The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea--The Forgotten War of the South Pacific

by James Campbell

Campbell brings to vivid life one of the more forgotten, grislier campaigns of World War II, the Buna Trail campaign in New Guinea. The Japanese were trying to get a foothold on the south coast of the island, opposite Australia. The American Thirty-second Infantry Division had the job of driving them back over the Owen Stanley Mountain. It succeeded, at the cost of more than 10,000 casualties, four-fifths of them from tropical diseases contracted in the face of heavy rain, astonishing depths of mud, rugged terrain, perpetually rancid weather, shortage of supplies (including medicines), and, not incidentally, the Japanese. The most poignant part of the book consists of the letters of an army surgeon who eventually committed suicide, but every part of the book entitles it to a berth in WWII collections.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, War, Military Fiction, Military History, American History

378 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2007

About the author

Author, adventurer and producer James Campbell is a native of Wisconsin, where he lives with his wife and three daughters. He has written stories for Outside, National Geographic Adventure, Military History, Backpacker, Audubon, Field and Stream, and many other magazines and newspapers. His first book, The Final Frontiersman was chosen by Amazon in 2004 as the #1 Outdoor title of the Year and one of the Top 50 books of the Year and by the Midwest Booksellers Association as one of the Top 2 nonfiction titles of the year. His fascination with New Guinea and the war in the South Pacific led him to the story of the 32nd Division, the Ghost Mountain Boys, and his book of the same name. In 2006, he followed the route of the Ghost Mountain Boys across New Guinea -- a journey that historians describe as "one of the cruelest in military history" -- and shot a documentary film in the process. His story, “Chasing Ghosts,” about that expedition, which appeared in the May 2007 issue of Outside magazine, was chosen for The Best American Travel Writing 2008. The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea – the Forgotten War of the South Pacific was chosen as a Book-of-the-Month Club selection and History and Military BOMC selections. It also won the 2008 RR Donnelley Literary Award, given for the highest literary achievement by a Wisconsin author. Campbell’s newest book, Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild will be released by Penguin-Random House in May 2016.

Campbell is the co-Executive Producer of the Discovery Channel series, The Last Alaskans, which was inspired by his first book, The Final Frontiersman.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the National Guardsmen of the 32nd Red Arrow Infantry Division of the U.S. Army that was sent to stem the Japanese tide in the jungles of New Guinea in 1942. These men mostly joined to earn steady pay before America entered the war and were mostly from the same towns and counties in Michigan. After Pearl Harbor they were rushed out to the Pacific theatre after being earmarked to go to Europe and was wholly unprepared for what awaited them there. Douglas MacArthur rushed them to Port Moresby, under-trained, under-prepared and ill-equipped for jungle warfare to save his own skin in the early, dark days of the fighting out in the boondocks.

From here the story follows mostly the 2/126 Infantry Regiment and it's epic overland journey across the Owen Stanley Mountains that took weeks to complete by the unprepared men who suffered unimaginable hardship along the Kapa Kapa Trail. After surviving this and being mostly sick and under-nourished they are thrown headlong into the strong Japanese defenses around Buna where General Harding tries his best to get them the equipment they need to break down the Japanese defenses until MacArthur replaces him. What follows is the decimation of the Red Arrow regiments with some of the hardest fighting of the war by two opponents whom are both at the end of their tether and are fighting not only for survival against each other, but also against the harsh element of the Papuan jungle.

Along the way the reader are introduced to the rich cast of characters from the pre-war Guardsmen through letters and diary entries and see what toll was taken on the American youth by the unpreparedness of the Armed Forces of America, the men who bought the time for the rest of America to mobilize.

Also, if you are a fan of Douglas MacArthur, then you will probably not enjoy this book as it is very critical of him and the actions he took after the fall of the Philippines which is deserving of the criticism given. Luckily MacArthur took the hard lessons learned by the 32nd and implemented many changes in future campaigns that saved the men serving under him many hardships. The 32nd are almost a forgotten formation who fought in a forgotten campaign, which suffered almost 90% casualties (75% due to disease), yet the world owes a huge debt to them as along with the Australians fighting alongside them and the Marines on Guadalcanal as they turned the tide of the war in the Pacific. Highly recommended read!!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The peripheral stories and actions around World War II are often some of the most tragic. By peripheral I mean battles that had no bearing on the outcome of the war but on a human level were every bit as dramatic and horrific. And maybe more so because of the waste of human life.

