Download or read book Eight Survived written by Douglas A. Campbell and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2011-10-18 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the night of August 13, 1944, the U.S. submarine Flier struck a mine in the Sulu Sea in the southern Philippines as it steamed along the surface. All but fifteen of the more than eighty-strong crew went down with the vessel. Of those left floating in the dark, eight survived by swimming for seventeen hours before washing ashore on an uninhabited island. The story of the Flier and its eight survivors is wholly unique in the annals of U.S. military history. Eight Survived tells the gripping story of the doomed submarine and its crew from its first patrol, during which it sank several enemy ships, to the explosion in the Sulu Sea. Drawing on interviews with the survivors and on a visit to the jungle where they washed ashore—where a cast of fascinating characters helped the U.S. sailors evade the Japanese—Douglas Campbell fully captures the combination of extraordinary courage and luck that marked one of the most heroic episodes of World War II.

Download or read book The USS Flier written by Michael Sturma and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2008-02-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The realities of WWII underwater warfare come to life in this chronicle of a submarine sunk in the Philippines—and the remarkable sailors who survived. The fate of the USS Flier is one of the most astonishing stories of the Second World War. On August 13, 1944, the submarine struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Sulu Sea in less than one minute, leaving only fourteen of its crew of eighty-six hands alive. After enduring eighteen hours in the water, eight remaining survivors swam to a remote island controlled by the Japanese. Deep behind enemy lines and without food or drinking water, the crewmen realized that their struggle for survival had just begun. Those eight sailors became the first Americans of the Pacific war to escape from a sunken submarine and return safely to the United States. Their story of persistence and survival has all the elements of a classic World War II tale: sudden disaster, physical deprivation, a ruthless enemy, and a dramatic escape from behind enemy lines. In The USS Flier, noted historian Michael Sturma vividly recounts a harrowing story of brave men who lived to return to the service of their country.

Download or read book The USS Flier written by Michael Sturma and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2008-02-15 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fate of the USS Flier is one of the most astonishing stories of the Second World War. On August 13, 1944, the submarine struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Sulu Sea in less than one minute, leaving only fourteen of its crew of eighty-six hands alive. After enduring eighteen hours in the water, eight remaining survivors swam to a remote island controlled by the Japanese. Deep behind enemy lines and without food or drinking water, the crewmen realized that their struggle for survival had just begun. On its first war patrol, the unlucky Flier made it from Pearl Harbor to Midway where it ran aground on a reef. After extensive repairs and a formal military inquiry, the Flier set out once again, this time completing a distinguished patrol from Pearl Harbor to Fremantle, Western Australia. Though the Flier's next mission would be its final one, that mission is important for several reasons: the story of the Flier's sinking illuminates the nature of World War II underwater warfare and naval protocol and demonstrates the high degree of cooperation that existed among submariners, coast watchers, and guerrillas in the Philippines. The eight sailors who survived the disaster became the first Americans of the Pacific war to escape from a sunken submarine and return safely to the United States. Their story of persistence and survival has all the elements of a classic World War II tale: sudden disaster, physical deprivation, a ruthless enemy, and a dramatic escape from behind enemy lines. In The USS Flier: Death and Survival on a World War II Submarine, noted historian Michael Sturma vividly recounts a harrowing story of brave men who lived to return to the service of their country.

