D-Days in the Pacific With the US Coastguard: The Story of Lucky Thirteen

By: Ken Wiley

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Synopsis: An award-winning, personal account of US amphibious operations in WWII by a veteran Coast Guardsman—illustrated with photographs and drawings.During World War II, Ken Wiley was a Coast Guardsman on an attack transport in the Pacific. In this work of historical memoir, Wiley relates the complex and often nerve-wracking story of how the United States projected its power across six thousand miles of ocean. Each invasion was a swirl of moving parts, from frogmen to fire support, transport mother ships to attack transports. In this vivid account, Wiley “brings the reader close to the experiences of another band of brothers,” from the camaraderie of young men facing unimaginable circumstances to the last terrifying stage when courageous soldiers stormed the beaches (Military Illustrated).Wiley participated in the campaigns for the Marshall Islands, the Marianas, the Philippines, and Okinawa. He recounts each with a precise eye for detail, relating numerous aspects of landing craft operations, such as ferrying wounded, that are often overlooked.Winner of the 2008 Foundation for Coast Guard History Book Award.