This hellish campaign in 1942 for Buna located in southeast New Guinea fits the bill. Led by the U.S. Army’s 32nd division the plan was to defeat the Japanese who had previously captured the coastal town of Buna. The 32nd were nicknamed the Ghost Mountain Boys because of the 10,000 foot mountain range that they had to cross to get to Buna. Perhaps surprisingly the death rate from this ill advised campaign was higher than that of Guadalcanal.

MacArthur had a personal interest in the Buna campaign as he wanted to be the first U.S. commander to win a land battle in the Pacific theater. He was especially keen for a speedy victory because of the surrender at Bataan that took place after his escape earlier in the year and his pledge to return.

I knew nothing about this campaign before reading this book. The research that went into it and the personal connection to the soldiers in the campaign were both excellent. In the early ‘00s the author had the opportunity to interview many of the American survivors of the campaign and that added a stronger human element.

4 stars. 3 stars for the organization and writing and 5 stars for everything else. I am happy that I read.

[Sweetwilliam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I ever heard of the Red Arrow division was from my father when I was a small boy. A late uncle of mine was one of the reservists/National Guardsman called up to fight the Japanese in New Guinea. However, as my father explained, my uncle was unable to answer the call because he was bedridden with TB. My dad ended that story with "they [the 32nd Division] were wiped out somewhere in the Pacific." I had wondered what happened to them ever since.

This book is about ill-trained and under equipped National Guardsman from primarily Michigan and Wisconsin. They were thrown into battle when America was not prepared to stem the tide of the Japanese aggressor in the Pacific. This was during the same time frame the Marines were fighting for Guadalcanal. The Marines grabbed the limelight but the battle that the Red Arrow division was fighting at Buna was no less important. In fact, to the Imperial Army, the Port Moresby campaign was at first more important than Guadalcanal.

The reservists of the 32nd Division were thrown into the cauldron of battle and found themselves attacking an entrenched enemy with nothing more than the bayonet and hand grenades. They had uniforms that didn't match the terrain and they had lost most of their artillery to the Japanese air force. They suffered from malaria and jungle ulcers and poor leadership at the very top.

MacArthur was supposedly directing the battle from Brisbane with his usual cast of sycophants. Edwin Harding was the commanding officer of the 32nd division. Harding was a veteran of WWI and he swore never to make the kind of wasteful and stupid human wave charges with the bayonet to root out an entrenched enemy armed with machine guns. Harding was going to cut the Japanese off as they retreated from Moresby. They were told to stand down by MacArthur back in Brisbane for a reason unknown to military science. This allowed the IJN to retreat and dig in. The battle for Buna was devastating.

MacArthur sent Robert Eichelberger in to relieve Harding who's division was bogged down with the messy business of cleaning out bunkers with hand grenades. Harding had evidence that the Japanese were starving and he asked for tanks, flame throwers, and time. The 32nd was given one broken flame thrower and Harding was relieved of command. Eichleberger was made to do MacArthur's dirty work. Guardsman's blood was traded for yards of earth and Buna eventually fell. Eichelberger seemed to bear some guilt for the tremendous loss of life. When MacArthur made some preposterous claims at the end of the battle about avoiding bloodshed and sparing the men fighting over Christmas etc. Eichleberger made the bitter statement that MacArthur never once visited Buna before, during, or after the fighting was over. MacArthur had no idea of what the 32nd Division was up against.

This book pays tribute to the first responders of WWII. They paid a heavy price for our state of readiness. Please read it and thank God for the sacrifice made by these great men.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my father fought in the Battle of Buna. Though not a Ghost Mountain Boy, he, too, was a Michigan farm boy who was sent off to New Guinea to fight the Japanese as a soldier in the 127th Infantry, Company L of the Army's 32nd Red Arrow Division.

Throughout the book, I could hear my dad's voice retelling the details of malaria, jungle rot, mud, torrential rain, poor or non-existent food, death and miscalculated strategies that he and his fellow soldiers experienced. The difference being, my dad's war stories were always retold with humor, appearing more like fantasies to a child than the truth and unadulterated hell of jungle warfare depicted in the book.

