MWSA Review

When the Beaches Trembled is a riveting story about the men who served on small landing craft infantry (LCI) ships during World War II. The author, Zach S. Morris, demonstrated his strengths as both a tremendous historian and a gifted writer. This book is particularly interesting as Morris personalized the story from the eyes of his grandfather, Steven Ganzenberger, who served on LCIs in the grueling Pacific campaign in constant combat conditions for two years.

Morris tells the tale of not only the island-hopping campaign but also the toll life on the LCIs took on the individuals assigned to these flat-bottomed floating corks. LCI missions included amphibious assault landing craft, gunboats, and rocket ships to name a few. The author shares details including lack of fresh water or laundry facilities, appalling bathroom and hygiene conditions, minimal food rations, no liberty, and frequent seasickness caused by the ship's shallow draft and small size. Top this with kamikaze attacks, perpetual general quarters, and non-stop operations, and this did not make for an easy life. Despite all this, the Greatest Generation pulled through to victory, and many remembered those days of camaraderie and brotherhood as “the best days of their lives.”

This story is meticulously documented, and it shows in both the author's heartfelt introduction and in his final research notes. The many citations portrayed in the men's own words gathered from personal interviews and extensive research made this story read more like a movie. The reader got to know and empathize with those courageous men and wonder how they kept going day after day, battle after battle. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in learning about World War II in the Pacific and a group of its sailors who received little notoriety.

The author sums it up perfectly in his final words:

“For when the beaches trembled, it meant that the mere mortal men of the LCIs like my grandfather were taking their stand against tyranny and oppression that will forever echo through the corridors of immortality.”

Review by Valerie Ormond (June 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

When Stephen Ganzberger enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the outset of World War II, he never imagined what would await him and his shipmates in the Pacific Islands, as they journeyed aboard a newly-designed ship called a Landing Craft Infantry (LCI). American sailors like Ganzberger—who answered their nation’s call and fought on the tiny LCIs—had the perilous job of delivering troops directly onto enemy-held beaches, in some of the fiercest combat of the war. As part of General Douglas MacArthur’s South Pacific campaign, Ganzberger faced death from Japanese bombers, torpedoes, and kamikaze attacks. All during the largest naval conflict in history.

In this long-awaited, richly-illustrated new book, Zach S. Morris weaves a vivid narrative of the World War II Pacific Theater, drawn from declassified military documents, maps, photos, and over a decade of interviews and research. Through his grandfather Stephen’s journey and the deeply personal accounts of other veterans, When the Beaches Trembled brings to life the incredible true story of the LCIs in the Second World War: a story rarely told, until now.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 368