From Omaha to Okinawa: The Story of the Seabees

by William Bradford Huie, Naval Institute Press, Donald R. Noble (Foreword by)

In this rousing sequel to his classic Can Do! The Story of the Seabees , William Bradford Huie continues the saga of the combat trained civilian plumbers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, wharf builders, and civil engineers who served in the U.S. Navy construction battalions. The story begins in 1944 with the battle for Iwo Jima when the Seabees braved concentrated enemy fire and Iwo's daunting terrain to rig floating causeways, blow up wrecked landing craft, and drive their bulldozers up three terraces that rose from the ocean to secure the beachhead. This book fully chronicles their heroism, including the unforgettable efforts of the men of the 31st Battalion who crawled the length of a landing strip to pick up shrapnel as Japanese snipers fired away.
Huie does equal justice to the historic actions of the Seabees on D-Day at Omaha Beach, where they manned fifteen hundred vehicles during the first wave of landings at Normandy. He provides fascinating accounts of the creation and testing of various pierheads, floating steel bridges, and "Rhino" ferries. His narrative of Seabee accomplishments is heavily laced with colorful stories of moonshining, brawling, and carousing juxtaposed with compassionate stories of the children in the prisoner of war camps. His enthusiasm for the Seabees gained instant acceptance when this book was first published in 1945 and is often cited as inspiring succeeding generations to rise to the same spirit of devotion and loyalty to their task.

Genres: World War II, History

312 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

William Bradford Huie was an American writer, investigative reporter, editor, national lecturer, and television host. His credits include 21 books that sold over 30 million copies worldwide. In addition to writing 14 bestsellers, he wrote hundreds of articles that appeared in all of the major magazines and newspapers of the day. Huie wrote several books about controversial topics related to World War II and the Civil Rights Movement. Six of Huie's books were adapted as feature films during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Reviews

[Jesper Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mix between colourful anecdotes and impressive facts this book has been a joy to read. More than once I chuckled. Maybe - partly - because the 1945 language is courtly and at the same time wonderfully political incorrect after today's measures

[Iain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid sequel to "Can Do!" Huie once again gives insights into how Seebees contributed to invasions throughout the Pacific, and in Normandy as well. It's a child of it's day, with more instances of the term "Jap" than your can shake a stick at. The anecdotes are once again nuggets of gold.

A must read for anyone interested in the Seebees, and recommended to anyone interested in the Pacific island hoping or (one the case of one chapter at east) the invasion of Normandy.

[Cynthia Kareski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book on the support to end the war eariler.