With the Old Breed: Part 2, Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

After a few weeks of practicing maneuvers on Guadalcanal, during which Sledge and some friends sneak into the chow line of the naval construction battalion, the Marines are sent to Ulithi Atoll, an island where they join the gathering invasion fleet. Sledge is awed by the number of ships prepared for the invasion—it’s the largest invasion fleet ever prepared in the Pacific. During the week in which they are anchored at Ulithi, the men take part in a joyful baseball game, which breaks the monotony of their routine and makes them feel like children.

When the Marines are briefed for Okinawa, they are told that this is not going to be a short battle, and that they can expect over 80 casualties on the beach where they will land. Officers still expect a large banzai counterattack, without realizing that the Japanese have abandoned such suicide charge tactics.

On D Day, April 1, the Marines are served the usual pre-combat meal of steak and eggs. Waiting to land, they watch as American warships bomb the beach. They are then ordered to wait in a safe room below deck, but the room is not ventilated and, angry that their safety is compromised in this way, the Marines disobey a navy officer’s orders to stay below, explaining that they would rather be killed by enemy fire than asphyxiate in a closed room.

Although Sledge feels nervous about landing, he realizes that he does not experience the same panic as on Peleliu, because being a combat veteran has taught him what to expect from the Japanese. The size of the American fleet also serves to make him feel more reassured.