After reading this book, I came to fully understand the heroism of my father and his Army buddies and why they had no use for Douglas MacArthur. And, it made me wonder how my dad ever survived the horrors of New Guinea to return to Michigan to raise snotty-nosed kids who never should have given him one ounce of worry or grief, but unfortunately did.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know the story of New Guinea and the 32nd division in WW II "red arrow" division. I was only a chapter into this book when I went to the WW II Weekend at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading. http://www.maam.org/maamwwii.html I was waiting in line to get in the show on Saturday morning, and we had to move our line to let a car park. A guy and his wife got out. He was wearing the Red Arrow and 32nd division insignia so he let me take his picture and chat 5 minutes. He was Sal Castro. He briefly mentioned the hardship of New Guinea. By the sounds of this book, the sickness casualties soared. MacArthur demanded Buna be taken. The Ghost Mountain boys went from the south shore of New Guinea, over steep mountains that went up/down in a jagged pattern, to reach the north coast and then attach Buna. Even the marines from Guadacanal get quiet when a veteran mentions being in the Battle of Buna. The US army had to learn the realities of the south pacific island fighting, and Buna was the testing grounds. Future battles were completely influenced by the lessons-learned at Buna. Very well-paced book and thoroughly researched. It can be dishearteningly honest, but that is the reality of war. Sad to hear so many great men had to die, on both sides.

[Nadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The addition of veteran (and veteran's families) interviews in the many years since the war has deeply enhanced the history. The official history and the early histories on this battle (Lida Mayo's "Bloody Buna") focused on interviews with high ranking officers, leaving out the experiences of the lower ranks and the enlisted. It is very difficult to get a truly unbiased view of the early battles of New Guinea because so much rivalry between MacArthur and his Australian Allies led to each disparaging the other's contribution. It seems clear, however, that *both* the American and Australian soldiers endured great suffering in the struggle to defeat the Japanese attempts to isolate Australia from her Allies through the conquest of Papua-New Guinea and nearby South Seas islands.

It is also clear, however, that the US 32nd Infantry Division was profoundly unprepared for the terrain, the strain of living in it, the strain of fighting in it, and the probable sense of hopelessness that came from realizing there was going to be no relief and their supply troubles (1/6th rations for long periods) were not going away quickly. Had the Australian 18th Brigade not been brought to the scene, I suspect the stalemate would've continued unabated, with possibly disastrous results for the Allies. That the Australians took terrible casualties reducing the Japanese positions confirms how fiercely the Japanese had resisted the Americans who attacked first. It was during this battle - the first time they'd faced defending Japanese soldiers - that the Allies learned they would need demolition charges, flame throwers, and tanks to defeat entrenched Japanese forces. Those lessons were extraordinarily expensive in the lives of soldiers, but paid off in all subsequent engagements.

Campbell's writing style and his incorporation of personal anecdotes from veterans makes this a very compelling read, not mere history. Well worth your time if you have an interest in World War II.

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an informative look at the Papuan campaign and it was interesting in that Campbell focused on several Soldiers involved in this campaign, but it could've been so much better. He really only scratched the surface of an incredibly brutal campaign which saw heroism on a daily basis from not only the infantryman, but the cooks and mechanics, as well. The units involved were Michigan and Wisconsin National Guard regiments, and the author's lack of back story significantly limited the scope of the 32d Infantry Division's achievement. I would recommend "Victory in Papua" by Samuel Milner, and published by the Dept. of the Army. This presents a much more comprehensive view of the campaign and is in no way a dry narrative.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

In brief, the subject matter is fascinating, but the writing comes up short. The story of what the men of the 32nd Division suffered through in 1942/43 on the island of New Guinea is amazing. How the US Army thought they could dump a bunch of poorly trained and equipped midwestern farm boys into the jungles and mountains of New Guinea and expect them to be effective is mind-blowing. But they were effective. Fighting alongside the Australians (for coverage of whom, see "Kokoda"), they managed to push the Japanese out of Papua. They suffered from malaria, dengue fever, scrub typhus, blackwater fever, malnutrition, jungle rot, leeches, and myriad other miseries. And their story really is worth telling and worth reading about.

The writing, however, is not up to the task. You get the feeling you're reading a draft at times. Ideas move along, then are suddenly dropped and another thread picked up with no transition or hint of why we're suddenly talking about a whole different group of people. Cliches abound. I recently read Rick Atkinson's "Liberation Trilogy," and the difference is remarkable. Atkinson tells a much larger story, but he keeps you wanting more because of his excellent technique and skill. Campbell tells you what happened, but you've got to work harder as a reader.

