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The Last to Die: A Forgotten Bomber and the Final Air Combat of World War II
On August 18, 1945, US Army Sergeant Anthony J. Marchione bled to death in the clear, bright sky above Tokyo. Marchione, a gunner in the US Air Force, died, like so many before him in World War II, quietly, cradled in the arms of a buddy. Though tragic, Marchione's death would have been no more notable than any other had he not had the dubious distinction of being the last American killed in World War II combat. Based on official American and Japanese histories, personal memoirs, and the author's exclusive interviews with many of the story's key participants, Last to Die is a rousing tale of air combat, bravery, cowardice, hubris, and determination, all set during the turbulent and confusing final days of World War II.
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First published July 14, 2015
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About the author
Stephen Harding
11 books24 followersAs a defense journalist Stephen Harding covered the conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Middle East and, most recently, Iraq. The author of seven books and some 300 magazine articles, he specializes in military, aviation and maritime topics."
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 29, 2021
A very good and in-depth read about the last days of World War 2 over the skies of Japan. The book centers around the short life of Anthony Marchione, a U.S. Army Air Forces crew member that was the last airman to die in combat in World War 2. But the book covers so much more, from the struggle of the Japanese government to surrender and all the in-fighting between those that wanted peace and the die-hard bushido warriors who tried to overthrow the government and took to the skies days after the declared cease-fire that lead to the death of Marchione. And the troubled B-32 Dominator's brief combat history before being scrapped into obscurity by history. A must for World War 2 and aviation enthusiasts.
December 6, 2018
A good story combining the personal fate of Sgt Marchione, the last combat death in the Pacific with both the story of the troubled B-32 Dominator bomber and the machinations of the Japanese diehards who did not want to surrender at the end. The actual event bringing together Sgt Marchione and the attacking Japanese fighter fills a very small portion of the book. I was interested in the B-32 story as there is very little written on this airplane. Sadly every single B-32 was scrapped after the war, even the one reserved for the AF Museum. The story of the Japanese mutineers has been told several times in other books I have read and did not reveal much new information, except the small group of aviation fanatics. The restraint by the Allies to the Japanese attacks on recce aircraft after the surrender proved to be the right course of action. Three Stars
June 11, 2015
Engrossing account of the immediate days after the atomic bombing of Japan.
Utilising the story of US Army sergeant Anthony J. Marchione, Steven Harding weaves in the detail of the incendiary period where Japanese factions clashed over whether to continue hostilities or surrender.
Marchione was the last American aircrew fatality in combat in the Pacific theatre and the book covers in detail his enlistment, the aircraft he flew in and his eventual demise high above Tokyo.
In addition there is a lot of detail around the Japanese deliberations over surrender or a continuation of hostilities as well as the Allied reactions.
Whilst this is a story of politics and war, it’s also a personal story of the Marchione family and the loss of their only son in the last shots of World War 2.
Harding has effectively combined an intensely personal story with the wider details of the conflict to produce both a moving, but also informative and readable account of the last days of the World War 2 in the Pacific.
Utilising the story of US Army sergeant Anthony J. Marchione, Steven Harding weaves in the detail of the incendiary period where Japanese factions clashed over whether to continue hostilities or surrender.
Marchione was the last American aircrew fatality in combat in the Pacific theatre and the book covers in detail his enlistment, the aircraft he flew in and his eventual demise high above Tokyo.
In addition there is a lot of detail around the Japanese deliberations over surrender or a continuation of hostilities as well as the Allied reactions.
Whilst this is a story of politics and war, it’s also a personal story of the Marchione family and the loss of their only son in the last shots of World War 2.
Harding has effectively combined an intensely personal story with the wider details of the conflict to produce both a moving, but also informative and readable account of the last days of the World War 2 in the Pacific.
December 30, 2018
Goodreads' WWII Group's December buddy read was any 1945 campaign or battle. Last to Die recounts the story of post-ceasefire, pre-surrender attacks on US reconnaissance planes by Japanese naval planes in August 1945.
The book has four threads: 1) the overall Allied air strategy in the PTO; 2) the capitulation of, and resultant ceasefire by, Japanese forces; 3) violations of the ceasefire; and 4) the death of 21 year old Anthony Marchione. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the author does not succeed in weaving the threads into a coherent whole, though each part contains interesting information.
The air strategy component focuses on the Terminator/Dominator, the B32, and the competing B29. The author clearly feels the B32 should have been abandoned as a lost cause. However, I was left wondering who amongst those pushing for development and deployment were also aware of the development of the atomic bombs and was mindful that, until they were dropped, no one discounted the possibility of the need to invade the Japanese home islands. In fact, the violations of the ceasefire left the invasion question open. Even once resolved, the Allies needed information on the location of POWs so goods and medical supplies could be dropped to them and on the state of infrastructure needed for occupation. The author penned a 58 page book, in 1984, on the B32, which perhaps goes into such issues in greater depth.
