Reviews for Barber Pole Magazine, Three Wire Magazine and SeaWaves Magazine

Donitz's Last Gamble

2011-11-22T12:12:00.001-08:00

Donitz's Last Gamble

The Inshore U-Boat Campaign 1944-45

Lawrence Paterson
Found in: Naval: Iron & Steel
All Seaforth Books
Hardback 192 pages
ISBN: 9781844157143

Published: 20 March 2008

After the June 1944 D-Day landings D'nitz withdrew his U-boat wolf-packs from the Atlantic convoy war and sent them into coastal waters, where they could harass the massive shipping movements necessary to supply the Allied armies advancing across Europe. Caught unawares by this change of strategy, the Allied anti-submarine forces were ill-prepared for the novel challenges of inshore warfare. It proved surprisingly difficult to locate U-boats that could lie silently on the seabed, and the shallow waters meant less than ideal conditions for sonar propagation. Furthermore, because the battle was nearer home, the U-boats wasted less time on transit, so at any one time there were more of them in combat. In the final months of the war there was also the threat of far more advanced and potent submarine types entering German service, but thanks largely to overwhelming numbers of escorts this last gamble by D'nitz was defeated. In fact, the Allied navies had never really established superiority, and this was to have enormous significance later during the Cold War, when the same tactics were planned by the Soviets. Since it had such a major impact on post-war naval thinking, it is a story of the utmost importance told by an accomplished U-boat author.

Most histories of the Battle of the Atlantic pretty much end after Operation Overlord in June of 1944 when the U-Boats were assigned missions to UK and Canadian inshore waters.. Author Lawrence Paterson brings to life in this story of the campaign in UK waters.

This thoroughly researched book is largely written from the German perspective with tremendous insights on bases, personnel and equipment. The German hope was the UK campaign would buy them time until the revolutionary Type XXI and XXIII boats could come into service. Fortunately for the Allies, the RAF/USAAF bombing campaign interrupted the program sufficiently so that the new boats couldn't take part in the battle in a meaningful manner. Postwar trials on captured boats indicated just how advanced they were and the devastation they could have had on the war effort.

Two small quibbles about the book - the photo of page 42 is taken on a Canadian Tribal Class destroyer sometime after 1950 or so and the meager mention in the text about the rapid introduction of wreck charts for UK waters rapidly drafted as part of the UK inshore campaign.

The book is an excellent addition to the historical narrative of this often ignored period of history. We look forward to reviewing Mr Paterson's other book "Black Flag."

Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

2011-09-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

By Norman Leach

History / Military / Aviation History / Nuclear Warfare History / United States / 20th Century
224 pages, 9 x 6"
50+ b&w Photos
ISBN 0–88995–348–1 paper • 19.95

On the eve of Valentine's Day, 1950, an American Strategic Air Command B-36 bomber-loaded with an atomic bomb-flew into the frozen night on a simulated bombing run from Alaska to San Francisco. The engines suddenly failed on this notoriously unreliable aircraft and the crew, before parachuting into the rugged terrain of northern British Columbia, set the autopilot to take the aircraft far out to sea.
Years later the wreckage of the bomber was accidentally discovered on a remote northern British Columbia mountaintop hundreds of miles from its presumed location deep beneath the Pacific Ocean.
Before reading this book I was unfamiliar with author Norman Leach. From this first impression it seems Canada has a stellar addition to the historical community.
Broken Arrow examines the tragic loss of a US Air Force bomber in the early days of the Cold War over British Columbia, with most of the crew baling out over Princess Royal Island. This definitive historical record of the event effectively debunks urban legends and conspiracy theories, all done in a thorough and highly readable fashion, I look forward to reading the next work of Mr Leach.

Guardian of the Gulf: Sydney, Cape Breton, and the Atlantic Wars

2011-09-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

Guardian of the Gulf: Sydney, Cape Breton, and the Atlantic Wars

This book covers the military history of Cape Breton from the 17th Century until today. Traditionally the island was home of two strategic assets: the Canso waterway and the coal mines of the northeast.

Through times of international tensions through the years, the island's military facilities varied from a personnel and defensive equipment perspective. Often both of these duties fell on the coal miners and later the adjancent steel millworkers.

From Conferation, Canada has been averse to spending on money on defense justifying it as the nation was either protected by the US Monroe Doctrine, Imperial allegiance to Britain or the 1990s "Peacekeeping Nation." These were all methods employed by national government to mask the distaste for military spending.

The growth of the RCN, RCAF and Coast Artillery on the island in the Second World War is documented to an extensive degree. Some excellent photos were used (but left me wanting more of them) with one of my favorites being the marine railway in Sydney, one of the outcomes from the disgraceful corvette refit crisis brought on by the ineptitude of the Chief of Naval Staff in Ottawa, Percy Nelles.

The authors have done a good job the most part; however my biggest disappointment was the scant amount of information of the Point Edward Naval Base, a facility which has been all but ignored by historians to date.

A Bridge of Ships

2011-09-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

A Bridge of Ships

Canadian Shipbuilding during the Second World War

James Pritchard

A ground-breaking work about the challenges and achievements of creating Canada's largest shipbuilding industry ever.

Cloth (0773538240) 9780773538245 Release date: 2011-05-20 CA $59.95 | US $59.95

8.5x10 464pp 45 tables

Before 1939, Canada's shipbuilding industry had been moribund for nearly two decades - no steel-hulled, ocean-going vessel had been built since 1921. During the Second World War, however, Canada's shipbuilding program became a major part of the nation's industrial effort. Shipyards were expanded and more than a thousand warships and cargo ships were constructed as well as many more thousands of auxiliary vessels, small boats, and other craft. A large ship-repair program also began.
In A Bridge of Ships James Pritchard tells the story of the rapidly changing circumstances and forceful personalities that shaped government shipbuilding policy. He examines the ownership and expansion of the shipyards and the role of ship repairing, as well as recruitment and training of the labour force. He also tells the story of the struggle for steel and the expansion of ancillary industries. Pritchard provides a definitive picture of Canada's wartime ship production, assesses the cost (more than $1.2 billion), and explains why such an enormous effort left such a short-lived legacy.
The story of Canada's shipbuilding industry is as astonishing as that of the nation's wartime navy. The personnel of both expanded more than fifty times, yet the history of wartime shipbuilding remains virtually unknown. With the disappearance of the Canadian shipbuilding industry from both the land and memory, it is time to recall and assess its contribution to Allied victory.

This book is a fairly exhaustive history and the author is commended for taking on this daunting task. Shipbuilding and repair is covered from a political, labor and economic perspective.

The only real complaint I have with the book is the author's unfamiliarity with naval weapons which are often confused in the text. Apart from that, the book is highly recommended.

Warships of the Bay of Quinte

2011-07-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

978-1-55488-929-7

April 2011

197pp, Paperback

$28.00 CAD

This is the story of six of Canada’s Warships HMCS Napanee, Belleville, Hallowell, Trentonian, Quinte (I), and Quinte (II). These histories give a unique account of the small ships that were the backbone of the Canadian Navy during the Second World War and the Cold War. The stories record the accomplishments of these hardworking ships as well as the mistakes. This rich and vivid account of an important part of Canada’s Naval Service draws from the records of the ships, interviews with their crews, letters, diaries, newspaper articles, community libraries and photographs. You will learn about HMCS Napanee as she fights a five day battle against twenty-four German submarines in on one of Canada’s most tragic convoy battles. Be with HMCS Belleville as she fights to rescue a torpedoed merchant ship and find out about how a German submarine sinks the HMCS Trentonian late in the war killing six of her crew.

This book is the first work of history by the author and unfortunately it shows.

A short list of errata is as follows:

· Winston Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty when term “corvette” coined; not Prime Minister

· Incorrect usage of HMCS as “the HMCS” on numerous occasions

· Rank of Captain (N) was not used in the Second World War

· On page 66 a location “west” of Boston was used for an incident at sea

· Bermuda is in the Atlantic Ocean NOT the Caribbean Sea

· CANCOMINRONONE should have been capitalized

The most glaring error was the author missing the historical significance of the ground of HMS Indomitable in 1941. This event started a chain of events which had catastrophic consequences for the Royal Navy in that Indomitable was to be the air cover for HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse in the Far East.

There are a few good illustrations in the book however not enough to recommend it.

The Seabound Coast

2011-07-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Seabound Coast

The Official History of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1867–1939, Volume I

By Richard H. Gimblett, William Johnston and William G.P. Rawling

978-1-55488-907-5

January 2011

1014pp, Hardback

From its creation in 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy was marked by political debate over the country’s need for a naval service. The Seabound Coast, Volume I of a three-volume official history of the RCN, traces the story of the navy’s first three decades, from its beginnings as Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s “tinpot” navy of two obsolescent British cruisers to the force of six modern destroyers and four minesweepers with which it began the Second World War. The previously published Volume II of this history, Part 1, No Higher Purpose, and Part 2, A Blue Water Navy, has already told the story of the RCN during the 1939–1945 conflict.
Based on extensive archival research, The Seabound Coast recounts the acrimonious debates that eventually led to the RCN’s establishment in 1910, its tenuous existence following the Laurier government’s sudden replacement by that of Robert Borden one year later, and the navy’s struggles during the First World War when it was forced to defend Canadian waters with only a handful of resources. From the effects of the devastating Halifax explosion in December 1917 to the U-boat campaign off Canada’s East Coast in 1918, the volume examines how the RCN’s task was made more difficult by the often inconsistent advice Ottawa received from the British Admiralty in London. In its final section, this important and well-illustrated history relates the RCN’s experience during the interwar years when anti-war sentiment and an economic depression threatened the service’s very survival.

The amount of information, graphics, photographs and maps in this book is indeed mind-boggling.

A couple of interesting things I learned from reading this book – Britain wanted to give Canada a coal-burning Bristol Class cruiser instead of HMS Aurora and the senior destroyer commanding officer of the RCN in the 1930s had a broad black funnel cap as per the Royal Navy leader tradition.

A very big well done to Dr Gimblett and his co-authors.

Whelks to Whales, Revised Second Edition

2011-07-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

ISBN 13: 978-1-55017-491-5
ISBN 10: 1-55017-491-6
Price: $25.95 CAD; $25.95 USD
Paperback
500+ color photographs
5.5 x 8.5 - 328 pp
March 2011

Whelks to Whales, Revised Second Edition

Coastal Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest

By Rick M. Harbo

One of the best-selling concise guidebooks to marine life of the Pacific Northwest now revised and updated.

Newly revised and updated in 2010 with additional photographs and up-to-date names, this full-color field guide to the marine life of coastal British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and northern California is perfect for divers, boaters and beachcombers. It is a ready reference to more than 400 of the most common species, the fascinating local sponges, jellyfish, crabs, shrimp, barnacles, clams, snails, seals, fish, whales, sea algae and hundreds of other living things that can be observed and identified without being disturbed. The book is arranged for quick identification with color-coded sections, full-color photographs and comprehensive but concise information on size, range, habitat and facts of interest about each species. A glossary, checklist, reading list and full index are included.

Yet another extraordinary work from Harbour Publishing, both well written and with an excellent look and feel. The size and weight make this book an excellent addition to a picnic basket, beach excursion or boat ride in the Pacific Northwest.

A Field Guide to Sea Stars of the Pacific Northwest

2011-07-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

ISBN 13: 978-1-55017-513-4

ISBN 10: 1-55017-513-0 Price: $7.95 CAD; $7.95 USD Pamphlet color photographs 37 x 9 March 2011

A Field Guide to Sea Stars of the Pacific Northwest

By Neil McDaniel

Sea stars are amongst the most common and conspicuous invertebrates that thrive in the rich waters of the Pacific Northwest, from northern California to southeast Alaska. Worldwide there are more than 2,000 different species, but no other temperate region has a greater variety and abundance of these colorful and often very large echinoderms, which are closely related to sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars and feather stars. An underwater photographer, journalist and naturalist with over 40 years of diving experience, Neil McDaniel provides many original field observations to accompany his remarkable images of these fascinating animals.

This durable, water-resistant 8-fold field guide describes how to identify more than 30 species likely to be encountered by beach walkers and scuba enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest. It also provides intriguing details about their behavior, including how they move about, hunt for prey, reproduce and avoid predators. It is an ideal companion for family explorations to the sea shore, an invaluable reference in any scuba diver's kit bag and a useful addition to the home library.

As a big fan of the layout and design work of Harbour Publishing, they never cease to amaze with their ever increasing abilities for putting out an outstanding production. This fold out guide to Sea Stars should be a must for every lover of boating and beachcombing in the Pacific Northwest.

CATTALES

2011-06-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

CATTALES

By Win Stites

ISBN 9781615846504 2008

Published by PBY Museum www.pbyma.org

To meet the author Win Stites in person is to sense and adopt his enthusiasm for the PBY Catalina.

A veteran of World War II service including flight engineer and as a plane captain in 1945, Stites is now a director of the PBY Museum located in the former seaplane base at NAS Whidbey Island.

The book is a compilation of historical anecdotes which were frist published in the base newspaper “Crosswind.”

Illustrated with photos and artwork by the author, this book will be a welcome addition to the library of those interested in naval aviation.

For ordering information, pleasesee www.pbyma.org

British Cruisers By Norman Friedman

2011-06-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

British Cruisers

By Norman Friedman

Hardback 320 pages
ISBN: 9781848320789

Published: 24 January 2011

£45.00

For most of the twentieth century Britain possessed both the world’s largest merchant fleet and its most extensive overseas territories. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Royal Navy always showed a particular interest in the cruiser – a multi-purpose warship needed in large numbers to defend trade routes and police the empire. Above all other types, the cruiser’s competing demands of quality and quantity placed a heavy burden on designers, and for most of the inter-war years Britain sought to square this circle through international treaties restricting both size and numbers. In the process she virtually invented the heavy cruiser and inspired the large 6in-armed cruiser, neither of which, ironically, served her best interests. For the first time this book seeks to comprehend the full policy background, from which a different and entirely original picture emerges of British cruiser development.
After the war the cruiser’s role was reconsidered and the final chapters of the book cover modernisations, the plans for missile-armed ships and the convoluted process that turned the ‘through-deck cruiser’ into the Invincible class light carriers. With detailed appendices of ship data, and illustrated in depth with photos and A D Baker’s specially commissioned plans, British Cruisers truly matches the lofty standards set by Friedman’s previous books on British destroyers.

Another classic from Norman Friedman, the standard for excellence in the technical history of naval ships.

The book covers the First World War era cruisers through the Invincible Class of the 1970s, which the author argues were more cruiser than carrier stemming from an earlier design and the fact they were fitted with extensive C4I capabilities.

A nice addition was the inclusion the cruiser minelayers, one of which operated briefly in the APD role with the US Seventh Fleet in the Pacific.

As with his other books, extensive detail of radio, radar, directors and other fittings is included except for little mention of searchlights, which were an integral part of cruisers before the advent of radar in night actions.

Numerous drawings by AD Baker III always make Dr Friedman’s books second to none and worth the price in themselves.

Cover art is a copy of a painting by Norman Wilkinson from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich portraying HMS Ajax and Achilles during the 1939 Battle of the River Plate.

A few observations from the manuscript:

· Date for demolition of HMS Raleigh is the same as the commissioning date on page 66

· Searchlight platform on page 148 actually a 20-inch signal light.

· In the credits US Naval Historical Center Photo Curator Robert Hanshew’s name is misspelled.

· Royal Canadian Navy plans in 1944 were to take over Minotaur and Superb, both under construction in the UK at the time, to become HMCS Ontario and Quebec respectively. Delays in construction of Superb led to the takeover instead of Uganda which was under repair at Charleston Naval Shipyard with a nucleus crew provided by corvette HMCS Snowberry, also in the yard at the time

Congratulations to Dr Friedman on another excellent work – 432 pages of bliss for the serious student of naval technical history.

Tales of the Galley

2011-05-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

Tales of the Galley

By Doreen Armitage

Harbour Publishing P.O. Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, V0N 2H0

ISBN 13: 978-1-55017-438-0
ISBN 10: 1-55017-438-X
Price: $39.95 CAD; $39.95 USD
Hardback
8.5 x 11 - 198 pp
October 2007

Doreen Armitage, author of the bestselling From the Wheelhouse: Tugboaters Tell their own Stories is back with a fresh collection of salty tales from a varied collection of men who earn their living in, on or beside the sea. A former DFO skipper tells a heartrending story of trying to rescue the crew of a fish boat foundering off the west coast of Vancouver Island in wind so strong it cart wheeled their life raft "across the waves like a tumbleweed." A coastal pilot recounts the horrors of trying to scramble up the sides of towering ships in tossing seas, and a near-death experience after falling into the frigid ocean. A tugboat skipper tells of towing a mountainous bundle of logs—called a Davis raft—from the Queen Charlotte Islands only to have it hit rocks and break apart, scattering enough timber to build a small city. A commercial dive fisherman remembers the time his buddy befriended a big harmless-seeming octopus, who responded by trying to tear his helmet off.

The author of Tales from the Galley has compiled a group of entertaining stories from B.C.’s working waterfront. She has the ability to transform these oral histories into a story where you feel that you are being told the tale personally. She covers a wide range of waterfront activities from fishing to Coast Guard to deep sea oil drilling. All stories are told with enthusiasm and a good understanding of the topic. The great pictures throughout the book give the reader a good visual of the topics the author covers.

This has been a delightful read and I would recommend that it would be a worthwhile addition to your bookshelf.

Squadron 13 and the Big Flying Boats

2011-05-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

ISBN: 1555716458

Pages: 216

The PB2Y Coronados-massive, four-engine seaplanes known as the "Big Flying Boats"-were the ride of choice for dignitaries in the Pacific during WWII. A Coronado flew Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox to view the damage suffered by the Pacific Fleet after Pearl Harbor. Admiral Chester Nimitz flew in one to Japan in August 1945 for the signing of the peace treaty.
But in the Pacific Theatre, where Naval aviation was the ultimate weapon, the Big Flying Boats were more than just cushy rides for VIPs. They flew and fought in the heart of the conflict, from Hawaii to the Philippines to Japan.
Here, the pilots of the U.S. Navy Squadron 13 Coronados relate their wartime exploits in their own words. From tales of dangerous Dumbo patrols and the evacuation of wounded at Tarawa, to dogfights with Japanese "Bettys" and bombing of enemy ships and installations, this is the story of those remarkable aircraft and the men who flew them.
An enjoyable collection of personal recollections of personnel who flew on these great planes for the US Navy. One of the aircraft was used as the personal aircraft of Admiral Chester W Nimitz during the Second World War.
Sadly only one example still exists today luckily at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola.

My Carrier War The Life and Times of a Naval Aviator in WWII

2011-04-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

By Noman Berg

ISBN: 1555716199

Pages: 200

Hellgate Press

More than just another blood-'n-guts memoir, Norm Berg's MY CARRIER WAR is a detailed account of carrier pilots and their planes, an engaging love story and a courageous examination of a young man's battle with--and eventual victory over--fear and self-doubt.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Three days later, a young Navy pilot-in-training won his wings and soon found himself flying torpedo planes against enemy targets in the Pacific. From his days as a naval aviation cadet aboard the "Yellow Peril" biplane trainer, to his first bombing runs on Guadalcanal, to his life aboard an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific, Norman Berg offers a fast-paced narrative filled with humor and meticulous attention to detail.

Much more than a simple WWII memoir, this story goes beyond the action of battle to explore the author's innermost conflicts and chronicles one young couple's wartime struggle to balance love, duty, and commitment.

