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The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II
An oral history of the brutal Pacific Theater in WWII, told by many of the last living U.S. Marine veterans.
During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II, featuring over 130 veterans, ranging in age from 90 to 103. Told in harrowing detail, the witnesses reveal the brutal reality of combat against a fanatical enemy and the heavy toll it took on their post-war lives.
From retirement facilities, veteran’s hospitals, and modest homes across the country, the last witnesses opened up about the war like never before, determined to leave an honest account for future generations. For many of the veterans, this was the first—and final—time telling their stories.
The Last of the Old Breed is a rare, unvarnished look at the Pacific War, in the words of those who were there. These are the stories that could not be told—until now.
During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II, featuring over 130 veterans, ranging in age from 90 to 103. Told in harrowing detail, the witnesses reveal the brutal reality of combat against a fanatical enemy and the heavy toll it took on their post-war lives.
From retirement facilities, veteran’s hospitals, and modest homes across the country, the last witnesses opened up about the war like never before, determined to leave an honest account for future generations. For many of the veterans, this was the first—and final—time telling their stories.
The Last of the Old Breed is a rare, unvarnished look at the Pacific War, in the words of those who were there. These are the stories that could not be told—until now.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Scott Davis
50 books30 followersLibrarian Note: There are several authors in the GoodReads database with this name. This profile will contain more than one author. Those listed below have multiple books listed on GoodReads.
Scott Davis (2 spaces): GRs author humor
Scott Davis (3 spaces): GRs author business
Scott Davis (4 spaces): comic book writer and artist
Scott Davis (5 spaces): thrillers and post-apocalyptic
Scott Davis (6 spaces): computer programs
Scott Davis (7 spaces): microhydro technology
Scott Davis (8 spaces): Parenting advice and self-defense
Scott Davis (9 spaces): GRs author sci-fi
Scott Davis (2 spaces): GRs author humor
Scott Davis (3 spaces): GRs author business
Scott Davis (4 spaces): comic book writer and artist
Scott Davis (5 spaces): thrillers and post-apocalyptic
Scott Davis (6 spaces): computer programs
Scott Davis (7 spaces): microhydro technology
Scott Davis (8 spaces): Parenting advice and self-defense
Scott Davis (9 spaces): GRs author sci-fi
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 12, 2026
Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me a free audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
With an expansive cast capturing the voices of more than 100 World War II Marines, The Last of the Old Breed relays the incredible first-hand accounts of the war in the Pacific, committing them to memory before they are lost to us forever. Beginning with the varied and often difficult upbringings these men (and a few women) experienced during the Great Depression, Scott Davis' oral history takes us through the bombing of Pearl Harbor, boot camp, and then every major military campaign in the Pacific, among them Midway, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Their stories are as diverse as their backgrounds: some Marines found strength and purpose in their service, while others were left traumatized and disillusioned. This is not a book for the faint of heart--the battles are described in graphic detail (there are several instances of someone recalling how they were splattered with the blood and entrails of a fallen comrade), and the degree of numbness required to survive in such a hostile environment is chilling. In the years afterwards, the men had to grapple with what they witnessed and what they did. Some felt no remorse, realizing that it was kill or be killed, while others were forever haunted by their time spent in uniform. And if there's one overarching moral to The Last of the Old Breed, it's that there is no singular war story. Every person experiences war differently, and those experiences follow you for the rest of your life.
Something they all did agree on was how formidable an opponent the Japanese were. With so much focus in modern scholarship afforded to Nazi Germany, it's a rare catch to find a book that focuses solely on the war against Imperial Japan. The chapters on Iwo Jima and Okinawa are arguably the bleakest and most graphic, and some readers may find that they at least better understand why the United States chose to use the atomic bomb after reading these accounts, if not outright support the decision. In today's world, it's easy to remain detached from the reality of war, and from those condemned to wage it. The Last of the Old Breed is the newest book to try to bridge that divide, and in doing so, grant us a peek at both the horror and triumph that war entails.
With an expansive cast capturing the voices of more than 100 World War II Marines, The Last of the Old Breed relays the incredible first-hand accounts of the war in the Pacific, committing them to memory before they are lost to us forever. Beginning with the varied and often difficult upbringings these men (and a few women) experienced during the Great Depression, Scott Davis' oral history takes us through the bombing of Pearl Harbor, boot camp, and then every major military campaign in the Pacific, among them Midway, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Their stories are as diverse as their backgrounds: some Marines found strength and purpose in their service, while others were left traumatized and disillusioned. This is not a book for the faint of heart--the battles are described in graphic detail (there are several instances of someone recalling how they were splattered with the blood and entrails of a fallen comrade), and the degree of numbness required to survive in such a hostile environment is chilling. In the years afterwards, the men had to grapple with what they witnessed and what they did. Some felt no remorse, realizing that it was kill or be killed, while others were forever haunted by their time spent in uniform. And if there's one overarching moral to The Last of the Old Breed, it's that there is no singular war story. Every person experiences war differently, and those experiences follow you for the rest of your life.
Something they all did agree on was how formidable an opponent the Japanese were. With so much focus in modern scholarship afforded to Nazi Germany, it's a rare catch to find a book that focuses solely on the war against Imperial Japan. The chapters on Iwo Jima and Okinawa are arguably the bleakest and most graphic, and some readers may find that they at least better understand why the United States chose to use the atomic bomb after reading these accounts, if not outright support the decision. In today's world, it's easy to remain detached from the reality of war, and from those condemned to wage it. The Last of the Old Breed is the newest book to try to bridge that divide, and in doing so, grant us a peek at both the horror and triumph that war entails.
June 5, 2026
This was a very gritty and intense read. Among the Marines who served in the Pacific during WWII, there are unfortunately not many who are still alive. The author, Scott Davis, crafts what is essentially a collection of quotes from over 125 different interviewees who describe in great deal what they saw on each of those islands out in the Pacific. From Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, we get some incredible true stories from the men who were there. It is inspiring, harrowing, gut wrenching, but ultimately faith building how so many of these men were able to find God in what was effectively hell on earth. As the “Greatest Generation” and the “Old Breed” are starting to dwindle in numbers, it is imperative that we keep their stories alive, and I think Scott Davis does an incredible job at accomplishing just that.
December 6, 2025
An incredible collection of first hand accounts from Marine Vets in Pacific Theatre.
First hand stories are priceless and as the years go by it is so important to record these stories before it’s too late. Scott Davis does an excellent job with “The Last of the Old Breed” . The stories are so impactful and arranged in a way that really connects you with the people involved and the reality of experiencing combat at such a young age. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc
May 26, 2026
Davis’s “The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II” is an important chronicle of the US Marines bloody struggles in the Pacific war, told by the very men who kept the unimaginable, inhuman savagery they witnessed (resulting all too often in lifelong nightmares) to themselves - often until the very twilight of their own lives. Although each man interviewed by the author was in his 90’s or 100+ years old, the stories come alive in vivid, often unflinchingly graphic details, and allow the reader at least a small glimpse into the living hell of warfare experienced by each. This book reminded me of the equally important book by Richard Rubin “The Last of the Doughboys: The Forgotten Generation and Their Forgotten World War”, and both should be required reading by anyone with even a passing interest in military history. Both books help us further grasp our own questions of “why didn’t they tell us their stories?” when they came home. I salute these brave men and women, and the author, for capturing such a vital piece of American military history before it slips into obscurity. Five stars and very highly recommended.
May 23, 2026
Thank you to #Netgalley for a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.
My Interest
My friend Susan at Girls in White Dresses reviewed this recently. Why not go read her review, too? Her Grandpa [“Pa-paw”] was a Marine. Mine was Army which the USMC will tell you stands for “Aren’t Really Marines Yet” lol.
I’ve always admired the intense training and disciple of the Marines. In my hometown, a rival high school has a USMC Jr ROTC program and when I went to “exercise” with my Mom at the “spa” [women didn’t “work out” or go to a “gym” in 1978 or so] I met a young woman from that program who was seriously preparing for Paris Island. I went to college, then joined the Peace Corps. I had a lot of college classmates in Political Science who joined the military or the NSA or [one] the Foreign Service. At the end of Peace Corps I could still have joined the military but I got married. Wrong choice. The fallout was years of recovery.
