WWII Historian: Dr. Harry Gailey
Dr. Gailey talks about his latest book
By Shari Kaplan
From his vocation of teaching history to his avocation of writing about it, longtime Los Gatan Dr. Harry Gailey devotes himself full-force to whatever topic he thinks is interesting enough to share with others.
Such is the case with his newest book, MacArthur Strikes Back, which he says is the first book-length look at the U.S. military campaign at Buna, a region on the northeastern coast of New Guinea that was more significant than most people realize to the Allied victory in World War II. The book, published by Presidio Press, is appropriately subtitled Decision at Buna: New Guinea 1942-1943.
Although history books prominently record the 1st Marine Division's victory at a better-known site in the Pacific theater--Guadalcanal--the U.S. Army's overtaking of a major Japanese stronghold in New Guinea was a prerequisite for the later defeat of the Japanese Empire.
"It was the first serious defeat of the Japanese in World War II. This is the campaign that halted them from taking Port Moresby and New Guinea," he explains. "It intrigued me that no one had really covered it."
Gailey looks forward to talking more about this and military history in general on Jan. 28, at 4 p.m., during a presentation and book-signing he's doing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at 5353 Almaden Expwy. in San Jose. This is his sixth book focusing on a lesser-known Pacific campaign during World War II--among the subjects of his other works are conflicts in Peleliu, Bougainville, Guam and Saipan. He's also authored an overview titled The War in the Pacific.
"From a very young age, I've had an interest in history," he recalls. "Even though many of my colleagues may not like to admit it, a lot of the study of history has to do with the military."
Service in the U.S. Army Air Corps toward the end of World War II furthered Gailey's interest in these topics, which he eventually ended up teaching at San Jose State University for some 35 years. An professor emeritus of history, Gailey says he taught "almost everything" that had to do with history, but his favorite topics involved military history.
As if all this weren't enough, Gailey also created the African Studies program on campus and headed it for some 20 years. He's written several volumes on this topic, as well, and has made a handful of trips to the continent to further his research.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
