"Bruce Meyers, an experienced reconnaissance Marine officer, paints a colorful and accurate picture of the special recon landings that preceded every major amphibious operation in the Pacific during World War II. Credited with saving countless lives, the Marine scouting missions went in stealthily at night from submarines, PT boats, Catalinas, and high-speed transports. Swift, silent, and deadly, they landed on more than two hundred enemy beaches from Guadalcanal to Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, collecting intelligence on potential landing sites. They measured water depths, charted coral heads, gathered soil samples, sought out enemy locations, and took photographs. In short, they obtained information vital to the success of American operations in the Pacific." "With this book World War II Marine recon landings are chronicled for the first time - only in later wars have their contributions been fully documented. Here Meyers explains the start of it all, letting readers appreciate the courage and daring of these intrepid Marines as they slipped over the sides of their rubber boats and made their way inland."--BOOK JACKET.