Coral and Brass

By
Holland M. Smith, General, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
and
Percy Finch

 

FMFRP 12-37

Coral and Brass

U.S. Marine Corps
PCN 140 123700 00

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Headquarters
United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC 20380-0001


GENERAL HOLLAND M. SMITH, U.S.M.C.
From a painting by Commander Albert K. Murray, U.S.N.R.

Foreword

7 April 1989

  1. PURPOSE. Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-37, Coral and Brass, is published to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals. FMFRPs in the 12 Series area special category: reprints of historical works which are not available elsewhere.

  2. SCOPE. This reference publication is an autobiography of General Holland "Howling Mad" Smith that details his experiences in the Pacific during World War II. This book is written as a tribute to the Marines who served him so gallantly in the Pacific and, more importantly, to point out mistakes made during the island campaigns in order to prevent these errors in future conflicts. General Smith's style makes for enjoyable reading and his description of the Pacific battles is a valuable asset to any military library.

  3. CERTIFICATION.
    Reviewed and approved this date.

    BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
    M. P. SULLIVAN
    Major General, U.S. Marine Corps
    Deputy Commander for Warfighting
    Marine Corps Combat Development Command
    Quantico, Virginia

DISTRIBUTION: "TL 3"

TO THE Men and WOMEN OF THE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS,
BOTH LIVING AND DEAD,
AND TO THOSE WHO ARE TO COME

Contents

Chapter Page
1. [Retrospective] 1
2. [The Early Years] 22
3. [World War I and the Inter-War Years] 43
4. [World War II Begins in Europe · Marines Train for Amphibious Warfare] 64
5. [Pearl Harbor · First Joint Training Command · Aleutians] 86
6. [Fifth Amphibious Corps · Makin & Tarawa] 109
7. [The Marshalls (Kjawalein, Roi-Namur, Eniwetok, Engebi, Parry)] 135
8. [Saipan · "Smith vs. Smith"] 152
9. [Saipan, continued] 181
10. [FMFPAC · Tinian · Guam] 201
11. [Submariners: Comrades in Arms · Makin Raid] 223
12. [Iwo Jima] 236
13. [Iwo Jima, continued] 253
  Index 279

Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation