One of the greatest battles of World War II was the campaign for control of Guadalcanal. Here is one fighter pilot's view of the bitterly fought struggle that began just eight months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The beleaguered Americans somehow maintained a precarious toehold on this strategically located island.
A gripping account of the "six desparate months of combat" at Guadalcanal, Robert Lawrence Ferguson tells the story of the Army's 67th Fighter Squadron, the "Fighting Cocks," or "Game Cocks." Eventually becoming the 347th Fighter Group, the squadron was attached to the last 1st Marine Corps division. These pilots gave air support to Marine and Army infantry forces with bombing and staffing runs that led to the defeat of the Japanese at Guadalcanal over several months in 1942.
This first-hand account features appendices, complete index, and vintage photographs.
Review: "Ferguson...presents here a gripping account of the men and operations of the 'Fighting Cocks,' spicing his story with excerpts from his diary and many never-before-seen combat photographs."
-Air Force Magazine
"[Guadalcanal] has to be a valuable addition to existing literature on the war in the Pacific..."
-Major General John G. Bouker, U.S. Marine Corps Ret.
"This book should be read by everyone who participated in that part of WWII, and by all who wonder what the air war on Guadalcanal was really like."
-James M. Lufkin, former fighter pilot and operations staff officer in the South Pacific
"This is a fitting tribute to the gallant airmen and ground crews who helped the Marines and soldiers win the first U.S. ground offensive in the Pacific war."
-Michael D. Hull, The Morning Union
Bio: ROBERT LAWRENCE FERGUSON's military career as a command pilot and officer spanned three wars. He later worked as an FAA Airline Transport Pilot. The author of numerous magazine articles and technical papers, Ferguson has also written several books and contributed to Military Magazine.
