Last of the Old Breed: An Oral History of the Final Marines from World War II

Description:

An oral history of the brutal Pacific Theater in WWII, told by many of the last living U.S. Marine veterans.

During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II, featuring over 130 veterans, ranging in age from 90 to 103. Told in harrowing detail, the witnesses reveal the brutal reality of combat against a fanatical enemy and the heavy toll it took on their post-war lives.

From retirement facilities, veteran's hospitals, and modest homes across the country, the last witnesses opened up about the war like never before, determined to leave an honest account for future generations. For many of the veterans, this was the first - and final - time telling their stories.

The Last of the Old Breed is a rare, unvarnished look at the Pacific War, in the words of those who were there. These are the stories that could not be told - until now.

Brief description: Scott Davis is a historian and journalist based out of Spokane, Washington with a degree in history from Gonzaga University. He runs a popular YouTube channel on the Vietnam War, The Vietnam Experience, which has amassed over 200,000 subscribers and over 100 million lifetime views. His writing has appeared in Naval History, Army Magazine, and many other publications. Over the last decade, he has interviewed over 500 veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Review Quotes:

"Invaluable as the WWII generation passes...Likely no oral history like this can be organized again, justifying its addition to the enormous WWII-history collection." --Booklist

"An immersive collection of oral testimony from still-living vets who fought in WWII's Pacific Theater...a raw record of a generation's little discussed trauma." --Publishers Weekly

"From the green hell of places like Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Bougainville, to the burning charnel houses of islands like Tarawa, Peleliu, and Iwo, The Last of The Old Breed by Scott Davis brings these battles to life in the words of men who were there." --Henry Sledge, author of The Old Breed: the Complete Story Revealed, and son of legendary Marine Eugene "Sledgehammer" Sledge, author of the classic With the Old Breed

"War books are often sanitized and sterilized to make them more palatable. The Last of The Old Breed is not. Captured through hundreds of hours of face-to-face interviews with the last surviving Marines of the brutal Pacific Campaign of World War Two, Scott Davis delivers a visceral, blunt, and unvarnished portrayal of this horrific and heroic history--a history of savagery and sacrifice that we must never forget." --Jocko Willink, #1 New York Times bestselling author and podcaster