[Maggie Shanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This non-fiction tale of the 32nd division during the Pacific campaign of World War II was informative but a tad dry. So many soldiers were discussed it was hard to keep track of them all and I hated MacArthur's callous disregard for life as portrayed in this book. I actually found some parts of the source notes more interesting than whole chapters of the text. I did learn more about the absolute importance of supply lies, communication and medical knowledge during war.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book. What those boys did in those conditions is nothing short of a miracle.

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The battle for Buna, New Guinea (November 1942 through January 1943), isn't as well-known as others like Guadalcanal. The 32nd Army Infantry Division (National Guard) was tasked with defeating a Japanese army poised for devastating strikes on Australia. Unfortunately, the 32nd was poorly trained and supplied, and had to fight both the Japanese and the jungle. MacArthur and other top brass grossly underestimated the strength and condition of the enemy, which, contrary to their belief was numerous and *not* starving. They were also very deeply entrenched on the island and the 32nd had to resort to "primitive tactics" that guaranteed high casualties, and so many young men were sacrificed needlessly. Weeks of constant fighting turned the green troops into hardened soldiers and they eventually defeated the Japanese, but at terrible cost.

James Campbell does an excellent job of recounting the terrifying battle, striking a good early balance between MacArthur's overall strategy and the experience of the men on the ground - American, Australian, and even Japanese. He effectively points out the folly of generals who "fight" far from the actual fighting (and then take the credit), as MacArthur blamed the National Guardsmen for failing to quickly defeat their enemy without knowing the true conditions or even visiting the island. Told with frequent quotes from letters and journals (Japanese soldiers, too), Campbell puts a very human face on the war, and I couldn't help but wonder at the madness of it all. He regularly quotes from Army surgeon Simon Warmenhoven's letters to home, and one to a young daughter is especially touching.

For readers who want a real whiff of jungle battle, this is an excellent account that reads as easily as a novel and makes you feel like you've been there in the mud with bullets tearing up the foliage all around you. I listened to the audio version, which is read extremely well by Stephen Hoye.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Ghost Mountain Boys James Campbell tells the story of the 32nd Division’s campaign in New Guinea, their trek across the Owen Stanley range and the eerie Ghost Mountain, and their struggle to overrun the Japanese at Buna. Campbell’s account is excellent on a number of levels. First, he does a very good job of personalising the story, tracking a number of Division members from senior officers to enlisted men, based on interviews, letters sent home and archival research. We get to know the men, their personal history and family circumstances. Second, he provides amble contextualisation with regards to New Guinea and its strategic position in the war, the history of the division and its campaign, the war in general and in particular MacArthur’s decision making. Third, by translating Japanese war diaries, he manages to detail the campaign from the Japanese’s point of view. Fourth, he manages to convey, with a great deal of sense of place, the geography, terrain and climate of New Guinea, helped in part by retracing the route taken. Throughout it is clear that he has great respect for the people and events he is documenting. The result is a wonderfully engaging narrative that provides a detailed overview of the campaign. Parts of the story have strong emotional resonance, especially the thread concerning the chief medic Simon Warvenhoven, whose love letters to his wife are reproduced throughout the story. In my view, this is military history at its best, working at different levels and registers to give the reader a real sense of the tragedy of war. A poignant but rewarding read.

[Toni Edson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was deeply personal for me. My dearly loved Father-in-law, Sargent, Arthur B Edson, Sr. is featured in this book. We were never told any stories about Art's experiences in New Guinea except when we asked him how he managed to cross rivers on foot since we all knew he couldn't swim. All he said was that he held his gun over his head and walked across and held his breath. My late husband, Arthur B Edson, Jr. and I were lucky enough to attend one of Jim Campbell's book signings in Grand Rapids, MI and had dinner with him. Amazingly, at the book signing were four of the men who served with Dad Edson, whom they called "Sgt. Sex", oh my! Wonderful to meet them. We will never see the like of these men again. Thank you, Jim Campbell for your telling of there story and doing it so well.