The Story
Oral history, like any witness recounting, can be accurate or false. I happen to think these Leathernecks, aged from 90-something on up are telling the truth as much as they can remember it. [I will NEVER use the idiotic phrase “their truth’]. Some of these men entered the U.S. Marine Corps underage–either by having their parents sign to approve it or by getting away with lying about their age.
The USMC are the toughest fighting force in the world or a cult–depending on which side you are on. I’m on the “fighting force” side, but can see how the “cult” side evolved. With only a very, very few exceptions, the Marines fought in the Pacific in World War II. These men tell their stories in their own words. There is a minimum of necessary “interruptions” by the author to set the stage for their story. Like the Studs Terkel’s great books, this book lets the participants words tell their story.
Some of these men served in the Civilian Conservation Corps–a New Deal program that pre-dated the modern environmental movement and planted trees to stop the sort of erosion that spawned the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Others can from Middle Class homes. One, James “Jimmy” Roosevelt came from extreme wealth and returned to see his parents in the White House [Note: James is mentioned–he did not live long enough to be interviewed for this book.
My Thoughts
Oral history is so important–we need to record the words of the people who lived it. And, for the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima, or who watched it rise this is crucial. We must remember their stories as it happened–unsanitized by revisionism. We must remember the sacrifice they made, even while acknowledging that the world has changed in the 21st Century.
Journalist Tom Browkaw, famously dubbed this the men and women of World War II “The Greatest Generation.” I would like to hold to that, but the lines outside the whore houses, the ridiculous percentage of men who contracted what were then called “social diseases” and the number of post-war divorces make me re-think that. As this book shows, they souvenir collected things that today would have them arrested–gold teeth and skulls [of course NOT ALL of them]. My grandfather, a mere Army Sergent, drove his truck from North Africa to D-Day. I do not paint him as a perfect human being who never stepped foot off the path of the righteous. He was a man. So were the others. What’s more, they were men of their time who accepted things we no longer accept as “normal.”
One thing I liked about this book is they talked to at least one woman who had joined US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. They are usually written out of the story. What a shame that the current U.S. administration, wants to remove women and Black Americans from the military–especially from positions of authority. And, without regard for talent, education, and experience. Merely for the color of their skin.
Another important change in this book is they interviewed a Black Marine. The Marines were relentlessly all-white [and largely Southern] until 1942 when Franklin D Roosevelt ordered them integrated. [The full, permanent integration of the U.S. Military took place after the war in 1948 by President Harry Truman]. This man wasn’t allowed a voice in anything but put his life on the line when the USA called him to action. Sadly, this week, the USA took a step backward to that time.
That women and Black Marines were include was very refreshing to read. Usually they are swept aside. The entire US Marine Corps deserves its hallowed reputation. By finally acknowledging the contributions of women and Black Americans the Corps’ reputation is enhanced significantly.
This is an excellent addition to the World War II histories.
My Verdict
4.0
Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines From World War II by Scott Davis
My Interest
My friend Susan at Girls in White Dresses reviewed this recently. Why not go read her review, too? Her Grandpa [“Pa-paw”] was a Marine. Mine was Army which the USMC will tell you stands for “Aren’t Really Marines Yet” lol.
I’ve always admired the intense training and disciple of the Marines. In my hometown, a rival high school has a USMC Jr ROTC program and when I went to “exercise” with my Mom at the “spa” [women didn’t “work out” or go to a “gym” in 1978 or so] I met a young woman from that program who was seriously preparing for Paris Island. I went to college, then joined the Peace Corps. I had a lot of college classmates in Political Science who joined the military or the NSA or [one] the Foreign Service. At the end of Peace Corps I could still have joined the military but I got married. Wrong choice. The fallout was years of recovery.
The Story
Oral history, like any witness recounting, can be accurate or false. I happen to think these Leathernecks, aged from 90-something on up are telling the truth as much as they can remember it. [I will NEVER use the idiotic phrase “their truth’]. Some of these men entered the U.S. Marine Corps underage–either by having their parents sign to approve it or by getting away with lying about their age.
The USMC are the toughest fighting force in the world or a cult–depending on which side you are on. I’m on the “fighting force” side, but can see how the “cult” side evolved. With only a very, very few exceptions, the Marines fought in the Pacific in World War II. These men tell their stories in their own words. There is a minimum of necessary “interruptions” by the author to set the stage for their story. Like the Studs Terkel’s great books, this book lets the participants words tell their story.
Some of these men served in the Civilian Conservation Corps–a New Deal program that pre-dated the modern environmental movement and planted trees to stop the sort of erosion that spawned the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. Others can from Middle Class homes. One, James “Jimmy” Roosevelt came from extreme wealth and returned to see his parents in the White House [Note: James is mentioned–he did not live long enough to be interviewed for this book.
My Thoughts
Oral history is so important–we need to record the words of the people who lived it. And, for the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima, or who watched it rise this is crucial. We must remember their stories as it happened–unsanitized by revisionism. We must remember the sacrifice they made, even while acknowledging that the world has changed in the 21st Century.
Journalist Tom Browkaw, famously dubbed this the men and women of World War II “The Greatest Generation.” I would like to hold to that, but the lines outside the whore houses, the ridiculous percentage of men who contracted what were then called “social diseases” and the number of post-war divorces make me re-think that. As this book shows, they souvenir collected things that today would have them arrested–gold teeth and skulls [of course NOT ALL of them]. My grandfather, a mere Army Sergent, drove his truck from North Africa to D-Day. I do not paint him as a perfect human being who never stepped foot off the path of the righteous. He was a man. So were the others. What’s more, they were men of their time who accepted things we no longer accept as “normal.”
One thing I liked about this book is they talked to at least one woman who had joined US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. They are usually written out of the story. What a shame that the current U.S. administration, wants to remove women and Black Americans from the military–especially from positions of authority. And, without regard for talent, education, and experience. Merely for the color of their skin.
Another important change in this book is they interviewed a Black Marine. The Marines were relentlessly all-white [and largely Southern] until 1942 when Franklin D Roosevelt ordered them integrated. [The full, permanent integration of the U.S. Military took place after the war in 1948 by President Harry Truman]. This man wasn’t allowed a voice in anything but put his life on the line when the USA called him to action. Sadly, this week, the USA took a step backward to that time.
That women and Black Marines were include was very refreshing to read. Usually they are swept aside. The entire US Marine Corps deserves its hallowed reputation. By finally acknowledging the contributions of women and Black Americans the Corps’ reputation is enhanced significantly.
This is an excellent addition to the World War II histories.
My Verdict
4.0
Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines From World War II by Scott Davis
June 22, 2026
4.25 Stars
This is literally an oral history told by those who fought in the Pacific Island campaigns of WWII. It moves chronologically through the war from why each veteran joined, to boot camp, and then through each major campaign. Each section opens up with a brief narrative of what was happening in the war, the political and strategic decisions and then the situation in which the Marines were moving into. Then the veterans speak. They are allowed to tell their stories, unfiltered, about the sites, sounds, smells, and feelings of war. These experiences are raw and contain how each veteran felt about their enemy at that time or how it felt to lose a friend or see one mortally injured.
The book closes with post-war thoughts from the veterans. How they coped, how much they shared or when they started sharing. There is a section where the veteran’s children share what it was like living with a father who had gone through the war and how that impacted their childhood.
I really liked this book. It is so sad to see the ages of these men, knowing most if not all of them are now gone. They really were the greatest generation. I salute them all for what they sacrificed and experienced. It’s not lost on me the ages of these veterans (92-102). It’s like they were given extra time to live their lives for all that they saw and experienced. They had a lot of living to do considering they lost so many and had a lot of living to do for those they lost.
This is literally an oral history told by those who fought in the Pacific Island campaigns of WWII. It moves chronologically through the war from why each veteran joined, to boot camp, and then through each major campaign. Each section opens up with a brief narrative of what was happening in the war, the political and strategic decisions and then the situation in which the Marines were moving into. Then the veterans speak. They are allowed to tell their stories, unfiltered, about the sites, sounds, smells, and feelings of war. These experiences are raw and contain how each veteran felt about their enemy at that time or how it felt to lose a friend or see one mortally injured.
The book closes with post-war thoughts from the veterans. How they coped, how much they shared or when they started sharing. There is a section where the veteran’s children share what it was like living with a father who had gone through the war and how that impacted their childhood.
