BLOODY BATTLE FOR SURIBACHI

Wheeler's well-written account of his experiences of the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945 describes his platoon's blood-soaked journey from the landing beach to the summit of Mount Suribachi. There, they raised the first U.S. flag. The second raising has become the famous icon of the Marine Corps. This grunt's point of view shows the horror of combat, all the while describing the devotion this "band of brothers" had for each other. This production from the Naval Institute Press is yet another example of their high production standards. The recording is flawless, with a very competent reading by Hitchcock. His baritone voice goes well with the text and is never monotonous. He gives several of the men in the platoon distinct, credible accents, which help make this recording worth the listener's investment. M.T.F. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]