author
John C. (John Carsten) Chapin
1920–2008
A Marine officer turned historian, he wrote clear, vivid accounts of major Pacific battles drawn from firsthand experience and years of work with the U.S. Marine Corps’ historical program.
3 Audiobooks
Breaching the Marianas: The Battle for Saipan
by John C. (John Carsten) Chapin
Breaking the Outer Ring: Marine Landings in the Marshall Islands
by John C. (John Carsten) Chapin
Top of the Ladder: Marine Operations in the Northern Solomons
by John C. (John Carsten) Chapin
About the author
Born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, on October 1, 1920, he earned a history degree from Yale in 1942 and was commissioned in the Marine Corps that same year. During World War II he served as a rifle platoon leader with the 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, and was wounded in action during the assault landings on Roi-Namur and Saipan.
After recovering, he was assigned to the Historical Division at Marine Corps Headquarters, where he helped write official histories of the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions. In later years he continued to write military history, including books and pamphlets on campaigns such as Saipan, the Marshall Islands, and the Northern Solomons, combining a veteran’s perspective with an accessible, concise style.
He died in Manchester, Vermont, on August 14, 2008, at age 87. His work remains especially valued by readers looking for compact, readable introductions to Marine Corps operations in the Pacific during World War II.