In this companion to the HBO(r) miniseries-executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman-Hugh Ambrose reveals the intertwined odysseys of four U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy carrier pilot during World War II.
Between America's retreat from China in late November 1941 and the moment General MacArthur's airplane touched down on the Japanese mainland in August of 1945, five men connected by happenstance fought the key battles of the war against Japan. From the debacle in Bataan, to the miracle at Midway and the relentless vortex of Guadalcanal, their solemn oaths to their country later led one to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and the others to the coral strongholds of Peleliu, the black terraces of Iwo Jima and the killing fields of Okinawa, until at last the survivors enjoyed a triumphant, yet uneasy, return home.
In "The Pacific," Hugh Ambrose focuses on the real-life stories of the five men who put their lives on the line for our country. To deepen the story revealed in the miniseries and go beyond it, the book dares to chart a great ocean of enmity known as The Pacific and the brave men who fought. Some considered war a profession, others enlisted as citizen soldiers. Each man served in a different part of the war, but their respective duties required every ounce of their courage and their strength to defeat an enemy who preferred suicide to surrender. The medals for valor which were pinned on three of them came at a shocking price-a price paid in full by all.

Following the success of Nice One Centurion the second volume in the Centurion series, 'Are You Tittering Centurion?' chronicles the true, personal and hilarious antics of an RAF Regiment Gunner and his fellow Penguin counterparts. Featuring more illustrations from Tim Parker, this volume continues the tales of the nitty-gritty life of training, exercises, deployment, war, and the general mayhem that followed the RAF Regiment wherever it went.Born out of an idea to help fellow service members who suffer with PTSD, a percentage of proceeds is going to Help 4 Heroes, the RAF Regiment Museum and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

In 1945, as Allied bombers continued their final pounding of Berlin, the panicking Nazis began moving the assets of the Reichsbank south for safekeeping. Vast trainloads of gold and currency were evacuated from the doomed capital of Hitler's 'Thousand-year Reich'. Nazi Gold is the real-life story of the theft of that fabulous treasure - worth some 2,500,000,000 at the time of the original investigation. It is also the story of a mystery and attempted whitewash in an American scandal that pre-dated Watergate by nearly 30 years. Investigators were impeded at every step as they struggled to uncover the truth and were left fearing for their lives. The authors' quest led them to a murky, dangerous post-war world of racketeering, corruption and gang warfare. Their brilliant reporting, matching eyewitness testimony with declassified Top Secret documents from the US Archives, lays bare this monumental crime in a narrative which throngs with SS desperadoes, a red-headed queen of crime and American military governors living like Kings. Also revealed is the authors' discovery of some of the missing treasure in the Bank of England.

In this sequel to the hugely-popular This Man's Wee Boy, young Tony Doherty struggles to come to terms with the murder of his father, Paddy, on Bloody Sunday and the impact it has on his mother, Eileen, and his brothers and sisters. At nine years old, he knows a terrible wrong has been committed against his family but lacks the understanding or the means to do anything about it - yet. For his fractured family, life goes on, with Tony determined to preserve the memory of his father and the bond they shared, even as he becomes increasingly immersed in the violent conflict raging on Derry's streets. As the 1970s unfold his father's absence remains the backdrop to the teenage Tony's newfound friendships and relationships, an ever-present ache amidst the craic and excitement of Sunday dances, first kisses and a trip to Butlins. Then, at seventeen, Tony decides it's time to join the fight.

Most of us never get to test ourselves in combat. As a UH-1 Helicopter pilot flying in the jungle highlands of South Vietnam, Warrant Officer Jim Crigler and the men he flew with were tested daily. Coming of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s was challenging for most young men of that era. Throw in drugs, free love, draft notices, the Vietnam War and a country deeply divided, and you have one of the most important books of this genre. This true story is a raw, bold, introspective autobiography where the author openly wrestles with his personal moral dilemma to find meaning and purpose in his life. He calls it his "Mission of Honor."

'Evader' is one of the most remarkable stories ever to come out of the Second World War. It has its place amongst the modern-day tales of living, fighting and evading behind enemy lines.

Untold secrets of a post-war childhood. A true story of a child born in war-torn London soon after the Second World War whose early memories are of the care and security given to him by his grandmother and a guardian angel who watches over him. At six he finds out a devastating secret that changes his life. He withdraws into his own world, searching for understanding and meaning. Isolated from his family and children of his own age he turns to his angel for love and guidance but even she cannot save him from what is to come. Unable to read and write he joins a gang and at fourteen finds himself before the courts for the first time.

