I think members of this site may enjoy watching this interview with Henry Sledge, Eugene "Sledgehammer" Sledge's son. He recounts the battle of Peleliu with antedotes his father told him and pictures of the battlefield as it looked in his travels there. Funny side note: he says his father was offered an all expenses paid trip back to the island by a tourist org, and his father told them he already had an all expenses paid trip there. And passed on a return trip.

This video is 1 hour, 45 minutes long. I have found it easier to break up viewing on these longer videos into 30-40 minute segments.

 

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  • 12619482869?profile=RESIZE_400x

    Thank you for posting this Randy. I plan to watch it in-full this weekend. "Sledgehammer" sure did have an "all-expenses paid trip" to Peleliu during the War. That is classic and funny. I'm continuing to work on research and final drafts of my work of Brandon's grandfather and his fight on Okinawa. I have a great deal of primary source information from the Marine Corps and have to remind myself to stay in my lane and stay away (for now) from battles such as Guadalcanal, Peleliu, and Iwo Jima,. Brandon's grandfather was with K/3/7 which fought alongside Sledge's K/3/5 on Okinawa.  

    Sledge's With The Old Breed is an excellent memoir of his time in the Pacific. While HBO's miniseries "The Pacific" showcases Sledge as one of its main characters, his autobiographical work in With The Old Breed is much better. His book has been called one of the best memoirs of war ever written. Sledge was an excellent writer and as most know he went on to get his PhD and teach at the University of Montevallo. 

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