The Corps Series - Inconsistencies in The Books

Inconsistencies in The Books

• Ken McCoy's middle initial starts out as "J." and remains so through most of the series; however, by Counterattack it has changed to "R."
• Ken McCoy is originally described in Semper Fi as being a Roman Catholic of Irish descent (his elementary school was run by Dominican nuns, his sister is described as having been kicked out of a convent, and his father was a member of the Knights of Columbus), but later describes himself as being of Scottish extraction, and an Episcopalian, in Behind the Lines.
• Macklin's first name changes from John (Semper Fi) to Richard (Counterattack), before finally settling on Robert (Battleground).
• The California senator Fowler's name changes from Richardson to Richmond and then back to Richardson.
• Zimmerman's first name was "Ernst" (a German name) in Semper Fi, but changes to "Ernest" by the last book.
• Ken McCoy was often described in later books as having received his "Baby Fairbairn" (a version of the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife) from William Ewart Fairbairn himself, along with the training to use it properly. In fact, he won the knife in a poker game, and in Call to Arms, he tells Colonel Evans Carlson that he never met Fairbairn. (Though, this may be as a result of Colonel Carlson intentionally disseminating McCoy's purported relationship with Fairbairn as fact, as an attempt to garner respect from his subordinates in designating McCoy as an officer of great trust.)
• A dedicated reader soon discovers that the series timelines vary from book to book. Character's ages aren't consistent (Macklin is 35 in the first book (1941) and still in his mid-thirties during the Korean war). People are introduced to each other early-on, then meet again (for the first time) two or three books later; for example, Banning meeting Ernie Sage, or Ernie Sage meeting Ernie Zimmerman. Another example is the meeting between Koffler and Macklin in Behind the Lines. The narrative suggests a first meeting, however, encounters between Koffler and Macklin were detailed during their time at the USMC Parachute School and Lakehurst NAS, detailed in Counterattack. As well, Malcolm Pickering meets Macklin while at Quantico with McCoy in Semper Fi, but during the second war bond tour in Behind the Lines, no indication is given that he and Macklin have ever met.
• Eric Feldt says he doesn't speak a word of Japanese, yet later is described as fluent in Japanese, which partly explains why he and Banning get along so well.
• In Semper Fi, Zimmerman is described as being on his second hitch with the 4th Marines and is also mentioned to be 26 years old. In the following book, Call to Arms, it says he only served one hitch with the 4th Marines and is suddenly younger.
• When George Hart gets commissioned as 2ndLt. Moore gets promoted to 1stLt. But in Behind the Lines Moore is still only a 2ndLt. although Hart is also a Lieutenant.
• Lieutenant General Almond is portrayed in the books as having a good relationship with the USMC whereas this is historically false.
• In Counterattack, when General Pickering's decorations are mentioned, his highest is the Silver Star, yet in later books it mentions that he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross or the Navy Cross in Belleau Wood in World War I.
• In Semper Fi Zimmerman froze during the Chinese Bandit attack and afterwards regained his faculties and shoots the wounded; during later books he is credited as joining the fight when McCoy shouted "Shoot, God Damnit." It was actually Sessions who joined the fighting.
• During the Chinese Bandit attack McCoy ran towards the attack in Semper Fi, but in later books is said to have stood up in the jeep to counter the attack. Also the attack in Semper Fi was on Zimmerman and Sessions only, in later books the attack was on the entire truck convoy. (The truck convoy was still waiting to cross the river on the Ferry.
• Sergeant Rutter in "Semper Fi" became Sergeant Rutterman in later books in The Corps series.