I Will Hold, James Carl Nelson
I Will Hold, James Carl Nelson
26 Rating(s)
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I Will Hold
The Story of USMC Legend Clifton B. Cates From Belleau Wood to Victory in the Great War

Author: James Carl Nelson

Narrator: Sean Pratt

Unabridged: 9 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 10/01/2016


Synopsis

The incredible true story of Clifton B. “Lucky” Cates, whose service in World War I and beyond made him a legend in the annals of the Marine Corps.

Cates knew that he and his small band of marines were in a desperate spot. Before handing the note over to a runner, he added three words that would resound through Marine Corps history:

I WILL HOLD

From the moment he first joined the Marine Reserves of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I, Clifton B. Cates was determined to make his mark as a leader. Little did he know what he would truly accomplish in his legendary career.

Not as well-known as his contemporaries such as Alvin C. York, his fame would not come from a single act of heroism but from his consistent and courageous demeanor throughout the war and beyond.

In the bloody second half of 1918 with the 6th Marine Regiment, he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, was recognized by the French government with the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre, and earned the nickname “Lucky.”

I Will Hold is the inspiring, brutally vivid, and incredible true life story of a Marine Corps legend whose grit and unstoppable spirit on the battlefield matched his personal drive and sage wisdom off of it.

About James Carl Nelson

James Carl Nelson received the 2017 Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s Colonel Joseph Alexander Award for Biography. He is the author of three acclaimed histories of the American experience in World War I: I Will Hold: The Story of USMC Legend Clifton B. Cates, from Belleau Wood to Victory in the Great War; Five Lieutenants: The Heartbreaking Story of Five Harvard Men Who Led America to Victory in World War I; and The Remains of Company D: A Story of the Great War. A former staff writer for the Miami Herald, he lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jean on November 08, 2016

Author James Nelson has written a detailed and gripping account of Lieutenant Clifton B. Cates, who later became the 19th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. The book is titled “I Will Hold: The Story of USMC Legend Clifton B. Cates, from Belleau Wood to Victory in the Great War”. Nelson has woven......more

Goodreads review by Mark on July 31, 2017

Clifton B. Cates certainly was a hero in WWI and became a Marine Corps legend however aside from the core subject I disagree with some of the authors’ historical perspectives.......more

Goodreads review by Fredrick on March 17, 2020

While the subtitle states that the role of Marine Clifton B. Cates in World War I, the book spends little time on him. Much time is spent on the overall role of the Marines serving in Europe highlighting many Marine. As a retired Marine myself, I feel that this biography of a former Commandant of th......more

Goodreads review by Matthew on November 18, 2016

Great story that deserves a better storyteller.......more

Goodreads review by Jonathon on October 25, 2020

This book is well written and has an interesting story-line. My main issue that keeps it from being a 5-star is that Nelson does not take any time to explore any mistakes Cates may have made. It's a golden child treatment from the beginning to the end. However, it is still worth reading for understa......more