December 7, 1941, the date of the attack on Oahu, Hawaii and Pearl Harbor, is one of the moments indelibly stamped into the collective American consciousness. The events of that day changed world history and brought the United States into World War II.
In this exhaustively researched historical chronicle, military historian Colonel Charles A. Jones, US Marine Corps Reserve (Retired), shares untold tales of bravery and fortitude in the Hawaiian Islands during World War II. He chronicles the horrors and heroism of war through the stories of the eighteen Medals of Honor (MOH) awarded to Navy and Marine officers and men. Fourteen were awarded for bravery during the Pearl Harbor attack.
But that's only one part of the story.
Jones also addresses MOHs awarded for bravery at Kaneohe Bay on December 7, Midway in 1942, and during rescue operations in the West Loch of Pearl Harbor in 1945. He includes the story of Billy Mitchell, who made incredibly accurate predictions about the Japanese attack on Oahu and who advocated the military importance of air power in warfare.
While Jones commemorates the heroism of the men who risked their lives to save others, he also argues that not every Medal was earned. His controversial stance challenges two of the three MOHs awarded to officers on the USS Arizona.
About the Author: Colonel Charles A. Jones, US Marine Corps Reserve (Retired), is from Greensboro, North Carolina. He attended Oak Ridge Military Academy, Wake Forest University, and Campbell University School of Law.
Jones joined the US Marine Corps in 1981. He earned a Regular commission and served on active duty as a lawyer in the Marine Corps.
Jones left active duty in 1992 to research and to write military history. He joined the US Marine Corps Reserve in 1993. In 2011, Jones retired from the Reserve, completing a total of thirty years in the Regular and Reserve Marine Corps.
Jones's knowledge of Oahu and World War II led to his 2002 book, Hawaii's World War II Military Sites. His work has appeared in many different magazines and newspapers. He is an expert on Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II and has given several classes and lectures about Iwo Jima and the Oahu attack.
Jones now lives in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina.
