Islands of the Damned

A Marine at War in the Pacific

By: R. V. Burgin, Bill Marvel

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

This is an eyewitness - and eye-opening - account of some of the most savage and brutal fighting in the war against Japan, told from the perspective of a young Texan who volunteered for the Marine Corps to escape a life as a traveling salesman.

R. V. Burgin enlisted at the age of 20 and, with his sharp intelligence and earnest work ethic, climbed the ranks from a green private to a seasoned sergeant. Along the way, he shouldered a rifle as a member of a mortar squad. He saw friends die and enemies killed. He saw scenes he wanted to forget but never did - from enemy snipers who tied themselves to branches in the highest trees, to ambushes along narrow jungle trails, to the abandoned corpses of hara kiri victims, to the final howling banzai attacks as the Japanese embraced their inevitable defeat.

An unforgettable narrative of a young Marine in combat, Islands of the Damned brings to life the hell that was the Pacific War.

©2010 R.V. Burgin and William Marvel (P)2010 Tantor

true history that needs to be told

I like the story very much. The performer was brilliant. He had the right frame of mind when telling the story. He wasn't just reading lines. I think every young person should read these books to, like he said, never forget.

Great story on the Pacific campaign

Mr. Burgin's story talks to the forgotten Pacific battles and the spirit that is Semper Fidelis!

Good war autobiography

Great autobiography and well read. Must read for any Marine. Gives good perspective on reality of war from a warfighters lenses

Excellent WWII history

After having watched The Pacific miniseries and doing a grad school research paper on Okinawa I wanted to go through Burgin’s account fully, and it did not disappoint. We need to remember these men and the sacrifices they made. I highly recommend this account for those interested in the American Pacific theatre and Marine Corps.

island of the damned. the untild story

great first hand experience. goes along with history books. RV Burgin is an exampke for all Marines.