Last Man Standing draws on the Marine Corps' vast archives as well as never-before-published personal interviews from the controversial and bloody Peleliu campaign. Conceived to protect MacArthur's flak in the Philippines, most historians feel the operation was unnecessary after U.S. carrier raids had eliminated Japanese airpower. The men who survived the terrible slaughter - 1st Battalion suffered an incredible 71 percent casualty rate, undoubtedly the highest in Marine Corps history - describe brutal combat, often face to face, against an implacable foe. Last Man Standing highlights the actions of legendary Col. "Chesty" Puller, who repeatedly ordered attacks into the teeth of the enemy fortifications as his regiment was decimated, and Maj. Gen. William Rupertus, the division commander who refused to bring in Army reinforcements. This is an exciting account of combat action, brought to life through the Marine Corps History Division's vast oral history and photography collection. -book cover