Pain & Purpose in the Pacific; True Reports of War

Bloomington, IN: Trafford Publishing, 2007. Second Printing [stated]. Trade paperback. Good. 363, [1] pages. Illustrations. Maps. References: Description. Index. Inscribed by author on title page. Cover has some wear and soiling. Format is approximately 7 inches by 10 inches. Bright puts a human face on the tragedies of war, ushering readers into both the destruction and redemption of war. Bright traces his uncle Carl's travels during World War II from his uncle's home in Minnesota to the battle-torn islands of the Pacific, all the way to Japan. Bright, a veteran of Vietnam, creates his prose from personal experience and observation of many locations on the Pacific. Not only is the book a story of war, but also "Pain and Purpose in the Pacific" is ultimately a love story. Carl returns to his hometown to marry Clara Young, the woman awaiting his return from combat. Together they raise a family and pursue the American Dream. "Pain and Purpose in the Pacific" offers a glimpse into the lives of Marines, Army and Army Air Corps, Navy and Coast Guard at war and the friends and family they leave behind. This book was intended to be a brief account of the battles on Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa as the author retraced the travels of one Marine from the farmland of Minnesota to Japan and back. Carl J. Johnson spent 30 months in the Pacific. He is the author's uncle. As a Continental Airlines pilot based in Guam the author had the opportunity over a seven year period to visit other islands that were the scene of horrific battles of World War II. Included are Guam where the author was based during the closing years of his airline career; also Belau, which is Palau, and includes Peleliu. In his travels beyond Hawaii were Yap, and Truk, which is Chuuk, and Pohnpei in the Carolines. During his time in the Pacific, he had been presented with the opportunity to speak with several of the veterans of the Pacific War. Included in this report are a few of their stories, as well as stories from some of the people of the islands who were involved in the conflict. He gives a clear view of what it meant to live and die in the service of one's country.