My Dad was in the 1st Marine Division and was wounded in Peleliu. He was a scout and he and one other guy would walk ahead of the platoon to make sure it was safe for the rest of the platoon to move up.  I remember him talking about the gasoline drums being used for drinking water.  I also remember him saying that the smell of rotting dead bodies and the flies and maggots in the hot humid sun was almost unbearable. I remember as a young kid seeing shrapnel being picked out of him now and then when it worked it's way up to the surface under his skin. My Dad was a hell of a good warrior and a hell of a great Dad and a hell of hard working provider for our family of six. I miss him!

Maj. Austin Shofner , later Brig. General when he retired was from my hometown in Tennessee.
He was in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded, escaped into the jungle and fought with the Filipino guerrilla forces before being evaluated to Australia where he was assigned to the 1st Marine regiment and went to Peleiu and was wounded in a mortar attack. He later was at Okinawa with the 1st Mar Div.
He was one of the quietest, humble men that you could ever meet.

My Dad was also in the Marines 1st Division. He told me he was in the battle of Peleliu. He was a tank commander and was assigned to hold the air field on the south end of the Island. He did not talk much about it and we didn’t press him.

My grandfather joined the Marines at age 15 and went to Peleliu with the 7th division.  He was a radio operator giving coordinates to gunners on ships to fire on enemy positions early before they hit the beach. He said his radio was a vacuum tube type and had a tripod it had to stand on outside of the fox hole he had to hide in. Naturally that radio didn't last and he was back to being a riflemen. He was shot and nearly died there . His name was Thomas Crawford, he was out of San  Antonio Texas.

That man that sat in the shade and thought about leaving, then went back to his outfit: Greatest generation indeed. Incredible Doc!!!❤

My Dad was part of a mortar team on Peleliu, he never talked about it until the later years of his life. Sledge's book was on his bookshelf and I wish I had read it while he was still alive. It is so humbling to watch this,  and think of the normal, wonderful family life he provided us!  He said a couple of times that after the war everything else in his life was a bonus.

I’m privileged to have known Bill Lakeland, who as a Marine Lieutenant, lost an eye on that island. Full respect and gratitude to these people for their service and testimonies.

I purchased this documentary on VHS back in the early’90s, it was my introduction to Eugene (Sledgehammer) Sledge. I was so humbled and impressed by him that I went on to read everything he wrote. He was an incredible man and marine. RIP Eugene Sledge. 6:13
Sad, when I first purchased this on VHS, most of these men were still alive to privilege me with their memories. Now they’re all gone. We must never forget, we owe everything to these brave men and the entire generation.

My dad fought the Japanese in the Philippine Islands and then into manilla.  He once told me he had been many places in the world.  But the Japanese were the cruelest race of people he had ever come across. Without men like these I can't imagine what our lives would be today.thanks dad.

What a wonderful documentary.  These brave soldiers are dying so quickly of old age.  I bet there is only about 5%
left on earth.  Thanks patriots for your service and sacrifice. GOD SAVE AMERICA!

The part most don't think about is many of these survivors still had the hell of Okinawa ahead of them.  The fact that they are here to tell their stories is a testament to their luck, courage, and their ability to function and persevere under the hellish conditions they were exposed to.  The book by Sledge, With The Old Breed could easily have been titled With The Rare Breed.  Thanks for my freedom.

I’ve watched countless docs on WW2 battles & campaigns but none have affected me as this one. I wish I could meet all these guys & hug them & thank them for their sacrifice. Not enough people realize that combat survivors have their trauma stuck in their minds for the rest of their lives, remembering it every day, & having it intrude on life events that should not be tainted by horror & sorrow.

Best documentary on YouTube…Thankyou! No blurring of images, no sugar coating, just raw well put together footage 👌

there is no way to measure the amount of courage these men had.

My dad served in the Pacific: a new guy asked him" Are you scared of Dying"? My Dad responded" Im already dead"!  So no im not that scared anymore!

I’m 70 yrs old and I grew up knowing the greatest men of my generation were Marines, but they paid the price for our freedom and we owe them everything for freedom and I will never take it for granted.

Much respect, US Marines.  Thanks for saving NZ's bacon on Guadalcanal, by the way.  There are no "old" Marines, only Marines who might not be on active service at the moment, but would stand up if needed.  As I said, much respect to the Corps.

My heart breaks for these men, and the burden they carry for all of us. Thank you to all Veterans.

6:08 - "Sledgehammer" Eugene Sledge

Just finished The Pacific and seeing him in this 1992 documentary holds so much importance. Thank you.

Thanks for not blurring out the images of the dead. I'm so sick of YouTube's censorship. This is still history, after all, and it should be realistically shown!