Phantom Warrior: The Heroic True Story of Pvt. John McKinney's One-Man Stand Against the Japanese in World War II

This is the story of John McKinney, who, on the morning of May 11, 1945, received the Medal of Honor for his actions against a Japanese surprise attack. That day, McKinney returned fire, using every available weapon-even his fists-standing alone against wave after wave of fanatical Japanese soldiers. At the end, John McKinney was alive- with over one hundred Japanese bodies before him.

This is the story of an extraordinary man whose courage and fortitude in battle saved many American lives, and whose legacy has been sadly forgotten by all but a few. Here, the proud legacy of John McKinney lives on.


DESCRIPTION:

Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.5425991
EAN: 9780425215661
ISBN: 0425215660
Label: Berkley Hardcover
Manufacturer: Berkley Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2007-08-07
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Studio: Berkley Hardcover


SIMILAR ITEMS:

• The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea--The Forgotten War of the South Pacific
• The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II
• The Airmen and the Headhunters: A True Story of Lost Soldiers, Heroic Tribesmen and the Unlikeliest Rescue of World War II
• Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
• The Ultimate Battle: Okinawa 1945--The Last Epic Struggle of World War II


CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

Customer Rating:
Summary: Phantom Warrior - Unbeliable Story
Comment: I give this a 5 for the unbelivable story of courage and a 3 for rather mediocre writing. So this is a four star book for me. Pvt. McKinney was the right person in the right place at the right time and reacted in ther perfect way. The army just doesn't hand out MoHs lightly so you can be fairly sure that this action took place as reported. But it may be the single most amazing individual combat in the Pacific in WWII. It just does not seem possible that one man woken out of a sound sleep by being hit in the helmet with a saber managed to regain his senses and fight off a 150 Japanese soldiers determined to overrun the small outpost. His skills as a soldier and a marksman, his courage against all odds make this a unbelievable story of coolness underfire.

It is almost impossible to believe that after 30 minutes of overwhelming odds that Pvt. McKinney survived with barly a scratch and yet maybe 140 Japanese are dead. Survival in combat requires a cool head and steady nerves, Pvt. McKinney had those in abundence and certainly deserved the Medal of Honor. His life both before and after WWII was uncommon in many ways but when called upon to serve his country he did so instinctly and without hesitation, the kind of soldier that has fought for America whenever called upon. Then all he wanted was to go back to his life and ignore the burden that the MoH placed on him the rest of his life.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Well researched and written
Comment: Well researched and written book. Got to know JR McKinney rather well and understood his character and attitude. A rather common, uncommon man. It is hard to believe he came out without a wound in his one man stand. Yet I do accept it did happen as written. I was also amazed how much training and how long it took his unit to become engaged in combat. I would have liked to read a little more about the early occupation of Japan. He was indeed the "Phantom Warrior."
Customer Rating:
Summary: An American Hero in the Philipines
Comment: Forrest Johnson tells the story of an American who rose to the occasion when faced with overwhelming enemy forces. But his book is more than a biography. Besides J.R. McKinney's incredible story, Johnson explains the World War II campaign in the Philipine Islands in a detailed and informative manner. The book gave me a much better understanding of the operational and political realities that affected the War in the Pacific. In this and his other books, Johnson demonstrates an ability of explaining dynamic and complex history from the perspective of individual soldiers thousands of miles from home, in a very unfamiliar and alien locations. I look forward to more from this author. Very nicely done, Mr. Johnson.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Comment: On May 11, 1945, at a remote outpost in the Phillipine Islands, approximately 100 Japanese infantrymen attacked a machine gun position. At the time Pvt. John McKinney was comfortably resting. One of the soldiers in the first wave of attackers struck Pvt. McKinney on the head with a saber. The glancing blow served only to awaken McKinney. As McKinney fought off his assailant, his two comrades manning the machinegun left (one soldier dragging off the other who had been wounded).

Left alone, McKinney took on the company of Japanese soldiers in a battle of wills, courage, and heroics that almost defies description, including jumping into the machinegun emplacement to recapture the position (and gun), shooting over half a dozen Japanese at pointblank range, and killing several more with the butt of his rifle.

What ensued next, a running battle by McKinney with the remainder of the squadron of Japanese attackers -- who tried to root him out or kill him with repeated assaults by rifle, machine gun, grenades, mortars, and hand to hand combat -- until he was relieved is almost too amazing to believe.

Indeed, McKinney is thought to have killed over 100 Japanese in less than an hour but, because his story was just too incredible, the actual kills were reduced and his Medal of Honor citation only credits him with killing 40 Japanese soldiers singlehandedly in repulsing this attack.

This book tells the life story of this amazing man. It is excellent reading for anyone interested in World War II, especially the battles in the Pacific.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Buy This Book
Comment: Mr. Johnson's book, his writing, is in step with the master, Hampton Sides. Get it, read it, tell your friends. And while you're at it, thank a veteran.

NOTE: All online transactions are processed at Amazon.com's secure server, using the latest technology on internet's secure transactions.

Bali Fountains - stone fountains and cast stone water features
Indonesian exporter of Bali natural stone water fountains and cast stone garden water features. Bali Fountains' water feature products will add your garden a specific character of its own. Some models of cast stone water features are designed to be used as indoor water features.