The story of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment, from its inception in February 1944, training, and the assault and capture of Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, during World War II. There is a 105-page narrative, accompanied by photos, of this company's brutal 36-day involvement in the battle, during which they suffered horrific losses. Members of Easy Company raised the first flag on Mount Suribachi, and six of them appear in Joe Rosenthal's iconic photograph as they hoisted a replacement flag. This book is not about the famous flag raising, but it is part of the story. The author tells the story of all Easy members and how each fared in this conflict. What the members of this company endured is indicative of what every Marine company experienced on Iwo Jima. It was a truly evil place. The book includes biographies of each Easy Company Marine and Navy Corpsman who participated in this conflict, along with personal photographs of each.

This biography section totals 244 pages. These biographies were compiled from a thorough review of each individual's personnel record from the National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri. These accounts follow each individual from birth to death. Most of the photographs were taken from negatives found in each man's personnel file. Each photo is a clear portrait of what that individual looked like in 1944. Most have never been seen before. This may be the most thoroughly researched book of its kind.

The book includes a list of the Company's medal winners and their citations. It also has an extensive Bibliography and a Name Index. This is the first book of its kind. It is an extraordinary effort to personalize the difficult lives of ordinary young Americans who grew up during the Depression and were thrust into World War II.