Praise for

40 Thieves on Saipan

“I am thankful that someone took the time to tell our story. Otherwise the world would never know the 40 Thieves; how we lived, what we went through, and how some of us died. I remember every one of my buddies and pray for them every day.”

—Roscoe Mullins, one of the 40 Thieves

“40 Thieves on Saipan is not Hollywood’s version of World War II combat. It’s a gritty, heart-stopping description of what it was really like for individual Marines fighting in unspeakably brutal conditions against a ruthless enemy in the Pacific. It is also a needed reminder that most of America’s heroes were not born that way. They are ordinary Americans who, when faced with a dangerous enemy, responded with extraordinary bravery and courage.”

—Jim Michaels, author of A Chance in Hell: The Men Who Triumphed over Iraq’s Deadliest City and Turned the Tide of War and former Marine infantry officer

“As the WWII generation fast disappears, this book is a timely reminder of what those men endured. 40 Thieves on Saipan strips away the rosy-hued Hollywood vision of what combat in that war was like. It reports by the firsthand accounts of the soldiers themselves; there was very little glory and lots of horror in the savage fighting in the Pacific Theater. The deep but largely unspoken camaraderie of the men who made up this elite unit of warriors was quietly moving. The inability of the men who survived the war to readjust to civilian life after all they had seen and done is a toxic byproduct of the war that has gone unrecognized for too long. This book is a fascinating and important addition to the WWII canon and has a special resonance for me since my uncle, my namesake, fought and died there as an original member of the unit.”

—Donald Evans, nephew of Donald Evans, one of the 40 Thieves

“Our father never talked about the war, but to know now what he went through made us realize why he sometimes acted the way he did. When we boys would do something wrong and got into trouble, Dad got upset very quickly and let us know about it in no uncertain terms. But then he’d immediately go to his workshop: he had to walk away to control his anger by working at something he enjoyed. All of us boys are proud to be his sons, and my grandson, who is only nine, can’t wait to read about his Great Grandpa’s War.”

—Larry, Don, and Lonnie, Jr. Jackson, sons of Lonnie Jackson, one of the 40 Thieves

“I appreciate Joseph for telling our story and bringing to light the stories and sacrifices of the men who fought by my side. Heroes like Dyer and Evans who paid the ultimate price for freedom. 40 Thieves on Saipan breathes life into the past, and illuminates the humor, sacrifice, and valor of us young Marines who were the Sixth Regiment’s Scout-Sniper Platoon.”

—Marvin Strombo, one of the 40 Thieves

“40 Thieves captures that difference between regular combatants and the warriors who make up special operations forces. Not especially suited for inspections and parades, but perfectly geared for courageous improvisation and constant out-of-the-box thinking, these proto-operators are shown to be the team players they needed to be. Rambo need not apply. These men, as 40 Thieves on Saipan shows us, were thinking-warriors and fiercely committed to each other and the mission. This remains the standard for our elite forces to this day.”

—Kevin St. Jarre, combat intel team leader with the U.S. Army and author of the Night Stalkers series

“40 Thieves on Saipan means a lot to me, allowing people to see what these men went through for our country and how it affected their lives. Nightmares plagued my dad for the rest of his life, and losing his buddies to war affected him greatly. He often said to me, ‘Junior, every day of my life is a bonus.’ He was one proud Marine. God bless him.”

—Al Yunker, Jr., son of Al Yunker, one of the 40 Thieves

“A son’s curiosity of his father’s service during World War II leads to the uncovering of an all-but-forgotten piece of U.S. Marine Corps history. How Frank Tachovsky, Colonel USMC Retired, as a lieutenant recruited a group of young Marines and molded them into an elite fighting unit, the Sixth Marine Regiment’s Scout-Sniper Platoon. They served with distinction and uncommon valor during the Battle of Saipan in the Pacific Campaign and were known as the 40 Thieves, a well-earned nickname for their effectiveness as an elite combat unit as well as for their light-fingered antics.”

—Clyde Kusatsu, actor and national vice president of Los Angeles SAG-AFTRA

“My father, Warren “Hobart” Tipton, was a proud member of the 40 Thieves. He told me many tales of thievery, training at Parker Ranch, the Garapan bike patrol, but very little of the combat. He was a very young Marine, turning eighteen on the day the platoon landed on Saipan. He inspired me to do some of the goofy stuff I did when I was a Marine in Vietnam, mostly to the detriment of Air Force and Army inventories. 40 Thieves on Saipan fills in many blanks Dad left open most likely because of the pain of recalling the death of friends and living through terrifying events as essentially just a kid.”

—Chris Tipton, son of Warren “Hobart” Tipton, one of the 40 Thieves

“When Joseph first visited Bob, researching for the book, memories were unleashed, memories he had not shared with anyone, not even his family. We all knew about his nightmares, always chasing the enemy who killed his buddy, Red. This book breathes live into forty special young Leathernecks and their intrepid lieutenant. Well done, Joseph and Cynthia.”

—Alma Smotts, wife of Bob Smotts, one of the 40 Thieves

“To the families of every one of the 40, our fathers were truly the Greatest Generation, and the elite of the Few and the Proud.”

—Andrew Orozco, son of Jesus Orozco, one of the 40 Thieves

“As a kid growing up in the 60s, I only knew my Uncle Don from old family photos packed in trunks I discovered in the attic. I thought of him as one of the tough, stalwart characters depicted in the ‘Fightin’ Marines’ and ‘Sgt Rock’ comic books I enjoyed so much. Some might say he was a ‘hero.’ What I found was a heroic man filled with loyalty and fierce dedication to his Marine brothers in arms, and they for him. This is their story. A story that should be heard lest their sacrifices be diminished and forgotten in other dust-filled attics. The authors of 40 Thieves on Saipan have given these truly remarkable men a voice again. Semper Fi.”

—Steve Evans, nephew of Donald Evans, one of the 40 Thieves