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Bloody Ridge and Beyond: A World War II Marine's Memoir of Edson's Raiders in the Pacific
By a veteran of Lt. Col. Merritt A. Edson's battalion, and author of the Dick Winters biography Biggest Brother and coauthor of A Higher Call
On the killing ground that was the island of Guadalcanal, a 2,000-yard-long ridge rose from the jungle canopy. Behind it lay the all-important air base of Henderson Field. And if Henderson Field fell, it would mean the almost certain death or capture of all 12,500 marines on the island . . .
But the marines positioned on the ridge were no normal fighters. They were tough, hard-fighting men of the Edson’s Raiders; an elite fighting unit within an already elite U.S. Marine Corps. Handpicked for their toughness, and submitted to a rigorous training program to weed out those less fit, they were the Marine Corps’s best of the best.
For two hellish nights in September 1942, about 840 United States Marines—commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Austin “Red Mike” Edson—fought one of the most pivotal battles of World War II in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Bloody Ridge.
Wave after wave of attacking Japanese soldiers were repelled by the Raiders, who knew that defeat and retreat were simply not possible options. But in the end, the defenders had prevailed against the odds.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond is the story of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, which showed courage and valor in the face of overwhelming numbers, as told by Marlin Groft, a man who was a member of this incredible fighting force.
On the killing ground that was the island of Guadalcanal, a 2,000-yard-long ridge rose from the jungle canopy. Behind it lay the all-important air base of Henderson Field. And if Henderson Field fell, it would mean the almost certain death or capture of all 12,500 marines on the island . . .
But the marines positioned on the ridge were no normal fighters. They were tough, hard-fighting men of the Edson’s Raiders; an elite fighting unit within an already elite U.S. Marine Corps. Handpicked for their toughness, and submitted to a rigorous training program to weed out those less fit, they were the Marine Corps’s best of the best.
For two hellish nights in September 1942, about 840 United States Marines—commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Austin “Red Mike” Edson—fought one of the most pivotal battles of World War II in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Bloody Ridge.
Wave after wave of attacking Japanese soldiers were repelled by the Raiders, who knew that defeat and retreat were simply not possible options. But in the end, the defenders had prevailed against the odds.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond is the story of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, which showed courage and valor in the face of overwhelming numbers, as told by Marlin Groft, a man who was a member of this incredible fighting force.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 15, 2021
The Battle for Guadalcanal, one of the southern Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, that the United States initiated in August 1942 was designed to take advantage of a recent dramatic turn in the Pacific war. Just six months after Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy suffered a shocking defeat at the battle of Midway (June 3-6 1942). American dive-bombers destroyed four of Japan’s aircraft carriers, momentarily breaking Japanese naval power. The landing at Guadalcanal was quickly devised to take advantage of this recent dramatic turn in the Pacific war. Along with the Battle of Midway, the fighting on Guadalcanal marked a turning point in favor of the Allies in the Pacific War.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond: A World War II Marine's Memoir of Edson's Raiders in the Pacific is a memoir about Marine unit known as Edson’s Raiders of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. Bloody Ridge was a 2,000-yard-long ridge behind which lay the important air base of Henderson Field. If Henderson Field fell, it would endanger the 12,500 marines located on the island. Positioned on the ridge were the elite fighting unit known as Edson s Raiders, a group of handpicked Marines who were submitted to a rigorous training program. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson, these Marines fought one of the most pivotal World War II battles in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Edson’s Ridge, or Bloody Ridge.