While familiar with stories of Japanese soldiers on remote islands believing for years that the war continued, the failed coup d'etat of high ranking Japanese officers after Hirohito's decision to surrender and the mutiny amongst pilots leading to violation of the ceasefire were new to me. MacArthur's measured response avoided catapulting the Allies back into war. I do wonder, however, whether he consulted the President or Allies, as it might provide insight into Korea.
From the author's research into the B32, he came across the story of Marchione's death and retained an interest in writing about the last man to die in combat. The author notes that some died after the formal surrender. (Personally, I would count those who died in the crash of the B32 taking off on the same type of reconnaissance mission.) I expected this to be the most interesting part of the book, but it is sadly lacking. Text on training and deployment, in some instances, relies on standard procedures, as Marchione's record is incomplete. A poem to Jo, and letters to Dick and Don, are quoted without any further information on who the recipients were. Indeed, most of the information relates to internment and reinterment.
I am not sorry that I read the book but was disappointed.
The book has four threads: 1) the overall Allied air strategy in the PTO; 2) the capitulation of, and resultant ceasefire by, Japanese forces; 3) violations of the ceasefire; and 4) the death of 21 year old Anthony Marchione. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the author does not succeed in weaving the threads into a coherent whole, though each part contains interesting information.
The air strategy component focuses on the Terminator/Dominator, the B32, and the competing B29. The author clearly feels the B32 should have been abandoned as a lost cause. However, I was left wondering who amongst those pushing for development and deployment were also aware of the development of the atomic bombs and was mindful that, until they were dropped, no one discounted the possibility of the need to invade the Japanese home islands. In fact, the violations of the ceasefire left the invasion question open. Even once resolved, the Allies needed information on the location of POWs so goods and medical supplies could be dropped to them and on the state of infrastructure needed for occupation. The author penned a 58 page book, in 1984, on the B32, which perhaps goes into such issues in greater depth.
While familiar with stories of Japanese soldiers on remote islands believing for years that the war continued, the failed coup d'etat of high ranking Japanese officers after Hirohito's decision to surrender and the mutiny amongst pilots leading to violation of the ceasefire were new to me. MacArthur's measured response avoided catapulting the Allies back into war. I do wonder, however, whether he consulted the President or Allies, as it might provide insight into Korea.
From the author's research into the B32, he came across the story of Marchione's death and retained an interest in writing about the last man to die in combat. The author notes that some died after the formal surrender. (Personally, I would count those who died in the crash of the B32 taking off on the same type of reconnaissance mission.) I expected this to be the most interesting part of the book, but it is sadly lacking. Text on training and deployment, in some instances, relies on standard procedures, as Marchione's record is incomplete. A poem to Jo, and letters to Dick and Don, are quoted without any further information on who the recipients were. Indeed, most of the information relates to internment and reinterment.
I am not sorry that I read the book but was disappointed.
May 18, 2023
As the title implies, author Harding weaves 3 threads into this tale, and I’ll add a fourth which is the history and performance of the B-32 Dominator Bomber. Despite being interested in WW2 aircraft for a looong time, I'd never heard of it. Less than 10 made it to the front lines before the end of the war.
As fate would have it, a crewman of one was Tony Marchione, who was the last American killed in the war. Not that you want to be killed at anytime, but it does give him a notable distinction and a nice tribute that his story told.
This short book feels a bit patched together, as each story isn’t enough to provide enough of a theme, but the segments certainly are compelling. The insight into the various parts of Japanese military who had no plans to surrender, especially the pilots, who tried to fight on after the cease fire, and thus jeopardize the surrender process, was certainly intriguing.
As fate would have it, a crewman of one was Tony Marchione, who was the last American killed in the war. Not that you want to be killed at anytime, but it does give him a notable distinction and a nice tribute that his story told.
This short book feels a bit patched together, as each story isn’t enough to provide enough of a theme, but the segments certainly are compelling. The insight into the various parts of Japanese military who had no plans to surrender, especially the pilots, who tried to fight on after the cease fire, and thus jeopardize the surrender process, was certainly intriguing.
August 4, 2015
Tony Marchione was the last American combat death in WWII. His life was short, and thus also his story. Had Harding only told us Marchione's story, this would have been a short book indeed. Instead, Harding uses Marchione's tale as a jumping off point in telling us a couple of other stories as well.
