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BOOK REVIEW: “The Combat Diaries: True Stories from the Frontlines of World War II” by Mike Guardia
May 01, 2022
From the beaches of Normandy to the shores of Iwo Jima, “The Combat Diaries: True Stories from the Frontlines of World War II” by Mike Guardia (Magnum Books) tells the harrowing tales of combat…as told by the men who lived it.
World War II was the most destructive conflict in human history. At its peak, the US military drew some 16 million men into its ranks to defeat the Axis Powers. They came from nearly every walk of life – farmers, tradesmen, teachers, lawyers, professional athletes, and even Hollywood celebrities. But whether they came from the wheat fields of Kansas, the streets of New York, the backlots of Tinseltown, or the dugouts of Fenway Park, these everyday heroes answered the call when their country needed them. They were ordinary men who accomplished extraordinary things. Today, we call them the "Greatest Generation. "
"The Combat Diaries" recounts the harrowing stories of more than a dozen heroic veterans – including:
-A young crewman aboard PT-306, who ferried Allied spies and British Commandos onto mainland Europe.
-A young USAAF pilot who was among the few Americans to fly a British Spitfire into combat.
-A Navy combat diver (“frogman”) who swam at night amongst the Japanese-held islands, diffusing underwater mines and setting demolitions to assist the Marines’ amphibious assaults.
…and many more.
Members of the Greatest Generation are leaving us at the rate of several hundred per day. Indeed, the youngest veterans of World War II are now in their nineties. "The Combat Diaries" is a testament to their enduring legacy.
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Mike Guardia is an internationally-recognized author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty (2008-2014) as an Armor Officer. He is the author of the widely-acclaimed “Hal Moore: A Soldier Once…and Always,” the first-ever biography chronicling the life of LTG Harold G. Moore, whose battlefield leadership was popularized by the film “We Were Soldiers,” starring Mel Gibson.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Book Award and was named “Author of the Year” in 2021 by the Military Writers Society of America.
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