I really liked this book. It is so sad to see the ages of these men, knowing most if not all of them are now gone. They really were the greatest generation. I salute them all for what they sacrificed and experienced. It’s not lost on me the ages of these veterans (92-102). It’s like they were given extra time to live their lives for all that they saw and experienced. They had a lot of living to do considering they lost so many and had a lot of living to do for those they lost.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A few years ago I read and was really moved by “With the Old Breed, At Peleliu and Okinawa.” So when I saw “The Last of the Old Breed, an Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II” on NetGalley, I was interested in reading it. My extended interest was due to my Papaw (my dad’s dad) serving as a marine during WWII in Okinawa.
In this book, author Scott Davis interviews dozens of WWII Marines who are still living. All the guys quoted were in their 90s and a few were even over 100, which is especially amazing given the grueling events they lived through so long ago. Davis has small bits of intro material in each chapter, but this book is largely just quote after quote by the Marines themselves, divided usually into specific South Pacific locations where they served. I particularly found books like this interesting because it seems that “WWII” usually conjures up Nazis and concentration camps rather than conflicts in Guam, Japan, and other Pacific islands.
I marked many things in this book. Among them:
Milton Cronk, 98: “I could have stayed home on the farm–I had the chance. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to go in with the Marines and do my patriotic duty.”
Elburn Cooper, 95: “I went to the Air Force first: ‘No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Navy: ‘No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Army: “No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Marine Corps and–bang! They just wanted cannon fodder, I think.”
Lee Robinson, 97: “If I could blame it on anything, it would be the uniform. I thought that uniform was great.”
Milton Cronk, 98: “When I went into the Marine Corps, my mother told me: ‘I hope, if the Japs get you, that you can kill yourself before they torture you.'”
Louis Bourgault, 97: “The average age was probably twenty. We had four or five guys in theiri upper twenties, but anybody over twenty-five, we called them ‘Pops.’ War is a young man’s business.”
Harmon Hunter, 101: “The Japanese were very brave people. They were cruet and they were mean, but they were very brave … They were really experienced. They’d been slaughtering Chinese for practice for the last five years.”
Tom Baker, 98: “Another one of my buddies got killed: We were standing together alongside of an airplane, talking, when a Japanese sniper cut loose. They hit him but didn’t hit me. I don’t even remember the kid’s name. But you learn quick: If your best friend gets killed today, you forget about him tomorrow. That’s the way it was done back then. That’s the only way you could survive. I’ve seen people who couldn’t do that, and they went nuts; they couldn’t stand it. That was one thing we all understood: If it happened to you, that’s too bad. If it happened to your buddy, you’re lucky. That’s just he way it was.”
Burt Withee, 95: “The thing about combat was, as scared as you were, you’d see somebody else being brave and you’d think: Hell, if he can do it, I can do it. That carried a lot of guys through combat, because things could get pretty nasty.”
Marvin Strombo, 95: “Martin knew he was going to die. When we got to Saipan, he put his arm on me and said, ‘I ain’t gonna make it. But I enjoyed my time taking this little ocean cruise with you.'”
Burt Withee, 95: “In combat, there was a certain class of guy that just let everything go. Nothing was too bad; nothing was too violent, ugly, dirty, or nasty to do. Combat gave you the excuse to do whatever you wanted to do, and some guys took that liberty. But most of the guys wanted to get in there, get it done, get it over with, and get out.”
Roy Earle, 98: “You know what the Japs told the civilians? That the Marine Corps was the meanest fighting force in the world; that we were so tough that we had to killed our father and mother to get in. Can you imagine? The women certainly weren’t going to fall prey to that kind of vicious character, so they jumped off the cliffs and killed themselves. And if they had children, they threw their children over and killed them, too.”
John Marx, 97: “A guy named Clayton from Jersey got his foot blown off. As he went down the hill, he yelled, ‘I’m going home!'”
Bob Ehrlich, 94: “I thought combat would be neat. But guess what? It isn’t.”
Robert Schultz, 102: “We had dead guys and nowhere to put them. A smell I’ll never forget was all those guys rotting. The South Pacific is hot no matter where you are, and we had no air conditioning. We laid those guys out in an area that we called the ‘barber shop’ because that’s where we cut hair. We couldn’t do anything while we were in action. But once we got some free time, we did a burial.”
Ernie Ferguson, 98: “One of the boys went out of his mind on Peleliu and some of the guys had to take him down from Bloody Nose Ridge and tie him up. That poor man: When we were getting ready to go to Okinawa, he committed suicide. He didn’t want to face another beach landing.”
John Marx, 97: “There were legs and arms and torsos laying all over the place. There were sharks in the shallow water eating bodies–big hammerheads and tiger sharks. If you stayed on the beach, you were going to be killed.”
Gordon Black, 94: “Thank God for the atomic bomb” (narration explains that the War Department had estimated over a million Allied lives would have been lost had ground troops fought in Japan, as the plan had been prior to the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima). Ray Garland, 96: “(The bombs) saved a lot of lives. It killed a lot of Japanese, but it saved a lot of lives.”
Chuck Meacham, 96: “My dad and I were sitting around (after the war). I said, ‘I think I’m going to take the next year off with all my buddies’ … The GI Bill allowed twenty dollars a week for fifty-two weeks, for one full year. I said, ‘I think I’ll do that.’ My dad looked me in the eye and said, ‘Son, you take that welfare and you’re not welcome in my house.'”
This book is just now coming out and I found it to be a fascinating look into what WWII South Pacific life was really like for Marines. I liked the way the story was basically just the quotes from the veterans. Even better, I think, is “With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa,” which is a book that will always stay with me.
In this book, author Scott Davis interviews dozens of WWII Marines who are still living. All the guys quoted were in their 90s and a few were even over 100, which is especially amazing given the grueling events they lived through so long ago. Davis has small bits of intro material in each chapter, but this book is largely just quote after quote by the Marines themselves, divided usually into specific South Pacific locations where they served. I particularly found books like this interesting because it seems that “WWII” usually conjures up Nazis and concentration camps rather than conflicts in Guam, Japan, and other Pacific islands.
I marked many things in this book. Among them:
Milton Cronk, 98: “I could have stayed home on the farm–I had the chance. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to go in with the Marines and do my patriotic duty.”
Elburn Cooper, 95: “I went to the Air Force first: ‘No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Navy: ‘No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Army: “No, we can’t take you because you don’t have enough math.’ Then I went to the Marine Corps and–bang! They just wanted cannon fodder, I think.”
Lee Robinson, 97: “If I could blame it on anything, it would be the uniform. I thought that uniform was great.”
Milton Cronk, 98: “When I went into the Marine Corps, my mother told me: ‘I hope, if the Japs get you, that you can kill yourself before they torture you.'”
Louis Bourgault, 97: “The average age was probably twenty. We had four or five guys in theiri upper twenties, but anybody over twenty-five, we called them ‘Pops.’ War is a young man’s business.”
Harmon Hunter, 101: “The Japanese were very brave people. They were cruet and they were mean, but they were very brave … They were really experienced. They’d been slaughtering Chinese for practice for the last five years.”
Tom Baker, 98: “Another one of my buddies got killed: We were standing together alongside of an airplane, talking, when a Japanese sniper cut loose. They hit him but didn’t hit me. I don’t even remember the kid’s name. But you learn quick: If your best friend gets killed today, you forget about him tomorrow. That’s the way it was done back then. That’s the only way you could survive. I’ve seen people who couldn’t do that, and they went nuts; they couldn’t stand it. That was one thing we all understood: If it happened to you, that’s too bad. If it happened to your buddy, you’re lucky. That’s just he way it was.”
Burt Withee, 95: “The thing about combat was, as scared as you were, you’d see somebody else being brave and you’d think: Hell, if he can do it, I can do it. That carried a lot of guys through combat, because things could get pretty nasty.”
Marvin Strombo, 95: “Martin knew he was going to die. When we got to Saipan, he put his arm on me and said, ‘I ain’t gonna make it. But I enjoyed my time taking this little ocean cruise with you.'”
Burt Withee, 95: “In combat, there was a certain class of guy that just let everything go. Nothing was too bad; nothing was too violent, ugly, dirty, or nasty to do. Combat gave you the excuse to do whatever you wanted to do, and some guys took that liberty. But most of the guys wanted to get in there, get it done, get it over with, and get out.”
Roy Earle, 98: “You know what the Japs told the civilians? That the Marine Corps was the meanest fighting force in the world; that we were so tough that we had to killed our father and mother to get in. Can you imagine? The women certainly weren’t going to fall prey to that kind of vicious character, so they jumped off the cliffs and killed themselves. And if they had children, they threw their children over and killed them, too.”