Download or read book Clear the Bridge written by Richard O'Kane and published by Presidio Press. This book was released on 2011-07-06 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Tang and her gallant crew ranks with the most amazing of naval history. Whether rescuing Navy fliers off Truk or stalking enemy convoys off Japan, Tang carried the war to the enemy with unparalleled ferocity. Tang’s skipper on all five of her war patrols, Rear Admiral Richard H. O’Kane is acknowledged as the top submarine skipper of World War II. His personal decorations include three Navy Crosses and the Congressional Medal of Honor. He retired as a rear admiral from his command of the Submarine School, rounding out twenty years with the boats. He also wrote the classic Wahoo: The Patrols of America’s Most Famous WWII Submarine. Praise for Clear the Bridge! “There is no doubt that Tang was the best. . . . Most of the rest of us wondered what it was she had that the others didn’t. And here it is, in this extraordinary ‘tell it as it really happened’ book, written by the most daring, most professional submarine skipper of the war.”—Capt. Edward Beach, author of Run Silent, Run Deep “A classic of naval literature. . . . A stirring tribute, not only to [Richard O’Kane’s] gallant crew, but to all World War II submariners.”—Michael D. Hull, Military Magazine “Reading of [Tang’s] career and of the men aboard her is one of the great reading experiences of my life.”—Broox Sledge, The Book World

Download or read book Wahoo written by Richard O'Kane and published by Presidio Press. This book was released on 2009-11-11 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The career of the USS Wahoo in sinking Japanese ships in the farthest reaches of the Empire is legendary in submarine circles. Christened three months after Pearl Harbor, Wahoo was commanded by the astonishing Dudley W. “Mush” Morton, whose originality and daring new techniques led to results unprecedented in naval history; among them, successful “down the throat” barrage against an attacking Japanese destroyer, voracious surface-running gun attacks, and the sinking of a four-ship convoy in one day. Wahoo took the war to Japan’s front porch, and Morton became known as the Navy’s most aggressive and successful sea raider. Now, in a new quality paperback edition, her full story is told by the person most qualified to tell it—her executive officer Richard O’Kane, who went on to become the leading submarine captain of the Second World War. Praise for Wahoo “The accounts of the patrols are spine-tingling, both in triumph and tragedy. It is a tale of great courage, brilliant leadership, and daring innovation in a new type of submarine warfare fought largely on the surface in waters closely controlled by the enemy. Well-written, a gripping story for anybody with a love of the sea or adventure in submarine combat.”—Naval War College Review “This is an exceptional story of American men who rose to the occasion time and again under dangerous circumstance.” —Abilene Reporter News “A first-hand—and first-rate—narrative, told by the former executive officer of this legendary WWII submarine, which gives readers an intimate feel for life aboard the ‘boats’ that helped beat the odds in the battles of the Pacific and put Japan on the defensive.”—Sea Power “Like Clear the Bridge!, [Richard] O’Kane’s bestselling account of the Tang’s 33 confirmed sinkings, [Wahoo] is a rousing, authentic war adventure that could well become a classic of its type, crack[ling] with the tensions, boredom, and occasional exhilaration of submarine life under the Pacific, O’Kane is a superb storyteller, and his credentials are impeccable.”—Springfield Sunday Republic

Download or read book The USS Swordfish written by George J. Billy and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2019-10-23 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Among the more than 260 American submarines that patrolled the Pacific during World War II, the USS Swordfish in 1941 was the first to sink a Japanese armed merchant ship, marking the beginning of the submarine's colorful history. A series of seven commanders led Swordfish's 13 war patrols. Each skipper had a distinct leadership style. Some were successful in sinking enemy ships; others returned to port empty-handed. Yet all patrols risked dangerously close encounters with the enemy and the unforgiving nature of the open sea. Drawing on archival sources and interviews with veteran sailors, this first full-length history of the Swordfish provides detailed accounts of each patrol and covers the mysterious disappearance of the legendary submarine on its final mission.

