Challenge for the Pacific Guadalcanal: The Turning Point of the War

From the World War II veteran and "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Helmet for My Pillow," whose experiences were featured in the HBO miniseries "The Pacific," comes this vivid narrative of the astonishing six-month campaign for Guadalcanal.

Robert Leckie (1920–2001) was the author of more than 30 works of military history as well as Marines!, a collection of short stories, and Lord, What a Family!, a memoir. Raised in Rutherford, New Jersey, he started writing professionally at age 16, covering sports for the Bergen Evening Record of Hackensack, New Jersey. Leckie enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor, going on to serve as a machine gunner and as an intelligence scout and participating in all 1st Marine Division campaigns except Okinawa. He was awarded five battle stars, the Naval Commendation Medal with Combat V, and the Purple Heart. Helmet for My Pillow was his first book; it received the USMC Combat Correspondents Association Award upon publication.