John Marx, 97: “A guy named Clayton from Jersey got his foot blown off. As he went down the hill, he yelled, ‘I’m going home!'”
Bob Ehrlich, 94: “I thought combat would be neat. But guess what? It isn’t.”
Robert Schultz, 102: “We had dead guys and nowhere to put them. A smell I’ll never forget was all those guys rotting. The South Pacific is hot no matter where you are, and we had no air conditioning. We laid those guys out in an area that we called the ‘barber shop’ because that’s where we cut hair. We couldn’t do anything while we were in action. But once we got some free time, we did a burial.”
Ernie Ferguson, 98: “One of the boys went out of his mind on Peleliu and some of the guys had to take him down from Bloody Nose Ridge and tie him up. That poor man: When we were getting ready to go to Okinawa, he committed suicide. He didn’t want to face another beach landing.”
John Marx, 97: “There were legs and arms and torsos laying all over the place. There were sharks in the shallow water eating bodies–big hammerheads and tiger sharks. If you stayed on the beach, you were going to be killed.”
Gordon Black, 94: “Thank God for the atomic bomb” (narration explains that the War Department had estimated over a million Allied lives would have been lost had ground troops fought in Japan, as the plan had been prior to the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima). Ray Garland, 96: “(The bombs) saved a lot of lives. It killed a lot of Japanese, but it saved a lot of lives.”
Chuck Meacham, 96: “My dad and I were sitting around (after the war). I said, ‘I think I’m going to take the next year off with all my buddies’ … The GI Bill allowed twenty dollars a week for fifty-two weeks, for one full year. I said, ‘I think I’ll do that.’ My dad looked me in the eye and said, ‘Son, you take that welfare and you’re not welcome in my house.'”
This book is just now coming out and I found it to be a fascinating look into what WWII South Pacific life was really like for Marines. I liked the way the story was basically just the quotes from the veterans. Even better, I think, is “With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa,” which is a book that will always stay with me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
BookMark
Debra Gaynor
The Last of The Old Breed
The Oral History of the Final Marines From World War II
Scott Davis
I chose this book to review because my father-in-law was a
Marine on Iwo Jima. He didn’t talk about it much and I knew my husband would
like to know more concerning what his father went through. We listened to this
book together. I am not capable of expressing the emotions I felt as I listened
to the true tales of the Marines that lived through World War II. However, it
is my hope the Marines and their surviving families will recognize the admiration
I feel for each and everyone. I dedicate this review to Harold C “Pat” Gaynor,; I wish I had asked questions when you were with us.
World War II was an evil world event. Few today understand
or even realize what our soldiers faced. Most of the men and women that faced the Japanese soldiers face to
face are still with us. Less than 1 percent of the soldiers are still alive. This
book is told by the men and women He who bravely experienced the war. Over 130
veterans shared their memories. They are now between 93 and 103 years in age.
They shared their experiences without sparing details. They discussed the harshness
of warfare against a fanatical nemesis and the intense toll it took on their
lives after the war.
This book begins with the backgrounds of the men and women. He
shares what their life was like before Pearl Harbor where the war was brought
to us. They had survived the Great Depression. Some of the soldiers could have
stayed home but didn’t want to. These brave men and women experienced the Great
Depression. These were ordinary men and women called upon to serve their
country. Pearl Harbor stirred the call of patriotism. Many of the soldiers
discussed their experiences from the bombing of Pearl Harbor, boot camp and the
major battles. They continued their narrative through island hopping in the Pacific.
They discussed Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Midway, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, and Leyte.
Their backgrounds were diverse. Many were left devastated and cynical. Others
found power and determination.
Many were wounded and many never made it home. This book is
graphic and shares the true terror of war. Some of the soldiers told how they
were splattered with the blood and body parts of their companions. The soldiers
not only had to survive the war; they had to survive the aftermath of the adverse
environment. Many of the soldiers realized it was a kill or be killed situation,
but others were haunted by their service. There wasn’t one experience but many
experiences for each man and each woman faced it differently and came through
it differently. The one constant was the experience stayed with them for the
rest of their life.
Some of the things stood out to me:
Some of the soldiers could have stayed home but didn’t want
to.
Most of the soldiers were around twenty.
Many of the soldiers were standing next to another soldier,
one was killed one wasn’t.
The soldiers had to process everything quickly; there was no
time to dwell on what they had just witnessed.
The Japanese spread the word that the US Marines were cruel,
vicious rapists. Many Japanese women jumped to their deaths and many families
killed their daughters and young children so that the US soldiers would not rape
them.
The Japanese were experienced and vicious.
The Japanese soldiers hung from trees by one leg.
One soldier tells how a Japanese officer stood over him with
a sword and could have easily killed him but instead he allowed himself to be
shot. The soldier believed it was so he would be honored by his people. T
here was one brave American shot in the forehead. Many of
the men never made it to shore.
They dug foxholes to survive. They went without food.
As another reviewer states “it is easier to understand why
the United States chose to use the atomic bomb after reading these accounts”.
(Jessica, Reviewer for NetGalley)
The last three chapters of this book “Home Alive by ‘45”, “Life
After War”, and “In the Shadow of War” allows readers to witness the aftermath
of World War II and the effect it had on both the soldier and on their family.
As I listened to this book, I felt as if I was sitting with a
group of veterans around a campfire listening to their stories. Author Scot
Davis spent ten years collecting, compiling and writing this book. Thank you, Mr. Davis for not letting the stories be forgotten and lost.
I received an ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Debra Gaynor
The Last of The Old Breed
The Oral History of the Final Marines From World War II
Scott Davis
I chose this book to review because my father-in-law was a
Marine on Iwo Jima. He didn’t talk about it much and I knew my husband would
like to know more concerning what his father went through. We listened to this
book together. I am not capable of expressing the emotions I felt as I listened
to the true tales of the Marines that lived through World War II. However, it
is my hope the Marines and their surviving families will recognize the admiration
I feel for each and everyone. I dedicate this review to Harold C “Pat” Gaynor,; I wish I had asked questions when you were with us.
World War II was an evil world event. Few today understand
or even realize what our soldiers faced. Most of the men and women that faced the Japanese soldiers face to
face are still with us. Less than 1 percent of the soldiers are still alive. This
book is told by the men and women He who bravely experienced the war. Over 130
veterans shared their memories. They are now between 93 and 103 years in age.
They shared their experiences without sparing details. They discussed the harshness
of warfare against a fanatical nemesis and the intense toll it took on their
lives after the war.
This book begins with the backgrounds of the men and women. He
shares what their life was like before Pearl Harbor where the war was brought
to us. They had survived the Great Depression. Some of the soldiers could have
stayed home but didn’t want to. These brave men and women experienced the Great
Depression. These were ordinary men and women called upon to serve their
country. Pearl Harbor stirred the call of patriotism. Many of the soldiers
discussed their experiences from the bombing of Pearl Harbor, boot camp and the
major battles. They continued their narrative through island hopping in the Pacific.
They discussed Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Midway, Guadalcanal, Peleliu, and Leyte.
Their backgrounds were diverse. Many were left devastated and cynical. Others
found power and determination.
Many were wounded and many never made it home. This book is
graphic and shares the true terror of war. Some of the soldiers told how they
were splattered with the blood and body parts of their companions. The soldiers
not only had to survive the war; they had to survive the aftermath of the adverse
environment. Many of the soldiers realized it was a kill or be killed situation,
but others were haunted by their service. There wasn’t one experience but many
experiences for each man and each woman faced it differently and came through
it differently. The one constant was the experience stayed with them for the
rest of their life.
Some of the things stood out to me:
Some of the soldiers could have stayed home but didn’t want
to.
Most of the soldiers were around twenty.
Many of the soldiers were standing next to another soldier,
one was killed one wasn’t.
The soldiers had to process everything quickly; there was no
time to dwell on what they had just witnessed.
The Japanese spread the word that the US Marines were cruel,
vicious rapists. Many Japanese women jumped to their deaths and many families
killed their daughters and young children so that the US soldiers would not rape
them.
The Japanese were experienced and vicious.
The Japanese soldiers hung from trees by one leg.
One soldier tells how a Japanese officer stood over him with
a sword and could have easily killed him but instead he allowed himself to be
shot. The soldier believed it was so he would be honored by his people. T
here was one brave American shot in the forehead. Many of
the men never made it to shore.