True stories from the frontlines of World War I Published to mark the centenary of the First World War and of the RSL in 2016, this is a collection of 100 true stories of Aussie courage from those who were in the action. The RSL, an Australian icon, has supported Australian veterans since 1916, pledging that their sacrifices will never be forgotten. Now from the annals of the RSL come these compelling yarns and memories, written by diggers for diggers and capturing the impact of war on those who took part. With eyewitness accounts ranging from Gallipoli to the Middle East and Western Front, Australia's Great War is brought to life with humour, pathos and vivid detail. Discover a rare account of the capture of German New Guinea, the first Australian action of the war, and experience the Gallipoli campaign through the diggers' eyes. There's the story of how a Light Horse patrol daringly slipped through advancing Turkish troops to warn their mates of danger, a sapper's-eye view of the battle of Fromelles, how the Melbourne Cup was run on the Western Front - and so much more. Collected here for the first time, these stories are a must-read record of World War I.

Nice One Centurion tells the individual personal, funny stories of men who have served in the RAF & RAF Regiment. All the stories that have been compiled date from the very beginning of the formation of the RAF Regiment up to present-day operations. The reader of this book will be amused and highly entertained at some of the antics that occurred not only in war, but in peacetime as well. The fabulous illustrations by Tim Parker highlight what this book is all about: making a difference with humour. Nice One Centurion was born out of an idea to help fellow servicemen who suffer with PTSD. A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the RAF Benevolent Fund, Help 4 Heroes, and the RAF Regiment Museum.

An inspiring account of struggle, survival and coping with life during the early twentieth century...Two sailors sit astride camels at the Pyramids, on leave from guarding Suez against attack in 1914. Crewmen scramble from the flooded engine room of their cruiser 'Warrior' as it sinks at the Battle of Jutland. British warships shell Bolshevik troops in Estonia in 1919. The Royal Navy visits Japan in 1928 to celebrate Hirohito's Coronation. Excited Plymouth children, blitzed out of their school, watch an American soldier's lasso tricks just before D-Day.This biography of a sailor, George Lancaster, views a half-century of history from his novel perspectives. George experienced world wars, revolutions, sectarian atrocities and the Great Depression. Serving in the Royal Navy across the globe, he witnessed British imperial display and decline, and saw civil conflict in countries - Russia, Turkey and China - where nationalist movements were filling the void created by the collapse of empires.

Stumbling from a university anarchist meeting into a career in the army, Chip Chapman is aware of how consciously incompetent he is. The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst confirms his worst fears. He is eventually let loose on 6 Platoon of 2 PARA and, via the Falklands War, manages to elevate himself to a position of conscious competence and save his career. Snapshots on all aspects of military life, and government decision making, show the military at work and play. This hilarious, touching, informative and thought-provoking insight into a generation of soldiering in the late 20th century and beyond is set against the drumbeat of the social, cultural, legal and educational rhythms of the age, and the change from the certainties of the Cold War to the nihilism of 9/11. Chip Chapman eventually manages to somehow climb the greasy pole to become a General. With echoes of David Niven's The Moon's a Balloon, Lesley Thomas' Virgin Soldiers and the travelogues of Bill Bryson, Chapman captures the rawness, spirit and fortitude of the soldier and soldiering in both peace and war.

In August 1914, thirteen-year-old Amy was trapped on the Belgian seacoast as war was declared with Germany, alone with her younger brothers. British, resilient and feisty, she got back to occupied Brussels and began her war diaries. Amy knew Nurse Cavell and Ada Bodart, members of the secret network to get Allied soldiers across the frontier. She writes of zeppelins, food shortages, constant gunfire and spies. She confronts a 'sneering' German who demands to know where her brother is: 'I could have shot him, ' she comments. Then it all changes: in 1917 her mother attacks her and Amy is moved to a Catholic boarding school nearby. Constantly in trouble for being disruptive, answering back, whistling, laughing in church and climbing onto roofs 'for fun', she longs for the love and approval of her teacher - and her estranged mother.

As an 18-year-old, John Urwin was posted to Cyprus, where he was recruited into a top-secret unit called the Sixteen, whose task was to assassinate key figures throughout the Middle East. Now he breaks his silence to tell their story. Their training was said to have surpassed that of the SAS in unarmed combat and weaponry. His description of their four key missions is explosive and a riveting account of the turbulent 1950s in the Middle East. The Cold War was approaching its height and when there was a mission to be undertaken that no government could be seen to endorse, the Sixteen would do the job. No previous depiction of a military group, in book or movie, has remotely compared to the secrecy, skills and sheer professionalism of the Sixteen.

