The Marine Corps grew to 485,000 Marines during the Second World War. This was twenty-five times larger than it was in 1939. This greatly expanded Corps attacked and captured Japanese held islands across the Central Pacific from 1942 until the war ended in 1945. Each island landing brought the United States closer to invading the Japanese home islands. One Marine that participated in the Pacific campaign was Eugene B. Sledge. He was a mortarman with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. “With the Old Breed” tells Sledge’s story of fighting through the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa.