The Amphibians are Coming

ISBN 0-9701678-6-5
Softcover, 308 pages, 110 photos & illustrations, appendices, Notes, bibliography and index. Published November 2000.
$29.95 plus $4 shipping

Biographical History of the Revolutionary WWII Landing Craft and the Unsung Heroes Who Manned Them

The objective of this book—the first of three volumes on the amphibious operations in the South Pacific—is to provide a close-up look at the most prevalent of the revolutionary World War II shore-to- shore landing craft and the unsung heroes that manned them.

· Puts the reader aboard the landing craft specifically designed and built to speed assault troops directly to the beach.

· Provides a brief history of amphibious warfare, from the Revolutionary War to the 1942 Guadalcanal and North Africa campaigns.

· Profiles the famed "Green Dragons," the high-speed destroyer transports that filled a pressing Marine Corps need for ship-to-shore delivery prior to the availability of the new landing craft.

· Focuses on the "Earlybird" Flotilla Five LCTs, LSTs and LCIs and their crews— from landing craft design and construction to amphibious training and crew and flotilla formations, to on-the-job warfare training in the southern Solomons—in preparation for their first invasion of enemy-held territory, Operation TOENAILS.

"Having personally experienced a full measure of life at sea during World War II in both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, I found The Amphibians Are Coming! a ‘must read’ and not just for veterans. It is detailed, vivid and accurate."
--Anthony P. Tesori, USNR, Gunnery Officer, LST-340

"Bill McGee, himself a veteran of the World War II navy, has not only done some exhaustive research into the documentation of how the amphibious forces were built, but has added the words of the men who took the theory of the amphibious doctrine and the new machines to sea. His dedicated worn will surely help keep the day-today naval record of the ‘Greatest Generation’ from being lost"
--John Lorelli, author of The Foreign Shores-U.S. Amphibious Operations in World War II

"A magnificent job of research and presentation. The Amphibians Are Coming! brought back many memories Some good, some bad, I now will reread it!"
-Alfred Warm, USNR, LCI-222

The Amphibians Are Coming! is the first in a three-volume series on amphibious operations in the South Pacific.
Volume II, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-43 from Guadalcanal to Bougainviile.
Volume III, Pacific Express-Americas World War II Military Supply SystemBoth will be published in 2001.

William McGee joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. He writes from the unique perspective of a volunteer enlisted man, one who has been there and done that. On his first deployment to the South Pacific, he was greeted by a major air attack, followed by the torpedoings of two navy cargo ships in his Task Unit-both actions occurring within two weeks of his arrival in the Solomon Islands. He is the author of nine other books.

READ WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT
THE AMPHIBIANS ARE COMING!

"Just finished The Amphibians Are Coming!…a fascinating and accurate history on the landing ships and craft of WWII and a welcome addition to the short list of books on the subject. It brought back many memories, even tears to my eyes. I look forward to your next two volumes on the Pacific War. For me, it’s a long-awaited dream since they deal with my kind of war. You’ve brought great pride and joy to thousands who were there and to future generations who will learn how America fought in the Forties."
--John McNeill, USNR, Officer-in-Charge, LCT-159

"My own feeling, in reading Bill McGee’s book, is that it describes miracles. I’m serious. First, the miracle of bringing LSTs and other landing vessels into high production only a short time after the original designs were created. Then, the miracle of bringing together untrained officers and men to perform tasks which should have required months of training and experience. Finally, there was the miracle of making all this work under unbelievable combat conditions. One wonders if the same achievement could be possible today."
--Mel Barger, Director, U.S. LST Association & author of Large Slow Target

"Having researched the data for the famed "Green Dragons," the history of the Four Stack APD (Destroyer Transports) in WWII, I consider your Amphib’s book an adjunct to our story and a must for anyone who is at all interested in the history of our great amphibious navy that was so deeply involved and instrumental in winning WWII."
--Curt Clark, Secretary, The Four Stack APD Veterans

"Having personally experienced a full measure of life at sea during World War II, in both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, I found The Amphibians Are Coming! a ‘must read’ and not just for veterans. It is detailed, vivid and accurate."
--Anthony P. Tesori, USNR, Gunnery Officer, LST-340

"Bill McGee, himself a veteran of the World War II navy, has not only done some exhaustive research into the documentation of how the amphibious forces were built, but has added the words of the men who took the theory of the amphibious doctrine and the new machines to sea. His dedicated work will surely help keep the day-to-day naval record of the ‘Greatest Generation’ from being lost."
--John Lorelli, author of To Foreign Shores—U.S. Amphibious Operations in World War II

"A magnificent job of research and presentation. The Amphibians Are Coming! brought back many memories. Some good, some bad. I now will reread it!"
--Alfred Warm, USNR, LCI-222

"Bingo! Bill McGee struck the mother lode with the Amphibs Are Coming! Totally researched and well written, a pleasure to read.
--Bud Farmer, Coxswain LCT(A)2310

"What a massive undertaking. . .The Amphibians Are Coming! is far and away the most informative and comprehensive account of the amphibious invasions in the South Pacific. As a veteran of Normandy, Southern France, and Okinawa invasions, I can attest to the accuracy of your weighty tome. Every survivor of the travesty that was called the GOOD WAR should have this book in his library. If not for himself, at least for his heirs."
--Charles J. Adams Jr., LST-281

"Your Amphibians is excellent. Just shared it with two of my doctors. Both were amazed and shocked upon reading it. Young people were never told about war—especially the war at sea. These two young physicians now know how much they didn’t learn. I expect they will be looking for your book in the local bookstores. God bless and thanks."
--Anthony P. Tesori, LST-340

"Bill, you have done a masterful job in dealing with the wide range of Amphibians in your Volume I. I enjoyed every minute re-living those South Pacific days. I particularly liked hearing the stories of the other classes of amphibs, in addition to our own LCIs. You included just the right amount of detail to make the book very readable."
--Alfred J. Ormston, Skipper, LCT-334

"I have just finished reading your well written and very detailed book, The Amphibians Are Coming! and heard about it earlier through my cousin, John A. McNeill Sr., skipper of the LCT-159 of the Solomons campaign. I was a sailor on USS LSM-342, which evolved out of the LCT in 1943 and first hit the beaches in the Philippines in 1944. . . .Again, thank you for this great history of the `Gator Navy and we look forward to your future releases."
--Royce McNeill, LSM-342

"Volume I in your three-volume series on amphibious operations in the South Pacific is excellent reading. Am looking forward to your coverage of the "heavies," i.e., AKAs and APAs in your third ‘labor of love’ about the amphibians.
--"Frenchy" Maurais, Duty Yeoman, USS McCawley aka Wackymac

"The Amphibians Are Coming! captures the very essence of an amphibious assignment in the WWII `Gator Navy."
--Alan Cundall, USMCR, WWII

A added bonus for us is if you order the book using our order form that is linked below before December 31,2001 we will receive 20% from each sale to help support our web site. Click here and print out our order form.