The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea--The Forgotten War of the South Pacific

Very well done. A read that could possibly upset you. This author holds no punches in what combat in a desolate place is like. I'm a Vietnam combat vet myself and it was disturbing. Combat vets should give it though before reading. It's a very tough book to take in.

This book is an easy read. I recommend it to anyone interested in how America's citizen soldiers fought in World War II. The book's style is similar to many of Stephen Ambroses works such as Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest or Citizen Soldiers: The U. S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany. This book follows the story of the 32 Infantry, the Red Arrow Division in Early World War II. The Red Arrow Division was composed of National Guard units from Michigan and Wisconsin and fleshed out with draftees. The unit was nationalized in 1941, before the beginning of the war and trained in Louisiana. The first section of the book focuses on these early days of the division. The Red Arrow was originally slated to fight in Europe but with rapid advance of the Japanese, the Red Arrow was sent to protect Australia. Soon after the division completed construction of its training base, units were sent to help Australian troops in New Guinea. Several units marched over the Owen Stanley Mountains racing the Japanese back to their bases near Buna on the northern coast. Coastal shipping transported other units to the area. The account of the air attack on these ships as they tried to land supplies was gripping. None of the troops were trained or prepared for the tropical jungles and harsh conditions they faced. Niether was the United States prepared to supply troop in this environment. The troops were malnourished and soon suffered from tropical diseases such as malaria and dysentery. Trapped at the end of a long supply line before the industrial strength of the United States was brought to bear, this small band fought a battle in the jungle similar to trench warfare in World War 1. This book focuses on the personal experiences of the front line troops in their struggle against the environment and enemy. Excerpts from Japanese diaries show that both sides suffered terribly from the conditions, which neither side was prepared for. Distant commanders demanded immediate action and that the attacks be pressed forward regardless of losses. I am amazed that the sick emaciated troops were able to walk let alone fight. I wished for more maps. Three maps at the beginning of the book meant that I was constantly turning back to the front to see if the location was on the map and where it was. The campaign in the Southwestern Pacific is almost ignored by the public who remember the Marine landings in the Central Pacific and the great carrier battles that destroyed the Japanese Navy. I drive home from work every day on the Red Arrow Highway. When I moved here, I asked about the name and was told that it was named for a famous unit in World War I made up of local boys. Someone else told me that the Red Arrow was in combat longer than any other unit in WW II. I don't think of them the same way as I did before I read this book.

This would have been a difficult battle for green troops to fight even if they had been well led. Unfortunately they weren't. First we find the ultimate ego maniac, McArthur, would never soiled his trouser legs by visiting the front, but he threatened his commanders to fight and die if they didn't win. Then we find the behind the scenes scuffling of generals who, like school boys pushing to be first in line, wanted their units to get the glory but they themselves did no fighting and didn't expose themselves to the hardships the troops endured. Of course they all wrote their biographies after the war, most of which would make science fiction look respectable. But the heros were those who fought and died under the most unimaginable conditions in this first great battle of retaking the Pacific from the Japanese. This battle need never to have been fought. With a more abler senior commander than McArthur, the Japanese could have been quarantined and starved into defeat. But that doesn't get headlines, and headlines were more important to McArthur than the lives of simple soldiers who just wanted to make it through the day.

I would not normally have read The Ghost Mountain Boys, but the book's subject intrigued me because a relative served in New Guinea in World War II. He returned safely, and then lived and died an alcoholic. Now I can understand the probable reason why. Author James Campbell is a superb historian and tells a fascinating, complex story with clarity and compassion. His research for the book was meticulous and personal. Even if, like me, you don't typically like books about war, give this one a try. I will be very surprised if this book does not win major awards for books published in 2007.

This is an outstanding book about a remarkable story. It is well researched, thoroughly documented and hard to put down. The author actually walked the Ghost Mountain track from the Port Moresby side of New Guinea to Buna and captures the "voice" of the soldiers of the 32nd Division. After reading the book, I sent a gift copy to a friend who fought with the 127th Infantry at Buna. In his words: "...the trails, villages etc. that I had walked came back just like it was yesterday. I have read about 150 books on the pacific war and this is by far the best on I have ever read! It describes so well the real problems of the Infantry man--not the combat--being wounded etc., but the trying to survive the bugs, leeches, even crocodiles, on a daily basis--getting shot was a blessing!!"

This book means so much to me cause my dad (Robert Hartman)was part of the subject matter and helped Mr Campbell with his book. We had always heard stories from my dad about his experiences in WWII but never knew all the details until this book came out. This is such a tribute to all the men and women too that suffered in New Guinea and Buna but that were heros ALL. Thanks to everyone who helped make this book so good!!!!