MWSA Book Review

The History of the 104th Combat Engineers – Pacific Campaign: 1942-1945

Authors:  Edward T. Cook

Publisher:  Publish America

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

Little Known History of Combat Engineers

Author Edward Cook writes a detailed history of his father’s unit from WWII in his short book titled “The History of the 104th Combat Engineers – Pacific Campaign: 1942-1945.” He has done a fine job of researching the missions, and the movements of this elite engineering company.

Cook has managed to rescue the history of the 104th Combat Engineers and shares it in his documented look at this unit. There is little doubt that in ten or twenty years that what these men did would become lost forever when the last of these old soldiers died off. There would be no one left to tell their stories. At least now we have a recorded chronicle of some the events that these men lived through.

This work is obviously a loving effort on the part of Cook to honor his father; in writing this history, I believe that he not only succeeded in doing that for his dad but also for the rest of the men in that company. This is a wonderful accounting to read for those whose family members were a part of this unit or who were a part of any Army combat engineering company. It gives many details as to what their experiences were like in those historic times.

The book is only 35 pages long and makes a quick and easy read. It is real history and is not embellished with lots of prose but gets right into the facts and details of the events and who did what.

Reviewer: Joe Fabel – MWSA Review Board

Support troops such an the Engineering Battalions are an integral part of each service.

Without such troops combat success would be impossible.

Edward Cook brings his personal experience as an Combat Engineer along with the results of many interviews of other similarly trained officers and troops. He portrays the preparation these soldiers went through as well as the months of service within combat zones in the Pacific War Theater, often in the midst of the fighting at the front lines.

It is astonishing to learn of the amount of equipment, the instruction in the needed skills along with the logistics of moving the total package from fighting location to new combat zones. The reader finds that many difficulties were solved by the insights and inventiveness of individual engineers. Good old American know-how!

Weather conditions were often severe. Nevertheless, the work had to be initiated and completed so that the fighting troops following behind could bring the Pacific War to a conclusion. Much heroism was displayed, many lives were given, wounded friends were many; yet the march through the Pacific Islands continued to victory.

Other titles by Edward T. Cook