TRIFLING WITH WAR

Ray DeWitt Herring

VG/VG. Some small chips missing from dust jacket (see photo above). Gold-foil jacket in mylar protector with original “$2.00" price still on spine of jacket.. Book itself is bright and tight. An old price is inked out on top left corner of front flyleaf (inked area is 1" by ½”). Otherwise book is clean throughout. Meador Publishing Company, 1934, 379 pp. Gilt lettering on red buckram covers. Printed on good heavy-weight paper. Sewn signatures. A nice book. Author served as a private with the 5th Machine Gun Battalion, 2nd Division, from September 1917, when he shipped out from New York, until the end of the war, and for an unspecified period of time with the Army of Occupation. The historical value of Dewitt’s account is compromised by his decision to alter most placenames, by never mentioning units by number, and by seldom mentioning dates, yet enough of these particulars can be deduced by comparision with other, more specific accounts, that the date and location of the events described can generally be determined. Despite this shortcoming, DeWitt’s account is among the most articulate and detailed record published by any enlisted man in the 2nd Division. Numerous references throughout to Marines of the 4th Brigade. A difficult book to find, particularly with dust jacket. SCARCE.

$65.00