1. The Story of the Bushmasters by Roy Lancaster. (Lancaster Publications, 1946.) Tells the history of the 158th from the overall perspective of the regiment. Lots of great photos. Original copies are rare and very expensive, but a photocopied version can be purchased from the 45th Infantry Division museum:
http://store.45thdivisionmuseum.com/wowariibo.html
2. Bushmasters: America's Jungle Warriors
of World War II by Anthony Arthur. (St. Martin's Press, 1987.)
Unlike Mr. Lancaster's book, Dr. Arthur's book focuses more on the individual
stories of the Bushmasters. A review of the book reads as follows:
| From Publishers Weekly:
Every infantry regiment has a unique character, and Arthur (Deliverance at Los Banos) distills the "Bushmaster" essence by concentrating on a handful of representative types. This is the story of the 158th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army's 45th Division, an Arizona National Guard unit with an unusually varied racial and ethnic composition: men from nearly two dozen Indian tribes, hundreds of Mexican-Americans and draftees and enlistees from throughout the states. After training in Panama, the regiment saw heavy action in the Pacific, including campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines. The combat material here is superb, but the most distinguished aspect of the narrative is the author's skill in delineating the personalities of selected officers and enlisted men as each coped with the war on his own terms. The final chapter stands by itself as a short classic, a funny but poignant account of a Bushmaster reunion in Arizona in 1986. Photos. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. |
The book is now out of print, but used copies are easy to find on Amazon and EBay:
3. Braun's Battlin' Bastards: The Bushmasters of Company B 1st Batallion, 158th R.C.T. by Capt. Harold "Hal" Braun. (Sea Bird Publishing, 2005.) A personal memoir from a Bushmaster who served in the 158th all the way from Panama to Luzon. Filled with great stories. Currently available at Amazon.com.