Wheeler describes the days and nights of fighting with a gritty intensity that reveals not only his courage in combat but also the extreme pressures that accompany Soldiers in the field. Wheeler followed the example of his comrades who had trained as Marine paratroopers and raiders before their units were disbanded to form the Fifth Marine Division, including his squad leader and best friend, Sergeant Howard Snyder. Corporal Wheeler would do almost anything to avoid losing the respect of these grizzled veterans. He fought with valor along with his platoon until he received severe head and leg wounds.

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Evacuated to a hospital ship, he did not learn until later about the history being made by his platoon. It was selected to take an American flag to the summit of Suribachi and plant it there to show the United States had gained the upper hand in the fight for the mountain. The expedition up was preserved for posterity by the pictures taken by Marine photographer Lou Lowery. After the flag was raised the battalion commander wanted it back as a battalion trophy. Besides, it was too small to be seen from far away, so a larger American flag from LST-779 on the beach was sent up. The second, more famous, flag raising was photographed by Joe Rosenthal and became the iconic symbol of the war in the Pacific.

Only one man from the 3rd platoon took direct part in both flag raisings, Navy Hospital Corpsman, Pharmacist Mate 2nd Class, John Bradley. As a result, Bradley became a hero to Americans at home, an honor he felt wasn’t deserved. By the end of the fighting on Iwo Jima, the 3rd Platoon, Company E, 28th Marines had suffered a staggering 91% casualty rate. Richard Wheeler’s war was over. He would come home and rehabilitate and then go on to pursue his writing career.

There is not a lot to dislike about this book. The writing is crisp and clear. The photographs are abundant and add substantially to the text. The afterword and appendix bring insights into the author and his companions in the platoon. Perhaps the most moving section was seeing the few survivors who gathered in 2006 for perhaps the last time.

The few flaws that I found are of the nit-picking nature. Some of the studio photos were not as crisp and clear as could be expected and probably could have used computer aid to restore them to original clarity. One photo had a grammatical error in the caption by using "Opening" instead of "Operating." Finally, I would have preferred that the card from Mrs. Kuribayashi had been enlarged for easier reading. None of these flaws distract from the book, and if you are a student of Marine operations in World War II or are looking for an exciting read about the life of a Marine infantryman, then The Bloody Battle For Suribachi is a must-have on your bookshelf. With a list price of $12.95 this book is easily in the budget of all readers. It is highly recommended.

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