Dad's War with the United States Marines
is a faithful account of the charming
and hilarious World War II misadventures
of PFC Ben Green--a low ranking but
quick-witted individualist who battled
the system in order to serve his country
with honor, yet saved his neck to return
home to his family.
Its serious message is that his
generation's unshakable resolve to
resist evil in the world is still needed
today to counter those self-appointed
saviors who attack and threaten to
destroy civilized society.
This Marine memoir also follows the
trials of a family trying to cope with
separation, fear, making ends meet and
growing up in a single-parent household.
is a faithful account of the charming
and hilarious World War II misadventures
of PFC Ben Green--a low ranking but
quick-witted individualist who battled
the system in order to serve his country
with honor, yet saved his neck to return
home to his family.
Its serious message is that his
generation's unshakable resolve to
resist evil in the world is still needed
today to counter those self-appointed
saviors who attack and threaten to
destroy civilized society.
This Marine memoir also follows the
trials of a family trying to cope with
separation, fear, making ends meet and
growing up in a single-parent household.
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Dad's War with the United States Marines
Book cover: Ben Green scoops news of the
Japanese surrender, on August 14th, 1945,
while his family copes at home.
Book cover: Ben Green scoops news of the
Japanese surrender, on August 14th, 1945,
while his family copes at home.
Here's a new kind of war story--a family memoir that relates the exploits
of my father, a resourceful nonconformist and Chicago radio producer
who, despite having a wife and two small children, enlisted at age 35
with the understanding that he would serve as an officer in combat
intelligence; he nonetheless had to train with kids half his age in the
Marine infantry.
Back home, the family struggled with making ends meet, managing the
household, growing up and fear of the unthinkable, as we waited in
terror for word of Dad's assignment to the next island invasion. Like that
of Luther Billis in James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific,
however, Dad dealt with both the absurdity and opportunity of military
life. He good-naturedly learned how to work the system. He talked his
way into an assignment where his knowledge of radio could be useful to
the war effort and by default ended up running the Armed Forces Radio
Station on the island of Guam.
Against all odds, Ben managed to save his skin for his family's sake
and to eke meaningful service to his nation out of the chaos. The book
also recounts some previously untold World War II history: of Chicago
radio, Armed Forces Radio Service and the Pacific war. For one shining
moment, as manager of the Guam radio station, he held the future of
the world in his hands.
of my father, a resourceful nonconformist and Chicago radio producer
who, despite having a wife and two small children, enlisted at age 35
with the understanding that he would serve as an officer in combat
intelligence; he nonetheless had to train with kids half his age in the
Marine infantry.
Back home, the family struggled with making ends meet, managing the
household, growing up and fear of the unthinkable, as we waited in
terror for word of Dad's assignment to the next island invasion. Like that
of Luther Billis in James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific,
however, Dad dealt with both the absurdity and opportunity of military
life. He good-naturedly learned how to work the system. He talked his
way into an assignment where his knowledge of radio could be useful to
the war effort and by default ended up running the Armed Forces Radio
Station on the island of Guam.
Against all odds, Ben managed to save his skin for his family's sake
and to eke meaningful service to his nation out of the chaos. The book
also recounts some previously untold World War II history: of Chicago
radio, Armed Forces Radio Service and the Pacific war. For one shining
moment, as manager of the Guam radio station, he held the future of
the world in his hands.
TROOP BUS
The book includes sketches of military life Ben included In his letters home to his five year-old son
The book includes sketches of military life Ben included In his letters home to his five year-old son
"An architect in University City has a family stake in Sunday's 60th
anniversary of V-J Day, the day Japan threw in the towel to end World
War II. In the home office of the architect, Peter Green, sit six thick
ring-bound notebooks- They're filled with the wartime letters of his
father, Marine Pfc. Benjamin Green. And in a letter written from Guam
on Aug. 14, 1945, the elder Green tells his family that he scooped the
world on getting out the big news of Japan's surrender."
–Harry Levins, St. Louis Post Dispatch
(on the 60th anniversary of V-J Day, August 14, 2005)
More reviews
anniversary of V-J Day, the day Japan threw in the towel to end World
War II. In the home office of the architect, Peter Green, sit six thick
ring-bound notebooks- They're filled with the wartime letters of his
father, Marine Pfc. Benjamin Green. And in a letter written from Guam
on Aug. 14, 1945, the elder Green tells his family that he scooped the
world on getting out the big news of Japan's surrender."
–Harry Levins, St. Louis Post Dispatch
(on the 60th anniversary of V-J Day, August 14, 2005)
More reviews
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