In 1942–almost 70 years before I joined the unit–my old infantry battalion was a part of the group of American forces that surrendered to the Japanese in the Philippines just six months into World War II and then participated in the Bataan Death March. Numbering 76,000 Americans and Filipinos, there has been no greater United States military surrender in history. During the battle preceding the surrender, my battalion’s former regiment–the 4th Marine Regiment–was responsible for the beach defenses at Corregidor–a small island situated in the entrance to Manila Bay. As the Japanese onslaught reached Corregidor, the malnourished, ill-supplied Americans fought despite facing no incoming American reinforcements. Still the Marines fought. In the face of certain defeat, the Army general in control of the American forces ordered a wholesale surrender. The Marines gathered together and burned their regimental colors to avoid its capture. After falling into Japanese hands, the 4th Marine Regiment’s Marines embarked on the so-called Bataan Death March. By the end of the war–whether from combat action, the Death March, or the following horrors in the prison camps–two-thirds of the 4th Marine Regiment’s officers and the majority of its enlisted Marines were killed. The tale in my unit was that…Continue reading A neophyte tackles the Bataan Death March
Category: Books
Profiles in courage: Fr. Ben Morin, S.J. (Lieutenant U.S. Army)
It’s late December 1941–the first fortnight of the U.S.’s involvement in the Second World War. You’re a 21-year old tank platoon commander. Just four weeks earlier, you and your men arrived in the Philippines. When you arrived, complacency ruled. American military members concerned themselves more with nightlife and parties than fighting the Japanese. Now a short month later, you’re at war. The Japanese have landed and are bearing down on your position as American and Filipino forces withdraw all around. Your whole tank company unit is running out of fuel. Someone needs to stop–or at least slow down–the advancing Japanese to facilitate the withdrawal. Your commanding officer informs higher echelon commanders that his company will pool its remaining fuel and that you will be taking your platoon of five tanks into the Japanese force’s teeth to buy the main body more time. Such was the position Ben Morin of Maywood, Illinois found himself in on December 22, 1941. A child of the Great Depression, Morin enlisted in the Army as a high school senior in 1938. By late ’41, he had been selected as an officer and given command his platoon. On December 22 of that year, Morin’s tank platoon…Continue reading Profiles in courage: Fr. Ben Morin, S.J. (Lieutenant U.S. Army)
2017 reading list
With no further delay, here’s my 2017 reading list. Fiction and biographies dominate the list this year. At my job, I read a lot of dense legal materials, and reading is an escape for me. So lately, I’ve really liked to focus on stories. Biographies are the more “acceptable” forms of storytelling (some people think that reading fiction is a waste), but sometimes biographies are more dramatic and spellbinding than fiction. After all, truth is stranger than fiction. Note this list is in order of how much I enjoyed them. Individual experiences may vary: Independent People–Haldor Laxness (a classic for my all-time great list; simply stunning although a bit slow on the uptake) Clouds of Glory–Michael Korda (in a year where Americans tore down, defaced, and desecrated statues of Confederates all across the nation, this book solidified Robert E. Lee in my mind as, however flawed, one of the finest men out nation has ever produced) Gates of Fire–Steven Pressfield (a classic story of the Spartan 300 as told to Xerxes; a must-read for lower level leaders in the trenches with their subordinates) Napoleon: A Life–Andrew Roberts (a wonderful, informing read–highly recommended for the Napoleonic newbie) The Martian–Andy Weir (a good…Continue reading 2017 reading list
2015/16 (partial) reading list
I plan to put out my 2017 reading list soon, so I figured I should have the last one done. In the future, I hope to offer a short review of each book, but back in 2015/16 I did not plan to do that. Also, I did not keep really good records back then. Anyways, here’s the (partial) list: Flashboys–Michael Lewis A Man in Full–Tom Wolfe Dune–Frank Herbert American Caesar–William Manchester Goodbye Darkness–William Manchester The Stand–Stephen King Conversations with Major Dick Winters–Cole Kingseed Meditations–Marcus Aurelias The Revenant–Michael Punke Bonhoeffer–Eric Metaxas Blood Meridian–Cormack McCarthy Best book of the bunch? Bonhoeffer