The book contains a fairly readable narrative but suffers a few errors in dates and reporting the author's first carrier launch on two separate occasions. The tale ends in January 1945 so it leaves the reader wondering what happened to author in the rest of the war.

However, the book is worth reading and leaves you an excellent idea of what life was like in those momentous days. Kudos to Hellgate for bringing these stories to the historical record.

On and off the Flight Deck Reflections of a Naval Fighter Pilot in World War 2

2011-04-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Paperback 256 pages

ISBN: 9781848841956

Published: 15 October 2009

Pen and Sword Books

Hank Adlam began his naval flying career in 1941, his first operational posting was to the newly-formed No. 890 Squadron. The squadron’s first operational role was to protect a convoy sailing from New York and bound for Greenock. Their major task was to protect the ship’s squadron of Fairey Swordfish anti-submarine aircraft and to destroy any long-range Lufwaffe Fw Condor reconnaissance patrols that were transmitting convoy positions to the waiting U-boat wolf-packs. During this first operational voyage he lost his best friend who was shot down. Later, on this same initiation to front-line operational flying, Hank was forced to ditch into gale-torn Atlantic Ocean. In the autumn of 1942, 890 Squadron joined the fleet carrier HMS Illustrious, again involving convoy protection. During one patrol he helped destroy an enemy Blohm und Voss Bv 138 Seaplane. Illustrious sailed for the Mediterranean arriving in Malta, with the objective of providing air cover for the landings at Salerno. 1944 saw the Squadron pilots despatched aboard HMS London and then they briefly joined HMS Atheling, to provide air cover for a strong fleet attacking Japanese shipping around the Andaman Islands. When 890 was disbanded he joined 1839 Squadron flying the new Grumman Hellcat.
Many interesting facts about aviation in the Royal Navy in World War Two such as:

Philip Vian, the hero of Narvik, was disliked by aviators because of his ignorance of aviation. This lack of knowledge or even appearing to want to know, led to the needless sacrifice of numerous Seafires and their pilots at the invasion of Salerno. This lack of knowledge followed Vian to his later appointment with the British Pacific Fleet.
In the early years of the war, the Royal Navy insisted on having an observer in carrier aircraft who was also in command over the pilot.
The Grumman F4F was always referred to as Wildcat and not by the official RN name of Martlet.
The light fleet carriers which came into service near the end of hostilities, were cursed with the design flaw of them being built for conversion to mercantile ships after the war. This had the effect of making them too slow to get enough wind over the deck during aviation operations.
After VJ Day, under the terms of Lend-Lease US aircraft on RN carriers were to be either purchased or ditched. Many aircraft were unceremoniously dumped in the Pacific Ocean.
Aircraft carriers were considered the best at evacuating released prisoners of war with their spacious hangar decks.

The narrative flows quite well leaving the reader with a real feeling of what it must have been like living the life of a carrier pilot. Details about shore time in places such as USA, Scotland, Ceylon, Australia and South Africa are detailed.

However there is one criticism of the book which needs to be addressed by the publisher in future works - the lack of proof reading. The overuse of capitalization of unnecessary words becomes distracting and annoying.

Apart from this, it is still a good read for fans and students of naval aviation.

Gentleman Captain

2011-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

1662: Restoration England. Cromwell is dead, and King Charles II has reclaimed the throne after years of civil war. It is a time of divided allegiances, intrigue, and outright treachery. With rebellion stirring in the Scottish Isles, the hard-pressed sovereign needs men he can trust to sail north and defuse this new threat.

Matthew Quinton is such a man—the second son of a noble royalist family, he is loyal, if inexperienced. Having sunk the first man-of-war under his command within weeks, Matthew is determined to complete his second mission without loss of life or honor. Upon taking command of His Majesty's Ship the Jupiter, the young “gentleman captain” is faced with a resentful crew and has but few on whom he can rely: Kit Farrell, an illiterate commoner with vast seafaring experience, and Phineas Musk, a roguish but steadfast family retainer. As they approach the wild coast of Scotland, Matthew begins to learn the ropes and win the respect of his fellow officers and sailors.

But he has other difficulties on the voyage north: a suspicion that the previous captain of the Jupiter was murdered, a feeling that many among his crew have something to hide, and the growing conviction that betrayal lies closer to home than he had thought.
Mr Davies is the latest entrant to become the next CS Forrester of Hornblower fame. Although we don't normally review works of fiction, this book was submitted for consideration by the publisher. The author makes every attempt to illustrated what conditions onboard a British sailing ship in the 17^th Century and makes for an enjoyable read for fans of the historical nautical fiction genre.

US Navy Warships & Auxiliaries including US Coast Guard

2011-02-15T20:21:00.003-08:00

By Steve Bush

216 pages Maritime Books; 2nd Revised Edition (December 2010)

English 1904459439 978-1904459439 8

£7.99 | $12.45

The 2nd Edition of this pocket sized guide to the ships, submarines and aircraft of the US Navy, Military Sealift Command and Ready Reserve Fleet has been expanded to include the ships & aircraft of the US Coast Guard. This reviewer looks forward receiving the next work from Steve Bush and this book does not disappoint. This work is profusely illustrated with color photographs of the ships and aircraft of the US Navy, Military Sealift Command and US Coast Guard covers all but the smallest craft. This book is truly a timely reference tool at an affordable price.

The Fourth Force The Untold Story of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary since 1945

2011-02-15T20:21:00.001-08:00

By Geoff Puddefoot

Hardback 256 pages

ISBN: 9781848320468

Seaforth Books October 2009

Set up in August 1905, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary was originally a logistic support organization, part of the Navy proper but run on civilian lines, comprising a miscellaneous and very unglamorous collection of colliers, store ships and harbour craft. Just over a century later it has evolved beyond recognition: its ships compare in size, cost and sophistication with all but the largest warships, and the RFA itself has developed into an essential arm of all three Services. It is truly the ‘Fourth Force’ – as it is known to its own personnel – and without it, the current worldwide deployment of British service men and women would be simply impossible.

This book charts the veritable revolution that has overtaken the RFA since the end of the Second World War. New technology and techniques reflect the rapid growth in the importance of logistics in modern warfare, while the broadening role of the RFA is to be seen in the history of its operations, many of them little known to the public. Woven together from a combination of technical ship data, official correspondence and personal recollections, it is predominantly about the men and women of the RFA and their stories – an insight into the underreported history of a service whose initials unofficially translate as Ready For Anything.

With at least two more ships from the RFA fleet being withdrawn from service at the time of the writing of this review, this book should be required reading for all figures interested in both peacekeeping and power projection roles.

At various times in its history, the RFA was considered an integral part of British military operations and at other not so much.

Periodical looks at manning the ships with military crews were looked. Also fascinating was a study into a fast replenishment ship in the early 1950s, a concept only the US Navy ever adopted.

The problems with bringing into service with some of the more recent ship types as well as workings of the head office of both a positive and negative nature are examined in a frank and open manner. This frankness is what impressed me with this book, no candy coating.

This book contains an excellent set of lists and data tables ranging from ships to nuclear warheads at sea during the Falklands War.

Fourth Force by Geoff Puddefoot is truly a great book; we certainly hope to see more from him in future.

The Sunshine Coast From Gibsons to Powell River

2011-02-15T20:20:00.003-08:00

By Howard White, photos by Keith Thirkell & Others

ISBN 13: 978-1-55017-081-8

ISBN 10: 1-55017-081-3

Price: $29.95 CAD; $29.95 USD

Hardback

8.5 X 11 - 128 pp - 1996

From deep rain forests to logging camps, Indian villages and bustling ports, The Sunshine Coast offers an insider's look at one of the most fascinating regions on the BC coast.

BC's Sunshine Coast is 100 miles of sublimely scenic shoreline just 40 minutes north of Vancouver. Award-winning humorist and Historian Howard White brings his ample experience as a lifelong coast denizen to bear in this fresh look at a unique place and its unique people.

The Sunshine Coast covers the waterfront in words and over 150 full-colour photographs from Gibsons, where the long-running TV series the Beachcombers was filmed, to Powell River, the largest community in the region and home to one of the world's largest pulp and paper mills. Visit Pender Harbour, where some local fishing folk still do their Saturday shopping in motorized "kicker" boats. Drop anchor in Princess Louisa Inlet, where the likes of John Barrymore and Andrew Carnegie once came to marvel at its canyon-like splendour. Stopover in Sechelt, whose name is a remnant of the shi'sha'lh or Sechelt Nation who once occupied the bulk of the Sunshine Coast territory. And sojourn in Roberts Creek, whose patron saint Harry Roberts put the Sunshine Coast on the map when he emblazoned the slogan "The Sunshine Belt" on a freight shed at the nearby steamer dock.

Join Howard White as he explores the rugged area with its reputation for being the maverick among BC's favoured south coast regions. The painters, writers, hermits, handloggers, stumpranchers, trappers, prospectors, fishers and draft dodgers met along the way will find a permanent haven in your heart.

Harbour Publishing wrote this timeless classic in 1996 and makes an enjoyable coffee table. This book has been given to clients by realtors in the region to their clients as it is an excellent compendium of local sights.

Profusely illustrated with photography by Keith Thirkell of West Vancouver BC, the book is more an examination of the modern day Sunshine Coast and not a work of history. The definitive history of the Sunshine Coast is yet to be written.

Illustrated and written about in an eye-pleasing layout, the unofficial trademark of Harbour Publishing, brings to life Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour.

A Field Guide to Seashells and Shellfish of the Pacific Northwest A user-friendly guide for all ages!

2011-02-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

By Rick M. Harbo

ISBN 13: 978-1-55017-417-5

ISBN 10: 1-55017-417-7

Price: $7.95 CAD; $7.95 USD

Pamphlet

37 x 9 - 2 pp - February 2009

There are few more enjoyable ways to spend a relaxing afternoon than at the seashore collecting ornate seashells. But there is no need to fly away to some exotic tropical locale to begin the fun. If you are in the Pacific Northwest, you will find local beaches as rich in fascinating treasures as any place on earth—or at least you will once you have this handy eight-fold guide to show you where to look and how to identify what you find. Those whose interest in shellfish is mainly gastronomic will also find this waterproof guide an essential tool.

This laminated pamphlet makes the perfect addition to your next trip to the beach.

American Flying Boats and Amphibious Aircraft An Illustrated History

2011-02-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

By E.R. Johnson

Print ISBN: 978-0-7864-3974-4

EBook ISBN: 978-0-7864-5708-3

391 photos & illustrations, appendices, glossaries, bibliography, index

384pp. Soft cover (7 x 10) 2010 $49.95

This work is a comprehensive, heavily illustrated history of the many flying boats and amphibious aircraft designed and built in the United States. It is divided into three chronological sections: the early era (1912-1928), the golden era (1928-1945), and the post-war era (1945-present), with historical overviews of each period. Within each section, individual aircraft types are listed in alphabetical order by manufacturer or builder, with historical background, technical specifications, drawings, and one or more photographs. Appendices cover lesser known flying boat and amphibian types as well as various design concepts that never achieved the flying stage.

As a child, this reviewer’s first memory of being in an aircraft was my brother and I getting to sit in the cockpit of a P-5 Marlin at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island during the Vietnam War. As a result, a lifelong fascination with flying boats ensued.

This book is a naval aviation fan's dream; listed are every conceivable craft, military and civil, that were the efforts of US designers and builders, large and small, over the years.

Profusely illustrated with everything from personal watercraft to the famed Pan Am Clippers and PBY Catalinas, the reader will be hard pressed to find more information than that contained in these pages.

Author Johnson has proven once again his excellence in compiling a handy reference tool. This book cannot come more highly recommended.

Collishaw & Company, Canadians in the Royal Naval Air Service 1914 – 1918

2010-11-27T14:22:00.000-08:00

Collishaw & Company Canadians in the Royal Naval Air Service 1914 – 1918

By J. Allan Snowie

ISBN 978-0-69200989-5

Author J. Allan Snowie is well known in naval aviation circles as the Canadian Navy’s last LSO, Air Canada pilot, author and his transcontinental flight in a First World War Nieuport replica.

The book is a labor of love compiled over many years and was well and truly worth the wait. Snowie spent many days in research the UK’s PRO in Kew as well as in North America in research. A biographical sketch of each pilot as well as a photo when available.

The book is a welcome addition to the historical recollection in this often forgotten period of naval aviation history.

PROJECT AZORIAN—The CIA and the Raising of the K-129

2010-10-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

PROJECT AZORIAN—The CIA and the Raising of the K-129

By Norman Polmar and Michael White

Naval Institute Press, 2010 ISBN/SKU: 9781591146902. $29.95 US list price.

The book Project Azorian describes the Nixon Administration’s attempted salvage of the Soviet Golf-II submarine in 1974, based on CIA records. It is a quick read, about 180 pages less illustrations. Interesting items include:
• Very good illustrations and diagrams provide much technical information.
• The submarine was lost when two of its liquid-fuel missiles ignited inside their launch tubes and fractured the submarine.
• The salvage project focused on recovering the third missile in its tube, which was the forward-most of three, along with the bow section forward of it;
• The Soviet embassy in Washington received an anonymous revelation of the operation but no known reaction resulted.
• According to the ComSubPac plans officer at the time, should USSR ships seize the recovery ship Hughes Glomar Explorer, USS Tautog (SSN 639) and another submarine carried WW2 anti-ship torpedoes specifically to sink her, a contingency not told to the crew of the recovery ship.
• A supposed attempt to dig further under the Soviet submarine strained the huge recovery mechanism, nicknamed Clementine, and resulted in the loss of most of the salvaged section during the ensuing hoist.
The authors of Project Azorian say little about what actually was learned but somewhat wishfully ask the reader to regard the operation as successful. Project Azorian challenges particular statements in other books and newspaper articles but is silent about contradictory analyses that have previously appeared:
• The book Blind Man's Bluff—The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage by Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew (2000) stated that USN personnel suggested use of submarines and vehicles to break open the hull to salvage the contents, instead of waiting six years for the huge grappling device that fractured. Blind Man’s Bluff is a cited reference in Project Azorian.
• A past television program, not the upcoming program associated with the book Project Azorian, quoted one participant that when the submarine section lifted free from the sea bed, the resulting sudden increase in buoyed mass caused Hughes Glomar Explorer naturally to settle deeper in the water. The suspended submarine and the grappling mechanism crashed back on the sea bed. According to the program, that impact was the cause of the structural damage to the mechanism.
• Blind Man’s Bluff contends that the hull structure, which was the primary item that the CIA’s mission could obtain over the Navy’s proposed alternative, had little value for intelligence purposes.
• The National Security Archive at The George Washington University posted on February 12, 2010, the web page “Project Azorian—The CIA's Declassified History of the Glomar Explorer” (http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nukevault/ebb305/index.htm). A director with the National Security Archive commented there that the operation “resembles the Bay of Pigs more than U-2 or Corona.”
Items that this reviewer adds:
• The acceptance of the six-year duration for this operation, against the alternative faster USN proposal, suggests that recovery of Soviet crypto gear and publications, offered as one justification for the huge project, had no urgency. The risk of disclosure was high and occurred during the six-year duration.
• The above TV program did not mention that the dynamic change in buoyancy is known in salvage, which suggests that the interviewed participant did not know of it, which in turn suggests that actual salvage expertise was missing from conception to the end.
• In terms of project management, and also in terms of a military commander’s estimate of the situation, the planning phase for this operation should have recognized that multiple risks of the chosen method were very high and were of a nature that no increase in time and resources could recover.
Project Azorian contains source notes, an index, and as mentioned, very good illustrations. This is the first public access to relevant newly-declassified documents and to the authors’ interviews of former Soviet personnel. Project Azorian is inexpensive and easy to read and adds significant authoritative information, including many dramatic details, to Blind Man's Bluff. While a comprehensive analysis of this operation has yet to appear, Project Azorian adds greatly to available information.

(MP)

Legacy of Leadership: Lessons from Admiral Lord Nelson

2010-06-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hardcover, 148 pages, published in 1999 by Hellgate Press. ISBN: 1555715109

A concise history of the career of the Royal Navy’s Admiral Lord Nelson, the most famous naval leader of all time and hence has set the example for others to follow. The book is divided into Nelson's most famous operations and battles with an inherent lesson what leadership lessons could be learned from this book. A valuable tool in teaching aspiring naval officers that leadership and not just Power Point skills are essential to the leaders of tomorrow.

Camping Haida Gwaii A Small Vessel Guide Revised Second Edition

2010-06-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Boat Camping Haida Gwaii A Small Vessel Guide Revised Second Edition

by Neil Frazer

978-1-55017-487-8 • 1-55017-487-8

$29.95 • Paperback 8.5 x 11 • 176 pp • March 2010

With information on ancient native settlements, hidden campsites and everything in between, Boat Camping Haida Gwaii offers a fascinating and comprehensive marine guide to the wild beauty of the Queen Charlotte Islands for kayakers and other small vessel operators. The book has a wide range of informative maps and numerous photographs of the Queen Charlotte coast; offering meticulously field-tested paddling and boating routes to the islands’ majestic attractions. Detailed descriptions are given of each campsite and special appendices are provided with helpful hints on bear safety, tides and currents. The book also contains invaluable information about the history and culture of the Haida, the indigenous people of the Queen Charlotte Islands. This guide’s comprehensive information will be valuable to kayakers, canoeists, those in small motorboats and everyone interested in exploring this unique area.

This book is finished in Harbour’s usual high quality standard and at first glance looks very nice. The format is similar to a number of coastal sailing and boating references published over the years but ultimately disappoints.

Unfortunately the author ascribes to the “natives are one with nature and all non-natives are inherently evil” camp which puts an unfortunate spin on the book which means it should not be used as a meaningful reference work. This is a real shame as obviously a lot of work was put into this book. An example of this is an illustration on page 76 showing the (now scrapped if the author had done his research would have known) Haida Brave with the caption “A log carrier with the gratuitously insulting name Haida Brave self loads at Ferguson Bay….”

The author sets a bad example for boaters by including a photo of his boat on page 29 with the occupants not wearing lifejackets.

Author Frazer should determine if he wants to have his writings in the “New Age” section of the book store or “Local Interest” or “Boating.” The biases in this book ultimately are its demise and resultant lack of recommendation.

Politics of Procurement: Military Acquisitions in Canada and the Sea King Helicopter

2010-03-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Politics of Procurement - Military Acquisition in Canada and the Sea King Helicopter

By Aaron Plamondon

UBC Press 2010 978-0-7748-1715-8 Soft Cover

The Canadian Navy in the late 1950s realized it would never be able to provide the ASW escorts they had pledged to NATO. So to fill this gap, it was decided to introduce a large shipborne helicopter onto its destroyer and destroyer escort sized ships that were capable of autonomous operations. This was in fact several years before other nations followed suit; they believing that a smaller airframe, acting as an extension of the ship's weapon system was preferable. Canada introduced the Sikorsky HSS-2 Sea King, an aircraft originally designed for operation from aircraft carriers. The Sea King was purchased in the early 1960s from United Aircraft in Quebec who built them under license, a program that saw the last delivery in 1969. Replacement planning was planned to begin in 1975 but this convoluted program is still going on today (2010) with deck trials of a replacement S-92 recently taking place in Halifax. The book goes into great detail on the behind the scenes machinations of the workings of Ottawa and the intrigues. One aspect missed that I would have like to see was the purported deal between Maritime Command head VADM Douglas Boyle handing over control of the Sea Kings to the Air Force in exchange for the latter's support in maintaining the current surface fleet. The eventual choice of the EH-101 to replaced the Sea King in the 1980s would have provided an up to date successor but this being Canada, was not to be. After calling the EH-101 an "attack" helicopter and promising to scrap the program if elected. He eventually was and he cancelled the program, an act costing almost half a billion dollars in termination fees. The program was dragged out again and the specificaitons constantly changed to preclude the EH-101 to avoid political embarrassment to the Prime Miinster. One small research error was noted: describing the post-World War Two fleet as containing four Tribal Class destroyers when in fact it was only three (HMCS Athabaskan was sunk in the English Channel in 1944). After he finally left office the inferior S-92 was selected from Sikorsky which should hopefully be operational by 2015, fully 40 years after the original replacement specification. Writer Aaron Plamondon is commended for his excellent research and narrative skills and I sincerely hope he focuses his next work in the military field.