[Chuck · Rating 2 out of 5]

The battle for New Guinea was brutal jungle warfare. Though Guadalcanal is much better known, the number of dead in New Guinea was three times larger than at Guadalcanal. MacArthur was the commander, and one can see how he earned the derisive nickname of "Dugout Doug". While his men were fighting, he remained comfortably ensconced in a mansion some hundred miles away, devising plans for battle. He never visited the battlefield to see what conditions were like. As a result, thousands of Allied troops died needlessly.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings the horror and sacrifice of these young men into bright focus, having traversed some of the same country for a short time as they did, without a 70 pound back on my back, it filled me with awe that these young men lived in these conditions without access to modern anti-malarial drugs, in constant danger and for months on end. That they were betrayed by General McArthur was unforgivable after the hell these men lived through.

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done book on a forgotten campaign. Something I knew very little about, I knew of it but not the details. The author does a good job of weaving the picture on the ground with first hand accounts and diary entries with the general overview from the command side. Sadly yet another campaign where men and their lives were sacrificed on the altar of Douglas MacArthur's ambition and ego.

[Pamela Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a friend whose grandfather was part of the Red Arrow 32nd Army Infantry Division in WWII that fought in New Guinea. My dad fought in the end of the Burma Road campaign in the CBI Theater, shipped to Australia, then was part of the invasion force at Okinawa, and shared some similar experiences. This narrative is well organized and well written. It includes letters written home, diaries, and interviews as well as military record of events. You will find yourself pulling up maps to follow the narrative. I personally found the story to be engaging from the perspective of the Red Arrow Division being made up of primarily troops from the Michigan National Guard, and as a life long Michigander I could connect very directly with the their hometowns.The final piece that makes this a particularly well researched and documented account is the author author also included diaries, entries, and even interviews from survivors from the Japanese soldiers. If you are interested in WWII military campaigns, Michigan connections to WWII history, or the history of the military action in the Pacific Theater in WWII you will appreciate this book.

[Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Borrow.

A needed account on a forgotten campaign, but one dripping in bias that can at times overshadow the central events.

One thing is for certain: Campbell hates MacArthur. In fact, he seems to loath nearly all officers above the rank of colonel. Without any real analysis, he spits frequent poison at MacArthur and the other commanding officers that sent so many young men to their deaths.

Now, I don't like MacArthur much either but this is tasteless, especially when considering that in the epilogue, Campbell properly acknowledges how MacArthur learned from his ignorant actions in Buma. Either way, Campbell is writing from a position of untamed hindsight.

Although giving off amateur or first time writing vibes, if Chapman would have focused exclusively on the plight and tactical actions of the soldiers rather than seeking opportunities to poke at the generals, this would have been much better.

No general deserved an award for this campaign, but to blame the generals without taking into consideration the greater context of the war and where the real orders came from (politicians) is a mistake. There is no analysis or mention of he role of the US or Allied administrations here.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good detaIled book on the battle for New Guinea and the soldiers who fought there. The ineptitude of upper command who refused to provide them with the materials they needed, equipment, malaria drugs and heavy firepower to assault the Japanese positions.

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marines are the better known marauders of the Pacific conflict. However, as a West Point graduate let me know in no uncertain terms, the Army was there, too. "The Ghost Mountain Boys" has as part of its title "the terrifying battle" and terrifying it was. Ill-trained Army National Guardsmen took on the Imperial Japanese Army. Sustaining horrible losses and operating under unspeakable conditions, the American soldiers prevailed. Forget the campaign and a feckless Douglas MacArthur, where do we get such men? More than a recounting of horrid engagements in malaria infested swamps, this is the story of average guys achieving heroic status. It is a must read for those not faint of heart.

[Anthony Whitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reading for World War Two history buffs. Covers a little known battle for New Guinea where the jungle was as fierce an opponent as the Japanese soldier. The author introduces the reader to the American soldier that was a friend and neighbor just down the street. He puts a face on the price our soldiers paid to protect the freedom we enjoy today.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent enough book about a battle that nobody has ever heard about. Another good example of how many soldiers went through total hell during WWII and then came home quietly. How many stories like this have been lost because of a hero's humility?

