Fragments of War: A Marine's Personal Journey

By Bertram A. Yaffe

A World War II Marine officer who survived three major campaigns in the Pacific offers an authentic and compelling picture of tank warfare. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557509794
• ISBN13: 9781557509796
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Length: 157 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.5" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

An intellectuals war by tank

Yaffe was an officer with 3rd Marine Tank Battalion, fighting on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima. It is only 157 pages but the font is small and Yaffe manages to fit quite a lot of engrossing stuff in nonetheless. He is an extremely intelligent writer. He is incredibly widely read and spent many a tropical night reflecting on evolution, cosmic unity, mysticism and philosophy. These and chess, were also his coping mechanisms, helping him to process the reality that was his day job - fighting the Japanese. Yaffe is an officer, firstly a platoon commander, then of B Company and then a Captain at battalion HQ. As such his fighting from a tank is mostly in the early phase. He serves in Stuarts and then Sherman's and learns lessons that he instituted into more relevant training. He does write about the difficulties of moving and fighting in the oppressive jungle and also of tactics and unit composition but the bulk of his combat is getting his men's tanks to where they need to be. This said, on Guam and Iwo, he is very much under the enemies guns, is wounded and writes about firing his 45 on charging Japanese at very close quarters. That stuff that `Dirty Harry' went on about is a whole lot clearer now! Other highlights include an engrossing description of assaulting the beach on Guam, the Kamikaze attack on his LST approaching Iwo and the fighting on that island with surprisingly heavy tank losses. There are also the stunning bombardments, the snipers, the infiltrators and units overrun. His descriptions of battle are vivid and tense and convey a great sense of tragedy. In addition to this is some fascinating family history and a wonderful love story involving his remarkable wife. So while it has less combat than the other memoirs here, it is still a very extensive story, told in a very economical way. This is the thinking mans war memoir. It is very personal and very intelligent. It is very satisfying on many levels. Highly recommended.

Fragments of War : A Marine's Personal Journey

I was going to write a long review of this excellent book, but I think that would only spoil the experience for new readers. It's enough to say that if you want to see the face of war through the eyes of a sensitive, educated and articulate warrior, then this is a must read. It's a slim volume, but heavily laden with food for thought. Mr. Yaffe relates some of his experiences in the Pacific War, especially on the hellish cauldron known as Iwo Jima. In the process we learn as much about him and his search for meaning in the midst of utter madness, as we do about the experiences of his tank crews. I'm very glad I found this book; it will keep me thinking for some time to come.

Highly Recommended

This is an incredible book! I find it very difficult to describe since it is so unlike anything else I have read about the War in the Pacific. World War II veterans are notorious for not talking about their battle experience. Thank you Mr. Yaffe for sharing your memories and unique perspective. I am beginning to understand what my father went through on Iwo Jima...