First is the combat career of the B-32 Dominator bomber. Placed into service in June of 1945, it had troubles from the start. Only a couple hundred were ever produced and not a single one survived past 1949. We learn a bit about the development of the plane and the details of its battle tests. There were good reasons the B-29 saw extensive action, holding a large place in history while the B-32 did not.
Second, Harding tells us of the coup attempt in mid-August 1945, after Hirohito announces the Japanese surrender. Military intrigues had been a feature of Japanese politics for ages; many high in the military felt that Hirohito was being led astray by traitors - the surrender would mean the end of Empire and it was treason to allow it. This included commanders of the elite interceptor squadrons in the Tokyo area.
These two stories intersect with Tony Marchione.
The book is on the short side, only about 200 pages, but it's the correct length. None of the stories - Tony's life, the B-32, the attempted coup, the fateful mission, Tony's journey to his final resting place - is drawn out unnecessarily or is skipped over too quickly.
First is the combat career of the B-32 Dominator bomber. Placed into service in June of 1945, it had troubles from the start. Only a couple hundred were ever produced and not a single one survived past 1949. We learn a bit about the development of the plane and the details of its battle tests. There were good reasons the B-29 saw extensive action, holding a large place in history while the B-32 did not.
Second, Harding tells us of the coup attempt in mid-August 1945, after Hirohito announces the Japanese surrender. Military intrigues had been a feature of Japanese politics for ages; many high in the military felt that Hirohito was being led astray by traitors - the surrender would mean the end of Empire and it was treason to allow it. This included commanders of the elite interceptor squadrons in the Tokyo area.
These two stories intersect with Tony Marchione.
The book is on the short side, only about 200 pages, but it's the correct length. None of the stories - Tony's life, the B-32, the attempted coup, the fateful mission, Tony's journey to his final resting place - is drawn out unnecessarily or is skipped over too quickly.
October 2, 2015
A wonderful account of the closing days of WWII. Contextually viewed through the death of Anthony Marchioness, the last US combat fatality of WWII, the book examines the days following the Atomic bombings and the Japanese surrender. It addresses the serious issues that were at play in the Japanese military as reluctance to surrender. This reluctance lead not only to an attempted coup, but to the mutinous actions by individual offers and their men that saw Marchione killed after the ceasefire has been declared.
This book is an interesting look at a part of the war that is often overlooked, namely the difficulties of standing down a military force that has been so engrained to combat and traditional codes of honour. While Marchione's death is tangential to the main subject, it serves as the humanizing factor that allows the book to make a personal connection and engage the reader. Overall this is a well written, well researched, and well executed book
This book is an interesting look at a part of the war that is often overlooked, namely the difficulties of standing down a military force that has been so engrained to combat and traditional codes of honour. While Marchione's death is tangential to the main subject, it serves as the humanizing factor that allows the book to make a personal connection and engage the reader. Overall this is a well written, well researched, and well executed book
February 9, 2016
I would give this 3.5 stars. I don't know if authors and editors read these reviews, but my hope is that they do. So, authors and editors, please note that some of us readers are actually interested in the content of the notes--please, please use footnotes instead of endnotes! Referring to the back of the book all of the time is extremely annoying! Thank you! This book was interesting, but did not live up to its title. We know very little of Tony, and more than enough about his plane.
gave-up-on
October 6, 2023Too much detail to keep the book interesting
October 10, 2020
I have always been a military aviation buff so I was surprised that I hadn't read anything about the B-32 Dominator before picking up this book. I found the technical stuff about the aircraft very interesting as well as how it somehow made it out of testing and into combat trials. The repeated mechanical problems were troubling but the way those problems were overlooked by still putting people's lives at risk on additional missions was even worse.
The book started off quite slow for me, the focus on the "back story" if you will of the crewmen wasn't all that interesting but fortunately my fears that the book would continue in that vein were unfounded.
I learned a lot about all the internal strife within the Japanese military after the emperor decided to accept unconditional surrender. It was amazing to see the lengths to which the die-hards were willing to go in order to keep their country at war.
I struggled with whether to rate this at five stars or four, this was solely due to several passages that speculated on what people were thinking where there weren't any historical records. I felt like the author should have just left out those statements. I decided on five stars since there weren't very many of these passages.
The book started off quite slow for me, the focus on the "back story" if you will of the crewmen wasn't all that interesting but fortunately my fears that the book would continue in that vein were unfounded.
I learned a lot about all the internal strife within the Japanese military after the emperor decided to accept unconditional surrender. It was amazing to see the lengths to which the die-hards were willing to go in order to keep their country at war.
I struggled with whether to rate this at five stars or four, this was solely due to several passages that speculated on what people were thinking where there weren't any historical records. I felt like the author should have just left out those statements. I decided on five stars since there weren't very many of these passages.
March 23, 2020
A lot has been said and written about the "fog of war", information that is not delivered, garbled, misunderstood, or just plain wrong. It is a constant complication of a battlefield, but this book deals with what might be called the "fog of peace". Combatants who aren't sure that the fighting is over, or who don't want it to be over, or, as in this case, who can't accept the fact that their side has lost.
In telling the story of Sgt. Anthony Marchione, US Army Air Corps, Steven Harding blends several connected stories; the conversion of the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron to the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron, the resistance of the Japanese military to the order to surrender, the troubled history of the B-32 "Dominator" Heavy Bomber, and of course, the personal story of Tony Marchione, who died (less than a week after his 20th birthday) in a war he thought was over.
In telling the story of Sgt. Anthony Marchione, US Army Air Corps, Steven Harding blends several connected stories; the conversion of the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron to the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron, the resistance of the Japanese military to the order to surrender, the troubled history of the B-32 "Dominator" Heavy Bomber, and of course, the personal story of Tony Marchione, who died (less than a week after his 20th birthday) in a war he thought was over.
February 11, 2020
Another book that I'll be keeping on the shelf for future reference rather than donating or trading in at the local book exchange. This is a wonderfully detailed account of an unknown episode in WWII. I've been reading WWII histories since I was a middle-school kid I the late 1970s and I've never read of this particular episode or this particular plane; didn't even know it existed. I'm grateful for having found this book. I'd rate it higher than 5 stars if I could.
January 1, 2022
I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I appreciated the breakdown of all the components leading up to the August 18th fight, and even though I knew what was going to happen, it was still stressful and exciting to read through. The detailed accounts about the construction of the aircraft, the training of the crew, and about the logistics, tactics, and operations of both the American and Japanese military in those final days were all very engaging aspects to read about.
July 30, 2019
Fantastic story
This is a fascinating read about the last days of World War II and the final combat death in that conflict. Stephen Harding does a great job of painting a picture of theoretical days.
This is a fascinating read about the last days of World War II and the final combat death in that conflict. Stephen Harding does a great job of painting a picture of theoretical days.
April 24, 2021
Little is generally known about Consolidated B-32 bomber in WWII. This book tells the detailed service and challenge of this aircraft and the mission, after the armistice, on which the last airman died.
August 9, 2021
wow didn't know that..... When I 1st purchased this I was wondering what the B-32 was doing on the cover not realizing it actually flew missions in WWII. Simply put it tells the story about the B-32 and the last man to die in WWII at the hands of the enemy.
May 13, 2022
I liked the book. It had a very good plot line, jumping from who the story was talking through. It was very factual and it was a good story. From which it was super entertaining and very life orienting. Life orienting I mean it gives a good perspective that life is short.
September 22, 2017
Couldn't really read. Slow. too much info, not enough action
January 29, 2020
Written with respect to both sides of the war. Heartfelt passages about the family of the last American to die in WW 2.
November 3, 2020
This book did something that I'm finding more and more rare: something new!
I would hav bet $1000 that the B-32 was not used in WWII and I would have lost.
I would hav bet $1000 that the B-32 was not used in WWII and I would have lost.
September 28, 2022
A sad, telling tale of the pain of war.
February 6, 2017
Good interweave of strategy and tactics of air war against Japan and personal story and Japanese politics. Appears like USAAF messed up ordering the second mission after the first mission was attacked. Useless waste of life.
April 22, 2016
Stephen Harding specializes in writing books about obscure but fascinating incidents occurring in warfare that illuminate more important events or issues, such as the first US ship sunk in W II in the hours before the attack on Pearl Harbor and an improbable action by German and US troops to free French prisoners held by the SS after the Reich had fallen.
Last to Die focuses on the last WW II combat death in the skies over Tokyo when rogue Japanese fighter pilots attacked a US reconnaissance plane three days after Hirohito had accepted the Potsdam surrender terms. The brief life and short military history of Tony Marchione is interwoven with the story of the trouble prone B-52 Dominator bomber in which he met his death (itself the subject of one of Harding's previous books) and the struggle within the Japanese high command, including an attempted coup, on whether to accede to the cease fire. Given Marchione's death as well as another attack the previous day, should Gen. MacArthur resume offensive hostilities?
While Harding's narratives are interesting, he too often overwhelms the reader with excessive detail. We do not need to know the exact performance of every B-32 in every previous combat trial down to how many bombs actually hit each target nor how many days Tony, a gunner, spent learning to operate a BB gun, then a shotgun and finally a machine gun in stateside training, or the names and brief biographies of every Japanese conspirator or.... well, you get the picture. That said, the account of what happens to Tony's body and his "stuff" after his death brings home the reality of war and its impact on real people.