I have the utmost respect for our men in uniform who fought during World War II. My own father served more than three years in the South Pacific, including on Okinawa. He came down with malaria seven times, shaking down the thermometer while in the hospital so he could return to duty. Most of the fathers in our neighborhood fought in the war, many of them bore the scars (both physical and emotional). A good friend of mine landed on the beach in France during the D-Day landing. I wrote a letter to him when he was honored by the organization known as Honor Flight, expressing my appreciation for his service. Despite my appreciation for their sacrifices, I did not particularly enjoy Bloody Ridge and Beyond . There are several reasons. First, there were a number of factual errors in the book. The first I noticed was when the island of Guadalcanal was described as an 800-mile-long island (in actuality, it is about 85 miles long). Another concern has to do with the amount of time between the events described and the publication of the book in October 2014 by Marlin “Whitey” Groft, when the author was 90 years old—more than 70 years after the events described! My 71st birthday is just two weeks away, and I can assure you that I have problems remembering events of just 50 to 60 years ago with any amount of clarity. Finally, the writing (co-authored by Larry Alexander) was average at best, filled with trite metaphors. What these men went through was horrific and what they accomplished was important; nonetheless, I would prefer a well-written account.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond: A World War II Marine's Memoir of Edson's Raiders in the Pacific is a memoir about Marine unit known as Edson’s Raiders of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. Bloody Ridge was a 2,000-yard-long ridge behind which lay the important air base of Henderson Field. If Henderson Field fell, it would endanger the 12,500 marines located on the island. Positioned on the ridge were the elite fighting unit known as Edson s Raiders, a group of handpicked Marines who were submitted to a rigorous training program. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson, these Marines fought one of the most pivotal World War II battles in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Edson’s Ridge, or Bloody Ridge.
I have the utmost respect for our men in uniform who fought during World War II. My own father served more than three years in the South Pacific, including on Okinawa. He came down with malaria seven times, shaking down the thermometer while in the hospital so he could return to duty. Most of the fathers in our neighborhood fought in the war, many of them bore the scars (both physical and emotional). A good friend of mine landed on the beach in France during the D-Day landing. I wrote a letter to him when he was honored by the organization known as Honor Flight, expressing my appreciation for his service. Despite my appreciation for their sacrifices, I did not particularly enjoy Bloody Ridge and Beyond . There are several reasons. First, there were a number of factual errors in the book. The first I noticed was when the island of Guadalcanal was described as an 800-mile-long island (in actuality, it is about 85 miles long). Another concern has to do with the amount of time between the events described and the publication of the book in October 2014 by Marlin “Whitey” Groft, when the author was 90 years old—more than 70 years after the events described! My 71st birthday is just two weeks away, and I can assure you that I have problems remembering events of just 50 to 60 years ago with any amount of clarity. Finally, the writing (co-authored by Larry Alexander) was average at best, filled with trite metaphors. What these men went through was horrific and what they accomplished was important; nonetheless, I would prefer a well-written account.
October 29, 2014
I have read other books about the Marine battles during WWII, but this one is really special. Being able to read about a group of men who were elite even among the already elite is really special and puts a different perspective on what I know about Guadalcanal. Definitely a great book.
March 23, 2017
This is an entertaining book that mixes the reflections of Marlin "Whitey" Groft's experiences during World War II with research and (presumably) writing done by author Larry Alexander. The accounts of combat are exciting, and the book clips right along. It's the type of "in the trenches" narrative that I love (though I like those that give the big picture of a battle, too).
However it has some mistakes. Some of these might be Groft's, but I hold Alexander accountable for these as he is the professional writer. Groft's memories have to span back over seventy years, but Alexander could have easily corrected any errors if he'd done a bit of in-depth research. Alexander referenced only five books for the work. Five.
The book states that the Marines used the K-Bar fighting knife on Guadalcanal in close combat fighting and the training leading up to it. They didn't. The knife wasn't issued to Marines until the following year. Groft and his buddies probably had one at some point during the war, but it wasn't at Guadalcanal. This might be Groft's error, given that, and it's certainly a forgivable one and it doesn't in any way diminish accounts of the use of blades in close combat. Indeed, I found those tremendously interesting.
At one point it states that the Marines were forbidden from smoking in transit to the Tasimboko raid with the command "The smoking lamp is lit." This phrase actually means that Marines are allowed to smoke, not forbidden it. "The smoking lamp is out" means that smoking is not allowed.
The book states that "Guadalcanal is a big island, one of the largest in the Solomon chain, eight hundred miles in length and thirty-four wide." The island is 136 kilometers long (84.5 miles) by 48 kilometers wide (about thirty miles). Alexander has the island itself being ten times longer than it actually is, which is roughly half the length of New Zealand. Eight hundred miles is longer than the distance from Lansing Michigan to Atlanta, Georgia. The Solomon Islands chain itself is only 930 miles long. That's a tremendous error and extremely sloppy research.
