Flags of Our Fathers

Rating:
Summary: Awsome
Review: I wish more books of this caliber came out every year, this book was impossible to put down for me from the moment the post man handed it to me till i finished it the next day. I have had the incredible luck of going to IWO 9 times for the Navy and this book was a good way to bring back those memories of standing on that beach which is such sacred ground for Marines as well as all Americans. Its also good to see this book because maybe more younger Americans will read this and learn more of our past deeds. Anyone interested in Iwo Jima stories will like this book

Rating:
Summary: Stunning -- Awe Inspiring -- Haunting
Review: About two hours ago, I finished reading this incredible story, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. For years, I've been drawn to the Iwo Jima/Marine Corps Monument in Washington, D.C. To this day, it remains my favorite, and now I believe I know why.

Thanks to James Bradley, he brought those six men to life: his father, John "Jack" (Doc) Bradley, Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousey, and Mike Strank--but he also gave honor to not just these six men, but the incredibly brave and HEROIC Marines & Corpsmen who fought the Japanese in a horrific battle on Iwo Jima.

Jim Bradley delved into their families, their childhoods, and the incredible path of fate that brought all six men to Iwo Jima to be captured in 1/400 of a second of time.

The battle scenes will horrify you. My heart cried for each and every man who was gunned down or obliterated on that tiny island so many miles from their homes. Because of the life that Jim breathed into these men, you somehow want the fact to become fiction--for Mike and Harlon & Franklin and the many, many others who perished--to have a chance to be rescued, come back to the U.S., and lead a "normal" life. Since this is impossible, we can use this story to keep these men alive in our hearts. It's no wonder Jack Bradley did not want to talk about Iwo Jima. It's no wonder that demons haunted Ira Hayes and others. I'm haunted just reading about what they had to go through.

Another aspect of the story that Jim touched upon--but did not spend a tremendous amount of time on--is the ultimate decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. After reading what these Marines/Corpsmen had to go through to capture Iwo Jima, and knowing what they would have had to face to make Japan surrender, I understand the choice of President Truman. As horrific as those bombs were, what would have happened had they not been dropped would have been far more horrifying.

This story will haunt me. I finally have names to go with that awe-inspiring monument in Washington, D.C. More than that, I have real human beings behind the names. And even more than that, I have an understanding of what ALL those incredibly brave and heroic men involved in the Iwo Jima battle went through--and what that 1/400 of second of time really represents.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS inspires me to want to travel to D.C. once more and not just spend time at the Marine Corps Monument but also to walk through Arlington Cemetery and give my appreciation to the men and women who have given their lives for America's freedom. And to especially find the graves of Mike Strank and Ira Hayes and whisper, "Thank you."

Rating:
Summary: One of the Most Inspiring Books I Have Read in Some Time
Review: This is not the best written book I have ever read. Bradley repeats himself many times. His chronology is confusing as he jumps forward and backward in time with maddening regularity. Finally, I am sure that one can find much better and more detailed descriptions of the overall battle for Iwo Jima, as Bradley focuses primarily on the role played by his father's regiment. But all of that said, this was a beautiful book. Regarding the battle itself, the book gave me more of an appreciation for the sheer terror associated with having to establish a beachhead against a hellish defense than any book I have read. It rivaled in words what Saving Private Ryan did via cinema. In addition, and maybe more importantly, Bradley humanized the Marines, particularly the six who were involved in the famous flag raising. The courage with which they carried out their duties was almost unbelievable, given their knowledge of what awaited them and the probabilities of their being added to the terribly long list of dead or wounded. They played a major role in defining the "Greatest Generation". Their uncommon valor truly was a common virtue. Bradley's book is a beautiful memorial to all of them, but especially to his Dad. I cannot think of a better book for all Americans to read heading into the Memorial Day and Fathers Day holidays than this one. I especially hope that younger people will read it. Those who do will undoubtedly gain a greater appreciation for real heroes, real courage, and real sacrifice. Thank you to James Bradley for the gift he gave all of us through this book. It is a treasure.

Rating:
Summary: For anyone whose father served -- honor him today.
Review: We children of WWII veterans are now coming to grips with our own mortality. We recognize that we do not measure up to our fathers, for we never faced the staggering challenges which formed them into the men they were. No matter which service and unit flags your father served under, no matter which campaigns he fought, you will find much pride in reading "Flags of Our Fathers", and celebrate your father in the same way that James Bradley honored his by writing this wonderful work.

