You'll Be Sor-ree: A Guadalcanal Marine Remembers The Pacific War

by Sid Phillips

Sid Phillips knew he was a long way from his home in Mobile, AL, when he plunged into the jungles of Guadalcanal in August 1942. A mortarman with the same company of the 1st Marine Division as Helmet For My Pillow author Robert Leckie, Sid was a 17-year-old kid when he entered combat. Some two years later, when he returned home, the island fighting on Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester had turned him into an "Old Timer" by Marine standards and a man. In this true story, Sid recalls his encounters with icons like Chesty Puller, Gen. Vandergrift, Eleanor Roosevelt, and his boyhood friend, With the Old Breed author, Eugene Sledge. He remembers fighting in the battle of the Tenaru (Alligator Creek), the struggle for Henderson Field, bombardments by Japanese battleships, the brutality of the tropics, and the haunting notion of being surrounded and expendable. This is the story of how Sid stood shoulder to shoulder with his Marine brothers to discover the strength and faith necessary to survive the dark, early days of WWII in the Pacific.

Genres: World War II, History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Memoir, Biography, War

252 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2010

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and easy read about the service given by one of the marines featured in the HBO mini-series, The Pacific. Sid Phillips enlisted days after the attack on Pearl Harbour, and served with the 1st Marines in the Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester campaigns. His book has no bigger picture of the war in these pages and just concerns his and his units' day-to-day life in these inhospitable locations and them trying to survive. If I read Sid Phillips' book before I read Eugene Sledge's "With the Old Breed", I would probably have given it 5 stars, but this is not as good. Still worth the quick read though.

[Tom Emory Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book (I did the audio version) by Dr. Sid Phillips, a World War II Marine, who was on Guadalcanal and a couple other sites of vicious fighting against the Japanese. That said, you can't really call it a "war book." Dr. Phillips bypassed practically all the fighting and bloodletting to recount the non-combat life and experiences he had in his four years as a WW II Marine.

Guadalcanal is in the title but for all the horrors of the fighting there, there is little mention of blood or death or Marine casualties for which Guadalcanal was infamous. What is in the book about Guadalcanal are the experiences of daily survival while being faced with malaria, jungle rot, hunger, mosquitoes, and the constant feeling of being abandoned. Likewise, when Sid Phillips and his companion Marines leave Guadalcanal and move from site to site, he writes about the day-to-day activities of surviving Marine life both in and away from the combat zones.

Anyone looking for war stories or Marine fighting experiences will be disappointed by this book. However, this is a war memoir of a Marine who survived and returned home to become a medical doctor, marry his sweetheart and live a full life, and realizing how lucky he was every day of his life. At its core, this is a sweet book for how Dr. Phillips describes his fellow Marines, his family, his wife and his life.


Because I listened to this book in its audio version, perhaps I should note the book was enhanced by the excellent narrative performance of Dan John Miller. I listen to a lot of audio books and the reader can be a plus or a huge minus. Rarely have I gotten the pleasure I got from Mr. Miller's work on this book. Dr. Phillips is from Mobile, Alabama. Dan John Miller's soft Alabama drawl feels genuine and gives the book a stronger feel and connection to the author.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give 4 stars to the memoir, but have to take a star off for the final chapter which comes out of left field talking about the myth of evolution(!) and veers into his views on religion.

I've seen interviews with Sid Phillips, and I'm sure he's a great guy, but why mar a wonderful recollection of his time in the Marines during WWII with a summary chapter that has little bearing on the topic. Had I known, I would've ommitted reading the last few pages and come away with a much better feeling from this book.

[William Bentrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ll Be Sor-ree! By Sid Philllips

Sid Phillips tried to enlist in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor. He ended up shortly thereafter in the Marines. These are his recollection of his days in the Pacific in World War II.

I’m not much for non-fiction. I find that daily events often provide more grim reality than I really care to experience. My Dad was only slightly older than Sid Phillips. Even though Sid was in the Pacific theater and the Marines and my Dad was in Europe and the Army, I heard parallels in his tales.

Phillips points out several times that our bulwark against aggression was a group of very young and very inexperienced kids. Those kids had horrific experiences that turned them quickly into men. I was struck by the fact that there wasn’t one single instance of “poor me” in his homey rendition. He made no excuses for is behavior or complaints about treatment. Quite frequently he made mention of events or instances where you could not expect sympathy or compassion from your compatriots. You were expected at all times to “man” up.

Regardless of your feelings about the military, you have to admire the courage and the resiliency of the “greatest” generation. In 1939 my Dad was in a mule brigade and by the end of the war there jets in the air. The astounding changes these young guys went through are hard to imagine.

Sid Phillips, I salute you and your generation for an amazing job!

I recommend the book.

[Jon Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book in the gift shop of the History Museum of Mobile when visiting in March 2021. The book's author Sid Phillips was a native of Mobile, AL. The book was a fast and enjoyable read. The author joined the Marine Corps the day after the Pearl Harbor raid in December 1941 and served in the Pacific theater in the Guadalcanal campaign and elsewhere. The author states in the introduction that the book is not a comprehensive history of the Pacific war, but is a recounting of his personal experiences with an emphasis on humorous and unusual events, and he is as good as his word. The book is not a comedy, but several of the anecdotes are laugh-out-loud funny and the goofy, pranking behavior of the Marines when not in combat is a strong reminder that a large proportion of them were basically kids, still in their teens. The author was 17 years old when he joined the Marines and 21 when the war ended. Four out of five stars.

[Matthew De]

I’ve have just completed reading You’ll Be Sor-Ree by Sid Philips. I found it refreshing to read about his time in training to become a Marine and his experiences in between battles. We tend to think about the battles that military personnel fought in and tend to forget about their experiences outside of battle. You’ll Be Sor-Ree focuses more on the in between battles then on the battles themselves .

[Joy Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. Easy to follow along, full of information, furthering my WWII obsession for sure.

[Rob 2272 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories of a US Marine in WW2.

[Ronald Roseborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you saw Ken Burn's documentary, The War or the HBO miniseries, The Pacific, then you already know about Sid Phillips. He played a major role in both by recounting his experiences as a private in a mortar platoon in the South Pacific during World War II. In this book Sid tells in detail his life in the Marine Corps. The day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, seventeen year old Sid and his friend, went down to enlist in the military. There was no waiting in line at the Marine recruiter's office so he signed up. This may have been the only time in his Marine career that he didn't have to hurry up and then wait in line. The boy who entered training at Parris Island would come home a man after enduring the hell of Guadalcanal. It is a tribute to Sid's character, that his memoir dwells not on the tragedy and grief that surrounded this life, but on the rich relationships he formed. Their humor, both light and dark, helped the young Marines endure seemingly endless heat, exhaustion, deprivation, and pain in a campaign that in those early days of the war, left them feeling alone and forgotten.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Sid Phillips enlisted with the U.S. Marines. His book follows him from his enlistment until he mustered out after the war. The heart of the book, as the sub-title indicates, is the time he spent on Guadalcanal. As Phillips states in the beginning of the book, this is not a history of the war or of Guadalcanal. The book is primarily made up of primarily humorous anecdotes surrounding events Phillips was involved in. You definitely won’t gain an understanding of the battle for Guadalcanal from reading this, but the Marines on the island didn’t have much of an understanding of what was actually happening and its broader impacts. I think you do get a feel for what life was like for the Marines there. Phillips was apparently featured in Ken Burns’ documentary “The War”, as well as the recent HBO series “The Pacific”. Worth reading to see the Marine-level view of one of the earliest battles in the Pacific. [return][return]I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.

[GD · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandfather was in the Pacific War and it as his favorite thing to talk about when I was a kid, and much like this book, he usually told us only funny stories and anecdotes, and never really talked much about how obviously horrible wars are in general, and the fighting on Guadalcanal in particular.

Sid Phillips writes in the most conversational way possible, you'll imagine an old timer leaning against a wall regaling you with all these surprisingly funny stories about the camaraderie and goofing off that went along with the war. The last chapter, as a couple of other reviewers have noted, is a little bizarre, going off into how he thinks America will rise again (isn't it still pretty fucking high on the food chain today?) when people stop believing in evolution and find God again. Obviously this was just thrown on to the end of a narrative that otherwise seems to have been written just for his family and friends.

It made me watch The Pacific as well, obviously, since he's in it.

[Andréa Geleynse · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ll Be Sor-ree is a humorous memoir, recounting Sid Phillips’s experiences as a marine on Guadalcanal and several other pacific islands. Phillips tends to highlight the light-hearted moments of his life as a marine and this book is filled with many funny stories that show just how much humour boosted morale. I definitely enjoyed this book and I liked reading more about the camaraderie felt between the marines as they faced incredible challenges.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

if there's any people we could learn a lot from, it will always be veterans of WWII
"I hope the American people can awaken again as they did after Pearl Harbor was attacked. It was thrilling to be a part of that group of American Jarheads who could go from outrageous comedy to deadly serious ferocity in seconds. It is strange how I have such a clear memory of so many things that happened during WWII. One thing I remember so vividly was that the media did not try to divide us."

[M. Shipley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book not because of its magical writing or it’s excellent prose. It’s an excellent book because it’s from the heart of a true pacific World War II marine. It’s a great look at the human who wore the uniform. As a former Marine myself I consider this to be an absolute necessary read.

[Braden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sid Phillips offers us another great perspective of the Pacific war. Phillips has a clear simple writing style that makes the reading very digestible. My only gripe about the book is I wanted more! I would have enjoyed more detailed writing about a few of the events but I can hardly be too disappointed when what we do have is great. I’ll never tire of the stories from these great men.

[Larry Weldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This book provides details about Guadalcanal and cape Gloucester that should be required reading not only for today's youth but older folks as well. We have strayed badly from understanding what these people suffered and what they did to secure our liberty.

[alex lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A minor masterpiece

Honest, refreshing, verified by history and a wealth of fabulous photographs, Sid's War memoir is as touching as it is terrifying. As a bonus it is rather well written.

[Chris Basis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

A good read from one of the Marines you feel like you know, from watching The Pacific. I like the perspective. It’s all about bonds of relationships and how young men get by in those situations.

[Nita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend! Tho' it is a war story it dwells deeply on personal and lighter side of a Marine's experiences.

[Peter Reitmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for Sid!

[Abby Sostre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book and love him.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
If you were looking for a gritty World War II biography, this is not it. This shows the lighter side and the camaraderie of soldiers and it was a fun read.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book helped me envision the war ina way I hadn’t before.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as interesting as other non fiction accounts I've read but decently so. I feel sorry for the guy

[Alana Francis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downgraded my review due to the final chapter which spoiled the rest of the book.

[PDXReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'll be Sor-ree is a good companion piece to E.B. Sledge's magnificent account of Marine action in the Pacific during WWII:With the Old Breed. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as well written. Sledge allows his readers to come closer to understanding the horrors these young men endured while fighting for our freedom, and it is, indeed, a masterpiece of war literature. Phillips's book, on the other hand, glosses over the combat and the heroism, focusing instead on the gallows humor of the corp in combat. It had its moments, but overall it was a lot like listening to your grandfather tell war stories -- repetitive, lacking detail, hitting only the high points, not really as funny as it's meant to be, and dwelling on isolated incidents the old marine remembers of days long gone.

[Ben James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tink the book was great. It told you some of the things marines would go though. Plus it told you about the first major battle with Japan on Guadalcanal. Also Sid put a lot of details into the book. It would have to be one of my favortie books I've read. Then in the end of the story he said he did not have much writting abilletys, but then he put Egugne Slegle a close friend of his into the story. I think Sid is wrong about when he said he did not have writting capibliets. Over all if you want to know more about Sid's life in the pacific during the war you should watch the HBo mineseris "The Pacific".

[Marcus Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book 'You'll Be Sor-ree' is the true story of the author Sid Philips. Sid was a Marine during WWII on Guadalcanal and New Britain. He was a mortar man in the 1st Marine Division. This story will take you from boot camp all the way to his combat overseas. Sid Philips' story was truly remarkable in the way he described the fighting and just trying to find a few good things while fighting to survive. This is one of my favorite books of the Pacific War. I would recommend this book to people who like war history and people who have seen 'The Pacific' miniseries.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really quite well done book about the life of a Marine in the Pacific theater of WWII. He talks a lot about things that you NEVER hear in other books. The very last section "Reflections" is well worth the wait. These are the thoughts of a man who was part of the greatest generation, who did his civic and patriotic duty without a second thought, and leaves you with thought provoking questions.

[Morgan Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an enjoyable memoir that gave a view of the world through a 17-year old Marine's eyes. While descriptive in what he went through, Sid Phillips steered clear of the torment and angst that has been described elsewhere in books relating WWII in the Pacific. I particularly enjoyed the last eight pages of the book. I hope that at some point in our future we can turn this country back around and grasp again the essence of this great nation.