Christmas is coming. Do you know a Marine who might not have read that fantastic book about some young kid from the rural area along the Chesapeake Bay outside of Baltimore who was going nowhere, decided to get out of school in his senior year before the report cards came out and enlisted in the Marine Corps? Well, here’s your chance to give him a great Christmas present personally inscribed to him and signed by the author. How can this happen you may ask. Well, it’s simple. you see, I happen to know the author very well. It’s me. LOL
I still have about 20 or so of the hardcover copies left over from when I ditched the publisher once I determined just how much they were ripping me off. The publisher priced the book way out of line, but I had no say in it. We argued via emails, texts, and phone calls for over a month, but I lost out. They claimed it was all based on page count. It is a long book actually 564 pages, but for you Grunts (like me) it has lots photos, so they set the price at $42.95. Would you believe that my profit on each book they and Amazon sold was $2.73.
Anyway, I bought a load of the book before I dropped the publisher. Of course they didn’t give me the same deal they gave to Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I would like get rid of the books I have so I am offering a deal for this coming Christmas, but you have to hurry as we are leaving to attend my sister’s memorial service in Swansboro, NC on 9 December. Then we will continue north to our daughter’s house for Christmas in Pasadena, MD. We expect to be back home around 28-29 December. I will; however, have some books with me as we will travel north in our RV with the two cats and my new dog.
I will sell the hardcover version, which is a beautiful book by the way, personally inscribed to the person and signed by me. I have been selling it for $35.00, but for this one time Christmas deal, I sell it for $30.00 and I will pay the postage, which is now $6.13. In the interest of full disclosure, I am making $5.94 on the each sale as I paid $17.93 per copy from the scumbag publisher.
Anyway, if you are interested google my name on Amazon and it will take you to many reviews of the book. If your interest is then piqued, send me an email telling about this person you want to give it to, and whether you want it mailed directly to him/her or to you. That’s all there is to it. Email me at: sgt-b@comcast.net, or call me at (239)299-6738.
Here is the Table of Contents to give you a feel of what all the book covers if you’ve not read it.
Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1 “Brewed on the Shores of the Chesapeake Bay”
2 From the Halls of Montezuma
3 Parris Island
4 Infantry Training Regiment
5 The Private’s World
6 Schools Demonstration Troops
7 Republic of the Philippines
8 Treasure Island
9 Crossing the Pacific
10 Welcome to Japan
11 The Price of a Lucky Strike
12 The Monkey House
13 Battery D, Second Battalion, Tenth Marines
14 Drill Instructor School
15 The DI
16 The Platoon Leaders Course
17 Schools Demonstration Troops—Redux
18 Republic of Vietnam
19 “Corpsman Up”
20 Only a Sergeant
21 Sparrow Hawk
22 Sheer Terror
23 Operation Hastings
24 Anderson Trail
25 LCpl Albert Brigham, USMC
26 Cpl Gary Wayne Olson, USMC
27 Bordering on Ridiculous
28 WIANE
29 The Silent Majority
30 Oldest Post in the Corps
31 “Who the Hell’s Jim?”
32 Hail to the Chief
33 Officer Candidates School
34 Staff Sergeant “Chesty”
35 Special Ceremonial Platoon
36 Anchors Aweigh
37 Company “E”
38 Amphibious Warfare School
39 Go Army!
40 Methodist College
41 Okinawa
42 Marine Barracks, Lemoore, California
43 Armed Forces Staff College
44 Recruiting Station, Chicago
45 College of Naval Warfare
46 Huxley’s Harlots
47 G-3 Training Officer
48 Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic
49 The School of Infantry
50 The Consequences
Epilogue
A Marine Corps Rank Structure
B Abbreviations/Acronyms
C Glossary
Jim, for those who have yet to purchase I can offer various reasons to do so.
Your memory is/was prodigious as evidenced by the incredible level of detail throughout the book. Amazing, in fact.
Countless individuals are mentioned in the context of your experiences. I was pleasantly surprised to have made the cut in your wonderful (heh heh) experience on USS Chicago CG-11. Thanks for that my stateroom mate. How you could remember the designation of our Junior Officer stateroom is beyond me. Sorry I never let you shave my head! Those of you who might have been in Jim Bathurst’s career orbit might like to check to see whether he immortalized you (were you praised or deemed a “POS”). Better check to make sure.
And, finally, and most importantly, your story from proverbial “rags to riches” career wise is simply remarkable. I learned so much, not only about your personal journey, but about our American history, both domestic, international, and US military history, recounted in your first person experience.
Your book sits next to my desk as I write this. No regrets about buying your terrific book. I guess, just maybe, I regret nicknaming you Bomburst. Hope it didn’t stick beyond our shared experience on the “Mighty Chi”.
Doug Horan\
Lt. and Boilers Office
CG-11
If you don’t get this book, you are missing out on a great read. I have it and not only read it once,but twice. Don’t miss out