Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac

Almost before I knew it, it was June of 1944. The Marianas Islands were the next targets in our island-hopping campaign that had begun at Guadalcanal. The official name for that Marianas campaign was Operation Forager. Our new objectives were Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and Peleliu. They were to be the next stepping stones toward our final destination, Japan itself.

Operation Forager was under the command of Admiral Nimitz, and Marine General Holland Smith was in charge of the amphibious landings. "Howling Mad" Smith was what everyone called him. I met Major General Smith several times during the war. Though he seemed like a mild-mannered man, more like a middle-aged storekeeper than a Marine, I also saw what he looked like when he was angry. His face became red as fire and he seemed to grow twice as tall.