The Heart of Hell: The Untold Story of Courage and Sacrifice in the Shadow of Iwo Jima

by Mitch Weiss, Joe Barrett (Narrator)

The Battle of Iwo Jima, a major event in the Pacific Theater of World War II—and one of the bloodiest in United States history—began on February 19, 1945. But what happened two days earlier has largely been a footnote, until now...
 
On February 17, Landing Craft Infantry 449 was among a dozen gunboats helping to prepare the area for their invasion two days later. U.S. military leaders thought they had weakened Japanese forces in the area so they were not expecting any action…
 
From the towering slopes of Mount Suribachi, Japanese forces opened fire, forcing the U.S. commanders to recalculate battlefield plans. They shelled and bombed the newly discovered enemy positions. It was a move that saved countless lives two days later, when tens of thousands of Marines stormed the beach.
 
The Heart of Hell is the untold story of the crew of Landing Craft Infantry 449. Based on 130 exclusive interviews with sailors who survived the battle, the families of the men killed in the fight, and more than 1,500 letters the sailors mailed to loved ones during their long months at sea, this is a story of duty, brotherhood, love, and courage.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military Fiction, War, American History

14 pages, Audiobook

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Mitch Weiss is a New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist for The Associated Press covering subjects ranging from the Vietnam War to corrupt real estate appraisers to the British Petroleum oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. He is the coauthor of The Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Courage, Passion and One American’s Fight to Liberate Cuba, Hunting Ché: How a U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary, No Way Out: A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan, Tiger Force: A True Story of Men and War, Countdown Bin Laden. The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice; Countdown 1945. The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days that Changed the Word. Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis, Broken Faith: Inside the World of Faith Fellowship. One of America's Most Dangerous Cults, and The Heart of Hell. The Untold Story of Courage and Sacrifice in the Shadow of Iwo Jima.

Reviews

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of a Navy craft on the eve of the Marines’ landing on the island of Iwo Jima. It is not a story of the small boat per se (the craft is Landing Craft Infantry 449) but the stories of the men who make up the crew of Landing Craft Infantry 449. This is the first naval history book I read of World War Two as an adult. I certainly enjoyed it and learned a lot from it in terms of human nature, war and humanity. In this review I want to first note the helpful format of the book and then discuss the content of the book itself.


This book is worth reading even for the general reader who might not necessarily be well versed with military history and naval warfare. Both the author and the publishers had the book formatted in a way that helps us enter into the world of 1940s US Navy small vessel sub-culture. I appreciated the fact that in the early pages of the book there are several pages devoted to “Cast of Characters” as one can easily get loss with the back and forth of various names of the officers and crew of Landing Craft Infantry 449. As anyone who have ever talked to a new sailor or Marine would know sometimes they can speak a whole new language of “Navy Speak.” The beginning of the book also have a glossary for naval terms concerning ships, Navy life and jobs on board of a ship. I like that the glossary was in the front of the book rather than the back since it really allows the readers to know the terms upfront instead of discovering the glossary in the back after one finished the book and then having the reader wished he knew about the glossary ahead of time (something that often happens in my own reading).

The book does a good job describing the personalities on board LCI 449. It really gives us a snapshot of the human face of the crews of hundreds if not thousands of Navy ships during the War in the Pacific. The book captures the funny and quirky side of the officers and sailors as well as their virtuous side and their fears, worries and anxieties. Half way through I was amazed at how much details the author was able to give of the men’s thoughts. Here the author did a really good job researching through literally thousands of letters and over a hundred interviews. While the book began with a narrative of the dawn of the invasion of Iwo Jima with LCI 449 and other gunboats heading towards the beach with frogmen to scout the beachhead (an excellent hook) the book then goes back in time chronologically and thereby presents to us the story of the men before the war, the forming of the crew of Landing Craft Infantry 449 and why this vessel was modified into a gunboat instead of a troop carrier for the sake of the Navy’s war strategy. The book tells us LCI 449’s previous Naval campaign and in between it is filled with accounts of letters written between the sailors of LCI 449 and family, friends and loved ones back home. I must warn readers that this book would be heartbreaking but still I can’t put it down because of the human interest element.

Like other military history book about World War Two this work made me appreciate the fighting men that came before my generation. I’m thankful for these men’s service. I’m appalled at the amount of violence these men saw. Especially the close-quarter carnage. What made this work different for me is that I grew in my appreciation for what the Navy faced in World War Two given the focus of my previous reading of war has been land based warfare and I myself being a Marine veteran of land based military operation. This work made me appreciate the sacrifice and danger the Navy underwent in order to support the Marines’ invasion of Iwo Jima both before the landing and during the landing. I learned from this book a startling statistic that I did not know previously: The Battle of Iwo Jima was the only battle with the Japanese that ended up with more American casualties than Japanese casualties. This horrifying fact becomes even more horrific when one realizes that the Japanese only had two hundred survivors from this month long battle. Given how long this book developed the characters it was very emotional to read of the extreme violence that the crew faced. Reading the account of how LCI 449 was under Japanese bombardment and stayed under fire for the mission really made me wonder how was it possible that LCI 449 and other boats like it didn’t just run away from death and mayhem.

