Customer Reviews (1)

The United States Marines in North China
As a "China Marine" I can state that this is one of the best books I have ever read about life as a Marine in China, the old 4th Regiment, as well as the Legation Marines and the "Horse"Marines.I knew Col "Jack" White for nearly 50 years until hepassed away about 3 years ago.This book is a whole lot more than justabout the Marines in China. Captain John White was captured by the Japanesetroops on 8 December, 1941 and spent nearly four years as POW. At the timeof his capture Captain White was on a train in charge of a detail bringingthe bones of "Peking Man" to Shanghai for shipment to theSmithsonian Institute. The bones were contained in a USMC wooden locker boxand the Japanese troops came through the train looking for loot. When theyfound nothing in the box of value, only old bones, they were discarded asjunk on the tracks. For the rest of his life Col. White was considered anexpert on "Peking Man" and often lectured on the subject. Thebook is really two books in one, the first half about life in China and thesecond half about life as a POW and their desparate daily struggle to stayalive. It is filled with stories of their efforts to outwitstheirsadistic guards, their attempts to have garden and grow some of their ownfood, their terible work details and the almost daily burial details. Jackstayed in the Corps after a long period in the hospital, made Colonelduring the Korean War before retiring. He was a member of the AnnapolisClass of 1931 and lived long enough to return for the 60th Class Reunion.His wife was one of the early female aviatiors and was a peer of AmeliaEarheart and "Pancho" Gonzales. He came from a long line ofmilitary leaders. His two brother were West Point graduates,one retiringas a two star Army General, the other a two star Air Force General. ColonelJack was the uncle of Astronaut Edward White, the first American to walk inspace and who was later killed with Chaffee and Grissom in the fire thatdestroyed their space capsule during training for their next space mission. Colonel White was negotiating with a publisher to republish his book whenhe died. I would be very happy to share more information about Colonel JohnWhite with anyone who has an interest ... Read more