Hearn, Croft, Brown, Stanley, Gallagher

Fast paced, but some of the interim 'time machine' chapters interrupt and delay; they could have been drastically shortened, as they provide interesting backstory for each main character, but ultimately get in the way of the telling of compelling South Seas combat action.

Nobody could sleep. When morning came, assault craft would be lowered and a first wave of troops would ride through the surf and charge ashore on the beach at Anopopei. All over the ship, all through the convoy, there was a knowledge that in a few hours some of them were going to be dead.

(spoiler alert)

1940 to 1949 War and It's Aftermath