That said, while most histories segue from the dropping of the atomic bombs to the surrender ceremony on the deck of the battleship Missouri, A Time to Die sheds light on under-reported
aspect of the end of the war and its impact on both US and Japanese participants. The book is well documented with end notes and a bibliography and included photos of the aircraft and people discussed. In addition, a map of the areas where the B-32 missions took place would have been helpful.
Last to Die focuses on the last WW II combat death in the skies over Tokyo when rogue Japanese fighter pilots attacked a US reconnaissance plane three days after Hirohito had accepted the Potsdam surrender terms. The brief life and short military history of Tony Marchione is interwoven with the story of the trouble prone B-52 Dominator bomber in which he met his death (itself the subject of one of Harding's previous books) and the struggle within the Japanese high command, including an attempted coup, on whether to accede to the cease fire. Given Marchione's death as well as another attack the previous day, should Gen. MacArthur resume offensive hostilities?
While Harding's narratives are interesting, he too often overwhelms the reader with excessive detail. We do not need to know the exact performance of every B-32 in every previous combat trial down to how many bombs actually hit each target nor how many days Tony, a gunner, spent learning to operate a BB gun, then a shotgun and finally a machine gun in stateside training, or the names and brief biographies of every Japanese conspirator or.... well, you get the picture. That said, the account of what happens to Tony's body and his "stuff" after his death brings home the reality of war and its impact on real people.
That said, while most histories segue from the dropping of the atomic bombs to the surrender ceremony on the deck of the battleship Missouri, A Time to Die sheds light on under-reported
aspect of the end of the war and its impact on both US and Japanese participants. The book is well documented with end notes and a bibliography and included photos of the aircraft and people discussed. In addition, a map of the areas where the B-32 missions took place would have been helpful.
August 7, 2015
Last to Die, I thought, was about the last man to die in combat during World War II. It’s more than that.
Tony Marchione was a gunner/photographer assistant aboard a B-32 Dominator in the 20th Reconnaissance Squadron. After introducing Tony, a great deal is devoted to the B-32. It almost didn’t make it to combat, and the few planes that made it to the Pacific continuously had problems. Much more was presented than I cared to know about a plane I had never heard of, with good reason.
An overview of the Pacific War beginning with Pearl Harbor and the types of aircraft available also find a place in Last to Die.
Much more interesting is the Japanese coup. The hawks believed the emperor was coerced by the doves, making the surrender invalid. They intended to fight on and inflict such losses on the Allied invaders that the Allies would agree to a negotiated settlement. Other believed the surrender was not a reality until the official signing.
On August 17, Dominators had been attacked, but no casualties resulted. The next day, the Dominators went back to photograph military bases, looking for compliance with the surrender and places for the occupation forces to land. Diehards not sanctioned by the government again attacked the Dominators. A cannon shot blasted through Marchione’s chest, and he bled to death in a half hour. Two other crewmen were wounded, one badly.
A 16-man Japanese delegation followed MacArthur’s orders to meet the next day. The mutineers had wanted to shoot down the “traitors.” Pearl Harbor “hero” Mitsuo Fuchida initially went along with them until the emperor’s brother Prince Takanatsu, his old classmate, told him the emperor sincerely wanted surrender. The mutiny unraveled.
Tony Marchione is called the last to die in combat, but others wounded earlier surely died of their wounds later. The tragedy of Tony’s death is there shouldn’t have been bullets flying that day.
September 21, 2015
Interesting
The story covers a number of areas that I've been curious about and creates new curiosities. I would really like to learn more about the American occupation of Japan. I didn't know anything about the B32 and find the subject interesting - politics, procurement, etc.
The story covers a number of areas that I've been curious about and creates new curiosities. I would really like to learn more about the American occupation of Japan. I didn't know anything about the B32 and find the subject interesting - politics, procurement, etc.
November 25, 2015
I enjoyed this story. It tells about parts of WWII that I've never seen in the history books. It goes way beyond the story of title. However, there is a lot of repetition to make it a full size book. The foreword is pretty much a synopsis of the heart of the story, so don't read that first.
April 27, 2016
This was assigned reading for a book club and it probably should have gotten 4 stars, because I did managed to finish the book even though I do not enjoy non-fiction history or books about the military or aviation. I did enjoy the stories about the people
August 13, 2015
Last to Die is a good summary of the last American killed in combat during World War II. However, it is more about background.
March 28, 2016
review soon
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