to make the bureaucratic operations of the war intensely exciting. He makes it look as if the war has to be first fought with the bureaucrats in the military and in Washington before guns can actually be turned upon the enemy combatants.

My first complaint, and it’s a small one, is that Griffin is extremely interested in the romantic endeavors of his cast of characters. A lot of pages get spent on these endeavors which at first appearance does not seem to be directed toward chronicling the deeds of the marines in the war. However, upon consideration, it occurred to me that the men and women in harms way probably did indeed spend a lot of time thinking about potential romantic escapades that they could pursue when off the front, and so I think that in the broader view of the lives of these men and women these pages were probably right on target.

My second complaint, again a small one, is how many of the characters are extremely wealthy. That seems improbable, but I don’t know that it is. I’ve noticed in these sorts of series that authors love to focus on officers of tremendous financial resources.

Was Griffin an alcoholic

Griffen’s character’s spend most if their time drinking and not keeping secrets .


Was Griffen himself an alcoholic?
Did he dislike officers?

Close combat

F to the next few weeks I think n to be there for by your own house or something that is going well for me but I’m going back to work and work

Another good one

Minor surprises but good ones. Interesting to see changes and growth of characters and plot.

Love The Killer, Ken McCoy.

As with the entire Corp series this book was excellent work. WEB. the 3rd is my favorite author.

Can listen multiple times

Wedding book in Australia. Interesting story line. Makes you realize combat journalist belonged in marines.

Well produced and executed!

This book, like to ones before, has the same narrator. It works because the voice is the same throughout!