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Bradley
Review: You have expressed a pride that only a child of a WWII Marine could feel. I thank you for such an important and awe inspiring book. You expreesed feelings that I never could. My father was a Marine in the pacific theater and I was never so proud to be his son until reading your book.

Thank You

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent tribute
Review: My grandfathers were both in World War II. One was a Navy man, the other an An Army man. I have held deep respect for the world war II generation and this book further fueled my appreciation. When both of them passed, I began to research and document some of their stories, etc. Mr. Bradley's work of discovery and reflection not only taught me a lot about the events surrounding the flagraisers, but also of that generation - both before and after the war. I could not put this book down. The marine memorial was already a solemn place for me to visit, now it will be more solemn and a lot more respectful. I was honored for the author to share the story with us. It is something that I have already shared with my United States History students. An Excellent tribute.

Rating:
Summary: awe-inspiring!
Review: Simply the best World War II book I have read. A wonderful tribute to the World War II generation and the Marine Corps. This book should be required reading for every teenager in America. They might be surpised to learn that a 17 year old Marine, Jack Lucas, won the Medal of Honor at Iwo. Lucas joined the Marines when he was fourteen and was one of 27 marines who won the Medal of Honor during that ferocious 36-day battle.

James Bradley has created a monument to these six men almost as great as the photo that inspired his book. To my suprise, my quiet unassuming elderly neighbor, Roy Steinfort, an Iwo Jima veteran, is quoted in the book. Thank you Mr. Bradley and thank you Roy.

Rating:
Summary: Beneath The Flag
Review: I was only 5 when the attack on Iwo Jima took place. My own father, by virtue of age, good luck and a naval officer's commission escaped conscription into this particular hell. My personal wartime experience is a vague one of watching free movie musicals at the Ottumwa Iowa Naval Air Station, squashing and saving tin cans for the war effort and finally weaving red white and blue crepe paper into the spokes of my junior bike in celebration of VJ day. Thanks to a new book about World War II, I am discovering what it was really like back then to feel true patriotism. It is a bittersweet revelation, but a very valid one.

"Flags of Our Fathers" is a book which appeals not only to the die-hard WWII buff but to any person, male or female, with an interest in a teeth clenching, powerful and poignant story. It describes a horrible battle, the incredible selfless sacrifices of young men and the angst of their families.

James Bradley & Ron Powers have brought to vivid life the real people behind the famous flag-raising mythos, the surreal war in which they so valiantly fought and the survivors' eventual reentry into civilian life. This is an adventure story of true horrific experiences. On the surface it is a "good guy-bad guy" saga in which our good guys finally triumph. The good guys lucky enough to come home are quiet, self effacing and seemingly forever linked to the ghosts of those who did not survive. In an age before psychologists had discovered and mined "survivor's guilt" and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the luckiest of these largely teenaged boys trained, fought, were wounded, came back and resumed living to the best of their ability. I defy any woman not to bleed for the mothers and fathers who waited and any man not to cry for the "uncommon valor" of these very young sons. Bradley's personal experiences with his own hero father, his intimate interviews with families of these sons and his own quiet faith are melded with the poetic prose of Ron Powers into a seamless whole.

This is a meticulously researched, lovingly crafted and stunning battle book, written by exceptional men about exceptional men. It is sure to become a classic.

Rating:
Summary: To Mr. Bradley
Review: I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Bradley speak at a memeorial service for all the marines that served on Iwo. Not only was I impressed by the presentation, but the content and compassion he illustrated as a speaker was awesome. I purchased two copies of this book; I got one for my grandfather (2nd Lieutenant USMC)and one for myself. To Mr. Bradley... thank you and thank your father.

Rating:
Summary: Adding to the Record
Review: Bradley and Powers have done an excellent job of adding good detail to the often reported stories of Iwo Jima, the flag raising, and the men involved. "Filling in the blanks" can help our younger citizens particularly more fully relate to the terrible conflicts worldwide from the 1930s to the 1950s. As a killing ground, Iwo Jima should be remembered and those who gave their lives there respected. The authors bring this across very well. I would rate this book and Richmond's "My Father's War" as two valuable recent contributions to the personal stories behind the battles and the headlines. War should not be seen solely through obscure lenses, and these books help to make it more personal. Good work, authors....