one . ▁ ▁T atum ' s ▁war ▁mem oir , ▁Red ▁Blood , ▁Black ▁Sand , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁books ▁used ▁as ▁source ▁material ▁for ▁the ▁Steven ▁Spiel berg ▁and ▁Tom ▁H anks ▁produced ▁H BO ▁min is eries ▁The ▁Pacific . ▁T atum ▁is ▁port rayed ▁in ▁the ▁series ▁by ▁actor ▁Ben ▁Es ler . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Military ▁service ▁T atum ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 7 . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁machine ▁gun ner ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁activ ated ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Division ▁at ▁Camp ▁P end leton , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁There ▁he ▁became ▁acquaint ed ▁during ▁training ▁( and ▁on ▁I wo ▁J ima ) ▁with ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁recip ient , ▁G unn ery ▁Serge ant ▁John ▁Bas il one ▁(" Man ila ▁John "), ▁a ▁machine ▁gun ▁section ▁leader ▁who ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁action ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁on ▁I wo ▁J ima ▁and ▁awarded ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁post hum ously . ▁ ▁T atum ▁was ▁sent ▁for ▁further ▁training ▁with ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁division ▁at ▁Camp ▁Tar awa ▁near ▁H ilo , ▁Hawai i , ▁which ▁was ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁the ▁assault ▁and ▁capture ▁of ▁I wo ▁J ima . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Baker ▁(" B ") ▁Company , ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion , ▁ 2 7 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment , ▁ 5 th ▁Marine ▁Division . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1