Kamikaze

A tiny island in the Pacific named Kwajalein atoll. Two and a half miles long and half a mile wide. A mere eight hundred yards, protected by a coral reef and the only possible place for landing craft to hit the beach is on the west side. The Japs are waiting behind well prepared defences for the Marines to land, and they about to run into a storm of lead.

Except they come ashore in amphibious vehicles, named DUKWs, able to cross the vast coral reef and they approach the beach from an unexpected direction. The landing is a success, an easy ride, and opposition is minor. Until they hit first strongpoint, and Jesse Ferrell is out in front as Second Platoon becomes pin down.

The flamethrower makes short work of the Jap position, but there will be no further easy ride. The Japs have switched tactics, under the command of the homicidal Colonel tasked with defending the island to the last drop of blood. A task he engages with enthusiasm, spending as much blood as it takes. As long as it isn’t his blood. The tactic is named kamikaze, the Japanese word for divine wind, named after a typhoon that destroyed an invading Chinese army. This time they employ a human typhoon to defeat the Marines, suffering huge casualties, but the Marines are also suffering. Jesse Ferrell, still out in front with his buddy Dan O’Neill and the platoon sergeant, Josh Weaver, has the obvious solution. A solution that will save many Marine lives, but at the likely cost of his own.