They dug foxholes to survive. They went without food.
As another reviewer states “it is easier to understand why
the United States chose to use the atomic bomb after reading these accounts”.
(Jessica, Reviewer for NetGalley)
The last three chapters of this book “Home Alive by ‘45”, “Life
After War”, and “In the Shadow of War” allows readers to witness the aftermath
of World War II and the effect it had on both the soldier and on their family.
As I listened to this book, I felt as if I was sitting with a
group of veterans around a campfire listening to their stories. Author Scot
Davis spent ten years collecting, compiling and writing this book. Thank you, Mr. Davis for not letting the stories be forgotten and lost.
I received an ARC in return for an unbiased review.
May 19, 2026
Full 5 stars for Scott Davis' The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II! What an incredible read and stories told by those who served in the United States Marine Corps. Stories the history books never told, but should!
I was very interested in reading this book because my dad served in the Army, but never really told me much about his own experiences, including when he landed in the second wave during D-Day. With him gone, now 17 years, there is no way to learn about what he saw/felt/experienced. The Last of the Old Breed provided me with a glimpse into some harrowing experiences out in the Pacific, from veterans ranging from 90-103.
Before I go further, I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Scott Davis, the author, for providing this advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First of all, it's hard to imagine all the time it took for Davis to sort through the accounts and provide a flowing narrative, plus make it more understandable by providing the reader with background information, too. The way Davis writes helps connect the reader with those brave men and the reality of combat at such a young age (some entering the service before the legal age).
The Last of the Old Breed is very graphic, along with some "salty" language, making it feel very real, up close and personal with the Marines' descriptions seeing friends, fellow Marines, and enemy being killed in quite horrific ways. Their anecdotes are arranged loosely based on battle locations. At first, I did find the formatting of these testimonies to be confusing when woven with historical background information. Some of the accounts were merely a paragraph, while some where longer. At times, I needed to go back and re-read to realize the anecdote had stopped. The accounts are arranged by name and age. It was incredible to see how many had lived to 100 and over.
I highly recommend The Last of the Old Breed to everyone; these stories need to be heard, taught, and most importantly remembered by future generations. William Tecumseh Sherman summed it up best in his speech during the occupation of Atlanta, GA, during the Civil War, "War is hell." Davis' oral history most definitely provides the first-hand intimate stories that prove that brutality of war--not the Hollywood version!
I was very interested in reading this book because my dad served in the Army, but never really told me much about his own experiences, including when he landed in the second wave during D-Day. With him gone, now 17 years, there is no way to learn about what he saw/felt/experienced. The Last of the Old Breed provided me with a glimpse into some harrowing experiences out in the Pacific, from veterans ranging from 90-103.
Before I go further, I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Scott Davis, the author, for providing this advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First of all, it's hard to imagine all the time it took for Davis to sort through the accounts and provide a flowing narrative, plus make it more understandable by providing the reader with background information, too. The way Davis writes helps connect the reader with those brave men and the reality of combat at such a young age (some entering the service before the legal age).
The Last of the Old Breed is very graphic, along with some "salty" language, making it feel very real, up close and personal with the Marines' descriptions seeing friends, fellow Marines, and enemy being killed in quite horrific ways. Their anecdotes are arranged loosely based on battle locations. At first, I did find the formatting of these testimonies to be confusing when woven with historical background information. Some of the accounts were merely a paragraph, while some where longer. At times, I needed to go back and re-read to realize the anecdote had stopped. The accounts are arranged by name and age. It was incredible to see how many had lived to 100 and over.
I highly recommend The Last of the Old Breed to everyone; these stories need to be heard, taught, and most importantly remembered by future generations. William Tecumseh Sherman summed it up best in his speech during the occupation of Atlanta, GA, during the Civil War, "War is hell." Davis' oral history most definitely provides the first-hand intimate stories that prove that brutality of war--not the Hollywood version!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
This book is a collection of quotes and stories from 133 former members of the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Women's Reserve. All of them served during World War II and at the time of their interviews were all in the 90's or early 100's.
The format of the book seems like someone sitting amongst a group of veterans, giving them a subject and just letting them talk about their experiences. As such, some of the quotes are very short, just a line or two, while others get a bit more in depth. The book begins with the Great Depression and what it was like for these men and women growing up in hard times, along with the motivation(s) for joining the Marine Corps (the dress blues wins the voting here). All of the major Pacific battles are listed in the book, with insights and recollections about each one. Some of the language used is pretty salty and I'm pretty sure being politically correct was not a concern for those interviewed. Along with the salty language, the stories told about life in the Marines and combat across the Pacific can be VERY graphic in their descriptions of seeing friend and foe alike being killed in dozens of horrific ways. Since the war waged between the Japanese and the Marines was brutally savage there is quite a bit of savagery on both sides, with several of the veterans discussing actions which they've never shared with anyone else. The book also includes chapters on life between battles as the Marines recuperated in Australia, New Zealand and other spots away from the front lines, along with chapters on life in garrison duty at home and overseas, coming home after the war, further service in Korea and the recollections of some family members. A few of the Marines interviewed were given medals for bravery, and their citations are listed in one of the appendixes.
Author Davis has put together a great book and given a final chance to many former Marines to tell their stories. It's a fairly quick read and I found it to be very enjoyable. Unfortunately, the ARC I received had no photographs or maps, so I don't know if those will be included in the final product.
This book is a collection of quotes and stories from 133 former members of the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Women's Reserve. All of them served during World War II and at the time of their interviews were all in the 90's or early 100's.
The format of the book seems like someone sitting amongst a group of veterans, giving them a subject and just letting them talk about their experiences. As such, some of the quotes are very short, just a line or two, while others get a bit more in depth. The book begins with the Great Depression and what it was like for these men and women growing up in hard times, along with the motivation(s) for joining the Marine Corps (the dress blues wins the voting here). All of the major Pacific battles are listed in the book, with insights and recollections about each one. Some of the language used is pretty salty and I'm pretty sure being politically correct was not a concern for those interviewed. Along with the salty language, the stories told about life in the Marines and combat across the Pacific can be VERY graphic in their descriptions of seeing friend and foe alike being killed in dozens of horrific ways. Since the war waged between the Japanese and the Marines was brutally savage there is quite a bit of savagery on both sides, with several of the veterans discussing actions which they've never shared with anyone else. The book also includes chapters on life between battles as the Marines recuperated in Australia, New Zealand and other spots away from the front lines, along with chapters on life in garrison duty at home and overseas, coming home after the war, further service in Korea and the recollections of some family members. A few of the Marines interviewed were given medals for bravery, and their citations are listed in one of the appendixes.
Author Davis has put together a great book and given a final chance to many former Marines to tell their stories. It's a fairly quick read and I found it to be very enjoyable. Unfortunately, the ARC I received had no photographs or maps, so I don't know if those will be included in the final product.
June 3, 2026
Like many people I read this book thinking of a family member and after reading the Old Breed books by E.B. Sledge. For me this person was my grandpa whose name was Ivan Loyal Lee
( who raised me along with my grandma). At the age of 17 he went to a Marine recruiting office in St. Louis and volunteered. He was in the 1st Marine Division and worked in communications helping with the Navajo code talkers and running and laying lines in the battlefields and such. He had wanted to be a machine gunner and he relayed the story several times that all of his friends who became machine gunners were killed in action.
Many of the testimonies in this book tracks with things he mentioned to the family. He had a great time in Australia and was a big hit with the local ladies, Pelileu was gruesome, brutal, and the worst action he saw in the war, and Okinawa was also very bloody and intense. He didn't talk all that much about the war but I vividly remember a story about him finding a Japanese soldier in a cave.
One thing no one in the book really mentioned in depth was the time the 1st Marine Division spent in Tientsin (Tianjin) after the war. He described China as a place that was very impoverished and devastated from the Japanese occupation.
I also appreciate the way this book closed out talking about adjustments after the war. Some were more fortunate than others. My grandpa had a job waiting for him at the St. Louis Dairy (where the soccer stadium is now) when he returned and met my grandma there. At the beginning of the Korean War he attempted to volunteer for the Marines once again and the recruiter told him "go home to your wife and son, old man". Years later, by then working as a pipefitter at the old Chevrolet plant in north St. Louis, his son was serving in the Army in Vietnam. I can only imagine the stress that put him through after seeing what he saw.