That said, this is a fun and exciting book in spite of its mistakes. Groft witnessed some truly horrific action during WWII with a famed and elite unit. Groft's account lends a perspective that we rarely see in accounts of the campaign in the Solomons.
And the ending of the book, where Groft returns to Guadalcanal and Tulagi after sixty years, is deeply moving.
However it has some mistakes. Some of these might be Groft's, but I hold Alexander accountable for these as he is the professional writer. Groft's memories have to span back over seventy years, but Alexander could have easily corrected any errors if he'd done a bit of in-depth research. Alexander referenced only five books for the work. Five.
The book states that the Marines used the K-Bar fighting knife on Guadalcanal in close combat fighting and the training leading up to it. They didn't. The knife wasn't issued to Marines until the following year. Groft and his buddies probably had one at some point during the war, but it wasn't at Guadalcanal. This might be Groft's error, given that, and it's certainly a forgivable one and it doesn't in any way diminish accounts of the use of blades in close combat. Indeed, I found those tremendously interesting.
At one point it states that the Marines were forbidden from smoking in transit to the Tasimboko raid with the command "The smoking lamp is lit." This phrase actually means that Marines are allowed to smoke, not forbidden it. "The smoking lamp is out" means that smoking is not allowed.
The book states that "Guadalcanal is a big island, one of the largest in the Solomon chain, eight hundred miles in length and thirty-four wide." The island is 136 kilometers long (84.5 miles) by 48 kilometers wide (about thirty miles). Alexander has the island itself being ten times longer than it actually is, which is roughly half the length of New Zealand. Eight hundred miles is longer than the distance from Lansing Michigan to Atlanta, Georgia. The Solomon Islands chain itself is only 930 miles long. That's a tremendous error and extremely sloppy research.
That said, this is a fun and exciting book in spite of its mistakes. Groft witnessed some truly horrific action during WWII with a famed and elite unit. Groft's account lends a perspective that we rarely see in accounts of the campaign in the Solomons.
And the ending of the book, where Groft returns to Guadalcanal and Tulagi after sixty years, is deeply moving.
April 4, 2016
Based on a brief, unpublished memoir, interviews, and official documents, the authors provide a history of the US Marine Corps' 1st Raider Battalion during World War II from an enlisted man's perspective. This is an interesting and easy read that gives insight into the Pacific Theater. Even seventy years after the events, the book portrays the espirit de corps of Marines. It is a must read for military history buffs and Marines of all eras.
September 14, 2022
Marlin "Whitey" Groft paints a vivid picture of a young man going to war during WW II. He served his time in the Pacific theater and was one of the thousands who island hopped their way to victory. He recounts his experiences of battle, pride, frustration, and fear in a genuine way. He details the lose of friends; his hatred of the enemy; his esprit de corps; and his final metamorphosis.
October 30, 2017
A good view from the enlisted perspective from some of the most legendary events in Marine Corps history. True to military form there are long stretches of boredom and little outside perspectives added in.
August 24, 2019
I'll overlook a number of errors which I attribute more to Alexander than Groft and still rate this a 4-star read. The Ka-Bar knife was adopted for use by the Marine Corps on 23 November 1942 and not widely issued until late in 1943, well after the fighting on Guadalcanal had ended. Members of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion at the time of Guadalcanal were armed with issued stilettos augmented with personal hunting knifes and machetes for use in hand-to-hand fighting. The relatively thin blades of the issued stilettos made them impracticable as a utility knife, hence the switch to the multifunctional Ka-Bar. Guadalcanal is nowhere near the size described in the book.
Petty observations? Perhaps, but my late father, a WWII and Korean War veteran, a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman, and an old "China sailor" lost interest in the critically acclaimed movie "The Sand Pebbles" during its opening sequence when a sailor (portrayed by Steve McQueen) reported aboard ship carrying his sea bag over his shoulder - a sea bag, according to my Dad, not knotted properly.
A former Vietnam-era Navy Corpsman myself, I'm my father's son.
