2024 INDIES Winner: Bronze – War & Military (Adult Non-fiction) Category
Red Arrow across the Pacific reveals the long-overdue story of the renowned Thirty-Second “Red Arrow” Infantry Division. Discover how this National Guard unit—which originated in Wisconsin and Michigan but soon evolved to include soldiers from California to New England—became one of the first US military units deployed overseas in World War II, eventually logging more combat hours than any other US Army division.
Far more than a traditional battle narrative, Red Arrow across the Pacific offers a cultural history of the Red Arrow’s wartime experience, from its mobilization in 1940, to its deployment across New Guinea, Australia, and the Philippines, to its postwar occupation of Japan. Drawing from letters, memoirs, and interviews, author Mark D. Van Ells lets the soldiers speak for themselves, describing in their own words the terror of combat, their impressions of foreign lands, the struggle to maintain their own humanity, and the many ways the war profoundly changed them.
Nuanced and remarkably thorough, this book explores the dramatic evolution of the Thirty-Second Infantry Division and reveals how the story of the Red Arrow reflects the experience of the US military during World War II.
“Red Arrow across the Pacific combines the best of traditional and “new” military approaches. Highly recommended for a general audience, as well as readers interested in the Second World War.”
Mary Louise Roberts, Lucie Aubrac Distinguished Professor Emerita of History, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and author of Sheer Misery: Soldiers in Battle in WWII
“Exceptionally well researched and engagingly written. This book is a must read for any student of military history.”
Capt. Florian L. Waitl, Command Historian, Wisconsin Army National Guard
“With Red Arrow across the Pacific, Van Ells has provided readers with a superb, in-depth perspective of a National Guard division that served in the Pacific for the entirety of America’s involvement in World War II.”
Journal of American History
“The story Van Ells tells here is fascinating. He combines and old school operational history with a fascinating social history [and he] succeeds brilliantly at this difficult task. He has written a highly readable, incredibly interesting, and extremely important work that is likely to remain the standard on this topic for years to come.”
Voyageur: Northeast Wisconsin’s Historical Review
“This is a must read that preserves the record of these citizen-soldiers, from all walks of life, who defeated a tough enemy in savage fighting.”
Journal of America’s Military Past
“There are lots of reasons to read this book.”
History Happy Hour
“The author relies on official records, press reports and letters and diaries of the soldiers themselves. He succeeds at putting their service in context.”
Shepherd Express
“It’s a fantastic book and the amount of research that went into it is truly staggering.”
World War II Discussion Forum
“This book is well-researched and well-written…. I enjoyed reading [it].”
WikiProject Military History
“A valuable addition to the World War II canon.”
War History Network
Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2024
512p
ISBN 9781976600333
Available from the Publisher