82 Days on Okinawa

One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle

By: Art Shaw, Robert L. Wise

Narrated by: Jim Seybert

In celebration of the 75th anniversary, a riveting first-hand account of the Battle of Okinawa—the Pacific War’s ""bloodiest battle of all"" (New York Times)—from the first officer ashore, who served at the front for the battle’s entire 82-day duration, heroism that earned him a Bronze Star.

On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, 1,500 Allied ships and 1.5 million men gathered off the coast of the Japanese island of Okinawa and launched the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War. They expected an 80% casualty rate. The first American officer ashore was Major Art Shaw, a unit commander in the U.S. Army’s 361 Artillery Battalion of the 96th Division, often called the Deadeyes. For the next three months, Major Shaw and his men served at the front lines of the Pacific’s bloodiest battle, their artillery proving decisive against a ""phantom enemy"" who had entrenched themselves into rugged, craggy island. Now, at 98, Art Shaw looks back to tell the story. 82 Days on Okinawa is an extraordinary eyewitness account of this critical World War II battle.

The first step of Operation Downfall—the ground invasion of Japan—the Battle of Okinawa became legendary for its brutality. Over 82 days, the Allies fought the Japanese Army in one of the bloodiest campaigns of the war, one in which more than 150,000 soldiers would die. When the final calculations were made, the totals said that the Deadeyes had killed 37,763 of the enemy. The 361 Field Artillery Battalion had played a crucial role in victory. It would be the last major battle of World War II, and a key pivot point leading to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Japanese surrender in August, two months after the siege’s end.

A riveting first-person account of this turning point, 82 Days on Okinawa joins the ranks of Donald Stratton’s All the Gallant Men and Dusty Kleiss' Never Call Me a Hero.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

A good account of the P.T.O. Army.

It is very rare indeed that the Army’s role in the Pacific Theater of Operations is discussed outside of the U.S. Army in World War II Series. This is a great look inside the daily life for Army Artillerymen on Okinawa.

Much Better Understand

I lived there, knew some of the history but was not aware of these details. A great listen! Good pace and great content.

Beginning of the End

Well done. Lots of individual actions vividly told. Must read. Only negative thing...whenever the storyteller had to switch from Colonel Shaws voice to another character, he used the same gravelly tone...didn't like it..irritating

excellent story my Dad was in the 96th .

My Dad was in the 96th division nice to hear about it from someone who was also a member of that division.

The carnage of The Pacific War

A honest tell of the carnage inflicted on both sides at the battle of Okinawa. A surprising honesty and openess about PTSD from a member of a generation that did not speak of such things.