January 17 — Ghost Mountain Boys with James Campbell
In one of the cruelest marches of World War II, a battalion of American soldiers trekked through nearly impassable jungle in Papua, New Guinea to battle the Japanese. Six decades later, James Campbell attempted to repeat that journey and discovered a deadly trail, ravenous leeches and a rare look into one of the last remote places on earth.
When: Thursday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.
Where: Indiana History Center, Basile Theater 450 W Ohio St Indianapolis, IN
Cost: $25, $20 IHS members
In his book and (forthcoming) documentary, The Ghost Mountain Boys: Their Epic March and the Terrifying Battle for New Guinea—The Forgotten War of the South Pacific, James Campbell relates the experiences of these young men who trekked through 130 miles of rugged mountainous terrain. As one book reviewer wrote, “The ragged heroes cursed to serve in MacArthur’s New Guinea campaigns faced some of the most hellish fighting in all of World War II. In this intimate and at times excruciatingly vivid account, James Campbell feelingly recreates the American army’s encounters not only with a fanatical foe but with more insidious adversaries like jungle rot, malaria, and the venomous creepy-crawlies of the rainforest. The result is both a classic war story and a spirited safari through one of the most exotic landscapes on earth.”
Know before you go … Visit the Ghost Mountain Boys website, where you can see film clips of Campbell’s travels, read reviews of the book, and see some of Campbell’s other writings.
If you think this event sounds interesting, check out … A couple of other discussions will examine lessons we can learn about society today from yesterday’s wars will be of African American troops in World War I (February 6), and James McGarrah’s memoir of the Vietnam War (February 20).
December 29th, 2007 at 8:42 am
[…] January 17 — Ghost Mountain Boys with James Campbell. In one of the cruelest marches of World War II, a battalion of American soldiers trekked through nearly impassable jungle in Papua, New Guinea to battle the Japanese. Six decades later, James Campbell attempted to repeat that journey and discovered a deadly trail, ravenous leeches and a rare look into one of the last remote places on earth. check it out […]