TO HELL AND BACK For the U.S., Guadalcanal was a bloody seven-month struggle under brutal conditions against crack Japanese troops deeply entrenched and determined to fight to the death. For Charles Walker, this horrific jungle battle–one that claimed the lives of 1,600 Americans and more than 23,000 Japanese–was just the beginning. On the eve of battle, 2nd Lt. Walker was ordered back to the States for medical reasons. But there was a war to be won, and he had no intention of missing it. In this devastatingly powerful memoir, Walker captures the conflict in all its horror, chaos, and heroism: the hunger, the heat, the deafening explosions and stench of death, the constant fear broken by moments of sheer terror. This is the gripping tale of the brave young American men who fought with tremendous courage in appalling conditions, willing to sacrifice everything for their country. Look for these books about Americans who fought World War II: VISIONS FROM A FOXHOLE A Rifleman in Patton’s Ghost Corps by William A. Foley Jr. BEHIND HITLER’S LINES The True Story of the Only Soldier to Fight for Both America and the Soviet Union in World War II by Thomas H. Taylor NO BENDED KNEE The Battle for Guadalcanal by Gen. Merrill B. Twining, USMC (Ret.) ALL THE WAY TO BERLIN A Paratrooper at War in Europe by James Megellas

In 1950, when he commissioned the first edition of The Armed Forces Officer, Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall told its author, S.L.A. Marshall, that "American military officers, of whatever service, should share common ground ethically and morally." In this new edition, the authors methodically explore that common ground, reflecting on the basics of the Profession of Arms, and the officer's special place and distinctive obligations within that profession and especially to the Constitution.

The original 1950 edition of this leadership classic includes the following chapters: 1. The Meaning of Your Commission 2. Forming Military Ideals 3. Responsibility and Privilege 4. Planning Your Career 5. Rank and Precedence 6. Customs and Courtesies 7. Keeping Your House in Order 8. Getting Along With People 9. Leaders and Leadership 10. Mainsprings of Leadership 11. Human Nature 12. Group Nature 13. Environment 14. The Mission 15. Discipline 16. Morale 17. Esprit 18. Knowing Your Job 19. Knowledge of Your Men 20. Writing and Speaking 21. The Art of Instruction 22. Your Relationships With Your Men 23. Your Men’s Moral and Physical Welfare 24. Keeping Your Men Informed 25. Counseling Your Men 26. Using Reward and Punishment 27. Fitting Men to Jobs 28. Americans in Combat Appendix: Recommended Reading