Conflict In The North

2010-03-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

Conflict in the North

By Daniel L Little

iUniverse New York 2009 978-1-4401-7674-6 Soft Cover

This book is the second effort to date from Nova Scotian Daniel Little on novels based on the Canadian military. Not since the 1970s efforts of Richard Rohmer has this been done. While Rohmer's work started well and later descended to unreadable, we certainly hope Mr Little continues to improve. With his second book, improvement is certainly evident. The story takes place during 1966 when Soviet submarines, aircraft and Spesnatz support a secret base in Labrador with the intent of undermining the Pinetree radar defense network. A combination of naval, army and air force assets from Canada are employed to take out the base with the effort being lead on the ground by an army sergeant and a squad of Canadian Rangers, a group of volunteers from the Arctic native population. Little brings these elements together along with an attempt at American intervention to a conclusion that makes sense but lacks a little in suspense. Apart from that the book was an enjoyable read.

The Lost Flight of Amelia Earhart

2010-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

The book is actually a screenplay and as such is not really suitable as an authoritative work of history.

Upon Their Lawful Occasions: Reflections of a Merchant Navy Officer During Peace and War

2010-02-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

By Vernon G.A. Upton

Paperback 444 pages Matador 2008 978-1904744252

Vernon Upton served in the Merchant Navy from just before the outbreak of World War II. His experiences of life in peace and war are vividly described in this comprehensive history.

One of the nice features of this book are the plethora of tables and photographs. While nice, at times the tables distract from the narrative and might have been better served with being placed in appendices.

This book is an excellent narrative and is recommended to studies of the Second World War.

THE WHEEZERS AND DODGERS: The Inside Story of Clandestine Weapon Development in World War II

2010-02-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

By Gerald Pawle

304 pages Seaforth Publishing April 2009 978-1848320260 Paperback

This is the story of the Admiralty's Department of Miscellaneous Weapon Development, the so-called 'Wheezers and Dodgers', and the many ingenious weapons and devices it invented, improved or perfected.

The author was one of a group of officers with engineering or scientific backgrounds who were charged with the task of winning the struggle for scientific mastery between the Allies and the Germans in what Churchill enthusiastically called 'the wizard war'. Their work ranged from early stop-gap weapons like the steam-powered Holman projector, via great success stories like the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar, to futuristic experiments with rockets, a minefield that could be sown in the sky, and the spectacularly dangerous Great Panjandrum, a giant explosive Catherine-wheel intended to storm enemy beaches.

The development of these and many other extraordinary inventions, their triumphs and disasters, is told with panache and humor and a diverse group of highly imaginative and eccentric figures emerge from the pages.

First published in 1956, this book is welcome reprint and is a highly worthwhile read.

Avoiding Armageddon Canadian Military Strategy and Nuclear Weapons, 1950-63

2010-02-02T19:28:00.000-08:00

By Andrew Richter

9780774808880 UBC Press

$32.95 224 Pages

Published in association with the Canadian War Museum as part of the Studies in Canadian Military History series

The advent of nuclear weapons in the 1940s brought enormous changes to doctrines regarding the use of force in resolving disputes. American strategists have been widely credited with most of these; Canadians, most have assumed, did not conduct their own strategic analysis. Avoiding Armageddon soundly debunks this notion.

Drawing on previously classified government records, Richter reveals that Canadian defense officials did come to independent strategic understandings of the most critical issues of the nuclear age. Canadian appreciation of deterrence, arms control, and strategic stability differed conceptually from the US models. Similarly, Canadian thinking on the controversial issues of air defense and the domestic acquisition of nuclear weapons was primarily influenced by decidedly Canadian interests.

Avoiding Armageddon is a work with far-reaching implications. It illustrates Canada’s considerable latitude for independent defense thinking while providing key historical information that helps make sense of the contemporary Canadian defense debate.

Nuclear weapons were long the untold element of Canada’s military in the 1960s and 70s with the BOMARC surface to air and GENIE air to air missiles as part of NORAD, the RCAF CF-104 purchased for the NATO nuclear strike role in Europe and the RCN’s purchase of the ASROC nuclear ASW torpedo launching system. The most famous result of these programs was the still controversial cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet interceptor by the Deifenbaker government.

Canada has traditionally thought small in defense matters but occasionally aspired to greatness. This book covers well the behind the scenes planning and thought processes behind thoughts on what was and still is a controversial topic.

I was quite happy to see the UBC Press publish this work by Andrew Richter. Although the finished product would have been much improved by the inclusion of illustrations, it is still recommended.

Another Place, Another Time: A U-Boat Officer's Wartime Album

2010-01-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

Another Place, Another Time: A U-Boat Officer's Wartime Album

By Werner Hirschman with Graves, Donald E (Foreword by Timothy P Mulligan, Maps B Hirschmann (Author)

Hardcover: 256 pages Robin Brass Studio / Chatham Publishing Toronto 2004 978-1896941387

8.1 x 8 x 0.7 inches

One of the services with the highest casualty rate during World War II was the German U-Boat service. Of the 40,000 men who served in that branch, 28,000 were killed. Werner Hirschmann was one U-Boat officer that entered the German Navy in 1940 and served until 1945 when he and his boat surrendered to Canadian forces.

This book covers several different subjects. The first few chapters deal with his joining the Navy and the training he received. Then it's to see on a destroyer, including escort duty for the Bismark when it left for the Atlantic raid. Finally he is transferred to U-Boats with more training followed by going to war. Finally came the sixth and last patrol, ending in surrender.

There are two appendices to the book. The first is a Pictorial Tour of the authors boat, the U-190 and the U-889, both type IXC long range boats. The type of submarines that were used in the patrols to North America, the Caribbean, the southern Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Orient. This pictorial tour is well illustrated. Mr. Hirschmann was the engineering officer on the boat, so as you would expect, these pictures feature most of the technical aspects of the boat. There is even a picture of the quite rare four rotor Navy Enigma machine.

The second and somewhat smaller appendix is titled Life on a U-Boat. Again, it is fairly technical in nature.

This is a splendid book, especially for the technically minded.

SEA LOGISTICS: Keeping the Navy Ready Aye Ready

2010-01-30T16:14:00.000-08:00

By Mark Watson

Hardcover: 280 pages Publisher: Vanwell Publishing (April 2004) Language: English ISBN-10: 1551250810 ISBN-13: 978-1551250816 Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches

The history of the navy's Supply Branch has often been passed over for more exhilarating aspects of naval warfare such as submarine hunting or the latest marvels of naval technical engineering.

The important contribution of the men and women who make up the Supply Department is nonetheless an essential element of the Canadian Navy. It affects every soldier's ability to carry out his or her role in combat or in peacetime. Without effective logistics service people would not be transported to battle, fed their dinner, or supplied with their ammunition. Every member of the ship sees its impact on a daily basis - from food services, pay and spare parts to replacement of clothing, posting arrangements and canteen services.

This book examines the development of the Accountant, Supply and Secretariat, and Logistics Branch from the Navy's earliest days through the busy peace enforcement operations of the 1990s, up to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Along with the extensively researched and documented history the author has provided profiles of some of the support personnel whose service was outstanding, and humorous anecdotes from various contributors.

This book looked good at first glance, but reading it left one with a real sense of disappointment. The “history” is mostly anecdotal and riddled with numerous errors. A few examples of the errors include:

• Rear Admiral Cossette photo captioned with the rank Commodore

• Staged photo on page 67

• HMCS Cape Breton was made into an artificial reef and not scrapped

• The AOR concept was trialed by the US and Royal Navies with captured German tankers in the late 1940s long before Canada planned them for inclusion in their fleet

• A mast is misidentified as a yardarm in one photo

• HMCS Preserver operated off Somalia and not HMCS Protecteur

• And most shocking of all, use of “the HMCS” instead of the grammatically correct “HMCS”

This book is rubbish and definitely NOT recommended.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard

2010-01-30T15:52:00.000-08:00

The Brooklyn Navy Yard

By Thomas F. Berner

9780738556956

128 Pages Arcadia Publishing 1999

Price: $21.99

Not much larger than a few city blocks (219 acres, plus 72 acres of water), the Brooklyn Navy Yard is one of the most historically significant sites in America. It was one of the U.S. Navy’s major shipbuilding and repair yards from 1801 to 1966. It produced more than 80 warships and hundreds of smaller vessels. At its height during World War II, it worked around the clock, employing some 70,000 people. The yard built the Monitor, the world’s first modern warship; the Maine, whose destruction set off the Spanish-American War; the Arizona, whose sinking launched America into World War II; and the Missouri, on whose deck World War II ended. On June 25, 1966, the flag at the Brooklyn Navy Yard was lowered for the last time and the 165-year-old institution ceased to exist. Sold to the City of New York for $22.4 million, the yard became a site for storage of vehicles, some light industry, and a modest amount of civilian ship repair.

In The Brooklyn Navy Yard, author Thomas F. Berner restores what were fast-fading memories of the yard’s days of glory. An attorney who practices law in New York City, Berner presents stunning photographs to illustrate the vital role of this small yard. His sources include the Brooklyn Public Library, the New York Historical Society, the Museum of the City of New York, and the United States Naval Institute.

With seemingly never ending redevelopment of the former Brooklyn Navy Yard still ongoing 11 years after this book was first published, it still holds up as a nice reference tool. A pictured of the never completed aircraft carrier USS Reprisal (probably the best warship name ever!) under construction in the yard was the first I had ever seen.

The book is well illustrated with photos of both the yard and the ships built and repaired there. One historical piece of trivia missed by the author was the requirement until the 1960s that US warships had to be able to fit under the Brooklyn Bridge. The last aircraft carrier built at the yard, USS Constellation was also the last ship built with this capability which was a fold down mast.

One small criticism was the use of the commonly misused grammatical error “the USS” when just “USS should’ve been used.

This was the first book we have reviewed from Arcadia Publishing and hope their other titles are as enjoyable.

DEVIL'S BRIGADE

2010-01-30T15:32:00.000-08:00

By Robert Adleman and George Walton

9781591140047 US Naval Institute Press Annapolis MD

Paperback

Number of Pages: 270 Number of Photos: 25 Number of Line Art: 10 Total Illustrations: 35

The first special service forces of World War II were known as the Devil's Brigade. Ferocious and stealthy combatants, they garnered their moniker from the captured diary of a German officer who wrote, "The black devils are all around us every time we come into line and we never hear them." Handpicked U.S. and Canadian soldiers trained in mountaineering, airborne, and close-combat skills, they numbered more than 2,300 and saw action in the Aleutians, Italy, and the south of France.

Co-written by a brigade member and a World War II combat pilot, the book explores the unit's unique characteristics, including the men's exemplary toughness and their ability to fight in any terrain against murderous opposition. It also profiles some of the unforgettable characters that comprised the near-mythical force. Conceived in Great Britain, the brigade was formed to sabotage the German submarine pens and oil storage areas along Norway's coast, but when the campaign was cancelled, the men moved on to many other missions. This World War II tale of adventure, first published in hardcover in 1966 and made into a movie not long after, is now available in paperback for the first time.

A curious choice for reprint by USNI Press; however it was an enjoyable read.

AT CLOSE QUARTERS PT Boats in the United States Navy

2010-01-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

AT CLOSE QUARTERS PT Boats in the United States Navy

By Robert J. Bulkley

9781591140955 US Naval Institute Press Annapolis MD

Paperback

Number of Pages: 604 Number of Photos: 109 Number of Line Art: 7 Total Illustrations: 116

Small though they were, PT boats played a key role in World War II, carrying out an astonishing variety of missions where fast, versatile, and strongly armed vessels were needed. Called "weapons of opportunity," they met the enemy at closer quarters and with greater frequency than any other type of surface craft. Among the most famous PT commanders was John F. Kennedy, whose courageous actions in the Pacific are now well known to the American public. The author of the book, another distinguished PT boat commander in the Pacific, compiled this history of PT-boat operations in World War II for the U.S. Navy shortly after V-J Day, when memories were fresh and records easily assessable. The book was first made available to the public in 1962 after Kennedy's inauguration as president of the United States interest in PTs was at a peak.

Bulkley provides a wealth of facts about these motor torpedo boats, whose vast range of operation covered two oceans as well as the Mediterranean and the English Channel. Although their primary mission was to attack surface ships and craft close to shore, they were also used effectively to lay mines and smoke screens, to rescue downed aviators, and to carry out intelligence and raider operations. The author gives special attention to the crews, paying well-deserved tribute to their heroism, skill, and sacrifice that helped to win the war.

Robert J. Bulkley, a retired USNR captain now deceased, commanded PT boats in the southwest Pacific, mostly in New Guinea and the Philippines, from June 1942 to war's end. This truly is reflected in the command of the subject he displayed.

The text flows well and being someone who thought he had a fairly good grasp on Second World War naval operations, was amazed at how much I learned. One example – a curious case of naval protocol, the individual boats were not commissioned ships but squadron units as in aircraft squadrons – but still flew the naval jack when moored.

This book represents the US Naval Institute Press at its best. This is why many long for a return to the days of the publisher being synonymous with high quality naval history instead of the various tangents that have been explored in the past several years.

The illustrations were truly impressive with one small error noted – a photo of a Royal Navy MTB was misidentified as a PT.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names

2010-01-30T15:16:00.000-08:00

Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names

A Complete Reference to Coastal British Columbia

by Andrew Scott

978-1-55017-484-7 • 1-55017-484-3

$49.95 • Hardback

7 x 10 • 664 pp • September 2009

In 1909 Captain John T. Walbran published one of the most beloved and enduring of all BC books, British Columbia Coast Names. Harbour Publishing celebrates the hundredth anniversary of that landmark work by presenting the first book to update Walbran's classic, Andrew Scott's Raincoast Place Names. Like its progenitor, Raincoast Place Names is much more than simply a catalogue of name origins because it tells the often fascinating stories behind the names and in so doing serves as a history of the region in capsule form. It is also a monumental work, twice the size of Walbran's and including more than three times as many places. Four thousand entries consider, in intriguing detail, the stories behind over five thousand place names: how they were discovered, who named them and why, and what the names reveal. It describes the original First Nations cultures, the heroics of the 18th-century explorers and fur traders, the grueling survey and settlement efforts of the 19th century, the lives of colonial officials, missionaries, gold seekers and homesteaders, and the histories of nearly every important vessel to sail or cruise the coast.

The book also examines—for the first time—the rich heritage of BC place names added in the 20th century. These new entries reflect the world of the steamship era, the ships and skippers of the Union and Princess lines, the heroes of the two World Wars and the sealing fleet, Esquimalt's naval base and BC's fishing, canning, mining and logging industries.

Richly illustrated with photos and maps, this book is an essential reference work, a must-have guide for boaters and mariners and a standard companion for anyone interested in BC history. It also makes a fine shelf-mate for the Encyclopedia of British Columbia.

Not much more needs to be said of this, a true labor of love. The book makes a welcome update to the classic work that preceded it a century ago. It was interesting to note that certain places on the British Columbia coast are named after Captain Walbran in honor of his 1909 work.

One minor criticism is the overuse of the term “First Nation” – a Canadian political correctness term for natives that is not in use in other countries. Hence it may cause some confusion with foreign readers.

With that said, we proclaim Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names the 2009 SeaWaves Magazine Book of the Year.

The Naval Service of Canada, 1910-2010 The Centennial Story

2010-01-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

The Naval Service of Canada, 1910-2010 The Centennial Story

By Richard H. Gimblett

978-1-55488-470-4
October 2009
256pp, Hardback
$39.95 CAD

Canada proudly celebrates 100 years of naval service in 2010. This lavishly illustrated commemorative volume chronicles the full century of the Canadian Navy as a proud national institution. The editor, Dr. Richard Gimblett, is the command historian of the Canadian Navy. The foreword is by Governor General Michaëlle Jean (as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces) and the 11 contributors are highly recognized authorities on their particular period. The comprehensive coverage includes the origins of the Canadian Navy back to 1867, both world wars, the Korean conflict, the postwar period, and a look at the navy of the future.
A couple of illustrations of note in the book: a view of the four DDH 280-class ships from the 1970s when they were referred to as the “sisters of the space age.” An addition to this would have noted that class leader Iroquois was the third oldest front line combatant in the world at the time of the book’s publication in 2009. Another was a Fairey Aircraft advertisement from the 1960s optimistically but ultimately vainly hoping that Restigouche-class destroyer escorts would be converted to helicopter carrying DDH status.
There is also a section on naval war art as well as profiles of ships and aircraft through the years in Canadian naval service. Unfortunately this is where the book ultimately disappoints historcial purists.
The artist who made the profiles obviously put lots of work into them but they are marred by sloppy research. On page 47 the artwork of HMCS Champlain shows the World War II hull number for HMS Hasty and the one of HMCS Saguenay on page 51 shows the World War II hull number for HMS Hotspur and the aircraft carriers on page 147 shows HMS Nabob’s hull number as 77 instead of the correct D 77.
While a sharper eye would have improved the final product, the book is worth recommending.

British Warships & Auxiliaries

2009-12-29T12:58:00.000-08:00

British Warships & Auxiliaries

By Steve Bush

Maritime Books Liskeard, Cornwall 2009

978-1-904459-40-8

£6.99 $11.20

This annual work from the editor of Warship World Magazine, like old wine, improves with age. The latest if finished with high gloss paper making the plethora of photographs, both color and black and white, superb. The book also contains the latest members of the now privatized support craft, ships awaiting disposal, ships on display, aircraft and other items.

Congratulations to author Steve Bush on another job well done.

The Lusitania Story

2009-09-07T18:33:00.001-07:00

By Mitch Peeke, Mitch Peeke & Mitch Peeke Page
192 pages US Naval Institute Press 978-1591144731
The 1915 sinking of the Cunard liner Lusitania by German submarines sparked a firestorm of demand for U.S. intervention in World War I. Attacked without warning; the ship went down in twenty minutes with more than 1,100 passengers lost including 124 Americans. This riveting account, written by leading members of the Lusitania Historical Society in cooperation with the owner of the ship's wreckage, provides a concise history of the Lusitania's construction, operational record, and new theories on how and why it sank so quickly. The authors capture the mystique of the famous liner--from her great achievements and groundbreaking technical advances to the rumors of a treasure cargo and consequences of fate. Illustrated with contemporary images of the wreck today, this well-researched volume will be enjoyed by those steeped in the Lusitania story and those exploring this pivotal event for the first time.
At first I was skeptical on how this book would evolve when I found that the authors actually “owned” the wreck of Lusitania. However I was not disappointed in what turned out to be an enjoyable read of a subject I had never read in depth before.
A cause of public outrage in 1915 the act was used a propaganda by both the Germans and the British with the latter denying for many years after the war Lusitania was carrying ammunition, desperately needed on the Western Front.
The narrative is well put together and flows well. The one surprise I had was the retention of British spellings from the original of this book originally published by Pen and Sword Books. Apart from that, the book is recommended.

