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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 20 June 2017

New book on bloody WWII battle inspired by NY veteran

By CHRIS CAROLA Army and Marine divisions to the beach, where they
Associated Press would go into a campaign literally fought with their
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — When fighting side-by-side at divi- backs to the ocean while
military history author Bill sion strength. Problems be- annihilating the Japanese
Sloan sought inspiration for tween the services began attackers.
his new book on World War nearly from the start. When it was over, more
II in the Pacific, he found it “The Marines thought the than 400 American soldiers
in a then-96-year-old com- Army was cautious, too were dead and another
bat veteran from upstate slow, too plodding,” said 500 wounded. Two days
New York who survived one Tom Kelly, professor emeri- later, Saipan was declared
of the war’s bloodiest bat- tus of history and American secure.
tles. studies at Siena College. “ Among the casualties were
John Sidur rescued two For his Saipan book, Dallas- scores of New Yorkers, in-
hometown buddies during based Sloan researched cluding two from Troy who
Japan’s largest banzai at- official U.S. combat reports,
tack of the war, near the including a trove of 27th would be posthumously
end of the Battle of Saipan In this May 8, 2014 file photo, World War II veteran Arthur Robin- Division documents at the awarded the Medal of
in July 1945. Sidur’s Army son points to himself in a 1940 photograph of the Army’s 27th In- New York State Military Mu- Honor. The wounded in-
regiment, part of the New fantry Division, while visiting the New York State Military Museum seum. The lone 27th Division cluded two soldiers from
York National Guard, was in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. member he interviewed Cohoes rescued by Si-
nearly wiped out in the at- Associated Press was Sidur, who lived near dur. One of them, Wilfred
tack. this month by Da Capo The U.S. plan had the Ma- Albany before his death in “Spike” Mailloux, remained
“If one person could be Press, tells the story of the rines landing two divisions, 2015. close with Sidur after the
identified as the reason I fight for Saipan in the Mari- with the Army’s 27th Infan- At dawn on July 7, 1944, war, and the two veterans
wrote this book, John Sidur ana Islands that began try Division held in reserve. more than 4,000 Japanese met for breakfast once a
of Cohoes, New York, is June 15, 1944. The latest in But as the Marines met launched a banzai attack month until Sidur’s death.
that person,” writes Sloan a series of American island- tough resistance from the against the division’s 105th “I sit in my chair and think
at the end of “Their Backs hopping campaigns in the 30,000 Japanese defend- Infantry Regiment. Out- about it all the time,” said
Against The Sea: The Battle Pacific drew less attention ing the island, the mostly numbered by more than Mailloux, 93, one of the last
of Saipan and the Largest back home because it inexperienced troops of 3-to-1, many of the Ameri- living survivors of the at-
Banzai Attack of World War started just nine days after the 27th Division were sent cans died in their foxholes. tack that left him with a se-
II.” the D-Day landings at Nor- in on June 17. It was the Survivors of the initial on- vere leg wound. “I miss my
The book, being published mandy. first time in the war that slaught were driven back buddies.”q