Download or read book Beans Bullets and Black Oil written by Worrall Reed Carter and published by . This book was released on 1953 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Stay the Rising Sun written by Phil Keith and published by Quarto Publishing Group USA. This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “well-written, superbly researched” account of a WWII aircraft carrier’s demise in the Pacific—and the legacy left by the “Lady Lex” (CPL Vincent L. Anderson, USMC, Marine Detachment, USS Lexington, survivor of the Battle of the Coral Sea). In May 1942, the United States’ first naval victory against the Japanese in the Coral Sea was marred by the loss of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington. Another carrier was nearly ready for launch when the news arrived, so the navy changed her name to Lexington, confusing the Japanese. The men of the original “Lady Lex” loved their ship and fought hard to protect her. They were also seeking revenge for the losses sustained at Pearl Harbor. Crippling attacks by the Japanese left her on fire and dead in the water. But a remarkable ninety percent of the crew made it off the burning decks before Lexington had to be abandoned. In all the annals of the Second World War, there is hardly a battle story more compelling. The ship’s legacy did not end with her demise, however. Although the battle was deemed a tactical success for the Japanese, it turned out to be a strategic loss: For the first time in the war, a Japanese invasion force was forced to retreat. The lessons learned by losing the Lexington at Coral Sea impacted tactics, air wing operations, damage control, and ship construction. Altogether, they forged a critical, positive turning point in the war. The ship that ushered in a new era in naval warfare might be gone, but fate decreed that her important legacy would live on.

Download or read book The Silent Service in World War II written by Edward Monroe-Jones and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2012-12-07 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the naval battle of Guadalcanal to rescuing George Bush Sr. in the Pacific, here are the stories of US submariners in WWII. The Silent Service in World War II tells the story of America’s intrepid submarine warriors in the words of the men who served and fought in the Pacific against Japan. When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, the enemy had already deployed naval forces, but the United States was soon able to match them. By 1943, new Gato-class submarines were making a difference, carrying the war not just to the Japanese Imperial Navy, but to the vital merchant fleet that transported essential resources to the island country. Starting with the American victory at Guadalcanal, US submarine forces began to constrict the Japanese sea lanes. Operating independently and in wolfpacks, they attacked convoys operating beyond the range of American airpower, making daring forays even into Japanese home waters. Taking on Japanese warships, as well as rescuing downed airmen—including the grateful first President Bush—US submarines made an enormous contribution to our war against Japan. Aside from enemy action, the sea itself could be an extremely hostile environment—as many of these stories attest. From early war patrols in obsolescent, unreliable S-boats to modern fleet submarines roving the Pacific, the forty-six stories in this anthology offer a full understanding of life as a US Navy submariner in combat.

Download or read book Dive World War II Stories of Sailors Submarines in the Pacific Scholastic Focus written by Deborah Hopkinson and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2016-09-27 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sibert Honor author Deborah Hopkinson paints a vivid portrait of the deadly battles that raged in the Pacific during WWII and the remarkable courage of the US submarine sailors who fought them. Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific tells the incredible story of America's little known "war within a war" -- US submarine warfare during World War II. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US entered World War II in December 1941 with only 44 Naval submarines -- many of them dating from the 1920s. With the Pacific battleship fleet decimated after Pearl Harbor, it was up to the feisty and heroic sailors aboard the US submarines to stop the Japanese invasion across the Pacific. Including breakouts highlighting submarine life and unsung African-American and female war heroes, award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson uses first-person accounts, archival materials, official Naval documents, and photographs to bring the voices and exploits of these brave service members to life.

Download or read book Final Patrol written by Don Keith and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2006-10-03 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During World War II, the U.S. Navy's submarine service suffered the highest casualty percentage of all the American armed forces, losing one in five submariners. But despite the odds, these underwater warriors accounted for almost 60 percent of Japanese shipping losses, and were a major factor in winning the war. 16 U.S. submarines - and one German U-Boat - that saw action during WWII are now open to the public. Most have been restored and authentically equipped. Final Patrol takes a fascinating look at these subs and the personal stories of the brave sailors who lived, fought, and often died in them. Now, visitors can climb into these cramped steel cylinders, peer through their torpedo tubes, and imagine diving under the sea - perhaps for the last time - to stalk a fanatical enemy who threatened our nation's freedom.