And yet this book should not be seen as merely an operational history. There’s a human touch to the book of personal courage. Even continuing their duties was courageous. I was struck with the story of the signalman who was severely injured and yet still did his duty of signaling to other ships for help though he needed to be carried by two sailors. Then there’s the story of the only surviving officer making difficult decisions. The epilogue was longer than I expected but much needed as it tells the story of some of the survivors after the war. I am struck with America’s greatest generation and how silent they were of the things they have done and seen; even with their loved ones and family. Yet the book doesn’t sugarcoat the reality that war is a horrifying nightmare even decades after the ordeal. Before the era where the term PTSD is common some of these men clearly had PTSD. There’s the survivors who could not watch war movies without breaking down or having to leave. Or leave during the fourth of July. It struck deep for me personally to see how also as much as things are different yet somethings remain constant in every generation who faced war: the sailors and officers on board Landing Craft Infantry 449 were from all walks of life and section of the country just like the men in today’s Armed Forces. The accounts and excerpts of letters between the men of Landing Craft Infantry 449 and the folks back home made me think about the letters I wrote and received in Iraq. Which in the end makes me appreciate these men even more. If the saying is true that there were in the past wooden ships and iron men I must also add that in World War Two there were small boats and large-hearted men.

[Audrey]

Review coming

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heart of Hell is the first wartime book I've ever read that wasn't land based. This is the story of a group of men who live together on a gunboat just to and than they are one of twelve gunboats that are on the front lines for the reconnaissance mission prior to the actual invasion. It is a gripping tale of self sacrifice, bravery, and friendship. It was well written and certainly worth the read.

[Sharon Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tremendous story that shares the personal lives, loves and dreams of the men aboard LCI 449 during WWII. It details their fears, commitment to each other, courage, bravery, and their sacrifices as they battled the Japanese off the coast of Iwo Jima. Two-thirds of the crew were killed or wounded in this untold historical story. I personally find it heartbreaking that these men fought so gallantly to defend the very flag we burn and walk on today.

[Zod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mitch Weiss wrote a truly moving tale of friendship, camaraderie, bravery and sacrifice during one of the most unknown actions of World War 2.

The author did an incredible job introducing the crew and connecting with the reader through interviews with the surviving crew members and the cherished letters of the fallen. As the battle of Iwo Jima approach each one was filled with tension because you knew some of the crew wouldn't survive but Mitch Weiss' skilled storytelling left you guessing as to who wouldn't make it.

It was hard enough to visit Iwo Jima this past March but I certainly would have shed a tear for the crew of the 449 had I read this book before my visit and truly connected with the survivors and the fallen.

As a combat veteran I highly recommend this book as an intimate story of the best of worst parts of service of our Heat country in a time of war.

Weiss did a true service to these men and their families and allowed them to be memorialized forever.

Semper Fi

[Bob Laclede · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tremendous book that I just recently discovered. My father was onboard one of those first 5 LCI’s -LCI(G) 441- that supported the UDT teams going into Iwo Jima and was injured during the attack. He is even listed as one of the crewmen in the bibliography. This book was not an easy read since the author does a fantastic job describing the action (and the gore) of the damage/death that these LCI’s endured. But it is incredibly well written and based on many personal accounts and letters that the sailors sent home. Quite a true story! I learned many things that my father never discussed…and now I understand why.

[Adrian Brown]

From my uncle. I was really not in the mood for an extremely detailed account of a specific battle, with biographies of all significant participants from before and after included. I skimmed it. It's probably good.

Of interest to me was the fact that one of the main characters (Byron Yarbrough) was from Auburn. His home address was 101 Debardeleben Dr. (Pebble Hill). The book said he was from a "prominent Auburn family", and I went to school with some Yarbroughs. Probably related.

[Mathias Seiwert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What a book. Inspired me in so many ways, humbled me at the price others have paid, and made me weep as well.

[Eric Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presented the gospel. Covers a little type of combat ship and culminates in their action off of Iwo Jima. The world changed substantially for the crew in 8 minutes.

[Harold Aldana Cuestas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot of everything that well describes human race: friendship, courage, honor, heroism and patriotism in middle of war, fear and adversity.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about LCI 449 and their action that took place two days before the actual invasion of Iwo Jima. I had read about UDT’S going to the island before and drawing a map of the beach and getting rid of any mines that were in the way for the landing crafts. No one spoke of these boats or the men on these boats that took them close and then would wait for them to come back. After days of bombing, from the air, and from the ships guns. The powers to be figured there would be little to no enemy fire. As the boats came closer to the spot to drop of the Under Water Demolition Team, (now called Seals) the Japanese thought that the invasion was starting and some of the hidden areas opened up with fire on the six boats that were first sent in. The 449 took and another boat each took direct hits almost immediately and for the 449 the first hit was near their ammo locker, but also took out a 40mm gun and a 20mm gun. A second hit was just as bad but the third took out all of the officers but one and took away all of their fighting power. With no guns, and now the rockets not working, Bedell the last officer but the lowest rank took charge. As he goes through the steps to get the ship moving again, you also get a look back at the friendships he made along the way and the memories of each one. Some of these men had been together on this boat for years together almost from Guadalcanal to today. His best friend and Lt. Bryon Yarbrough, who in September of 44 started writing a girl he never met a Betty Jones, by December of 44 he knows he wants to marry her. In March of 45 Betty starts getting her letters returned and knowing something must be wrong it is another month before his parents write her with the news of his death. She never marries and a niece says after she passed away they found all of the letters tied with a ribbon together in a trunk. Another man just found out he was a father only to be killed. It is these type of stories that made this book more interesting than just a history book. With a crew of 75 the 449 had 20 killed 21 wounded. That day Group eight had 43 killed, 152 wounded, and the 449 took it the hardest. This was still two days before the actual invasion. The spotters saw where some of the guns were and were able to take those out, or the totals for the day of the invasion would have been higher. Iwo Jima the battle lasted for 36 days, and was the only battle in the Pacific that claimed more American lives 26,000 killed and wounded. Out of 22,000 Japanese soldiers only 216 would survive. This was a fantastic book with a lot of research and you got to know each man before the battle. I got this book from netgalley. I gave this book 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Max Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives me a better understanding of what it was like being in the navy, everyone was assigned to a gigantic boat with not very good living conditions, and had to survive that plus the fire fights they would go through. While I didn't finish the book I got about half way through (288) and stopped. It's pretty good on showing how everyone on this boat became brothers. But at the same time a bit hard to follow considering their is a lot of characters. Also it shows how much darker some of the sailers get through letters sent back to their wives. As in they keep gradually getting darker. I gave this a 4 star rating on the fact that I didn't finish the book. I sorta wonder what the outcome was for a lot of the soldiers and if most got home alive to see their wife and in some cases like Clifford Lemke see a kid he has never even held yet especially considering right where I stopped they were under fire and hit. I may finish the book yet, but I don't know. Overall it seems pretty good so far!


(Edit Dec 20)
I have finished the book page 385, and I would say there is a great emotional connection between the characters throughout this story. It has always made me wonder if any of these men would make it off the boat alive that's for you to find out. Like I have stated earlier it gives a really vivid understanding of how bad war is. Reading this book played a movie in my brain, and I like books that do that. I would recommend reading it.

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Heart of Hell” eBook was published in 2016 and was written by Mitch Weiss (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_W...). Mr. Weiss has authored or co-authored 5 books.

I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of combat Violence. This book is set in the Pacific during 1944-45. The book tells the story of the crew of Landing Craft Infantry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing...) (G) - 449 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_LCI...).

These flat bottom boats were just under 160 feet long and less than 25 feet wide with a crew of about 70. The small ship participated in several Pacific island invasions providing close fire support, but the focus of the story is the action during the days leading to the invasion of Iwo Jima in February 1945.

As you read this book you learn the stories of the crew of the 449, their families and girl friends. By the time the battle of Iwo Jima takes place you know the crew well. But at Iwo Jima in a few minutes of combat many of the crew are killed or severely wounded.

I enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 434 page book. It paints a vivid picture of what serving aboard a war time navy vessel was like. It made me think a lot about what I saw at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans last year. The one thing that I thought was missing was any photos of the ship or the crew. If you like reading non-fiction accounts of World War II, you will enjoy this book. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Joey Brockert · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome, well written history of the invasion of Iwo Jima. This is a story of defeat in a war we won.
Mr. Weiss introduces the Landing Craft Infantry 499 and some of the seamen on it. He intersperses some biographical details of those who were on board and shipped out of Pearl Harbor in late 1944. This gives you some feel for who was there. There are a lot of sailors, so later on you have to reacquaint yourself with who was who was who, like a Russian novel.
These are young men who would have had nightmares from even the first outing (Siapan), much less the reconnaissance mission, at Iwo Jima, where the feces hit the fan. The detail of the carnage gives you the feel for how terrible it is in war. It is not often you read of the actual cost of battle, here you can read of it. I really did not want to read this, but I had to – a duty to those who died, to remember them; and to those who survived, to know the heck they went through.
The LCI 499 was a small gun boat that was to cover for reconnaissance frogmen, and, previously, it had done so without incident. At Iwo Jima, the Japanese made a bit of a mistake and opened fire on the gunboats, disclosing their firing guns locations, but inflicting heavy damage and casualties on the gun boats.
At Saipan, these eighteen and nineteen year old kids had to endure seeing Japanese families commit suicide in front of them. The Japanese were so afraid of the American soldiers, they preferred death to surrender. I, even at sixty years old, would have nightmares of parents throwing kids off the cliffs, and then themselves. It must have been horrendous for these youngsters!!

[Steve DeViney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this most recent book on the LCI action at Iwo Jima on February 17, 1945. My father is Radioman 3rd Class, then post-war the Reverend Robert D. DeViney (still living in La Grade, OR) who was on LCI-G 457 in this same action and through to return to the US in early 1946 and discharge in March 1946. Dad's name is mentioned in the Bibliography of this book. I thought the book reasonably written and would have given it a full 5-star rating but for periodic inaccuracies in various places in the book. As one example, there is mention of Iwo Jima as being 600 miles east of Tokyo, whereas it is actually 760 south southeast of Tokyo. These are minor matters in terms of the overall quality of the research and writing. Appreciation to Mitch Weiss and to LCI Pacific Historian Dennis Blocker (grandson of SFC Clifford Lemke of the 449) and to many others for this fine book. Such a little know, but critically vital action which saved the lives of many Marines who landed at Iwo Jima 2 days later. I had the opportunity in June 2015 to introduce my dad to one of those marines - Corporal Don Whipple who landed in the 1st wave at Iwo Jima and who now lives in Denver, Colorado.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mitch Weiss does a good job of introducing LCI 449 and of the LCI's being used as gun ships which is something I did not know. What hurts the book is the fact that he gets bogged down in so many characters and profiles that it makes it difficult to follow all of them. The story of Iwo Jima and what happened February 17th is compelling and horrifying but there are so many characters involved that it becomes to confusing to follow who was this person who was killed and this person who was wounded. I find this a shame as there were so many stories and Weiss might have been better off at telling some stories of a cross section of the crew so that it is easier to follow who lived and who died.

Despite the flawed writing it's an amazing story and well worth your time!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was brilliantly researched, written with the dignity and honor of the men's service at center, and crafted to follow the devastating arc of the LCI-449 and its crew. The first 250-300 pages paints a picture of camaraderie, homesickness, personal dreams, pasts, adventure and hope. The last 100-150 pages follow the Landing Craft Infantry (LCI), converted into a gunboat, as it hurtles towards its mission defending "frogmen" on the pre-invasion reconnaissance of Iwo Jima, a key South Pacific point whose capture enabled U.S. troops to be in direct firing range of the Japanese mainland during WWII. This story is uplifting, devastating, and full of humble heroism.

[Zach Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books ever written about World War II. It tells the tale of the USS LCI (G) 449 during the Battle of Iwo Jima and the detailed story of the ship's patriotic, heroic, young crewman who manned her. It is truly fascinating how much research went into this book. Thank you Seaman 1st Class Clifford Lemke for serving; thank you to fellow author, Dennis Blocker, for his decades of research on his grandfather (Clifford Lemke) which made this story possible; and thank you Mitch Weiss for writing.

Bravo Mr. Weiss for a masterful job!

[Lavada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shouldn't have liked this book. I don't like reading about war and I don't like biographies of people's lives. I read this book at the request of my husband who's father served on an LCI during WWII. This book was so well done and presented these young men in such a way that it drew me in and mesmerized me. Well done.

[Rick Sutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

We live in a generation today that seems to be adrift in self absorption and political agendas. . . Then there was the generation that sacrificed it all that we may enjoy now what we have been blessed with by their sacrifices. Mitch Weiss book; Heart of Hell keeps those memories of their lives alive and helps add meaning and purpose to those of the greatest generation!

Thank You. . .

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the way the author brought to life each of the crew members
Of the LCI 449 Gun boat. I am not a big WW II buff but this really made the soldiers challenges and experiences very realistic and yes heart wrenching! We as Americans should Thank every soldier for the price they
Paid!!!

[Drew Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent story, but you'll have to ream my review in America in WWII magazine.

[Sean Putnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. Emotional. Brings to light my grandfathers time spent on LCI 469.

Bravest of the Brave.