These testimonials are very important. For some reason I didn't think to record my grandparents' testimonials (although I do have some audio recordings of a lower quality). Perhaps many of us neglected that, thus making the work of Scott Davis all the more important as he interviewed The Last of The Old Breed.
( who raised me along with my grandma). At the age of 17 he went to a Marine recruiting office in St. Louis and volunteered. He was in the 1st Marine Division and worked in communications helping with the Navajo code talkers and running and laying lines in the battlefields and such. He had wanted to be a machine gunner and he relayed the story several times that all of his friends who became machine gunners were killed in action.
Many of the testimonies in this book tracks with things he mentioned to the family. He had a great time in Australia and was a big hit with the local ladies, Pelileu was gruesome, brutal, and the worst action he saw in the war, and Okinawa was also very bloody and intense. He didn't talk all that much about the war but I vividly remember a story about him finding a Japanese soldier in a cave.
One thing no one in the book really mentioned in depth was the time the 1st Marine Division spent in Tientsin (Tianjin) after the war. He described China as a place that was very impoverished and devastated from the Japanese occupation.
I also appreciate the way this book closed out talking about adjustments after the war. Some were more fortunate than others. My grandpa had a job waiting for him at the St. Louis Dairy (where the soccer stadium is now) when he returned and met my grandma there. At the beginning of the Korean War he attempted to volunteer for the Marines once again and the recruiter told him "go home to your wife and son, old man". Years later, by then working as a pipefitter at the old Chevrolet plant in north St. Louis, his son was serving in the Army in Vietnam. I can only imagine the stress that put him through after seeing what he saw.
These testimonials are very important. For some reason I didn't think to record my grandparents' testimonials (although I do have some audio recordings of a lower quality). Perhaps many of us neglected that, thus making the work of Scott Davis all the more important as he interviewed The Last of The Old Breed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
How much do you know about the Marines in World War II? Besides the Marine Monument In Washington, DC, which celebrates Marines raising the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima. Well, if you want to hear from actual WW II Marines, Scott Davis has a volume for you in The Last of the Old Breed. He spent ten years interviewing veterans and their families and then weaving their individual tales into this book.
Scott Davis opens the book with what various individuals were doing before World War II came to American soil at Pearl Harbor and the reaction to this attack and the preparation by the Marines to get into action. There are chapters on Guadacanal, New Georgia, Tarawa, New Britian, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa interspersed with chapters on Marines spending time in Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, and the home front. Scott Davis would provide the individual's name, age at the time of the interview, and their unit and then a snippet of their tale relevant to the particular chapter. He closes the book with three chapters - "Home Alive by '45," "Life After War," and "In the Shadow of War" which provides context for the veterans' lives after they came home and what they did along with some interactions with family members. At the tail end of the book is an appendix listing all the Marines who contributed to the book, an appendix of various awards given to the Marines in the book, and an appendix discussing the 121st Naval Construction Battalion - the Seabees - attached to the Fourth Marine Division.
If you are looking for first-hand accounts of WW II Marine veterans, pick up Scott Davis's The Last of the Old Breed and listen to their tales.
Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this title!
Scott Davis opens the book with what various individuals were doing before World War II came to American soil at Pearl Harbor and the reaction to this attack and the preparation by the Marines to get into action. There are chapters on Guadacanal, New Georgia, Tarawa, New Britian, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa interspersed with chapters on Marines spending time in Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, and the home front. Scott Davis would provide the individual's name, age at the time of the interview, and their unit and then a snippet of their tale relevant to the particular chapter. He closes the book with three chapters - "Home Alive by '45," "Life After War," and "In the Shadow of War" which provides context for the veterans' lives after they came home and what they did along with some interactions with family members. At the tail end of the book is an appendix listing all the Marines who contributed to the book, an appendix of various awards given to the Marines in the book, and an appendix discussing the 121st Naval Construction Battalion - the Seabees - attached to the Fourth Marine Division.
If you are looking for first-hand accounts of WW II Marine veterans, pick up Scott Davis's The Last of the Old Breed and listen to their tales.
Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this title!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Last of the Old Breed is a powerful look back at World War II through the eyes of the US Marines who lived it. Today, fewer than one percent of the Americans who served in World War II are still alive, and Scott Davis set out to capture their stories before they are lost to history. By seeking out this last group of veterans, Davis preserves firsthand accounts that might otherwise disappear with time.
The result is a fascinating and deeply personal view of the war in the Pacific Theater, told directly by those who were there. I listened to the audiobook version and found it impossible to stop listening. Davis allows the veterans to tell their stories largely in their own words, with very little editorial interference. This approach leads to some uncomfortable moments, especially when the Marines describe the horrors they witnessed in vivid detail, but that honesty makes their experiences feel more real and sobering.
There is also language that may offend some listeners, including derogatory references to Japanese soldiers. While this language is not acceptable by modern standards, I felt it was appropriate in the context of an unfiltered oral history from men and women speaking honestly about their wartime experiences.
The book follows a chronological structure, beginning with the veterans’ childhoods during the Great Depression, moving through their combat experiences, and concluding with the lasting effects of the war and their return to civilian life. I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in World War II, military history, or firsthand historical accounts.
Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Scott Davis for a free advanced readers copy for an honest review.
The result is a fascinating and deeply personal view of the war in the Pacific Theater, told directly by those who were there. I listened to the audiobook version and found it impossible to stop listening. Davis allows the veterans to tell their stories largely in their own words, with very little editorial interference. This approach leads to some uncomfortable moments, especially when the Marines describe the horrors they witnessed in vivid detail, but that honesty makes their experiences feel more real and sobering.
There is also language that may offend some listeners, including derogatory references to Japanese soldiers. While this language is not acceptable by modern standards, I felt it was appropriate in the context of an unfiltered oral history from men and women speaking honestly about their wartime experiences.
The book follows a chronological structure, beginning with the veterans’ childhoods during the Great Depression, moving through their combat experiences, and concluding with the lasting effects of the war and their return to civilian life. I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in World War II, military history, or firsthand historical accounts.
Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Scott Davis for a free advanced readers copy for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This is the compiled oral history of the firsthand accounts of over 130 U.S. Marines in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The stories are honest, raw and unfiltered. These intimate stories give the reader an up-close and personal look at the brutal reality of war. As Marine Eugene Jones indicated, “It’s not like some goddamned movie.”
The author did his research, and spent countless hours interviewing. At first, I didn’t like the format of the book. There are chapters introducing the Marines (background, childhood, youth) followed by chapters devoted to specific battles, places or time periods. The author first gives an overview, then continues with the Marines’ testimonies. At first I thought I would have liked to have each person’s chapter separate, but as I continued reading I realized this was more impactful.
The stories are horrific, yet are testimonials to the heroism, courageousness and bravery of these veterans. Oddly, none of those interviewed made their story about them. Instead, they spoke of those who “served” alongside them, and those who died next to them. Even Harold Rediske, a recipient of the Silver Star, stated, “The only heroes are the guys under the white crosses.”
These are stories that need to be told, and taught, and remembered. One of the veterans highlighted that point when he told the story of meeting a college-age woman who asked him if the Iwo Jima on his bumper sticker referred to “some kind of drink?”
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
This is the compiled oral history of the firsthand accounts of over 130 U.S. Marines in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The stories are honest, raw and unfiltered. These intimate stories give the reader an up-close and personal look at the brutal reality of war. As Marine Eugene Jones indicated, “It’s not like some goddamned movie.”
The author did his research, and spent countless hours interviewing. At first, I didn’t like the format of the book. There are chapters introducing the Marines (background, childhood, youth) followed by chapters devoted to specific battles, places or time periods. The author first gives an overview, then continues with the Marines’ testimonies. At first I thought I would have liked to have each person’s chapter separate, but as I continued reading I realized this was more impactful.
The stories are horrific, yet are testimonials to the heroism, courageousness and bravery of these veterans. Oddly, none of those interviewed made their story about them. Instead, they spoke of those who “served” alongside them, and those who died next to them. Even Harold Rediske, a recipient of the Silver Star, stated, “The only heroes are the guys under the white crosses.”
These are stories that need to be told, and taught, and remembered. One of the veterans highlighted that point when he told the story of meeting a college-age woman who asked him if the Iwo Jima on his bumper sticker referred to “some kind of drink?”
https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II by Scott Davis was an interesting, fast read. It was unique to anything that I have ever read on World War II. Too many books written by historians are boring and few authors ever get the truth about warfare. This book is oral history, so it takes its information from real men and women who were there, versus government paperwork.