[Esoteric Grimoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Ghost Mountain Boys" by James Campbell has been on my to read shelf for a long time. My grandfather was a veteran of the war in New Guinea, I was hoping to read this book to get an insight into my introverted and silent grandfather's war experience, I was not disappointed. He would often talk about the strangeness of life in New Guinea, but the scenery outlined by Campbell helped me truly understand, "The Ghost Mountain Boys," members of the 32nd Infantry Division "Red Arrow Division" got their nickname for the mountain in New Guinea's Owen-Stanley range called Mount Obree. The trees of that mountain are covered in a phosphorescent moss and lichen that give it a strange ghost like appearance. The term a "poor man's war," or as one officer phrased it "a knife fight straight out of the Stone Age." The 32nd was poorly supplied, under trained and under manned for a prolonged jungle war. The 32nd was a motley assortment of men made up primarily of federalized Michigan and Wisconsin National Guardsman and newly drafted and younger selected service men, from the 1940 draft. The characters jump off the page, men like Herman Boscher, a German immigrant who served in the International Brigade in Spain before returning to America and joining the Army, he took a role in New Guinea in instructing the soldiers in close quarters combat and demolitions. Boscher would receive a rare battlefield commission during the Buna Campaign. Major "Stuttering" Smith who helped organize the 32nd and lead it during the campaign. Campbell details the opening campaign of the Pacific Front, the fight to take New Guinea and secure Australia's Northern Shore from Japanese attack. The book is an excellent read, Campbell is a splendid author, I was hooked from the first to the last page.

[Timmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you. So much potential in this topic describing the extended battle with Japan over New Guinea but so poorly plotted out I couldn't persuade myself to give it even an average mark. Two major problems. First, waaaaaay too many backstories on the various troops who took part in the fighting. I'm more than fine with picking 4 or even 5 soldiers and focusing on how they got where they found themselves. This book must have talked about 18. What they did in high school, their family situation, female situation, hobbies etc... the stories just blended together while I would rather be hearing about the disabling dysentery that was running amok (yes, pun intended). The even bigger problem was the authors propensity to read letters. From the soldiers to their sweethearts, parents, brothers and to the soldiers from their sweethearts, parents brothers etc... I mean, it was letter after letter when after awhile, yeah we get it. I don't want to say that I don't care how much these fighting men missed their families but....I don't care how much these fighting men missed their families. And that Douglas MacArthur, what a blowhard!

The Ghost Mountain Boys...two stars.

[Marcus Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are already plenty of excellent reviews for this worthwhile book. I won't try to surpass the quality of their scope or content. I will however recommend that readers skim through the Notes and the Acknowledgements chapters before undertaking to read the main body of the book. The insights presented in those chapters will aid somewhat in appreciating the depth of research and credibility of this fascinating and under rated historical saga. I will also note that the maps presented at the front of the book were welcome and useful, but not nearly so useful as they would have been if the place names had better matched those frequently referenced in the narratives and if the symbology of the topographical and battle front features had been better defined. Lack of correlation with topography made the stories more abstract and more difficult to understand. Still, all in all, this is a book I was glad to have read.

[Bill Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Buna Trail campaign of New Guinea is another great story that is often overlooked. The soldiers faced many enemies besides the Japanese including: supply officers, rain, mud, terrain, wildlife and faulty equipment. James Campbell did a wonderful job capturing the story of the events leading up to battle, the tactics of the battle and the aftermath. This was an engaging story that showed the clear determination of both sides. James Campbell did a wonderful job of presenting the facts in an entertaining way. This was a great read that I got a lot out of.

[Ben Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book. I really fell off the reading train for a long time and this was the perfect foray back into it. I am a boomer and love my non-fiction, but this one really was awesome. I think I am going to read a bunch of WWII books now because this one was so interesting. Truly a devastating, important piece of history that has been mostly forgotten. Imagine going to war today and the casualty rate (injured, sick or dead) being 90%... truly unimaginable.

Overall, great history read. Would recommend if you like military stuff, history of war or anything else of the sort. 9/10

[Rorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of this book was going to be a 3-star review, but it picked up for the last half, so the 4 star was earned. I still found myself confused at who was who several times, and had to go re-read passages. There was a lot going on, which isn't surprising, but it was just confusing at times. I did have a hard time putting it down for the last bit, so I'm glad I read the story. I also appreciated the epilogue so we could find out what happened to several of the men involved.

[Erik Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that gave great insight into one of the lesser known campaigns in the Pacific during the war. My grandfather was a member of the Red Arrow Division, which participated in the New Guinea campaign, but he never talked about the war. Reading this, it was clear as to why. This arm of the Pacific campaign was brutal. Great book!

[Rod Bustos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of the oft-forgotten battle for New Guinea in the Pacific theater. Details the account of the Army 32nd Division's "Ghost Mountain Boys" who had no jungle warfare training and were given one of the most grueling tasks in the entire Pacific campaign. An inspiring and heartbreaking read.