Death Rattlers

This well-produced video tells the story of the young men in a United States Marine air squadron during WWII. The VMF 323, a.k.a. the "Death Rattlers," led by 22 year-old Major George C. Axtell, the youngest squadron commander in the Marine aviation branch, were a prime example of how proper training, good leadership, a sense of teamwork and excellent equipment (the Corsair fighter airplanes) could create a crack fighting unit which would be instrumental in the battle for Okinawa. Propelled primarily by the on-screen commentary of the Squadron's surviving members, including Axtell, the program includes both B/W and color battle footage, which is interwoven with the sparse voice-over narration and colorful interview segments. While this program is like so many other WWII video reminiscences, it really brings the personalities engaged in that war alive and would be a fine addition for public libraries with well-developed WWII collections. Recommended. (J. Scholtz)