Petty observations? Perhaps, but my late father, a WWII and Korean War veteran, a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman, and an old "China sailor" lost interest in the critically acclaimed movie "The Sand Pebbles" during its opening sequence when a sailor (portrayed by Steve McQueen) reported aboard ship carrying his sea bag over his shoulder - a sea bag, according to my Dad, not knotted properly.
A former Vietnam-era Navy Corpsman myself, I'm my father's son.
December 17, 2017
This last year I popped in the car and headed to my first WW2 Marine Raider Reunion. I knew next to nothing about the Raiders, but I had a 12 hour drive to get a crash-course before getting to the reunion. This book was exactly what I needed. Marlin Groft gives a captivating narrative of his time in the Marine Raiders, explaining the history of their formation, the leaders, the battles (highlighting the Battle of Bloody Ridge) and the Raiders epic role in WW2.
During the Raider Reunion that weekend, as the veterans talked about Bloody Ridge, Tulagi, and the Solomon Islands Campaign, I felt familiarized with the names, places, and events, thanks to this book, and was able to come come away with a pretty good understanding of our Marine Raiders in WW2.
Definitely recommend for anyone interested in the Marine Corps' part in the Pacific in WW2. You'll fall in love with the Raiders.
During the Raider Reunion that weekend, as the veterans talked about Bloody Ridge, Tulagi, and the Solomon Islands Campaign, I felt familiarized with the names, places, and events, thanks to this book, and was able to come come away with a pretty good understanding of our Marine Raiders in WW2.
Definitely recommend for anyone interested in the Marine Corps' part in the Pacific in WW2. You'll fall in love with the Raiders.
February 6, 2021
This falls into the memoir category and it is a good one. Mr. Groft comes through loud and clear, which is a credit to Mr. Alexander. Of late I've been on a Pacific War run, reading several histories and memoirs covering various battles and campaigns. This one is not an academic study and not really about any one battle, although a couple play major roles. It is really the story of a young grunt Marine, typical of so many legions of warriors of the time, who stepped from one world into another. We get the whole picture: Military life as a young Marine, new experiences, eye witness accounts, and the unvarnished truth as seen from a decidedly one sided perspective. I would have like to have met Mr. Groft. I suspect he and my father would have agreed on much. I also suspect that a day, night, or day and night spent listening to him reminisce would be worth the bar tab. The man saw stuff and he (and Mr. Alexander) know how to tell it the way it was. Better than most of its sort I would say, made more so by its transparency and ethos. It is irreverent at times by today's standards but then it didn't happen today. It happened then, and this telling paints a good picture of life in that time in the midst of that struggle. The epilogue is the icing on the cake as we get to meet and observe a different Mr. Groft. Again, my father would approve.
I listened to the Audible.com version which is notable for the superb narration by Joe Barrett, the best I've ever heard in this genre.
I listened to the Audible.com version which is notable for the superb narration by Joe Barrett, the best I've ever heard in this genre.
March 29, 2021
I have been digging deep on WWII in the Pacific. That island-to-island fights, where they moved between the mass destruction from machine gun / flame thrower to the person killing with knife/bayonet in the same day. Now add in the conditions of heat, rain, mud, insects and ocean. And horrible supplies and illness... Just has to be one of the most extremes of any human experience to this point.
This moments were fought by normal men, often plucked from simple young lives to be dropped into these tropical meat-grinders. Hell was found on these island paradises. The physical strain is unbelievable, the mental strain unendurable.
My grandfather was in the Navy during this time, and I have no memory of him ever speaking about the War. I was too young when he passed to have understood enough to even know what to ask. But I sure am curious.
This moments were fought by normal men, often plucked from simple young lives to be dropped into these tropical meat-grinders. Hell was found on these island paradises. The physical strain is unbelievable, the mental strain unendurable.
My grandfather was in the Navy during this time, and I have no memory of him ever speaking about the War. I was too young when he passed to have understood enough to even know what to ask. But I sure am curious.
October 22, 2020
I read this right after Voices of the Pacific: Untold Stories from the Marine Heroes of World War II, because I was curious and wanted to learn more about the Pacific side of World War II.
