Title: On the Canal : the Marines of L-3-5 on Guadalcanal, 1942 /
Authors: Marion, Ore J.; Cuddihy, Thomas.; Cuddihy, Edward.
Publisher: Stackpole Books,
Year: 2004
Subjects: Marion, Ore J.; United States.; Guadalcanal, Battle of, Solomon Islands, 1942-1943; World War, 1939-1945 Personal narratives, American.; World War, 1939-1945 Regimental histories United States.; Marines United States Biography
Abstract: A straightforward, gripping tale from the Marines that stormed ashore on Guadalcanal in World War II. Told with humor and honesty in a no-holds-barred approach that only a Marine who was there could tell. Excerpt on firing a rifle grenade: "I jammed the rifle stock tight against my shoulder, raised myself up off the ground to a kneeling position, and squeezed the trigger. The rifle went bang! And the recoil jarred it loose from my grip. The rifle smacked me hard in the jaw. With that, I went down on my face while the little bluebirds started going tweet, tweet, tweet around my head. 'Did I hit it?' I asked. 'Yeah, you hit it, ' Flash said. 'The thing just didn't work. 'We finally ran into somebody from another unit, a guy who really understood how the new style grenade was supposed to work. We explained our misfortune to him, and he asked us did you pull the firing pin out!"
Contents: Late July-Early August 1942 -- Our journey to Guadalcanal -- The second half of August 1942 -- September 1942 -- October 1942 -- November and early December 1942 -- Three Guadalcanals -- The cobbers -- Epilogue : a note to Iwo Jima.