by Robert Coram
This book was a fun read for me since I grew up on Marine bases.
A few items I want to remember:
- “outstanding”
- “squared away”
- story of the Marines begins at Belleau Wood in 1918
- General Holland Smith pivotal connection for Kralak
- married Amy Charndler (father was admiral, mother rich)
- Given assignment to test various landing crafts in San Diego
- Sent to Shanghai during WWII
- went to Quantico for Experditionary Warefare School
- Smith now in charge of amphibious training
- Kralaw designed landing craft similar to ones he observed in Japan
- “take a message to Garcia”
- Andrew Higgins – “Higgin’s boats”
- Guadalcanal
- Kennedy false stories
- Roy Geiger
- long history of the Army and Navy trying to get rid of the Marines
- Truman wanted to make smaller/disovlve
- Vandegrift/Krulak other put up a fighy by going to congress
- Krulak promoted the use of helicopters after wwii
- Krulak prepared Marines for Korea ? Pusan (general shepard)
- Maggie Higgins – claims Halbarstam and Sheendan full of shit
- Krulak – proponent of “counter insurgency” in Vietnam
- ROAD – retired on active duty