I liked reading our veterans’ testimonies. I liked that the author decided to group the testimonies by topic chapter, instead of giving each person a chapter. I think that the reader would have been burnt out by a longer testimony by the time the veterans got to the tougher subjects.
I think that author was brave in today’s world, where people tend to remove words and clean histories to avoid offending others. I think historical voices should be left raw and in their original source because we the readers deserve to know the truth of war. The only thing that I did not like about the book was the format of the testimonies. I think that there should have been space between each one because sometimes I did not realize that the voice had changed even with their names in front of their testimony.
I received a complimentary copy of The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II and I freely left this review. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this reading opportunity.
I liked reading our veterans’ testimonies. I liked that the author decided to group the testimonies by topic chapter, instead of giving each person a chapter. I think that the reader would have been burnt out by a longer testimony by the time the veterans got to the tougher subjects.
I think that author was brave in today’s world, where people tend to remove words and clean histories to avoid offending others. I think historical voices should be left raw and in their original source because we the readers deserve to know the truth of war. The only thing that I did not like about the book was the format of the testimonies. I think that there should have been space between each one because sometimes I did not realize that the voice had changed even with their names in front of their testimony.
I received a complimentary copy of The Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II and I freely left this review. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this reading opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a powerful and moving book, unvarnished first person accounts of World War II Marines in the South Pacific, and their stories about their experiences.
The author interviewed more than 100 veterans (now in their 90s and some over 100). Some had never talked about their war and were telling their stories for the first time. An informative but unobtrusive narrative gives an overview.
Many of the experiences are brutal and disturbing. The anecdotes are loosely arranged by battle locations. We learn the Marines' names and ages but not where they came from or most details of their lives.
There is no glorification here. These combat veterans are clear-eyed about the horrors of war and many note that history hasn't taught politicians anything. We do hear a bit about the aftermath of their experiences and how it affected them. This was decades before PTSD was recognized and the V.A. and society in general didn't have many mental health resources.
Most World War II veterans have already died. Many younger generation folks don't know much about this war, as evidenced by a sad story about a young woman who asked one of the veterans what the Iwo Jima bumper sticker on his car referred to.
This is an important book, but often difficult to read. I wish that more of this history was known by younger generations and politicians. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The author interviewed more than 100 veterans (now in their 90s and some over 100). Some had never talked about their war and were telling their stories for the first time. An informative but unobtrusive narrative gives an overview.
Many of the experiences are brutal and disturbing. The anecdotes are loosely arranged by battle locations. We learn the Marines' names and ages but not where they came from or most details of their lives.
There is no glorification here. These combat veterans are clear-eyed about the horrors of war and many note that history hasn't taught politicians anything. We do hear a bit about the aftermath of their experiences and how it affected them. This was decades before PTSD was recognized and the V.A. and society in general didn't have many mental health resources.
Most World War II veterans have already died. Many younger generation folks don't know much about this war, as evidenced by a sad story about a young woman who asked one of the veterans what the Iwo Jima bumper sticker on his car referred to.
This is an important book, but often difficult to read. I wish that more of this history was known by younger generations and politicians. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
I absolutely loved this book. I think there is so much written about the European theater in WWII and people find the Nazi’s to be so fascinating (don’t come for me, I said fascinating which does not equate to good) so it was very different to read a book that focused solely on the war in the Pacific, especially one that spends so little time on Pearl Harbor. I’ve often felt that history doesn’t care as much about the Pacific theater of WWII and I think that is so sad because every single one of these veterans deserves to be recognized for their efforts and the sacrifices that they made.
I loved how Scott Davis let the veterans tell the story. Davis gave background on battles and events but this was really a forum for Marines to tell their stories and I loved it. I think studying/learning/knowing history is so important and eyewitness testimony and accounts of historical events is, in my opinion, the gold standard. Unfortunately we are very quickly approaching a time where there won’t be anyone left to give witness to any part of WWII so I am very thankful Davis recognized this need and compiled the stories of these Marines.
I thought Davis did a very good job in organizing the stories - they flowed well and the book was easy to follow and kept me engaged.
I would read this again and will be buying copies as gifts. I very much recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WWII.
I absolutely loved this book. I think there is so much written about the European theater in WWII and people find the Nazi’s to be so fascinating (don’t come for me, I said fascinating which does not equate to good) so it was very different to read a book that focused solely on the war in the Pacific, especially one that spends so little time on Pearl Harbor. I’ve often felt that history doesn’t care as much about the Pacific theater of WWII and I think that is so sad because every single one of these veterans deserves to be recognized for their efforts and the sacrifices that they made.
I loved how Scott Davis let the veterans tell the story. Davis gave background on battles and events but this was really a forum for Marines to tell their stories and I loved it. I think studying/learning/knowing history is so important and eyewitness testimony and accounts of historical events is, in my opinion, the gold standard. Unfortunately we are very quickly approaching a time where there won’t be anyone left to give witness to any part of WWII so I am very thankful Davis recognized this need and compiled the stories of these Marines.
I thought Davis did a very good job in organizing the stories - they flowed well and the book was easy to follow and kept me engaged.
I would read this again and will be buying copies as gifts. I very much recommend this book to anyone who is interested in WWII.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Whoosh.
This is one powerful book and I spent much of it either horrified [because war is ALWAYS horrifying, no matter who you are], in tears, or mentally thanking all the men and women interviewed for this book [as well as every one that has fought that war and wars to come] for their bravery and heroism [because let me be clear - THEY ARE heroes. I know they would choose not to be called that, but when it all comes down to the nitty-gritty, they are and forever will be].
Filled with deeply personal [and terrifying] stories [the last 2 chapters will absolutely wreck you; I was quietly sobbing for much of that part], these men and women showed, with their words and actions, why they are truly the Greatest Generation.
This is an oral history, told by nine narrators [7 men and 2 women] and it is a very interesting way to listen to history, and a great way to hear these stories told by the brave men and women who were there on the front lines. I highly recommend listening to this book - it really adds to the overall experience.
Thank you to NetGalley, Scott Davis, Adam Barr, Andre Bellindo, Chloe Nosan, Dan Bittner, John Perhalla, Johnny Heller, Neil Hellegers, Noah Michael Levine, and Stephanie Nemeth- Parker - Narrators, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
This is one powerful book and I spent much of it either horrified [because war is ALWAYS horrifying, no matter who you are], in tears, or mentally thanking all the men and women interviewed for this book [as well as every one that has fought that war and wars to come] for their bravery and heroism [because let me be clear - THEY ARE heroes. I know they would choose not to be called that, but when it all comes down to the nitty-gritty, they are and forever will be].
Filled with deeply personal [and terrifying] stories [the last 2 chapters will absolutely wreck you; I was quietly sobbing for much of that part], these men and women showed, with their words and actions, why they are truly the Greatest Generation.
This is an oral history, told by nine narrators [7 men and 2 women] and it is a very interesting way to listen to history, and a great way to hear these stories told by the brave men and women who were there on the front lines. I highly recommend listening to this book - it really adds to the overall experience.
Thank you to NetGalley, Scott Davis, Adam Barr, Andre Bellindo, Chloe Nosan, Dan Bittner, John Perhalla, Johnny Heller, Neil Hellegers, Noah Michael Levine, and Stephanie Nemeth- Parker - Narrators, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 22, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.
Not going to give this a star rating on Goodreads because this isn't the kind of book you can star rate. Obviously this book deals with atrocities. And at times very unreflected statements by the U.S. marines that - just so we're all clear here - also committed war crimes. I do not enjoy the way some other (U.S. American) reviewers are like "now you see why we HAD to bomb millions of civilians!!!!!!!!!" after reading this book, and I would like to say that doesn't have anything to do with the contents of this book or the way they are presented, but sadly, I fear it does, because the foreword doesn't do enough to salvage the racism and very clear "they are the enemy and evil" attitude some of these marines have, and the one-sided recountings of the events. Again, U.S. soldiers committed plenty war crimes. Let's not forget that. These guys weren't heroes.
I do think this book would have required more critical contextualisation of the contents, and I personally think that the audiobook production wasn't ideal. The cast frequently sounded pretty monotonous, and while it might be that the original veterans also just sounded completely detached when recounting their experiences, I feel like that wasn't conveyed very well in the audiobook production.