Thach Weave: The Life of Jimmie Thach

2009-09-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

By Steve Ewing
338 pages US Naval Institute Press 2004 978-1591142485
This biography completes a trilogy on the three Navy fighter pilots-Jimmie Thach, Butch O'Hare, and Jimmy Flatley-who developed sweeping changes in aerial combat tactics during World War II. While O'Hare and Flatley were instrumental in making the "weave" a success, Thach was its theoretical innovator, and his use of the tactic in combat at Midway documented its practical application. This portrait of the famous pilot provides a memorable account of how Thach, convinced that his Wildcat was no match for Japan's formidable Zero, found a way to give his squadron a fighting chance. Using matchsticks on his kitchen table, he devised a solution that came to be called the Thach Weave. But as Steve Ewing is quick to point out, this was not Thach's sole contribution to the Navy. Throughout his forty-year career, Thach provided answers to multiple challenges facing the Navy, and his ideas were implemented service wide. A highly decorated ace who took part in the Battle of Midway, Thach was an early test pilot, a creative task force operations officer in the last year of World War II (Operations Officer for Admiral John S McCain – grandfather of the current Arizona senator) and an outstanding carrier commander in the Korean War. During the Cold War, he contributed to advances in antisubmarine warfare. This biography shows him to be a charismatic leader interested in everyone around him, regardless of rank or status. His dry sense of humor and constant smile attracted people from all walks of life, and he was a popular figure in Hollywood. Thach remains a hero among naval aviators, his most famous combat tactic still used by today's pilots.
A few minor errors were noted – USS Canberra listed as CV 70 instead of CA 70, CV 15 (USS Randolph) identified by hull number only and the misspelling of the word “scrapping” as “scraping.”
A well known chain smoker, Thach is seen with an ever present cigarette in a number of the photos contained in this work.
Author Ewing is well known for his numerous previous works on US Naval Aviation history and this book is probably one of his best.

Spain's Men of the Sea: Daily Life on the Indies Fleets in the Sixteenth Century

2009-09-07T17:44:00.001-07:00

By Pablo E. Perez-Mallaina
Paperback 304 pages The Johns Hopkins University Press 2005 978-0801881831
The ships and men of Spain's Atlantic fleets, crucial to the country's empire in the New World during the 16th century, are discussed in lively detail in this prodigiously researched book. Each chapter of Spain's Men of the Sea focuses on a particular aspect of the fleets, from the sailors' backgrounds and motivations for going to sea to their life onboard the great galleons, the most complex machines of the day. The author writes well, often showing a sense of humor, and, besides providing careful documentation, deftly brings the Spanish sailors and their unique nautical society to life. Voyages on the galleons were always dangerous, with looming threats from disease, pirates, tropical storms, and even shipboard brawls--and the book concludes with a fascinating look at the superstitions and religious rituals practiced by those who sailed the Spanish Main.
What an incredible feat the author has accomplished documenting life at sea in the 1500s. Much has been written on the Spanish Armada and the search for treasure ship wrecks, but little on what is was like to serve on these ships, often in appalling conditions.
A number of lithographic type illustrations, common to the period, are included.
Perez-Mallaina is to be commended for this work, which would make a fine addition and course in medieval or nautical history.

Management of Defense Acquisition Projects

2009-09-07T17:23:00.001-07:00

(Library of Flight Series)
By Rene G. Rendon and Keith F Snider
Hardcover 220 pages AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics & Ast; illustrated edition 2008 978-1563479502
This book is a textbook in the Library of Flight series and is designed and published as such. The authors both teach at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and know the defense industrial complex well. What is a mind boggling subject, modern day military equipment acquisition is put in terms a student of the subject would require. One can only imagine the endless number of essays that will probably emanate from this work.
Well done to authors Rendon and Snider for writing this work.

Dark Victory: America's Second War Against Iraq

2009-09-07T17:16:00.001-07:00

By Jeffrey Record
203 pages US Naval Institute Press 2004 978-1591147114
A prominent national security analyst provides a critical examination of the origins, objectives, conduct, and consequences of the U.S. war against Iraq in this major new study. Focusing on the intersection of world politics, U.S. foreign policy, and the invasion and occupation of Iraq, Jeffrey Record presents a full-scale policy analysis of the war and its aftermath. As he looks at the political and strategic legacies of the 1991 Gulf War, the impact of 9/11 and neo-conservative ideology on the George W. Bush White House, and the formulation of the Bush Doctrine on the use of force, he assesses rather than describes, judges rather than recites facts. He decries the Bush administration's threat conflation of Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda, and calls U.S. plans inadequate to meet postwar challenges in Iraq. With the support of convincing evidence, the author concludes that America's war against Iraq was both unnecessary and damaging to long-term U.S. security interests. He argues that there was no threatening Saddam-Osama connection and that even if Iraq had the weapons of mass destruction that the Bush administration believed necessitated war, it could have been readily deterred from using them, just as it had been in 1991. Record faults the administration for preventive, unilateralist policies that alienated friends and allies, weakened international institutions important to the United States, and saddled America with costly, open-ended occupation of an Arab heartland. He contends that far from being a major victory against terrorism, the war provided Islamic jihadists an expanded recruiting base and a new front of operations against Americans.
The book contains no illustrations and makes for a tedious read, no matter how many facts, mistruths and a litany of claims and statements about a pointless war that to date has cost the lives of over 5,000 Americans.
This book is another in the annoying series on the war on terrorism from the Naval Institute Press. This rather Let us only hope that the publisher returns to what it does best – naval history – and stop straying off into new fields.
A better fit for the publisher would have been an examination of the naval part of the operation. The work would have been a better fit with another publisher.

A War of a Different Kind: Military Force and America's Search for Homeland Security

2009-09-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

By Stephen M. Duncan
366 pages US Naval Institute Press April 2004 978-1591142201
The radically new homeland security, military, and legal strategies developed by the United States in the months following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon are given comprehensive treatment in this book by a former senior Pentagon official, combat veteran, and criminal prosecutor. Stephen M. Duncan draws on a lifetime of military and legal experience to examine the many questions relating to the role of the armed forces in homeland security, including elements of constitutional and criminal law, foreign policy, tradition and custom, federal-state and inter-agency relations, and politics, as well as military strategy and operations. Among the diverse subjects the author discusses are military tribunals and the International Criminal Court, the statute governing the use of military personnel in law enforcement, defense transformation, the constitutional power of the president, and the reorganization of the government to meet the terrorist threat. Duncan also discusses the strategy and tactics used in Afghanistan and Iraq and critically evaluates the nation's political leadership before and after the 9/11 attacks. His book gives readers access to a wealth of information essential to an understanding of the full picture and at the same time puts them in the midst of policy debates to grasp the immediacy of the situation.
This book is another in the annoying series on the war on terrorism from the Naval Institute Press. This rather drab, unilllustrated read will put any but the most interested readers to sleep. Let us only hope that the publisher returns to what it does best – naval history – and stop straying off into new fields.

Battle of the Atlantic

2009-09-07T17:01:00.001-07:00

By Marc Milner 288 pages Vanwell Looking Back Press 2003 978-1550681253
A new and up–to–date history of the Battle of the Atlantic—from all sides: the British, Germans, Americans, Italians, Canadians and Russians. World War II was only a few hours old when the Battle of the Atlantic—the longest campaign of the Second World War and the longest, most complex submarine war in history—began with the sinking of an armed merchant cruiser by the German submarine U30. This book charts the fascinating development of U–boat capacities and the techniques used by the Allies to try to arrest the power of this secretive force.
Author Milner has done a good job of putting together a general overview on the Battle of the Atlantic, arguably the most important battle of the Second World War.
A very good selection of photographs is included however number 46 appears to have been a staged photo for Nazi propaganda as no submarine would have a watertight door open during a depth charge attack.
For the average reader of historical works this book would be a good fit.

SINK ALL THE SHIPPING THERE: Canada's Wartime Merchant Ship and Fishing Schooner Sinkings

2009-09-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hardcover 192 pages Vanwell Publishing January 2005 978-1551250557
By Fraser McKee
The author's previous book, The Canadian Naval Chronicle, contains a chapter which gives brief details of Canadian merchant ship sinkings. While Fraser McKee and co-author Robert Darlington (who has self-published a history of the three armed merchant cruisers of the Royal Canadian Navy for which he refuses to provide review copies – never a good sign for a book’s quality) were researching those often-tragic stories it became apparent they deserved a fuller treatment in a book of their own. Here as a result are sixty accounts of ship losses, compiled from primary sources and, wherever available, first-hand interviews with survivors. Some are complete, with details of ship movements and attacking U-boats. In other instances there were no survivors and almost no record of what happened in those last hours.
The stories are grouped according to owners or other elements they had in common. Each includes a list of crew lost as well as sources used. Summary tables give details of ownership, convoy group, and means of destruction in a quick reference format.
Not a great deal of efforts to document Canada’s merchant marine in wartime, but McKee has done a good job here of correcting this work on the Second World War.
Losses are grouped together by common thread which is done in easily readable format. Ships from Newfoundland are included which I did not agree with as the then British colony did not join Canada until 1949.
Fraser M McKee deserves recognition for putting this fine work together; hopefully he has future projects in the works. Publisher Vanwell would be wise to use noted historians for their books instead of bus drivers as in one less than stellar effort of late.

NO HIGHER PURPOSE: The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939-1943 Volume II, Part I

2009-09-07T16:40:00.001-07:00

664 pages Vanwell Publishing 2004 978-1551250618
This eagerly anticipated first volume of an updated official history doesn’t disappoint. Coupled with methodical research and a superb collection of many never before seen photos, this book is superb.
Throughout the Second World War, Canada played a vital role in contributing manpower and escorting supply convoys to the European theatre of war. The Royal Canadian Navy was called upon to participate in virtually every phase of war at sea. This is the official history of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. This impressive book chronicles how the RCN expanded more rapidly and played a greater part in Allied operations, than could possibly have been foreseen when the war broke out. Over a period of six years, the RCN's contribution to the Allied war effort fundamentally transformed the RCN's nature. In 1939, the RCN was a small coastal defense force with 'blue water' aspirations.
Our Navy was modeled on the British Navy and formed an important part of the Empire Navy, a worldwide network of British naval communications, intelligence and trade defense. RCN officers and a large number of ratings served in RN training ships and establishments. Political, financial and material constraints limited the RCN's horizons, with the exception of annual exercises in the Caribbean. Yet, by 1945, the RCN had a record of service in the North Atlantic, the waters of northwest Europe, the Arctic, the Mediterranean and the Pacific. In short, the RCN had achieved the status of a 'blue water' Navy! As a result, tens of thousands of Canadians who had served in the Navy during the war formed a national constituency that had never before existed. No Higher Purpose was written by a team of professional historians and has been in preparation for fifteen years. Veterans of the RCN, current sailors and naval officers, and students of military and naval history in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany have eagerly awaited it. This book is a fitting testimonial to the men and women of Canada's Navy.
This work was published in both official languages under the sponsorship of the Department of National Defense and Public Works and Government Services Canada.
Not much can be added to describe this work but to highly recommend this as an addition to any library on naval history. Coupled with the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy in 2010, these two should hopefully bring Canadian naval history to light to a new generation.

Tragedy at Honda

2009-09-07T16:31:00.001-07:00

By Charles A. Lockwood and Hans Christian Adamson
280 pages US Naval Institute Press 2004 978-1591144670
Known to seafarers as the Devil's Jaw, Point Honda has lured ships to its dangerous rocks on California's coast for centuries, but its worst disaster occurred on 8 September 1923. That night nine U.S. Navy destroyers ran into Honda's fog-wrapped reefs. Part of Destroyer Squadron 11, the ships were making a fast run from San Francisco to their homeport of San Diego as fog closed around them. The captain of the flagship Delphy ordered a change of course, but due to navigational errors and unusual currents caused by an earthquake in Japan the previous week, she ran aground. Eight destroyers followed her. Only Pearl Harbor in 1941 would do more damage. In dramatic hour-by-hour detail, the authors recreate what happened, including the heroic efforts to rescue men and ships. In addition to presenting a full picture of the tragedy, they cover the subsequent investigations, which became a media sensation. The authors suggest that 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. Admiral Nimitz's introduction sets the scene for this action-filled account of America's greatest peacetime naval tragedy in history, first published in 1960.
The book contains a number of illustrations; unfortunately the captions were cut off on some of the pages.
Charles A Lockwood is famous as being the commander of US submarines in the Pacific during the Second World War but turned his efforts after post war retirement to writing works of US Navy history in conjunction with others and by himself.
In this book he collaborated with Hans Christian Adamson to compile what is probably the definitive history of one of the worst disaster in US Navy history.

Destroyer: An Anthology of First-hand Accounts of the War at Sea 1939-1945

2009-09-07T16:16:00.001-07:00

By Ian Hawkins
552 pages Conway Maritime Press Ltd 2005 978-1844860081
“All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to the HMS Cavalier (Chatham) Trust, set up to save and restore the sole remaining Second World War British destroyer.”
The Royal Navy’s B Class destroyers were an example of the interwar destroyer construction program with the nine ships of this program were in the thick of the fighting through the entire war. Royal Navy destroyers suffered a horrific attrition rate from aircraft attack during the war as they were almost devoid of anti-aircraft weaponry. Planning in the 1920s and 1930s by most of the world’s navies was for a major fleet action to be fought in the manner of 1916’s Battle of Jutland with little regard to the menace of the aircraft.
There is no more vivid and poignant account than one at first hand, and Editor Ian Hawkins has done a fine job of compiling anecdotal and historical evidence to make this a fine addition to the historical record. This work should be a must read for serious readers of naval history.

Canada's Navy: The First Century

2009-09-07T15:52:00.001-07:00

By Marc Milner
Hardcover 448 pages University of Toronto Press 1999 978-0802042811
From its eighteenth-century roots in exploration and trade, to the major conflicts of the First and Second World Wars, through to current roles in multinational operations with United Nations and NATO forces, Canada's navy has been an expression of Canadian nationhood and a catalyst in the complex process of national unity. In Canada's Navy: The First Century, Marc Milner argues that the history of the Royal Canadian Navy falls into three distinct periods. Until 1939, the navy was essentially a national orphan - neglected by government, spurned by Canadians, composed largely of expatriate Britons, and lacking a clearly identifiable national role. The Second World War and the postwar years saw that role defined. During the war, the navy underwent an astonishing expansion that brought together Canadian industry, government, and people to produce the third largest navy in the world by 1945. That navy made a decisive contribution to winning the war in the Atlantic, and, with the outbreak of the Cold War, went on to confirm Canada's new and important role as part of a wider western alliance in the defense of shipping in the Atlantic. Since that time, naval history has been a struggle to reconcile naval ambitions for fleet development with those of the government, and to find a national identity for the service itself. The result has been the renaissance of the last two decades, which has seen the navy re-emerge from the wreckage of unification as an independent institution and with the fleet completely rebuilt. At the end of the century, the navy is the most modern and capable of Canada's armed services, and having discarded the imperial cloak of its early years, it is now identified with the nation it serves. Milner suggests that this remarkable metamorphosis may have been brought about by the coalescing of the visions of the navy, the nation, and the state. How long this will continue remains for the next century to determine. Based on extensive archival research and interviews, Canada's Navy: The First Century is a comprehensive examination, certain to provoke discussion, of the navy which has a rich and fascinating history. This book will appeal not only to readers of Canadian history and naval affairs, but also to those interested in the interwoven issues of maritime politics and economics, as well as national and foreign policy, and defense and strategic studies.
A good selection of historical photos are included, some of which I had never seen before. I was disappointed that author Milner misidentified an Improved Restigouche Class destroyer escort as a St Laurent class ship in the final image in the photo section.
Milner brings to light both the highs and lows of the naval service and is not afraid to delve into equipment problems such as Canada being one of the last countries to use the Limbo depth charge mortar.
Marc Milner is one of Canada’s preeminent naval historians and fans of his will not be disappointed with this book.

Prisoners of the Home Front: German POWs and "Enemy Aliens" in Southern Quebec, 1940-46

2009-09-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

(Studies in Canadian Military History
By Martin F. Auger
227 pages Paperback UBC Press 2006 978-0774812245
Little is known of the internment of German prisoners of war, civilians and merchant seamen on Canadian soil during the Second World War. In the midst of the most destructive conflict in human history, almost 40,000 Germans were detained in twenty-five permanent internment camps and dozens of smaller work camps located across Canada. Five of these permanent camps were located on the southern shores of the St. Lawrence River at Farnham, Grande Ligne, Ile-aux-Noix, Sherbrooke, and Sorel in the province of Quebec.
Martin Auger’s book provides a fascinating insight into the internment operation in southern Quebec. The study examines the organization and day-to-day affairs of internment camps, and offers an in-depth analysis of the experience of the German prisoners who inhabited these camps. The author shows how the pressures of internment, such as restricted mobility, sexual deprivation, social alienation, and the lack of material comfort created important psychological and physical strains on inmates. In response, Canadian authorities introduced labour projects and educational programs to uphold morale, to thwart internal turmoil, and to prevent escapes. These initiatives also aimed to expose German prisoners to the values of a democratic society and prepare their postwar reintegration. The author concludes that Canada abided with the provisions of the Geneva Convention, and that its treatment of German prisoners was humane.
A few minor quibbles with this work are the lack of illustrations and the textbook format, which includes a summary at the end of each chapter.
Prisoners of the Home Front sheds light on life behind Canadian barbed wire. The study fills an important void in our knowledge of the Canadian home front during the Second World War and furthers our understanding of the human experience in times of war.

UNKNOWN NAVY: Canada's World War II Merchant Navy

2009-09-07T15:28:00.001-07:00

By Robert Halford
272 pages Paperback Vanwell Publishing 2000 978-1551250403
Compared to the well-published achievements of the Navy, Army, and Air Force, an ocean of silence surrounds the long gone Canadian Merchant Navy. Canada operated the wartime world's fourth largest Merchant Navy, almost all of it built in Canadian shipyards.
Second World War merchant marine veteran Robert G Halford put together this interesting work which is composed of historical research, personal recollection and anecdotal input.
Merchant seamen were largely denied veteran’s right and bonuses by most governments after the war with Canada being no exception. This historical slight has now been remedied, no doubt in part by the efforts of Mr Halford in putting this book into the historical and public record. Sadly with the ever diminishing number of veterans every year, it was tremendous that many of these memories were recorded for future generations.

Blunders and Disasters at Sea Hardcover

2009-09-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

By David Blackmore
256 pages Hardcover Pen and Sword; illustrated edition 2004 978-1844151172
As any sailor knows, life at sea is hazardous under even normal circumstances. In times of war with an enemy intent on killing and sinking you it is infinitely more so. David Blackmore has researched 100 extreme cases over the span of history and written graphic descriptions covering the background, the events and the tragic consequences. Many were the result of enemy action, others (too many) straight human error and the remainder were caused by act of God, not least the weather. Examples include the Syracuse Harbour disaster (BC413), the rout at Aboukir Bay (1798), and the Prince of Wales/Repulse sinking due to lack of air cover (1941).
This anthology style book in easily readable and would make a fine addition to the collection of nautical history neophytes.

