Gunner Hobbs by Herb Marlow

A WWII novel about a young Gunner’s Mate – Max Hobbs – serving on a troop transport in the Pacific Theater. Hobbs is a man with exceptional eye sight who earns a snipers designation in Gunner’s Mate school. When he graduates he is assigned to an APA in San Diego, and eventually takes part in the Battle of Tulagi, the Battle of Tarawa and the Battle of Saipan. Normally sailors don’t fight on the ground with the Marines, but once his landing craft is shot out from under him on the reef at Tarawa Gunner has no choice. From that point forward Hobbs is in the midst of one of the great blood-lettings in the Pacific war. And then…