Not going to give this a star rating on Goodreads because this isn't the kind of book you can star rate. Obviously this book deals with atrocities. And at times very unreflected statements by the U.S. marines that - just so we're all clear here - also committed war crimes. I do not enjoy the way some other (U.S. American) reviewers are like "now you see why we HAD to bomb millions of civilians!!!!!!!!!" after reading this book, and I would like to say that doesn't have anything to do with the contents of this book or the way they are presented, but sadly, I fear it does, because the foreword doesn't do enough to salvage the racism and very clear "they are the enemy and evil" attitude some of these marines have, and the one-sided recountings of the events. Again, U.S. soldiers committed plenty war crimes. Let's not forget that. These guys weren't heroes.
I do think this book would have required more critical contextualisation of the contents, and I personally think that the audiobook production wasn't ideal. The cast frequently sounded pretty monotonous, and while it might be that the original veterans also just sounded completely detached when recounting their experiences, I feel like that wasn't conveyed very well in the audiobook production.
Read
June 10, 2026I am feel unable to rate this because of the type of book it is.
The Last of the Old Breed is a powerful collection that reads like a mosaic memoir of Marines—young men and women who chose to serve their country in a time marked by both courage and profound cost. Through their stories, you see victories and losses, moments of purpose alongside deep trauma, and the lasting weight of experiences that shaped an entire generation of service members.
Listening to the audiobook, I sometimes found it challenging to follow due to the structure—short quotes and segments that build the narrative in fragments rather than a straightforward timeline. It requires focus and attention, but what comes through in those pieces is meaningful and worth the effort.
What stays with you most is not just the individual accounts, but the collective portrait of a generation of Americans shaped by service. Even as times have changed, the bravery and sacrifice of those who served during this era cannot be overlooked or diminished. Their stories reflect both the cost and the complexity of military service, and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
The Last of the Old Breed is a powerful collection that reads like a mosaic memoir of Marines—young men and women who chose to serve their country in a time marked by both courage and profound cost. Through their stories, you see victories and losses, moments of purpose alongside deep trauma, and the lasting weight of experiences that shaped an entire generation of service members.
Listening to the audiobook, I sometimes found it challenging to follow due to the structure—short quotes and segments that build the narrative in fragments rather than a straightforward timeline. It requires focus and attention, but what comes through in those pieces is meaningful and worth the effort.
What stays with you most is not just the individual accounts, but the collective portrait of a generation of Americans shaped by service. Even as times have changed, the bravery and sacrifice of those who served during this era cannot be overlooked or diminished. Their stories reflect both the cost and the complexity of military service, and the lasting impact it leaves behind.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Last of the Old Breed is a powerful and deeply moving oral history that brings the Pacific Theater of World War II into stark, unfiltered focus. Through the voices of over a hundred surviving U.S. Marines, Scott Davis captures the brutality, fear, and resilience of men who fought in some of the war’s most harrowing battles. The firsthand accounts are raw and unsparing, offering a rare glimpse into both the physical realities of combat and the emotional weight these veterans carried long after the war ended.
What makes this book truly stand out is its humanity. Davis steps back and lets the veterans speak, creating a narrative that feels intimate, urgent, and incredibly real. It’s not just a history of war, but a testament to memory, sacrifice, and the importance of preserving these stories before they’re lost. The Last of the Old Breed is a sobering, unforgettable read that honors a generation with honesty and respect.
What makes this book truly stand out is its humanity. Davis steps back and lets the veterans speak, creating a narrative that feels intimate, urgent, and incredibly real. It’s not just a history of war, but a testament to memory, sacrifice, and the importance of preserving these stories before they’re lost. The Last of the Old Breed is a sobering, unforgettable read that honors a generation with honesty and respect.
June 5, 2026
An interesting and intriguing look at the real face of war, as told by veterans who survived. The stories do not sugar coat or hide the ugliness of battle, instead they present their feelings, fears, and why they were there. The men and women endured great hardships and trials as they faced a fanatical enemy who was ready to die for their country. They were proud to serve and understood they may not come back home.
This book should be a requirement for our youth today to understand why these men and women fought, the belief in their country and way of life, and the hardships these great men and women went through to ensure future generations had their freedom.
An outstanding book!
I also completed this book as an audio book. The narration was great and the stories came to life. A great narration to listen to.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book should be a requirement for our youth today to understand why these men and women fought, the belief in their country and way of life, and the hardships these great men and women went through to ensure future generations had their freedom.
An outstanding book!
I also completed this book as an audio book. The narration was great and the stories came to life. A great narration to listen to.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 30, 2026
The Last of the Old Breed is a factual, personal look at the service of the Marines of the Pacific Theater of WWII. Davis has done the world a service by collecting these oral histories and sharing them so that people can remember and learn about these battles and, more importantly, about how the men who fought in these battles were impacted.
I would've liked a different formatting style--something like each chapter following a handful of men and telling their stories from start to finish so that I could get to know each of them a bit better--but better to have the stories in this location-based format than none at all!
This is definitely one for WWII buffs and for anyone who wants more personal stories about those who fought in WWII.
I would've liked a different formatting style--something like each chapter following a handful of men and telling their stories from start to finish so that I could get to know each of them a bit better--but better to have the stories in this location-based format than none at all!
This is definitely one for WWII buffs and for anyone who wants more personal stories about those who fought in WWII.
June 13, 2026
I received this book via a GoodReads giveaway. The Last of the Old Breed is a collection of first hand accounts from Marines from the Pacific Theater during World War II. The author, Scott Davis, does a fantastic job of taking quotations received from interviews from more than 100 veterans into a chronological timeline of life prior to the war through Pearl Harbor and every major event in the Pacific Theater. It is sometimes raw and gritty as they discuss events and feelings during and after the war. Overall, this was a fantastic book and a must-read for anyone that enjoys first hand accounts of historical events.
June 16, 2026
As the child of a WWII Marine who fought at Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa, I greatly appreciated the first person reminiscences of these Marines, who were contemporaries of my Dad. It was a difficult book to read, but SO worthwhile, and so very poignant in many of the shared comments and remembrances of the veterans from over 75 years ago. I treasure each and every one of them, especially in their willingness to share such (in many cases) devastating memories of events that occurred when most of them were teenagers, and young 20-something-year olds. The impact of their shared voices will resonate forever. The author did a wonderful job in his authorship of this very, very special book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
one of the better books written about the military fighting in the Pacific during WWII. interviews of mostly men Marines retelling their training and scope of practice during the war. it is written that it was necessary to kill a Japanese soldier in order not to be killed yourself. most held that the Japanese were fierce fighters, there was no surrender in their fighting. awful how bad some of the injuries were that stopped a Marine from fighting. it was by the grace of a higher being that some escaped death while standing next to a dead person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2026
I’ll admit that I wanted to read this book for multiple reasons. History and not forgetting its starkness, admiration of the Marines, and for the personal because my beloved grandfather was a Marine in the South Pacific in WWII. Who is no longer here, and who never once, within my hearing, spoke about any of his experiences.
The stories within this book are terrifying, heartbreaking, extremely important and should never be forgotten.
I was impressed by the author’s research and writing. Recommended.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC
The stories within this book are terrifying, heartbreaking, extremely important and should never be forgotten.
I was impressed by the author’s research and writing. Recommended.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC
May 23, 2026
This book is a unique view of the events of WWII. It explores the lives of several marines during that time. It does a great job exploring their lives and how they came to enter the marines and their lives after. Including Iwo Jima and the Atomic bomb among other major events. The book finishes by talking about the aftermath the war had on these marines including ptsd thank you Macmillan for the chance to listen to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2026
It's sad to realize that the number of men and women who served in World War II is dwindling. With their passing goes their stories and experiences in this world-changing event. Knowing this, I am so glad that Scott Davis compiled the stories of these veterans of the war. Their courage in the face of the horror of war was beyond extraordinary and deserves to be honored. Thank goodness their experiences have been told and saved. They deserved to be honored forever.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
5 stars.
An unedited, first hand account of the Marines in the Pacific theater during World War II. Incredibly moving, often graphic retelling from those men and women who served during that time. The details in the stories, in their own words, is extremely impactful and a must read.
5 stars.
An unedited, first hand account of the Marines in the Pacific theater during World War II. Incredibly moving, often graphic retelling from those men and women who served during that time. The details in the stories, in their own words, is extremely impactful and a must read.
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