The Mariner's Chronicle: AUTHENTIC AND COMPLETE HISTORY

2009-09-07T15:11:00.001-07:00

By Archibald Duncan
314 pages Paperback Germinal Productions 2004 978-1900355292
Originally published two hundred years ago, The mariner's Chronicle was the first comprehensive collection of disasters at sea in the English language and was an immediate best seller. Now made newly available, these stories of suffering and survival will have lost none of their resonance for all those interested in maritime history.
This work would be enjoyed by fans of the age of sail. Viewers to television shows such as Lost and Survivor would do well to read this book to see what it truly meant to have survived a shipwreck with little or no chance of rescue.

Good Morning Quadra The History of HMCS Quadra

2009-09-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

By Suzanne Anderson
171 pages Paperback Half Acre Pub 1997 978-0921271116
This self-published work is truly a labor love by author Suzanne Anderson. A valiant attempt at a history of Royal Canadian Sea Cadet base HMCS Quadra in Comox BC. This reviewer attended the camp twice in his teen years I was interested in reading this book.
Primarily based upon anecdotal information, the work would have benefited from some serious research. One example of this was Anderson’s claim that retired destroyers HMCS Algonquin and Crescent were to come to Quadra as accommodation hulks, a fact that I had never heard of before. No source for this information is cited so can probably only be considered a rumor.
Not being a big fan of self-publishing as the finished products are usually shoddy from lack of proofing and editing; this book unfortunately follows the normal formula.
Unfortunately the definitive history of HMCS Quadra still awaits publication.

From the Wheelhouse: Tugboaters Tell Their Own Stories

2009-09-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

By Doreen Armitage
182 pages Paperback Harbour Publishing 2006 978-1550173833
Towboats have been a part of British Columbia's history since 1836, when the Hudson's Bay Company's ungainly sidewheeler S.S. Beaver made the first powered tow up the coast. Over the years, tugs and their crews have towed just about everything, including food, machinery, rocks, paper, oil, salt, lumber, oil rigs, deep-sea ships, cars and houses. The humble but admirable tug has kept BC's marine economy vital and industrious. From the Wheelhouse captures the ins and outs of working in this often overlooked but important industry: relentless tides, wild weather, breakaway barges, the boredom, the practical jokes, superstitions, camaraderie and the agony of a failed rescue attempt. Author and historian Doreen Armitage interviewed 16 old-time tugboat captains, engineers and deckhands to assemble this intimate and often hair-raising account of life aboard BC tugs. Tugs are called to emergencies on the water, working with the Coast Guard and fireboats to save lives and retrieve damaged vessels. Storms, fog, riptides and whirlpools, bridges, even other boats operated by inexperienced or careless hands can put a tug and its crew in jeopardy. Beautifully illustrated with archival photos and images from the personal collections of the skippers who appear within its pages, From the Wheelhouse is both a lively, personal look at the history of towboating in BC and an engaging portrait of the famous coastal characters and vessels that have shaped this region's maritime history.
A few things in this book detract from what could have been an excellent book. Claiming the famous salvage tug was once in the “British Navy” is an outrage to any and all who proudly served on corvette HMCS Sudbury. The caption on the page 41 talking about an anchor light makes no sense as these are NOT fitted on masts. A few other photos in the book are published backwards, something that should have been caught in editing.
Despite lots of effort and lots of illustrations, I have to give this book a miss.

Launching History: The Saga of the Burrard Dry Dock

2009-09-07T14:35:00.001-07:00

By Francis Mansbridge
Hardcover 226 pages Harbour Publishing 2002 978-1550172805
When Alfred Wallace opened a shipbuilding yard at the north end of Granville Street Bridge in 1894, he had little idea that the business would last nearly 100 years. Wallace Shipyards moved to North Vancouver in 1906, became Burrard Dry Dock in 1921 and Versatile Pacific in 1985, and saw changes in marine construction from wooden sailing schooners to steel icebreakers and high-tech search-and-rescue vessels. The saga of Burrard includes stories of some of the famed ships of the Union Steamship Company that opened up the BC coast; of Canada's post-World War I merchant marine fleet; of the St. Roch, the first boat to traverse the Northwest Passage in both directions and to circumnavigate North America; of the BC Ferry fleet; and of the warships and workboats that came down the ways into Burrard Inlet. It also provides a glimpse of the early years of the twentieth century on the coast, when ships were not mere transportation but also an opportunity to fuse practical workmanship with aesthetics.
Mr Mansbridge is well known to researchers of shipbuilding history for his assistance to persons all over the world over the years from his position of archivist for North Vancouver, from which he is now retired. Kudos to him for taking this information and putting it into a book that serves as a valuable addition to the historical record.
I for one was one of the people lucky enough to have used the services of Mr Mansbridge and in fact saw parts of this book while he was working on it.
Profusely illustrated with photos from the North Vancouver Museum & Archives, the work includes all the major projects over the years of the yard in table format.
One minor criticism is the use of “the” before ship names, which makes ship purists cringe. However this is only minor and cannot detract from what is an excellent work.

Defence Management Journal

2009-09-07T14:16:00.001-07:00

Defence Management Journal
PSCA International Ltd, Ebenezer House, Ryecroft, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 2UB
This journal was recently brought to our attention by the publisher in the UK who have submitted their Issue 45 for review.
A massive 218 page A4 sized quarterly journal contains a wealth of information on today’s military in a background essay manner. Short essays on various topics are written by persons from with the industry detailing their firm’s work.
Also included was a novel concept in advertising, a CD included with Adobe Flash videos from Kongsberg and the publisher.
Being a quarterly however, it is not really source for news but still the work contained within. With most of the content submitted from various defense contractors, Defence Management Journal reads more like a catalog than a journal. However this is obviously the intent so that it works. (DS)

Beneath Southern Seas: The Silent Service

2009-09-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

By Jon Davison and Tom Allibone
232 pages Hardcover Publisher: University of Western Australia Press illustrated edition 2006 978-1920694623
This coffee table sized book is finished in high gloss paper with the end product being a very attractive looking work. Authors Davison and Allibone joined HMAS Rankin for the trip home to Fremantle after one of the biennial multinational RIMPAC exercises in Hawaii.
Work and living conditions on the Collins class submarine are detailed in interviews conducted with several crewmembers and are coupled with a plethora of high quality images.
Interspersed through the text are snippets of submarine history from the Royal Australian Navy from the First World War to the present.
This book makes a fine addition to any library on submarines or the Royal Australian Navy. (DS)

USS Charles Carroll APA28: An Amphibious History of World War II

2009-09-02T17:44:00.001-07:00

by Kenneth H. Goldman
If you ask the average war or naval buff what the number one priority program of US shipbuilding in 1945, chances are they will guess wrong. For the number one priority program was the AKA/APA amphibious transport program. Although USS Charles Carroll was not part of this late war building program, this work certainly details what life was like for the crews.
It was one thing to demand vengeance after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii plunged the United States into World War II, it was quite another to have the wherewithal to carry the fight to the Axis powers' front door. The same two oceans that had previously protected the United States from foreign enemies now provided a like obstacle to projecting American military force in the other direction. Battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines could not do the job alone. It was up to the ordinary soldier to occupy and hold the enemy's real estate, and the Navy needed to commission vast numbers of transports to get them there.
The attack transport USS Charles Carroll was originally laid down to be a combi-liner, carrying passengers and cargo on the Gulf of Mexico trade routes. Most of her wartime crew had never seen the ocean let alone manned a vessel of her size or even handled the small boats that were the ship's main offensive weapon. Yet, together they would evolve into the fighting machine that earned six battle stars in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, Southern France and Okinawa.
Lt. Robert W. Goldman, USNR (ret), joined the ship after Operation Torch and participated in her five subsequent invasions. I grew up listening to his stories, which, with the invasion maps, documents, photographs, issues of the Plan of the Day, etc. that he saved, form the backbone of this narrative. I have also met many of his old shipmates and have incorporated their recollections and, whenever possible, entries from the weathered diaries in which some of them set down their first-hand experiences, their fears while in combat and the capers they cut to blow off steam. As much as possible, the book evokes the feel of the times and the perspective of those who were there. The generals and heads of state set policy and strategy but it is the individuals in the field and on the seas who must translate the best laid plans into actions which spell victory or defeat. This is their story.
Born in Long Beach, New York, a graduate of Yale University, the author now lives in Southern California with his wife and pets. There he pursues the joint careers of writing, sculpting and scale model making. He has had three radio plays produced and has sold several screenplays as well as having published numerous Internet articles on naval history and scale modeling. His most recent modeling projects include co-designing a 1:16 scale kit of the Wright Flyer and building a full-size replica of that first airplane's engine for a restoration project at The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" in Chino, California. His wood sculptures can be found in numerous collections across the United States.
The book is self-published through the Trafford on-demand program. These programs allow many works which may otherwise slip through the cracks be published. The downside is that the Publisher only provides marketing services via their website.
The narrative of this book is done in a fairly pleasing style that makes for an easy read.
What really helps to bring this book to life, is the ample placement of maps, diagrams and photographs within the text. Appendices, bibliography and index make this work a valuable reference tool. This really helps the reader get a feel for what life was like onboard an amphibious transport ship.
Mr Goldman is to be congratulated for his extensive efforts to bring this story to print.

US Battleships 1941-1963 An Illustrated Technical Reference

2009-09-02T17:43:00.004-07:00

by Wayne Scarpaci Self-Published 2008 ISBN 978-1-438257440 $32.95 Hardback 134 ppNevada-based artist and battleship aficionado Wayne Scarpaci has self-published this the first in a series of book on 20th century battleships. The pages are filled with tables, photos and copies of artwork by Mr Scarpaci. For some readers this may be sufficient for a readable work in the general category.
It is a very ambitious effort to cram as much information as possible into 134 pages wherein lies most of the problems with this book. Most of the photos look like they came from 72DPI websites instead of the print standard of 300DPI. This causes many of the images to be of little use as they are blurry and with many technical features of the battleships not discernible. The same holds true for line drawings and artwork.
The major problem with self-published books is always the lack of proofreading and the typographical errors in this work are too numerous to count. One blatant example is three consecutive ships were listed with the same international radio call sign.
It's too bad that with some more polish, this book could have been very good. But unless an improved second edition is released, this book cannot be recommended.

U.S. AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS AND CRAFT

2009-09-02T17:43:00.003-07:00

An Illustrated Design History
By Norman Friedman
ISBN: 1557502501
As a great fan of the Norman Friedman/AD Baker III tandem of the US Naval Institute Illustrated Design History series, this latest work does not disappoint.
In this latest addition to his acclaimed U.S. warship design history series, Norman Friedman describes the ships and the craft of the U.S. amphibious force, from its inception in the 1920s through World War II to the present. He explains how and why the United States successfully created an entirely new kind of fleet to fight and win such World War II battles as D-Day and the island landings in the Pacific. To an extent not previously documented, his book lays out the differing views and contributions of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines as well as the British, and how they affected the development of prewar and wartime amphibious forces. Current and future amphibious forces and tactics are explained, together with their implications for ships and craft, from 40,000-ton amphibious carriers down to tracked amphibious vehicles.
One of the best features of this series is the sketches of the designs that never came about. Of great interest were two proposals during the Second World War for steam destroyer escort conversions. One armed with three 5in/38 mounts in shields for AA defense of the invasion force and another armed with five 5in/25 open mounts for additional shore bombardment.
About the only fault I could find with this book was an incorrect photo caption on page 480 showing the Tongue Point, Oregon mothball fleet. This photo is not of Tongue Point, which was originally a naval seaplane base with piers perpendicular to the shoreline.
This book is highly recommended. It contains the text of Friedman with the drawings of Baker and as such should prove indispensable to future researchers. I can hardly wait for the next volume in this series. (DS)

US Special Operations Forces

2009-09-02T17:43:00.001-07:00

by Fred J Pushies
From the streets of Mogadishu to the caves around Kandahar, the military might of the United States in the twenty-first century often sits in the hands of a select group of elite fighters from all branches of the armed forces. If a rapid but low-intensity response is needed to help diffuse a potentially explosive or sensitive situation, the highly trained units of the Special Operations Forces are called in to take on the mission. Doing battle from the air, on land, and in the sea, these men must demonstrate the highest levels of strength, endurance, and intelligence to combat any enemy under every imaginable circumstance. They are called upon to undertake such varied tasks as airfield seizures, ambushes, guerrilla warfare, hostage rescue, intelligence reconnaissance, psychological warfare, or counterterrorism — often against an elusive or scattered foe. For each unit, author Fred Pushies offers inside information to explain every aspect of the work and history of these experts in unconventional warfare. Each chapter covers a specific unit, with sections on history, structure and hierarchy, training, weapons and equipment, and missions and tactics. More than 200 photos accompany this in-depth and essential guide to America’s elite fighting forces. Hardcover • 9" x 12" • 176 pp • 200 colorMr Pushies appears to be well on his way to be the CB Colby of the early 21st Century. Compiling a plethora of works describing weapons and equipment of the modern US military, his books are not too complex or technical. This makes them ideal for novice to experts in the field.
The publisher, Motor Books International, has created a very pleasing look and feel to these books. Full color illustrations at a reasonable cost made possible by having the printing done in Asia it would appear. (DS)

US Naval Aviation 1946-1999

2009-09-02T17:42:00.003-07:00

by Martin W Bowman
Hard Cover 0750921757 1999 Sutton Publishing Illustrated
U.S. Naval Aviation, 1946-1999, presents a fascinating pictorial account of the changing role of U.S. naval aircraft since the end of the Second World War--from protector of the United States forces and symbol of American power throughout the world to international avenger and peacekeeper. Focusing on the aircraft and the personnel who fly and service them, the book features a huge range of different aircraft types--from the FD-2 Phantom (the first U.S. pure jet to land aboard an aircraft carrier) to the F-14 Tomcat and the F/A-18 Hornet heavy carrier-based fighters of the 1990s.
U.S. maritime power had its beginnings in the Pacific between 1941 and 1945, when carrier-borne aircraft won overwhelming victories against the Imperial Japanese Navy at Guadalcanal, the Marianas, and Okinawa--all but erasing the black memory of Pearl Harbor. Postwar America benefited greatly from German wartime aeronautical research and British developments in jet engine and carrier technology. As the Cold War intensified, America could not afford to lag behind, especially when the uneasy peace in Korea was shattered in 1950 and American aircraft were confronted with the MiG-15 for the first time. This gave rise to the development of supersonic fighter planes, such as the A-4 Skyhawk, used in the controversial bombing campaigns against North Vietnam in the late '60s and early '70s. By the mid-1980s, U.S. naval carrier-based aircraft proved a very efficient avenger--and deterrent--in the fight against international terrorism. During the Gulf War of 1991, naval units at sea joined forces with the land-based strike aircraft in Operation 'Desert Storm', when the U.S. Navy averaged 125-150 sorties per day per carrier.
U.S. Naval Aviation 1946-1999 contains more than 200 exciting photographs from official U.S. Navy archives and private collections--many of which are previously unpublished. Supported by authoritative and detailed captions, these images provide a rare insight into U.S. naval air power--ever vigilant and ready to strike when diplomacy fails.
Bowman has written the near perfect book for fans of naval aviation. This is believed to be his only work on naval aviation to date; the prolific author has written several titles on land-based airpower. This is reflected in the one major error I noted in his text - carrier aircraft are taken via elevator underdeck on below for service - not underground!
An amazing photo on page 136 shows an experimental radar fit to USS Constellation in 1972 of SPS-43, 52 and 30 radar antennas. This may be the only picture ever to show this unusual suite of radar onboard an aircraft carrier.
The book could've improved with the addition of more photos of blimp, seaplane and transport aircraft.
This book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in military and/or naval aviation. The collection of photos ensure that this book will not be read once and shelved permanently. It will be read over and over again.

True Believer

2009-09-02T17:42:00.001-07:00

by Scott W Carmichael Naval Institute Press 2007. $27.95. ISBN 9781591141006. Hardcover. 352 pages.
Ana Montes appeared to be a model employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Known to her coworkers as the Queen of Cuba, she was an overachiever who advanced quickly through the ranks of Latin American specialists to become the intelligence community's top analyst on Cuban affairs. But throughout her sixteen-year career at DIA, Montes was sending Castro some of America's most closely guarded secrets and at the same time helping influence what the United States thought it knew about Cuba. When she was finally arrested in September 2001, she became the most senior American intelligence official ever accused of operating as a Cuban spy from within the federal U.S. government. Unrepentant as she serves out her time in a federal prison in Texas, Montes remains the only member of the intelligence community ever convicted of espionage on behalf of the Cuban government.
Author Scott W Carmichael is a counterespionage specialist as the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). While his writing style reads more like a police report, you quickly adopt his passion; which more than makes up for his writing style.
Due to the highly classified nature of the DIA, little can be revealed of what was actually compromised.
In 1986, US Army Special Forces Sgt Gregory A Fronius was killed in El Salvador. His death, while not conclusively proven, is believed to have been one of the results of Montes' espionage work. Carmichael had pledged his earnings from this book to the family of Sgt Fronius - truly a noble undertaking and an extra good reason to buy the book.
Modern intelligence and espionage continues to plague the US defense establishment and industry. The work of dedicated agents such as Mr Carmichael must be supported and encouraged at all levels.
Kudos to the author for bringing this story to public's attention. While overshadowed by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the arrest of Ms Montes and subsequent conviction is a real success against for foreign espionage.

THIRTEEN DESPERATE HOURS

2009-09-02T17:41:00.001-07:00

A Liberty Ship's crew and their Navy Armed Guard fight for survival while grounded on a Japanese-held island

By Marill Johnson 177 pp., illus., ISBN 0897452585 Sunflower University Press
Marill Johnson is an acronym for Will and Marilyn Johnson. Will was the Chief Radio Officer of the Liberty Ship Albert A. Robinson in this story.
The Johnsons have written this book in an easy to read style and is suitable for virtually all age groups. The book is recommended for school age readers to impart the heroism of US Merchant Marine, which was comprised mainly of persons unfit for normal military duty, and the Naval Armed Guard which manned the defensive armament of these ships.While in convoy to Lingayen Gulf in a storm, a miscommunication between watchkeeping officers had the ship steer 355 degrees instead of the convoy course of 255 degrees. As a result, Albert A. Robinson ran aground on the Japanese held Negros Island.
With a great deal of ingenuity, Albert A. Robinson mounted a defense against the unavoidable hostile response by Japanese military forces. The ship was subject to small arms and mortar fire from shore and an air attack. The latter included a Kamikaze strike on the ship, which caused extensive damage and injuries to personnel.