It's engaging and educational, though I would say it's targeted at readers who enjoy reading about the action parts of war, whereas I was hoping to get more insight into the day to day details of physiological and psychological survival.
It's engaging and educational, though I would say it's targeted at readers who enjoy reading about the action parts of war, whereas I was hoping to get more insight into the day to day details of physiological and psychological survival.
January 27, 2023
Edson's Ridge (or, Bloody Ridge as its also known), during the Guadalcanal campaign... as a student of military history and World War 2, it was a place I knew about and was interested to learn more about. Hearing Marlin's story was incredible. He was _there_ for so many different parts of the Guadalcanal story, the life and death as described in his memoir is sobering.
I have recently taken a deeper interest in the stories of Guadalcanal as I worked on a story for my anthology, and diving into the battle has been a past-time over the last year. Hearing Marlin's story and the success of the raiders was a nice cap to the end of a year-long campaign of educating myself on the battle.
I have recently taken a deeper interest in the stories of Guadalcanal as I worked on a story for my anthology, and diving into the battle has been a past-time over the last year. Hearing Marlin's story and the success of the raiders was a nice cap to the end of a year-long campaign of educating myself on the battle.
December 24, 2018
Magnificent! This is the story of an eighteen year old kid who became a man in August 1942. The horror and courage are all there. The pride and undefinable semper fi attitude present in the Raiders is always on display. He never brags or boasts; he and all like him are way beyond that. It is gratifying to learn that the Raiders have been reconstituted as part of the Special Operations Command. Whitey would like that.
February 1, 2020
A very underrated account of the life and experiences of a World War II era Marine and member of Edson's Raiders. The author does a great job of sharing his experiences without turning the narrative into a dry history book.
The book is obviously very well researched and facts are mixed into the story line without bogging down the narrative. Only real complaint is that a couple of maps would have been nice to reference locations.
The book is obviously very well researched and facts are mixed into the story line without bogging down the narrative. Only real complaint is that a couple of maps would have been nice to reference locations.
July 29, 2018
An very readable, outstanding accounting of one Marine's experiences during some of the most horrific battles of the Pacific in WWII. A must read for those interested in WWII. I was sad to read that Marlin "Whitey" Groft passed away this year at the age of 94. He truly was an American hero.
February 23, 2020
Excellent first-hand account of the Marines at war. Whitey Groft was there for some of the most fierce fighting of the war in the Pacific and lived to write about it. Vivid details of life and death on the front lines from a man in the foxhole.
July 11, 2020
A great account of being a Marine Raider during WWII. It is very personal memoir especially the end of the book. It is a very easy book to read. Even though I'm a avid WWII reader, I realized that I didn't know that much about the Marine Raider Battalions.
May 19, 2020
a great read. marlin groft's memory provides an amazing level of detail of his experiences.
September 23, 2021
A wonderful read.
February 13, 2025
A very good read!
April 2, 2015
Fantastic first person memoir of Marlin Groft, a member of a group of Marines known as Edson's Raiders, from their forming stateside shortly after the start of the Pacific war, to their first battles in the Solomons, on Tulagi and Guadalcanal, where they were outnumbered and often insufficiently supported, to his presence at the formal surrender of the Japanese forces near Tsingtao, China. This book is an honest representation of Marlin's experiences, the good, the bad, the emotional, and the crazy, though never with braggadocio. Well organized and written, making it hard to put down. The only complaint is the total lack of maps, I had to often refer to online maps, for which very specific places are difficult to find; Perhaps the author felt these would detract from his story. This story provided as good an understanding as I'm likely to get, of what it was like to be a Marine in the early parts of the South Pacific theater. The epilogue, describing his visit to the area in 2002, the first and only time he went back after the war, brought great closure to the book.
August 27, 2020
Great account of the Battle of Bloody Ridge and "Edson's Raiders".
May 10, 2025
Great read
This is a very good and personal account of this man's time in the raiders and beyond. I have read lots of books about guadalcanal this is one of the best
This is a very good and personal account of this man's time in the raiders and beyond. I have read lots of books about guadalcanal this is one of the best
July 28, 2016
This is a well written first-hand account of a marine's experiences in World War 2.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews