With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

E.B. Sledge

Apr 2010 · Recorded Books · Narrated by George Wilson

About this audiobook

This modern classic of military history has been called "one of the most important personal accounts of war that I have ever read" by distinguished historian John Keegan. Author E.B. Sledge served with the First Marine Division during WWII, and his first-hand narrative is unsurpassed in its sincerity. Sledge's experience shows in this fascinating account of two of the most harrowing and pivotal island battles of the Pacific theater. On Peleliu and Okinawa the action was extremely fierce. Amidst oppressive heat and over land obliterated by artillery shells, the combat raged ferociously. Casualties were extreme on both sides, and by the time the Americans had broken through at Okinawa, more than 62,000 Japanese soldiers were dead. Against military policy, Sledge scribbled notes and jammed them into his copy of the New Testament. Those notes form the backbone of what Navy Times said "has been called the best World War II memoir of an enlisted man." The rich tones of narrator George Wilson enhance the drama of this frank and astonishing chronicle.

Ratings and reviews

What an eye-opening tale of events, the sadness, pain, and misery that humanity can bring to one another is astonishing. I was taught in school that these events were terrible, and I can now understand why they had left out certain information. If anyone reading this wants to know what war is like just read this book.

Outstanding. I learned about this book from a lecture series on World War II. This book is a factual recalling of the battles for Palalieu and Okinawa. It is written by a Marine surviving the intense battles using his words without the distortions typically found in a movie of the era. I highly recommend.

Awesome account of the war through one man's eyes during and after the Pacific landings. I hated that the book had to end. Definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to anyone who follows WW2, and it's history.