Unfortunately the reader was left hanging at the end of the narrative as to what happened later to the crew and ship. It would have been nice to find out what must have been a court of inquiry under some jurisdiction. Also, it would have been nice to read what happened to some of these unlikely heroes after the war.
Apart from these minor quibbles, the book is highly recommended.
David Shirlaw

The Golden Thirteen

2009-09-02T17:40:00.002-07:00

Edited by Paul Stillwell
Published by Bluejacket Books, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD
303 pages
This book is the oral recollections of the first black naval officers in the USN. The book records the thoughts and opinions of eight of the thirteen plus three white naval officers who served with the Golden Thirteen.
In seeing the American Navy today, it is hard to imagine a more diverse navy anywhere in the world. Yet, prior to World War II the navy was not a welcoming place to black men and women. Blacks were restricted to the steward trade. The opportunities that existed for whites did not exist for blacks.
President Roosevelt in World War II began a slow process in changing the ethnic face of the United States Navy, in spite of the Old School that existed in the fleet.
With every challenge there comes along those individuals who rise to the challenge and excel in it. Those individuals would be the Golden Thirteen. Their recollections describe the difficulties in overcoming racial prejudice not only in the fleet but in society.
The Thirteen after completing the initial officer’s training were assigned to the fleet but usually into jobs of a lesser quality than their skill levels. This type of job selection discrimination continued into the 1970s.This book is a must read for all those who study racial issues and how they affect society and how society can rise above racial inequality. (RB)

Swift, Silent, and Deadly - Marine Amphibious Reconnaissance in the Pacific, 1942–1945

2009-09-02T17:40:00.001-07:00

By Bruce F. Meyers
Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2004. ISBN 1591144841. 192 pages, 19 photographs, 9 maps. (Publisher cites 224 pages, 25 photographs, 14 maps.) Hardcover. 6 x 9 inches. $26.95 US
Reviewed by Michael C. Potter (March 2005)
Swift, Silent, and Deadly describes the origin, evolution, and activities of the U.S. Marine Corps’s specialized small units for amphibious reconnaissance. This book will be most useful to readers who already have a good understanding of American strategy in the Pacific war. To see where recon units affected the operational plans for the Pacific campaign a reader needs the Naval Institute Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy by the same publisher or something similar.Bruce F. Meyers is a postwar recon veteran and unit commander and brings first-hand knowledge to his subject. He plausibly asserts that this short book is the first complete overview of these units’ activities in World War II. General James Jones, USMC, formerly the Commandant of the USMC and currently SACEUR, is the son of a WW2 recon battalion commander and assisted Colonel Meyers in researching this book.Chapters 1–4 describe the equipment and training of the recon units. Originating in 1941, the first recon teams comprised USMC, Navy, and Army personnel. American forces trained with the Royal Marines to gain knowledge. During the war the recon functions became specialized within their parent services. The Navy specialists became independent underwater demolition teams (UDTs) and later the SEALs. This book focuses on the USMC.To me "Tools of the Trade" is the most interesting chapter in this short book. The first units’ first transports were submarines, soon augmented by flying boats, PT boats, and destroyers converted to high-speed amphibious transports (APDs). To a naval-oriented reader, this book usefully records the operational contributions of these often overlooked craft, albeit with only occasional details. PT-109 under Lt(jg) John F. Kennedy, USNR, was involved in recon operations.Chapters 5–11 describe all recon operations of the Pacific campaign from the Solomon Islands to Okinawa. Marine recon comprised sea-based guerrilla units. They worked directly for the operational commander at the USMC division level and higher levels. These were not tactical assault units. Instead they performed their key missions during the planning stages for future operations. Operating ahead of the generally know forward edge of the battle area, recon units several times suffered friendly fire. The author corrects other histories in pointing out that USS Sante Fe (CL 60), not an escorting destroyer, hit the transport submarine USS Nautilus (SS 168), since the shell was 6-inch. The damaged submarine continued her mission. The Marines thought their rubber boats were safer.This book gives insights into sound decisions of the island-hopping Pacific campaign. Recon missions collected material for operational intelligence (a term not used in the book), during the operational planning phase before seeking battle. To decide whether a particular island was even feasible as an objective, the theater commander needed to know whether and where the island was susceptible to amphibious assault. In 200 landings recon units clandestinely visited potential objective islands to evaluate their defenses and their potential for airfields. An example is that the large Solomon Island of Choiseul was bypassed, no doubt avoiding many casualties, after a recon team found its soil unsuitable for an airfield. A more precise characterization of the value of the recon units than swift, silent, and deadly would be early, stealthy, and informed.
At the pinnacle among these units were amphibious corps recon battalions and Force Recon, reporting to the commanding general of the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. During the Okinawa campaign a general with a perhaps too high opinion of his recon battalion ordered the unit to collect local venomous serpents for use in creating antivenom. The battalion commander (the present General Jones’ father) passed the order to a baffled subordinate recon company whose Marines, not surprisingly, had never sought nor caught a live poisonous snake. Their skills did however include working with the local populace. The recon Marines successfully bartered with villagers, recent enemies, to collect baskets of them.The concluding chapter cites postwar operations from Korea to Vietnam to Iraq. Parachuting became a new method for insertion. Colonel Meyers discusses his personal career in postwar units, including force recon. The book includes small photographs, maps of several islands, a glossary, end notes, a bibliography, an index, and an autobiography.
Limitations in this book: The maps are inadequate. Editing could be better. Several names are misspelled, including Admiral Richard Conolly and Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher, whose names also are missing from the index. Perhaps the errors appeared in original source documents. The Gato-class submarines are cited as the "Guppy" class. The tiny photographs would be more legible and more interesting if printed lengthwise.
Recon missions always were components of naval operations. This book never describes a complete naval-Marine recon operation, from embarkation aboard the transport ship through debarkation at the end. It does describe the ship-shore-ship sortie process. A typical raid lasted about 5 days ashore. A book on this subject could usefully show more about the impact of these missions on successful operational planning. Graphical timelines would be useful to show when these recon missions occurred during the planning and preparation phase for each landing. Reference to modern concepts and terminology such as operational intelligence would make these events clearer to professionals today.
The above criticism notwithstanding, this book is worth reading for its insights into how these missions influenced operational decisions in a successful war effort. Motivation of sailors in navies with these capabilities today will be higher if the sailors understand the importance of such missions.

Stealth Boat – Fighting the Cold War in a Fast Attack Submarine

2009-09-02T17:39:00.002-07:00

By Gannon McHale
2008 Naval Institute Press 9781591145028 New York actor Gannon McHale, like many of his generation coming of age in the 1960s, faced the dilemma of being drafted into the US Army and going to Vietnam or enlisting in another service. He chose the US Navy for a single enlistment and it is of this time he has written an enjoyable addition to naval history – submarine service from an enlisted man’s perspective. As opposed to other books that have employed questionable interview techniques or delved into the realm of speculative or trashy journalism. Author McHale chose the high road and only wrote on material available through the Freedom of Information Act.
Submarine USS Sturgeon was the first of a large class of submarines which were in frontline service for over 30 years. McHale experienced two COs and two XOs with one good and one bad in each category. The good XO was Bruce DeMars who later went on to command the US Navy Nuclear Program.
Life ashore in the Groton/New London area during the late 1960s is enjoyable with what now seem quaint drinking laws and municipal actions.
McHale’s second submarine was the World War II vintage USS Dogfish that mostly conducted routine coastal training operations and most weekends in port. A stark contrast to high tempo Cold War operations on front line nuclear attack sub which saw them in near combat conditions and operating clandestinely. This book is highly recommended.

SS Jeremiah O'Brien

2009-09-02T17:39:00.001-07:00

The History of a Liberty Ship from the Battle of the Atlantic to the 21st Century by Capt Walter W Jaffee
Hard Cover Glencannon Press 2004
The first part of this book focuses on this ship, a member of the famous Liberty Class merchant ship, during active service in the Second World War. This service included service in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. With each voyage, the crew would normally be “paid off” under merchant tradition with a new crew for the next voyage. The book the focuses on the restoration efforts which started in the 1970s and culminated in participation in the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 1994 in England and France. The author, a master mariner and member of the crew which took Jeremiah O’Brien to Europe is readily able to give the narrative a nautical feel and ease of use of terminology. One minor criticism of the work is the reference to HMS Belfast sinking in World War Two, which was not correct and the correlation to Jeremiah O’Brien berthing alongside Belfast in London in 1994 was not made. This book is an enjoyable read.

Ships for Victory

2009-09-02T17:38:00.001-07:00

By Frederic C. Lane
881 Pages, Illus., soft cover.
ISBN: 0801867525, The John Hopkins University Press.
The great merchant fleets built under the United States Maritime Commission during World War II supplied the great battle for freedom through out the world. These ships were not built without problems and challenges.
Frederic C. Lane, an historian employed by the Maritime Commission covers the history of this spectacular organization in great detail. Lane’s examination of the issues confronting the Herculean tasks and challenges facing the Commission makes this book a must for all serious maritime or industrial historians.Lane began his employment with the Commission while a history professor at John Hopkins University. He was given full access to all the Commission’s files and had access to a great number of its World War II personalities.During the course of World War II the Commission built 5, 777 ships, which included LSTs, CVEs, Liberty and Victory types. The massive amount of shipbuilding was not without it’s huge problems and challenges.The research of Lane’s was astonishing detailed. He researched an organization that spanned all of America’s waterways. Lane included research on the various Labor unions, shipbuilding companies.The Chairman of the Maritime Commission during its war years was Admiral Emory Land. A naval officer, Admiral Land become the force behind the Commission which wed the various interested parties in producing the roughly 50 million deadweight tons of shipping in fight for freedom. Known as "L", the book ensures that Land’s legacy is given the respect that it is due.Discussed at great length throughout the tome, are all the human issues that had to be overcome, including racial strife, labor troubles, management interests, money flow, and shipyard owners. Lane covers these important issues in interesting detail.
Criticisms of Lane’s work are limited to the extensive coverage of all subject areas. The large number of areas could be large studies by themselves.This book without question is a "must have" for all those who study and enjoy the study of shipbuilding or industrial processes. Highly recommended. (RB)

Ship Strike Pacific

2009-09-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

By John R Bruning Jr
144 pages; $24.95
ISBN 0760320950

During World War II, one of the most vital, dangerous and deadly operations in the war with Japan was the US aerial campaign on Japanese ships. Courageous US Navy, Army Air Corps and Marine crews struck at Japanese ships in an attempt to deplete supplies and sink firepower. All too often the men who risked their lives lost them on these missions in unfriendly skies. This breakthrough book contains many stunning photos that have never before been published. There are numerous superb, high-resolution photos of aircraft vs. ship combat and the aftermath of these battles. This is an important aspect of the war that has been largely ignored, but this book covers it in dramatic fashion that is sure to fascinate aviation and military history readers.
This book begins with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and continues through to the end of hostilities.
What I really enjoyed about this book is the inclusion of all ship strike attacks by aircraft, not just naval as most works contain. The work of the US Army Air Corps in actions such as the Battle of the Bismarck Sea are covered. A "strafer's eye view of the Japanese destroyer Arashio shortly before its destruction..." is my favorite picture in this book.
The book really excels in the number of photographs. There are several in full color, a rare event in the 1940s. New to this reviewer are some excellent photos of Japanese warships that resorted to desperate measures to contend with the relentless US bombing in 1945.
For the amateur and professional historian both, this book is highly recommended. (DS)

Valley of Decision The Siege of Khe Sanh

2009-09-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

by John Prados and Ray W Stubbe Naval Institute Press 2004. $32.95. ISBN 1591146968. Soft cover. 551 pages.
Widely acknowledged as the definitive history of the siege of Khe Sanh when first published in hardcover in 1991, this book tells the whole incredible story of one of the most pivotal and bloody battles of the Vietnam War. Historian John Prados and Khe Sanh survivor Ray Stubbe recount the brutal seventy-seven days of combat and present the larger political context that formed the all-important backdrop to the events on the battlefield in 1968.
From the first direct hit on the fifteen-hundred tons of ammunition stockpiled in the U.S. compound, through the day and night patrols, pounding mortar fire, and shifting battle lines, the words and deeds of the men of Khe Sanh are brought to life with a skillful combination of documentation and eyewitness accounts—from both sides of the conflict.Trying to write a review of this book, one word comes to mind right away - wow! The coauthors were truly a wonderful match - one had done a fantastic job of compiling material and the other a talented writer in his own right. The latter compiled the material that would make for good narrative.
Two things really stood out from the Battle of Khe Sanh - electronic monitoring and the effects of B-52 strikes.
US Forces placed listening devices on the Ho Chin Minh trail and other strategic locations in the Republic of Vietnam. These were an effective tool of both estimating enemy troop strength and intentions.
Probably the greatest fear of North Vietnamese soldiers and something that caused numerous desertions, was the B-52 strike. Never before had this reviewer read about the demoralizing effect of being bombed by an aircraft you couldn't see or hear due to their elevation.
This work ranks as one of the finest written on the Vietnam conflict and should be on the bookshelf of anyone studying this period.

Weapons of the Navy Seals

2009-09-02T17:35:00.002-07:00

by Fred J Pushies
Of all the U.S. military Special Forces, none carry the same name recognition nor capture the public imagination like the U.S. Navy SEALs. From their intense training in San Diego to their land, air, and, of course, sea operations the SEALs are feared and respected around the globe. This installment in the MBI Battle Gear series, like the previously published Weapons of Delta Force (0-7603-1139 0), will detail in 150 photographs all of the weapons, vehicles, gear, and high-tech gadgets that the SEALs use in their operations. Photographs show SEALs utilizing weapons, watercraft, aircraft, SCUBA equipment, and more in live-action exercises, bringing the reader into the midst of the action. In Battle Gear fashion, the book also includes a chapter describing the techniques SEALs use, as well as glossaries of terms and military abbreviations. Hardcover • 8-1/4" x 10-5/8" • 128 pp • 100 color, 50 b/wMr Pushies appears to be well on his way to be the CB Colby of the early 21st Century. Compiling a plethora of works describing weapons and equipment of the modern US military, his books are not too complex or technical. This makes them ideal for novice to experts in the field.
The publisher, Motor Books International, has created a very pleasing look and feel to these books. Full color illustrations at a reasonable cost made possible by having the printing done in Asia it would appear. (DS)

Yorktown Class Aircraft Carriers

2009-09-02T17:35:00.001-07:00

by Roger Chesneau & AD Baker III
Chatham Publishing 2005
ISBN 1861762208
The ‘ShipCraft’ series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeler through a brief history of the subject class, using scale plans to highlight differences between sisterships and changes in their appearance over their careers, then moves to an extensive photographic survey of either a high-quality model or a surviving example of the ship. Hints on building the model, and on modifying and improving the basic kit, are followed by a section on paint schemes and camouflage, featuring numerous color profiles and highly-detailed line drawings. The strengths and weaknesses of available kits of the ships are reviewed, and the book concludes with a section on research references - books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites.
The subject of this volume is the Yorktown class, the near-legendary American aircraft carriers that kept the Japanese at bay in the dark days between Pearl Harbor and the decisive battle of Midway, where Yorktown herself was lost. Hornet launched the famous Doolittle Raid on Japan before being sunk at Santa Cruz in October 1942, but Enterprise survived the fierce fighting of the early war years to become the US Navy’s most decorated ship.

With its unparalleled level of visual information – paint schemes, models, line drawings and photographs – it is simply the best reference for any model maker setting out to build one of these famous carriers.ROGER CHESNEAU is a lifelong ship modeler and author of numerous naval books, including Ship Models in Plastic.
While geared toward modelers, this book contains enough in the way of information, drawings and photographs, to make it of interest to anyone interested in aircraft carriers.
Some very interesting facts were learned in this book:
1. The CXAM radar fitted to Yorktown was previously fitted on USS California and as part of the shore defenses on Oahu after Pearl Harbor.
2. Hornet had a line painted down her flight deck to aid the takeoff of B-25 bombers in famous Doolittle raid on Tokyo. This line was still there later that year during her sinking at the Battle of Santa Cruz.
3. The superb drawings by Mr Baker made this reviewer notice something for the first time - the lack of liferafts prewar. In these days of SOLAS and "quality of life" in almost seem incomprehensible that liferafts did not appear to be fitted at all.
4. Hornet was built with an almost completely redesigned island and bridge structure as compared to her two older sisterships. This is reminiscent of the current Nimitz-class carriers evolving over the years.
This book is hopefully the first of future collaborations between Messrs Chesneau and Baker. (DS)

Riding on Luck: Saga of the USS Lang (DD-399)

2009-09-02T17:34:00.001-07:00

Author : Rex A. Knight
ISBN : 1555715516
Hellgate Press of Oregon has identified a niche market for works of military history that would often be passed up by major publishers. Such is the case with Riding on Luck.
They called her the "Lucky Lang." Commissioned 30 March 1939, she ranged from Nova Scotia to the Caribbean, from Scotland to the Mediterranean, before traversing the Panama Canal to engage the enemy in the Pacific at Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Kwajalein, Saipan, Leyte, and Okinawa. She wreaked havoc along the "Tokyo Express" route and helped decimate Japanese air power. Though heavily involved in nearly every major campaign of the war in the Pacific, the destroyer USS Lang survived it all with hardly a scratch. She lost but three men and not a single surviving member of her roster rolls received the slightest enemy inflicted wound. No other U.S. Naval warship could boast such a record, over such an extended time, involving an equal number of actions. Even the sum of her hull numbers-399-adds up to 21, a lucky number to be sure. Riding On Luck is the story of how the "luckiest ship in the Navy" served crew and country through some of the fiercest and best-known battles of WWII.
For more than a decade, Rex Knight has been researching and writing WWII history, specializing in the Pacific Theater. He has visited and photographed many battle sites, including sunken WWII vessels, and been named the Lang's official biographer and honorary crewmember. Completion of this history is the high point of what he calls "a wonderful and unforgettable association" with the family of Lang veterans and their spouses. Rex is a regular contributor to World War II Magazine.
Knight, while not a professional historian, clearly enjoys writing on his topics. His writing style is clear and of fluid nature. However the manuscript suffers from a lack of proof-reading; which often annoys the reader. Two examples early in the text that are not repeated are the terms "warshipping" and "duel purpose" instead of the correct dual purpose.
The book also suffers a little from weak research by misidentifying HMS Charybdis as a destroyer instead of a cruiser, stating that USS Nevada was sunk at Pearl Harbor when she was not and claiming USS Farragut (DD 348) was fitted with a MK-37 director. In addition, Knight has missed the most important feature visible in the cover photo of USS Lang by missing the wheel chair ramp visible on the starboard side for the use of Franklin D Roosevelt during one of the two instances when he traveled on this ship.
I commend Mr Knight for his work in this effort and Hellgate for publishing it. With sharper research and editing, a next effort from this duo should be a fine read. (DS)

RESURRECTION Salvaging the Battle Fleet at Pearl Harbor

2009-09-02T17:33:00.004-07:00

By Daniel Madsen
ISBN 1557504881
Naval Institute Press
Daniel Madsen is also the author of the reviled Forgotten Fleet: The Mothball Navy. However, he appears now to be on the right track toward writing on topic.
The attack on Pearl Harbor is a topic of perennial interest to the American public, and a long line of popular books and movies have focused on the attack or events leading up to it. This work takes an entirely new perspective. Aimed at the general reader with an interest in World War II and the U.S. Navy, the book looks at the massive salvage effort that followed the attack, beginning with the damage control efforts aboard the sinking and damaged ships in the harbor on 7 December 1941 and ending in March 1944 when salvage efforts on the USS Utah were finally abandoned.
The author tells the story in a narrative style, moving from activity to activity as the days and months wore on, in what proved to be an incredibly difficult and complex endeavor. But rather than writing a dry operational report, Dan Madsen describes the Navy’s dramatic race to clear the harbor and repair as many ships as possible so they could return to the fleet ready for war. Numerous photographs, many never before published in books for the general public, give readers a real appreciation for the momentous task involved, from the raising of the USS Oglala in 1942 and the USS Oklahoma in 1943 to the eventual dismantling of the above-water portions of the USS Arizona. Madsen explains how a salvage organization was first set up, how priorities were scheduled, what specific plans were made and how they worked or, in many cases, did not work. His book is based almost entirely on primary sources, including the records of the fleet salvage unit and the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.Madsen makes no claim to be a professional historian nor of any expertise on nautical matters. Three small errors in nautical terminology were evident:
use of the term clinometer instead of inclinometer;
spoke a ship moving "aft" instead of "astern";
displayed a lack of comprehension if the term deadweight by misspelling it as dead weight. The term deadweight is never used in conjunction with warships -- being a measurement applicable only merchant ships.
One small quibble with this work was the lack of after the fact pictures. It would've been nice to, for example, see pictures of the two 14-inch turrets from USS Arizona after they were installed as coastal defense guns on Oahu. In addition, photos of battleships California and West Virginia, which were both sunk December 7, 1941, after their reconstruction at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard would have been a nice touch.
Madsen's previous work, Forgotten Fleet: The Mothball Navy, was widely looked forward to as an examination of the US Navy warship preservation program. Instead, it was largely an amateurish rehash of previously published events from the Second World War. With his latest book, Madsen is staying much closer to his objective.
Resurrection is a recommended read if one ignores the flaws. It can be hoped that any future work of Mr Madsen will display better research and command of the subject. (DS)

PATRIOTS AND HEROES

2009-09-02T17:33:00.003-07:00

True Stories of the U.S. Merchant Marine in World War II
by Gerald Reminick
Soft cover, 320 pp.
ISBN 1889901148
Price: $21.95
This book is the second in a series of collections of recollections of US merchant mariners from the Second World War.
Tales from all over the world are included giving the reader a good feel as to what it was like to be on the ships both at sea and ashore.
The Glencannon Press is to be commended for publishing these valuable works to the historical record.
Profusely illustrated with photographs and certificates, this work will make a fine addition to any bookshelf.

