Arthur Donald Gardner wrote quotGuadalcanal Diaryquot published in quotThe Rand McNally Almanac of Adventurequot and quotSoldier of Fortunequot magazine Days after the infamous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Gardner stood in a blockslong line to join the Marine Corps During his basic training he volunteered for Carlsons Raiders He participated in amphibious landings on Guadalcanal and Bougainville He was medically evacuated off Bougainville due to malaria While recovering in a San Diego Hospital he was assigned to a Marine Military Police unit He then served on Okinawa until the war ended He was then sent to Tangku China where he engaged in a Jeep Patrol quotChina Jeep Patrolquot is based on Gardners experiences in the Tangku area in 1945 Gardner entered the Marine Corps with an 8th grade education After his discharge from the Marines he earned an Associate Degree at Boise Junior College He progressed to Denver University and finally Colorado State University Gardners participation as a combat Marine and a Military Police Officer in Tangku China provided him a unique perspective of the dangerous and desperate conditions in post WWII China Includes diaries for Makin Island and Bouganville Raids
