Submitted by: Michael G Walling

Category: Books

For the men who served in America's Amphibious Forces during World War II, the conflict was an unceasing series of D-Days. They were responsible for putting men ashore in more than 200 landings throughout the conflict, most against well-entrenched enemy positions. Bloodstained Sands: US Amphibious Operations in World War II tells the story of these forgotten men for the first time, tracing their operational history from Guadalcanal to Casablanca, Sicily, Normandy, Iwo Jima and finally Okinawa. The men's stories are told in their own voices, with fascinating accounts from Underwater Demolition Teams, Attack Transport crews and many other unsung heroes of World War II.
First-hand interviews, entries from personal diaries and Action Reports create a unique history, perfectly complemented by historic illustrations and detailed maps. These are timeless tales of determination, sacrifice, and triumph of the human spirit - tales of US Amphibious Forces that for too long have gone forgotten and untold.
Bloodstained Sands: U.S. Amphibious Operation in World War II (Osprey Publishing)will be released on April 20 i bookstores and on amazon in both hardback and on Kindle. It's available now for preorder on the Osprey Publishing and amazon.com websites.

About the author:

Mike is an internationally recognized historian and author. He has published five narrative nonfiction books covering naval, military, and aviation history: Bloodstained Sands: U.S. Amphibious Operations in World War II Previous works include Bloodstained Sea: The U.S. Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic 1941–1944 received The Naval Order of the United States 2005 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature, In the Event of a Water Landing, Forgotten Sacrifice: The Arctic Convoys in World War II, and Forgotten Sacrifice: The Arctic Convoys in World War II. The novel Choke Points addressed the real threats to Maritime and Port Security. He is a contributing author to the U.S. Naval Institute’s Naval History magazine and has appeared on The History Channel and PBS. Walling has given presentations at Battle Ship Cove, Maine Maritime Museum, National World War II Museum–New Orleans, Naval Order of the United States, Naval War College, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association, and numerous civic and veterans’ groups. After graduating from Montclair State College with a BA in Biology, Walling served in the U.S. Coast Guard for six years as a commissioned officer and a senior petty officer.