Overdue and Presumed Lost

2009-09-02T17:33:00.001-07:00

The Story of the USS Bullhead by Martin Sheridan
Soft cover 1591147867 Naval Institute Press 1947 Reprinted 2004 Illustrated
The author, Martin Sheridan, spent much of World War Two in the Pacific Theater of Operations as a war correspondent for the Boston Globe. He was also the only war correspondent to have been granted permission to travel onboard a submarine during a war patrol.
Writing the text to this book after the end of the war, the reader can truly marvel in what a different world we live in today. Sheridan talks about the 1944 visit of President Franklin D Roosevelt to Hawaii. The press corps was asked to turn around to not embarrass the polio-stricken President as he was taken to a speaking platform. This was gladly done in respect to the man and his office.
Prior to going on patrol, Sheridan met with Vice Admiral Charles A Lockwood who was Commander of Pacific Fleet submarines. The admiral is quoted as mentioning casually that Sheridan was okay to go on the patrol but would not have access to any top secret or ULTRA information. It seems stunning, from a historical perspective, that the mere mention of the term ULTRA was even mentioned in 1947.
USS Bullhead was the last American naval vessel lost in World War II. This history of the submarine—from launch to disappearance—is told by the only war correspondent allowed on a wartime submarine patrol. Narrow escapes from floating mines, fast dives to avoid enemy aircraft, and a daring sortie to rescue three badly hurt survivors of a downed B-25 are just a few of the adventures Martin Sheridan recounts. Trained as a feature writer, he shares his own experiences as well as the humorous and poignant incidents of everyday life aboard the submarine to capture that intangible spirit of camaraderie and sense of impending danger.First published in 1947, the narrative is based on a journal the author kept during the Bullhead’s first war patrol in March and April 1945 and supplemental information from official Navy reports. The book, supported by a unique collection of period photographs, describes the perilous undersea war in the Pacific as only a firsthand account can.Sheridan's writing style is impeccable as can be expected and flows well. This book makes for a fine afternoon read.

TERRORISM, AFGHANISTAN, AND AMERICA'S NEW WAY OF WAR

2009-09-02T17:32:00.003-07:00

By Norman Friedman
ISBN 1591142903 Hard cover 304 pages 24 photos
Dr. Norman Friedman is an internationally known strategist and naval historian living in New York City. A monthly columnist for Proceedings magazine, he is the author of twenty-eight books, including the recent award-winning Seapower as Strategy and The Fifty-Year War. His technical history works produced along with AD Baker III are some of the finest ever written.
After reading the monthly columns in Proceedings Magazine since the September 11 terror attacks, I was looking forward to reading this book.
Friedman imparts quite a bit of information on the workings of the tribal mentality still prevalent in the Muslim world. Tribalism in turn usually reflect which version of the Muslim faith is practiced in different areas.
However, this book is a disappointment. Friedman loses credibility with readers when he makes the statement that the US Government does not interfere with working of other governments. This statement is utterly preposterous; Chile, Iran Contra and other events instantly come to mind.
In addition, virtually no coverage is given to the employment of reserve and National Guard forces in Afghanistan and at home for security duties. The tragic bombing of Canadian soldiers conducting a live fire night training exercise by part time US forces in F-16 aircraft is not touched upon.
Greater coverage of the new philosophy for homeland defense should have been undertaken. This has had a dramatic effect on the sea services with both US Navy & Coast Guard forces.
As a big fan of Dr Friedman, I was disappointed in this book. Hopefully a more thorough work will come along soon on this dramatic era in world history. (DS)

Mighty Midgets at War: The Saga of the LCS(L) Ships from Iwo Jima to Vietnam

2009-09-02T17:32:00.001-07:00

By Robin L. Rielly
ISBN : 1555715222
PSI Research, Inc. , P.O. Box 3727 Central Point, Oregon 97502
300 Pages, Retail Price: $18.95
After writing the history of his father's ship, the LSC(L)61, Robin L. Rielly continued his work on other ships. His activities led him to be appointed Archivist for the National Association of USS LCS(L)1-130. He assists in the maintenance of the L. Richard Rhame Collection at the Naval Historical Center in Washington DC, which is devoted to the LCS(L) ships and their history.
Mighty Midgets at War accurately chronicles the history of the Mighty Midgets - Landing Craft Support Vessels that were developed for amphibious assaults against the Japanese-held islands toward the end of WWII.
In this the book is splendid, giving thorough accounts of amphibious operations and being under attack by suicide boats and aircraft. A short overview of their participation in the clearing of Japanese minefields after the war and subsequent mothballing of most of the ships is included.
In addition the book includes a detailed history of these ships which served in Indochina for the navies of France and South Vietnam. Due to their shallow draft, high conning tower and firepower, these ships proved highly useful in riverine operations.
I had only three small quibbles with the book:
HMAS Warramunga is misidentified as a cruiser and later correctly identified as a destroyer
The mothball facility at the former Tongue Point Naval Air Station is misidentified in a photo caption as nearby Astoria, Oregon
Footnotes are placed in quotation marks within the text, which is an annoyance during reading
However apart from these small points, this book is highly recommended. It is hoped that Mr Rielly uses his burgeoning talents on another work soon.

Maritime Security A Practical Guide

2009-09-02T17:31:00.001-07:00

By Steven Jones
Nautical Institute ISBN 9781870077750

With world attention focused on piracy, the Nautical Institute has published a timely work on secure operations for maritime commerce.
Some good points to this book:
· Laid out in textbook format
· Based on needs of the mariner
· Who what why of concerns
· How to setup an onboard security system
· References to resources ashore
· Setting up the position of security officer position onboard ship
· Problems with uniformity and costs to owners
· Many mariners already mired in paperwork
This book should be included in the syllabus of nautical colleges throughout the world.

Lest We Forget The Naming of Military Installations

2009-09-02T17:30:00.002-07:00

By Linda Deloma Swink. Little Miami Publishing Co 2007. No Price Listed. ISBN 1932250514. Unknown Binding. 245 pages.
This book is intended to provide a quick research resource for US military facilities. Included are the US Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.
It is nice to know what the various facilities were used for as well as the biographical information of the person a facility may have been named for.
Not all foreign bases appear to be included. The US Air Force section lacks any overseas operations. The US Army section lacks Fort Meade in Maryland and Fort Rodman in Panama.
The US Navy section was well received. The reference to Admiral Reeves and football helmets was very informative.
The index contains a list of facilities in the book but lacks page numbers. This oversight could easily be remedied with modern word processing software.
A few illustrations would have been a welcome addition.
Despite the lack of polish, the book is recommended.

A Terrorist’s Call to Jihad, The Terrorist Perspectives Project and The Canons of Jihad

2009-09-02T17:30:00.001-07:00

Sponsored by US Joint Forces Command and written by a team of analysts they employed, this three volume set was published by the Naval Institute Press.
The series attempts to examine what goes on in the mind of terrorists, their reasoning for their action and the Islamic connection. The promulgation of anti-US and Israel propaganda and reasons for 9-11 make for easy justification for actions of Muslim extremists. Much of this ideology is contained in the book “The Call to Global Islamic Resistance” by Setmariam Nasat is called the “Mein Kampf of the Jihad Movement.” The volumes would have been better with proofreading. Spell checking without proofing, an all too common mistake these days left a number of sentences with mistakes.
While a good try, the truly readable account of the Islamic terror movement still awaits publication.

Jig How

2009-09-02T17:29:00.003-07:00

Roy W. Brown
ISBN: 1592861873, 150 pages, 5.5 x 8.5
Retail Price: $19.95
Roy Brown has done a credible job of bringing to life experiences of an impressionable teenager suddenly thrust into combat during the Second World War. His experiences are reflective of the thousands of sailors employed in providing a limited self defense capability to slow moving merchant ships.
Jig How attempts to bring overdue recognition to a U.S. Navy unit that served with great distinction during World War II, but somehow has failed to receive media and public acknowledgement. U.S. Navy Armed Guard sailors took part in every major invasion in WWII; they were aboard 6,236 merchant ships; 710 of the ships were sunk and hundreds damaged; they were the defense and the communications on these ships. Although they were awarded thousands of medals and commendations, the vital role they played in the war has not been fully made public. World War II could not have been won without the merchant ships. These slow-moving (many barely seaworthy) vessels delivered almost all the equipment, ammunition, supplies, food, water, medicines, guns, troops, and everything needed to fight that war. They fought enemy submarines, aircraft, shore batteries, and endured the most horrendous weather conditions at sea.
The book is printed by Publish America, a Baltimore firm that prints books on demand for aspiring authors. Therefore this book suffers from a lack of proof-reading which afflicts almost all books published from this type of source. The manuscript spells the author's name as BROWNE, but on the book cover it is spelled BROWN. Why this is is never explained.
Apart from this, Mr Brown (however it is spelled) is to be commended for writing this work.

Iowa Class Battleships and Alaska Class Large Cruisers Conversion Projects 1942-1964

2009-09-02T17:29:00.001-07:00

by Wayne Scarpaci Nimble Books 978193480382 Softcover 31 pages.
This book presents an overview of proposed conversions of the Iowa class battleships and Alaska class large cruisers from 1942 to 1964. This book covers 16 conversions, with line drawings and full color original art illustrations for 11 of 16 proposed projects. Coverage extends from MACK-equipped double-ended Talos Guided Missile Battleship designs to Jupiter-IRBM-carrying "Missile Monitor" designs. This is a truly unique volume that provides not only new proposed conversion information, but a look at the ongoing US Navy modernization and experimentation projects of the early postwar/cold war era. This book is a must for those who have an interest in battleships in general and the Iowa class in particular.
Nevada artist Wayne Scarpaci has a passion for the history of battleships and has undertaken a series of drawings and paintings. This book takes a look at planned conversions for Iowa and Alaska class ships. The conversions would’ve been for aircraft carriers, assault ships and missile platforms. This book is not a definitive study in the manner of the works of Dr Norman Friedman. The shortness of the book, which is akin to a magazine in stature, is surprising. A better use probably would have been to have a pictorial book of Mr Scarpaci’s artwork. The price of about $23 for what is essentially a 26 page book will limit this to the most ardent of battleship aficionados.

Inside the Iron Works How Grumman's Glory Days Faded

2009-09-02T17:28:00.001-07:00

by George M Skurla & William H Gregory
Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 2004. ISBN 155750329X

While not intended to be a scholarly account on this history of Grumman, the work mostly recounts the involvement of the late Mr Skurla in the company. From his early days as a neophyte engineer in the days of massive F6F Hellcats during World War II until his retirement in 1986, decisions and plans of Grumman are included from an insider viewpoint.
Skurla recounts his days on producing truck bodies, aircraft and work at the Kennedy Space Center in support of the Grumman-built Lunar Module of the Apollo program. Eventually brought back to the main corporate facilities on Long Island to work on the F-14 program and becoming President during the time of the Reagan military buildup.
Skurla is sharply critical of some of the company decisions, which tended to not want to deviate from their traditional close relationship with the US Navy. A decision to sell the Gulfstream division robbed the firm of a lucrative source of revenue. A foray into the field of building hydrofoils, which something most major aircraft firms felt they could do in the 1960s ended in near disaster with only one ending up being delivered to the US Navy with two meant for Israel being cancelled to avoid a potential huge loss to the company.
Being a major naval contractor, Skurla adopted a few naval terminologies such as "the boat" for aircraft carrier and "purple suiter" in reference to an officer on joint service duty.
This book provides an excellent background on the shape of where naval aviation is today and how it got there. In addition it also provides a look at the corporate side of the aerospace industry.
Unfortunately Mr Skurla died before the book was published. Kudos to Mr Gregory for spending three years working with Skurla to amass this memoir.

Inside the Danger Zone

2009-09-02T17:27:00.002-07:00

By Harold Lee Wise. Naval Institute Press 2006. $32.95. ISBN 9781591149705. Hardcover. 288 pages.
In May 1987, an Iraqi plane fired two missiles into USS Stark, a lone U.S. Navy frigate on patrol in the Gulf. The missiles severely damaged the ship and killed thirty-seven sailors. This deadly attack, which Iraq claimed was accidental, brought heightened attention to the Persian Gulf and heralded the beginning of a new era in U.S. Middle Eastern policy. From then until the end of the Iran-Iraq War, American forces carried out an unprecedented series of military operations in the Gulf. A planned tanker protection mission evolved into a naval quasi-war with Iran and culminated in the largest sea-air battle since World War II.
Inside the Danger Zone is a history of U.S. military involvement in the Persian Gulf in 1987 and 1988—a time of burning ships, air strikes, and secret missions—the prelude to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Desert Storm, and the most recent U.S. invasion of Iraq. Based largely on first-hand accounts from veterans of that era, it is an up-close, detailed report from the front lines of “a guerrilla war at sea.” Many of the dramatic incidents of this period are told in depth, with new information and details never before seen in print. This book focuses in some depth US naval operations in the Persian Gulf region in 1987 & 1988.
Covered are events such the Iraqi attack on USS Stark, Iranian mining, nuisance and arming of offshore oilrigs.
The book suffers somewhat from either a lack of sharp editing or faulty research. Some examples are:
CAG 5 is from Japan not the Philippines
FFG 14 was USS Sides not John H Sides
AWACS aircraft are E-3 and not E-2
Towing hawsers can be attached to anchor chains
One item I was very disappointed in was the lack of coverage of operations of battleship Missouri such as the attempt to simulate a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz at night to flush out Iranian Silkworm missiles without success.
The book did bring to light a heretofore-unknown fact by this reviewer; pumps on Charles F Adams-class DDGs were incompatible with Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFGs. This almost proved disastrous in the mining of USS Samuel B Roberts and missile attack on USS Stark.
While a valiant attempt, the book cannot be recommended due to the number of errors.

Hunter Killer US Escort Carriers in the Battle of the Atlantic

2009-09-02T17:27:00.001-07:00

by William T Y'Blood
This book, first published in 1983, has been brought back under the Naval Institute Press Bluejacket Series.The pursuit of German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic has long been considered one of the most exciting stories of World War II. This definitive study takes readers into the cockpits and onto the flight decks of the versatile and hardy U.S. escort carriers (CVEs) to tell of their vital, yet little-known contribution to the anti-U-boat campaign. Sailing apart from the Allied convoys, the CVE captains had complete freedom of action and frequently took their ships on "hunt and kill" missions against the enemy. The German submarines were allowed no respite and no place to relax without the fear of discovery.
World War II historian William Y'Blood explains that in the eighteen months between the Spring of 1943, when the escort carriers began to prowl the Atlantic, to November 1944, the average number of U-boats in daily operation was reduced from 108 to a mere 31. Though land-based aircraft, various support groups, and the convoy system itself helped win the Battle of the Atlantic, the escort carrier groups' influence was profound. In addition to documenting the escort carriers' exciting operational history, the author also traces the CVEs development and construction and examines its tactical and strategic uses. 332 pages. 45 photographs. 26 line drawings. Paperback. 6 x 9 inches.

During the 1980s, Mr Y'Blood wrote three definitive works on naval history, this being one of them.
The author's writing style has a very polished feel, making his work eminently readable. The narrative in this book is excellent, with the reader feeling they have received both an education and a enjoyable read.
The only disappointment on Mr Y'Blood is that the Naval Institute Press has not been able to have him write more works of naval history.
This book is available through your local book store on a number of online services. An attempt to locate it on the difficult to navigate Naval Institute Press website was unsuccessful. It is hoped that the Naval Institute will come up with a more user friendly website. The existing site is probably driving away book buyers.

