Author to discuss new book on WW II battle at American Legion Post 20 meeting, Nov. 14

James M. Scott, author of several highly acclaimed books on military history, will be guest speaker at the National Press Club's American Legion Post 20 meeting at noon Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the McClendon Room.

The speaker portion of the meeting is open to all Club members.

Scott will discuss his newest work, "Rampage," scheduled for release Oct. 30. "Rampage" is about the World War II Battle of Manila as U.S. forces fought their way back to the Philippines. The 29-day battle to retake Manila resulted in virtual destruction of the city and saw a rampage by Japanese soldiers and Marines that terrorized the civilian population. More than 100,000 civilians were slain in the horrific conflict.

A former reporter for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier and Nieman Fellow for Journalism at Harvard, Scott has won numerous prizes for investigative journalism and writing. His book, "Attack on the Liberty," won the 2010 Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison award for excellence in naval literature. Scott is also the author of "Target Tokyo," about the famed April 1942 long-distance bombing raid led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle to avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor. The book was a 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist.

Post 20 has been associated with the Club since the post was founded in 1919 at the suggestion of famed World War I Gen. John 'Black Jack' Pershing. At the time Gen. Pershing was serving in Washington and was an associate member of the Club.