After posting to this 6th Marine Division website recently about my search and success in finding a richly deserved, but never received "Marine Book" for my father, I proudly presented it to him as a gift yesterday at his 79th birthday party and a good time was had by all (History of Sixth Marine Division in World War II). You can order a brand new one from the U.S. Marine Corps Museum for $54.00 at the following site:

http://www.marineheritage.org/Store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=459

I'm told that it's also available elsewhere at cheaper prices and that the original edition is the best quality if you can find one of the original books, but I was very happy with the new one.

While doing further research tonight on some information my father shared with me yesterday, I discovered a site that many of you probably already know all about, but it was a virtual "gold mine" for me in terms of detailed "blow-by-blow" information about specific military initiatives by specific military units at Okinawa. It's a massive detailed historical writing with lots of photos and maps about the "Tenth Army" (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines) by the U.S. Military entitled:

"UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II
The War in the Pacific
OKINAWA:
THE LAST BATTLE

and you can access the table of contents to navigate through it's various chapters at the following site:

http://www.army.mil/CMH-pg/books/wwii/okinawa/index.htm#contents

My reading began at Chapter 13, which is where they tell about Chocolate Drop Hill, Crescent Hill, Sugar Loaf Hill, and many other initiatives to defeat the Japanese on Okinawa in great detail that will keep you riveted for hours if you've never seen it before.

The videotapes available from

www.militaryvideo.com

have been very helpful to me in understanding the reality of war that our veterans know from first hand experience, although I'm sure the really tough fighting situations never were filmed due to continuing life or death efforts to fight the enemy and preserve American lives.

My father served bravely in the Sixth Marine Division and our family was extremely fortunate that he returned from the war alive to be our hero on a continuing basis in daily life for these many years.

I salute all of the men and women who served our country and their families, all of whom made great sacrifices to preserve the freedom that we all hold so dear in our great nation.

I hope that the information in this posting is helpful to our veterans and / or their families.

John F. Wheatley III (a very proud son)