Download or read book Tragedy at Honda written by Charles A. Lockwood and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2018-11-28 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Known to seafarers as 'The Devil's Jaw, ' Point Honda has lured ships to its jagged rocks on the coast of California for centuries, but its worst calamity occurred on 8 September, 1923, the night nine U.S. Navy destroyers ran into Honda's fog-wrapped reefs. Admiral turned author Charles Lockwood (Sink 'Em All, Hellcats of the Sea) brilliantly recreates events as they happened, including the heroic efforts to rescue the men and ships. In his view, the cause of the tragedy lay in the interpretation of the differences that exist between the classic concepts of naval regulations and the stark realism of the unwritten code of destroyer doctrine to follow the leader.

Download or read book Pacific Thunder written by Thomas McKelvey Cleaver and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-10-19 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On 27 October 1942, four 'Long Lance' torpedoes fired by the Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo exploded in the hull of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8). Minutes later, the ship that had launched the Doolitte Raid six months earlier slipped beneath the waves of the Coral Sea. Of the pre-war carrier fleet the Navy had struggled to build over 15 years, only three were left: USS Enterprise, which had been badly damaged in the battle of Santa Cruz; USS Saratoga (CV-3) which lay in dry dock, victim of a Japanese submarine torpedo; and the USS Ranger (CV-4), which was in the mid-Atlantic on her way to support Operation Torch. For the American naval aviators licking their wounds in the aftermath of this defeat, it would be difficult to imagine that within 24 months of this event, Zuikaku, the last survivor of the carriers that had attacked Pearl Harbor, would lie at the bottom of the sea. Alongside it lay the other surviving Japanese carriers, sacrificed as lures in a failed attempt to block the American invasion of the Philippines, leaving the United States to reign supreme on the world's largest ocean. Now publishing in paperback, this is the fascinating account of the Central Pacific campaign, one of the most stunning comebacks in naval history, as in just 14 months the US Navy went from the jaws of defeat to the brink of victory in the Pacific.

Download or read book The Depths of Courage written by Flint Whitlock and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2008-11-04 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chosen by WWII History magazine as one of the Best Books of the Year. In the dark days after Pearl Harbor, the small, illequipped arm of the Navy known as Submarine Force would stand between the shattered U.S. Pacific Fleet and the might of the Japanese Navy. Unfortunately, the spirit and courage of the Submarine Force is being forgotten as the veterans of that force pass into history. To preserve their heroic tales of war beneath the sea, critically acclaimed author and military historian Flint Whitlock, in collaboration with decorated World War II submarine veteran Ron Smith, set out on a journey of more than two years to interview submariners and to record their accounts before the memories of their endeavors are lost forever. These are their stories.

Download or read book Troopships of World War II written by Roland Wilbur Charles and published by . This book was released on 1947 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book contains authentic photographs and salient facts covering 358 troopships used in World War II. In addition, other vessels of miscellaneous character, including Victory and Liberty type temporary conversions for returning troops, are listed in the appendices ..."--Pref.

Download or read book A Company of Heroes written by Marcus Brotherton and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-05-03 with total page 473 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE “MUST-READ”* BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTARY FOR PUBLIC TELEVISION Look for the Band of Brothers miniseries, now available to stream on Netflix! After the Band of Brothers went home, they never forgot the lessons of war... After chronicling the personal stories of the Band of Brothers in We Who Are Alive and Remain, author Marcus Brotherton presents a collection of remembrances from the families of the soldiers of Easy Company—and how their wartime experiences shaped their lives off the battlefield. A Company of Heroes is an intimate, revealing portrait of the lives of the men who fought for our freedom during some of the darkest days the world has ever known—men who returned home with a newfound wisdom and honor that they passed onto their families, and that continue to inspire new generations of Americans. *Jake Powers, Official E/506th Historian

Download or read book The Ship s Bell written by Karl Wede and published by . This book was released on 1972-01-01 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Om skibsklokker og skibe, bl.a. en flydende skibskirke.