Early in 1940 a swashbuckling aristocrat and a member of Military Intelligence, with their secretaries, went to Paris as agents of the British Government. They left on 10 June, when Paris was declared an 'open city'; taking with them many records and details of scientists who wished to continue their work in the UK. At Bordeaux staff at the British Embassy introduced them to the master of a tramp steamer, one of 180 merchant ships standing by to evacuate troops and civilians in the three weeks after Dunkirk. Thirty three scientists were embarked, many with their immediate family. Two Belgians joined with a fortune in gem diamonds packed in two wooden crates. Two more French scientists boarded; bringing all of the 'heavy water' (deuterium oxide - a nuclear moderator) that then existed. Six hundred tons of machine tools were also loaded. The ship escaped from Bordeaux three days before the city fell and carried the passengers and cargo to safety at Falmouth, where there were ninety six other refugee ships. A special train took the passengers, and the most valuable items, to London. The diamonds were put into the vaults of a bank controlled by De Beers and most of the heavy water was stored beneath the library of Windsor Castle, with the Crown Jewels and with the King's knowledge. The House of Commons was only told of the 'Mission' when in secret session; there was no publicity and no awards were made. The Earl, his secretary and their driver, formed a successful bomb disposal team. They lost their lives in May 1941, when their thirty fifth bomb detonated prematurely. The Earl was awarded the George Cross and his companions were 'Commended for Bravery.' Much of the rescue was witnessed by a young naval lieutenant on his first overseas assignment. After the war he became an author and it is probable that the colourful characters involved in this mission first gave him the idea for one of the most famous fictional agents of the twentieth century. In 1943 Twentieth Century Fox wanted to make a film about 'The Incredible Earl of Suffolk', but were prevented from doing so by Lady Suffolk and the British government. Fox would have first heard of the story when a brief mention of the Earl's exploits appeared in press reports of his death. In 1973 the BBC made a four part series about him; they do not seem to have obtained copies of the official records, which were released at about that time. Much of the material for this book came from the British National Archives at Kew, near London; from the descendants of several of those involved and from researchers elsewhere in Europe.

Meet the dogs who searched for life amongst the ruins of the Twin Towers. Many heroes were made on 9/11 and in the weeks that followed. Not all of them showed human courage. Some of them could only show that they were truly man's best friend. German Shepherds, Labradors and Spaniels accounted for the majority of the four-legged heroes. Over three hundred search and rescue dogs worked the pile at Ground Zero and the crash site at the Pentagon. For hours they searched, fighting off exhaustion with sheer determination and they continued every day long after the hope of finding survivors had passed. There were faithful Guide dogs who helped their sightless owners out of the Twin Towers and led them to safety showed unstinting devotion in the face of adversity. And later, therapy dogs arrived to bring comfort to the bereaved and confused. At every stage of the operation, dogs were there helping humankind in various roles. And invaluably, they provided comfort and reassurance and lifted spirits by their pure presence. Sadly many of the dogs are no longer with us but their achievements will never be forgotten. Isabel George was fortunate that the people close to the dogs were pleased to be asked to share their stories. This book is to honour the dogs and their people.

A true story of a Halifax aircraft and seven airmen flying much needed supplies from their base in Italy to Poland to aid partisans fighting heroically during the Warsaw Uprising. It traces the lives of the aircrew and one special man, the father I never knew. It is a story of tragedy and loss, survival and discovery, of a plane shot down and Polish partisans coming to the aid of the survivors. It concludes with a long journey from California to Poland to meet families who also share a truly special connection with this aircraft.

This is the story of the author evacuated in 1939 at the age of six with his brother and sister from Sheffield in the North of England to the safety of relatives in Cork in Southern Ireland and his return to Britain in 1943. It ends on VE Night, 1945. Neil was a practising hypnotherapist for much of his working life and on his retirement revisited this period of his childhood seeking answers to memories and flashbacks that had haunted him for more than sixty years. He tells in his preface how this was achieved. The author had an affinity with his Irish hosts and his four-year stay is not without humour, as you would expect. But the incidents he recalls include the firing of Cork's largest department store in 1942 and providing intelligence that may have led to the torpedoing of the SS Irish Oak in May 1943 by the German submarine U-607. Not yet ten, he was escorted back to Britain on the orders of the Prime Minister, de Valera. The story is certainly an emotional one, not least because of the shooting down over occupied France early in 1944 of the boy's hero, Uncle Bill. You must decide whether this little boy was an innocent used by the unscrupulous Republican agent Finnegan, by Sister Ann of "the Mission," Stan of Short's slaughter house, his wily cousin Clare who took his earnings for dresses and his uncle who took it for drink. Or whether he rose to the challenge of being separated from his parents at a very young age in difficult times. It is a one-off story told by a lad growing up too quickly. It is also one with dark undertones.

In 1816 the author's great-great grandfather, Thomas Kearey, arrived in England to seek his fortune. He was the latest - but by no means the last - in a line of strong and resourceful men. This book is the story of the Keareys, and of their place in history through the centuries. It relates how the Ciardha ('Ciar's people') in the Ireland of the Dark Ages evolved into the modern Keareys, how holders of that name laboured, loved and fought through the centuries, and how in more recent times they were proud to fight with honour for their adopted country of Britain in two world wars. Terence Kearey has woven the carefully-researched story of what happened to his family over the centuries into the economic and social history of these islands, explaining how his ancestors coped with, and in some cases helped to change, the vicissitudes of poverty, war and economic and social change. The result is a detailed and vivid picture of a past that is quickly fading from memory.