The Battleship USS New Jersey: From Birth to Berth

2009-09-02T17:26:00.001-07:00

$24.95 ISBN 1891395769

Carol Comegno is a senior reporter for the Camden Courier-Post newspaper and covered the quest to bring the battleship to Camden, New Jersey. Comegno was aboard for a portion of the Panama Canal transit and covered the arrival of the ship in Camden.
Battleship enthusiasts will love this book for it's plethora of excellent photographs. Sharp readers will notice that a MK-37 director is misidentified as "the forward 16-inch main battery fire control director." What I particularly liked were numerous views of the interior of the ship while in active service; something sadly lacking in most historical works.
At a price of only $24.95, this oversized book is a must for any reference library. Apart from small research errors, Comegno has done a superb job. This book is highly recommended. (DS)

The Fighting Flying Boat A History of the Martin PBM Mariner

2009-09-02T17:25:00.002-07:00

by Richard A HoffmanAs a child, my brother and I got a chance to sit in the cockpit of a Marlin patrol aircraft at NAS Whidbey Island. Now 40 years later, I still have a fascination in this type of aircraft.
Detailing a proud chapter in naval aviation history, former PBM pilot Richard Hoffman has written the first comprehensive history of Mariner operations. This versatile seaplane was first deployed in 1941 during the Battle of the Atlantic, when it helped sink ten German U-boats. The following year it became a mainstay of the Naval Air Transport Service as the first aircraft to provide a vital link between Hawaii and the South Pacific. In combat, Mariners participated in every major offensive campaign from the Marianas to Iwo Jima and Okinawa, sinking enemy submarines, ships, and aircraft. They also served as the main rescue aircraft, saving hundreds of airmen and seamen in spectacular open-sea rescue operations. At war’s end, they were the first aircraft into Tokyo Bay. Yet the Mariner has long been overshadowed by its famous counterpart, the PBY Catalina.This book corrects the oversight by recognizing the Mariner not only for its contributions to World War II but also the postwar years, when it was involved with the exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic and the Korean War. Hoffman offers dramatic details of PBM fights with Chinese MIGs and patrol and reconnaissance missions. The author also highlights the seaplane’s hazardous rescue missions with the Coast Guard and its service with foreign armed forces. Striking photos of Mariners in action accompany the narrative, and a list of all PBM casualties is appended.The book contains a few errors that are quite shocking considering the publisher is the Naval Institute Press:
US Army transports were USAT and not USS
Reference is made to an Australian submarine on page 50. Australia had no submarines in World War II; the author must've meant an Australian-based submarine.
USS Grapple is referred to as a seaplane tender when in fact she was a salvage tug
He refers to a seaplane tender as having a limiting displacement, a term I have never come across in 29 years in the nautical field
Describing the career history of the seaplane tenders, the author fails to mention the very active duty performed by USNS Curtiss in Vietnam in support of USMC helicopter forces
Apart from these minor errors, the book is very readable and is recommended. (DS)

COURT OF INQUIRY

2009-09-02T17:25:00.001-07:00

"Neglecting the Possible" – U.S. Navy Mistakes
By Benjamin S. Persons
154 pp., illus., ISBN 0897452569
Sunflower University Press
President Roosevelt during his term of office had upon his desk the sign: "The buck stops here." In the case of a Navy ship captain the buck cannot go any higher.
Benjamin Persons explores the weight of command in the U.S. Navy and the fallout from disasters within the Navy. Though the use of records from Naval Court of Inquiries he brings the various and numerous details that contributed to the disasters to the forefront
The book emphasized the possible broken links in the chain of command, which resulted the total loss of ships and numerous casualties. Studied in the book were four incidents, namely, sinking of the destroyers Rhodes and Hobson, and heavy cruisers Indianapolis and Vincennes. Both destroyers were lost post World War II and the cruisers were both lost during World War II.
Persons studied the lost of the vessels from the perspective of "people failures" and not purely technical failures. As a result, this book becomes very interesting reading not only for naval types, but any organization dealing and struggling with command or management type issues. A very good study in the human sciences.
The author’s biography indicated a strong engineering background combined with U.S. Army history, which would lead an unsuspecting reader to plan for an engineering type journal. This book was nothing of the sort. It was very reader friendly, and this naval enthusiast couldn’t put the book down.If this book was to be criticized, it would that it is too short. The details leave the reader yearning for more.
Finally, I fully recommend this book for any one interested in the history of the United States Navy and the events that have shaped it into the fine fighting force today. Well done, Benjamin Persons. (RB)

Eric Larrabee: Commander in Chief: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, His Lieutenants and Their War

2009-09-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

Annapolis MD Naval Institute Press (Paper), 2004. 723 pp. Index. Original hardcover edition, Harper & Row, 1987.
Eric Larrabee has written a fascinating portrait of President Franklin Roosevelt’s role in overall management of military strategy during World War II and his relationships with the military leaders of that time. Roosevelt today looms larger than life over the major events of the first half of the twentieth century in the United States. For many years he was celebrated primarily for the part he played in creating the "New Deal" that helped bring the United States out of the Great Depression in the 1930s and in creating the social safety net that has been a legacy of those times, even in the early 21st century. Less well known was the importance of Roosevelt as a military manager. As Larrabee says, there is a "misapprehension that he left the conduct of the war largely to the military."FDR was prepared for a political career with military interests. He grew up in the shadow of his cousin Theodore Roosevelt. He shared TR’s interest in the Navy, demonstrated during his eight years of service as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Josephus Daniels, President Woodrow Wilson’s Secretary of the Navy. Assistant Secretary Roosevelt learned a great deal about naval matters as he helped prepare the Navy for its rapid expansion as preparation for operations during World War I. He became personally acquainted with many of the nation’s future military leaders during this tutorial period.This book’s title and organization finds parallels in Douglas Southall Freeman’s classic Lee’s Lieutenants: A Study in Command (1942-1944) and T. Harry Williams’s Lincoln and his Generals (1952). Larrabee has woven together Roosevelt’s dealings with flag officers in high command positions during World War II. Dealt with in sequence are George C. Marshall, Ernest J. King, General Henry H. Arnold, General Archer Vandegrift, General Douglas A. MacArthur, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Joseph W. Stilwell, and Curtis E. Lemay. The most sympathetic sketches are those of Marshall, King, Arnold, Eisenhower, Nimitz, and Stilwell. Toward General MacArthur and staff, Larrabee is scathing in several of his comments, for example, " . . .as a human being he was a shell of tarnished magnificence, a false giant attended by real pygmies." With respect to General Lemay, Larrabee provides no information on any relationship the general had with Roosevelt. It is likely there was none. Lemay was probably included merely as a device of telling how the air war progressed against Axis. Larrabee makes no secret of his disdain for Roosevelt’s shabby treatment of General Stilwell and FDR’s mishandling of China’s Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. What is truly curious is the lack of a sketch of Admiral William D. Leahy, the former Chief of Naval Operations whom Roosevelt chose as his confidant and Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Among the virtues of this study is Larrabee’s analysis of the overall conduct of the global war, the author’s insights into the Roosevelt personality, and his clever and sometimes devious handling men of conflicting views on the war, including Winston Churchill. The weaknesses of this study are its great length and repetition of details when the author deals with multiple personalities and their overlapping careers. The Naval Institute Press has deserves kudos for republishing Eric Larrabee’s important and well written study of Roosevelt and his commanders in this new paperback edition.[The author] here assembles what, essentially, is a collection of short biographies of four army generals (George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Joseph Stilwell); two air force generals ("Hap" Arnold, Curtis LeMay); one marine general (A. A. Vandegrift); and two admirals (Ernest King, Chester Nimitz) all of whom oversaw the execution of Roosevelt's strategic directives during World War II. The emphasis throughout is on the relationships, direct and indirect, these officers had with the president, illustrating the premise that "more than any man FDR ran the war, and ran it well enough to deserve the gratitude of his countrymen then and since, and of those from whom he lifted the yoke of the Axis tyrannies." The book is well researched and superbly written and studded with the author's blunt opinions. Criticizing Roosevelt's China policy ("bad in conception, bad in execution"), Larrabee calls the president's treatment of Stilwell the darkest blot on his record as commander in chief. The chapter on MacArthur and his staff is especially scathing: "A false giant among real pygmies." Illustrations.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Larrabee does for World War II what T. Harry Williams did for the Civil War in his classic Lincoln and His Generals (1952). President Roosevelt was the most active Commander-in-Chief in U.S. history. He planned grand strategy, assumed leadership of the wartime alliance, and provided much of the day-by-day direction of vast armed forces. Larrabee shows how FDR brought the same formidable array of leadership skills to the nation's wartime problems as he did to its social ills detailed scrutiny, deviousness, and remorseless "informal" conferences and letters. Along the way, the author provides beautifully detailed studies of FDR's relationships with Marshall, King, Arnold, Vandegrift, MacArthur, Nimitz, Eisenhower, Stilwell, and LeMay. A delight to read, the book is as fluidly written as it is sophisticated. Recommended for most libraries. Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History
Reviewed by William S. Dudley, Ph.D.
Former Director of Naval History

Combat Loaded Across the Pacific on the USS Tate

2009-09-02T17:21:00.002-07:00

by Thomas E Crew. Texas A & M University Press 2007. $29.95. ISBN 9781585445561. Hardcover. 232 pages.

The book is the first authoritative history of any of the more than 350 attack transports or attack cargo ships of World War II. Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate contains gripping combat narratives alongside the sometimes heartwarming, sometimes tragic details of daily life on board the ships of Transport Squadron 17 during the waning days of World War II.
Author Thomas E. Crew interviewed over fifty veterans of the Tate, including all her surviving officers. Crew weaves a rich tapestry of voices, combining it with extensive analysis of the Tate's daily action reports and ship's logs, accented by lively letters of the period from private collections—including previously unpublished accounts of the last days of famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle.Crew also presents a rare unit-level perspective of joint operations involving the infantry fighting ashore and the navy transports that sustained them with their vital combat cargo. The resulting richly illustrated work presents perhaps the most comprehensive account to date of the experiences and courageous contributions of those who served on amphibious transports during World War II.
Author Thomas E Crew, a veteran of more than 20 years service at the Naval Oceanographic Office has done a superb job in this, his first book.
Profusely illustrated with photographs, maps and data tables, the reader has a fairly clear understanding of what is going on during the narrative. Numerous interviews were conducted with former crewmembers (which included Mr Crew’s father) and their spouses. The writing style flows well and is done in a warm and inviting style. Never does the author "talk down" to readers, which is always refreshing in works of history.It was USS Tate that delivered famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle to the battle where he was killed, the assault on Ie Shima.
Crew also brings to light how poorly the enlisted ranks on US warships were treated. Only the officers were permitted fresh water showers -- the crew had to make do with salt water!
Not mentioned in this book was the lack of toilets for sailors. Many ships were fitted with glorified latrines. Essex-class carriers did have toilets, but there was no privacy with several dozen in the same compartment. Many ships the Royal Navy received under Lend-Lease had toilets fitted in UK yards.
A couple of minor errors were noted such as USS Laffey at Okinawa was DD 724 and not the DD 459 sunk in 1942 off Guadalcanal and LSM being identified as Landing Ship Mechanized instead of the correct Landing Ship Medium.
However these minor errors are easily to forgive with the overall superb quality of this work. I cannot recommend it more highly. This reviewer looks forward to Mr Crew’s next book. (DS)

Cold War Submarines

2009-09-02T17:21:00.001-07:00

The Design and Construction of U.S. and Soviet Submarines, 1945-2001By K. J. Moore & Norman Polmar
336 pages; 8 X 11 inches $60.00
ISBN 1574885944
Submarines had a vital, if often unheralded, role in the superpower navies during the Cold War. Their crews carried out intelligence-collection operations, sought out and stood ready to destroy opposing submarines, and, from the early 1960s, threatened missile attacks on their adversary’s homeland, providing in many respects the most survivable nuclear deterrent of the Cold War. For both East and West, the modern submarine originated in German U-boat designs obtained at the end of World War II. Although enjoying a similar technology base, by the 1990s the superpowers had created submarine fleets of radically different designs and capabilities. Written in collaboration with the former Soviet submarine design bureaus, Norman Polmar and K. J. Moore authoritatively demonstrate in this landmark study how differing submarine missions, antisubmarine priorities, levels of technical competence, and approaches to submarine design organizations and management caused the divergence.This book is one of the finest works ever written on submarines of the latter half of the 20th century. Mr Polmar is well known in naval circles and needs no further introduction here. Mr Moore obviously knows submarines very well as a founder of the research firm Cortana.
In addition, the work is blessed with the excellent drawings of AD Baker III, which highlight both submarines built and designs that never got beyond the concept stage.
One of the greatest strengths of this book is the records afforded the authors from the former Soviet design bureaus. One of the most startling facts I learned was the fact the Soviet Navy had virtually abandoned any ideas of a potential new Battle of the Atlantic by the late 1950s. One only need to thinks of the enormous amount of time and resources NATO devoted in the 1960s through the end of the Cold War on this very scenario to find this so startling.
Some mention is made of the Walker Spy Case, however not too many details are included in what must still be a highly classified analysis of the results against US efforts.
The role of Hyman Rickover is examined, a field Mr Polmar is well suited to as he wrote a biography on the late Admiral a number of years ago. The Rickover interference and bureaucratic initiatives resulted in the US Navy not having the most capable submarines available for duty, which they could have had.
A few minor errors were noted in the book:
On page 123, it states that no surface ships were equipped to carry Polaris missiles. In fact, the Italian light cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi was fitted with the launch tubes during a modernization in the early 1960s. It is not believed that she ever carried a missile to sea however.
On page 233, USS Ohio is misidentified as SSBN 724 instead of SSBN 726.
Also on page 302 mention is made of the threat posed by Soviet/Russian wake-homing torpedoes. No mention is made of the extensive trials undertaken by USS Nimitz at the CFMETR Range at Nanoose BC prior to leaving for Norfolk to undergo her three year RCOH yard period.
Apart from these minor points, this work is highly recommended as one of the finest works to date on what was once a highly classified subject.

Carrier Battles: Command Decision in Harm’s Way

2009-09-02T17:20:00.001-07:00

by Douglas V. Smith. Naval Institute Press 2006. $32.95. ISBN 1591147948. Hardcover. 352 pages.When I write for publication, I ask friends to criticize my draft manuscript: "Be nasty! I can take it. I can fix it now but I’m stuck once it goes to press." Professor Douglas V. Smith needs friends like mine. His book Carrier Battles proposes to show how U.S. Navy commanders during 1942–44 capitalized on their pre-war professional education to fight the five battles of the Pacific war in which aircraft carriers opposed each other. It further proposes to serve as a single-volume history of those battles. Despite two friendly forewords and his acknowledgments to many historians, he falls short in his chosen purposes.The battles were:
Mission-capable (MC) aircraft carriers (status of ships only)
Japan
US
Engaged
MC at end
Engaged
MC at end
Coral Sea, May 1942
3
1
2
1
Midway, June 1942
4
0
3
2
Eastern Solomons, August 1942
3
1
2
1
Santa Cruz, October 1942
4
2
2
1
Philippine Sea, June 1944
9
6
15
15
The book appears largely to collate lecture notes and viewgraph slides, possibly ancient, from the U.S. Naval War College. Some of his observations are interesting. In particular he notes that Japan attempted land-style operations at sea, such as double envelopment. A worthy analysis, albeit outside Professor Smith’s own objective for the present book, might ask whether Japanese belief that the IJN could accomplish such a tricky operation with effect at sea engendered its overconfidence, as it apparently did to the Germans at Stalingrad and to the US during Operation Desert Storm. Another good point is that by putting to sea for Midway, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku isolated himself from communication with his carrier group lest radio transmissions betray his location.The book features 45 graphics. Some track charts are lobotomized copies of much clearer versions such as found in E. B. Potter (no relation) and C. W. Nimitz, The Great Sea War (1960), raising a question of Professor Smith’s research. In two cases the same chart is repeated a few pages apart. The charts often lack information such as times of positions. With careful reading one can figure out which unit is which. One chart has 26 lettered points in the caption but five are missing from the chart itself. The same caption shows two indistinguishable black dotted lines for different units that in any case show as white dotted lines on the chart. Or maybe those lines track only one unit. Without labels, who knows?Errors indicate lack of expertise and reliance on faulty and archaic sources. The family names of Japanese personnel are cited last, an anachronism. "The American submarine SS Flying Fish" and "the U.S. submarine SS Seahorse" fare no better. He asserts the presence of a nonexistent fourth aircraft carrier ("Hayataka") at Santa Cruz and imaginary losses of a Japanese light cruiser in the Coral Sea and of Japanese submarines in the Eastern Solomons.
As the book proceeds Professor Smith seems to lose interest in his chosen subject: the operational and tactical phases at Midway get 55 pages; Santa Cruz, 14; the Philippine Sea, 18. He omits the battle off Cape Engaño in October 1944, although the U.S. forces prosecuted it as a carrier battle, not realizing that the Japanese carrier force by then was a decoy.
At Midway and Santa Cruz the U.S. commanders employed over-the-horizon targeting and launched air strikes toward targets whose relative locations were still only reckoned from intelligence, not yet fixed by sightings by the carriers’ aircraft. The USN project manager for the Tomahawk anti-ship cruise missile has written that he cited Midway to refute doubt that a naval commander would launch a strike before his sensors held the targets. The actual use of this tactic goes by without analysis.Professor Smith grades (literally: A, B, C, …) the American commanders on their performance at particular activities. His first focus is on the commander’s estimate of the situation. He offers no explanation of why his vague concept of a commander’s estimate of the situation falls short of the present specification (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/dod/docs/pub1_97/Appenf.html). Since he prints no such estimates, one must wonder what the grades really measure.And not only in that subject. He notes that at Midway Admiral Spruance using Admiral Halsey’s staff missed the rendezvous with returning aircraft; yet awards an A+ for communication. A plausible explanation, not mentioned in this book, is that the Halsey-experienced staff expected Spruance similarly to tell them what to do while the reclusive Spruance imagined the aviation-experienced staff knew what to do without being told.Professor Smith awards high marks too for Santa Cruz, an avoidable gamble that risked the last two operational US fleet carriers in the theater and left one sunk and one badly damaged. Those commanders created an exposure, a new risk to the support of Guadalcanal, for three critical weeks during October–November 1942. That is not an example for modern commanders to follow, and for that matter it was not repeated at Guadalcanal.For today’s military this book is potentially misleading. Professor Smith misuses terms such as "strategic" when he means "operational" and "tactical" when he means "material." His statement, "And by his act of defiance of Congress in sending a fleet on a global circumnavigation without funding authorization for the trip, President [Theodore] Roosevelt empowered the American people in support of that destiny," panders to extremists. He mentions operational (pre-engagement) warfare methods such as deception and logistics arrangements mostly in passing. His analysis leaves the impression that at least in the 1942 battles, like their Japanese counterparts the American commanders too became overconfident, a susceptibility that the commander’s intent analysis is designed to prevent.Office PC software enables researchers to create original charts, to store large amounts of data to generate time lines, and to repeat an outline to elucidate patterns in battles that the author hypothesizes have systematic similarities. The elements of operational warfare are well documented, including by the U.S. Naval War College, Professor Smith’s institution.To be informative and useful to the modern military, an analysis needs to be rigorous, to be comprehensive by accepted theory, to be accurate based on bottom-up research, and to be presented in valid graphics wherever graphics are more effective than text. Carrier Battles fails every requirement, notwithstanding that it has a good premise in considering the Pacific carrier battles as a distinctive series of events.

Carrier Strike The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands October 1942

2009-09-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

By Eric Hammel
Zenith Press ISBN 0760321280
It was a Japanese victory-but it spelled the end for Japan in the war at sea. In Carrier Strike, critically acclaimed military historian Eric Hammel gives a blow-by-blow, edge-of-your-seat account of this crucial naval battle-a turning point in the bitter Guadalcanal Campaign. Drawing on American and Japanese battle reports and the recollections of aviators and seamen who were there, Hammel recreates World War IIs fourth - and last - carrier versus carrier battle, the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942. Written in the heart-stopping style that Hammel's readers have come to expect, Carrier Strike offers the only up-to-date, up-close, in-depth look at the battle that cost Japan any hope of winning the war in the Pacific.

The first chapter of the book has a thorough overview of US and Japanese naval aviation. Much has been written on US Naval Aviation but much less on Japanese. The author, Hammel, is to be commended for his efforts here.
Hammel shows an incredible ability to give his readers a feel for being at the scene.

Carrier Strike and the previous work Carrier Clash were originally one work. Publisher Zenith Press has done a good job splitting these two works into readable and affordable trade paper sized editions.
Both of these books are highly recommended.

Carrier Clash The Invasion of Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons August 1942

2009-09-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

By Eric Hammel
Zenith Press ISBN 0760320527
Beginning with detailed descriptions of the history of the aircraft carrier, the development of carrier-air tactics, the training of carrier pilots, and numerous operational considerations that defined the way carrier battles had to be fought, Carrier Clash takes the reader into the air with brave U. S. Navy fighter pilots as they protect their ships and the Guadalcanal invasion fleet against determined Japanese air attacks on August 7 and 8, 1942. Next, Hammel sets the stage for the August 24 Battle of the Eastern Solomons, by putting the reader right into the cockpits of the U. S. Navy Dauntless dive-bombers as they drive on the Imperial Navy light carrier Ryujo - and hit the ship with 500-pound bombs! Carrier Clash is the definitive combat history of the Battle of the Eastern Solomons third battle (of only five) between American and Japanese aircraft carriers. Had the Navy failed in this battle against the Japanese fleet, the 1st Marine Divisions invasion of Guadalcanal would have been defeated almost before it began.
The first chapter of the book has a thorough overview of US and Japanese naval aviation. Much has been written on US Naval Aviation but much less on Japanese. The author, Hammel, is to be commended for his efforts here.
Hammel shows an incredible ability to give his readers a feel for being at the scene.

Carrier Clash and the following work Carrier Strike were originally one work. Publisher Zenith Press has done a good job splitting these two works into readable and affordable trade paper sized editions.
Both of these books are highly recommended.

Black Sailor, White Navy Racial Unrest in the Fleet during the Vietnam War Era

2009-09-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

By John Darrell Sherwood ISBN 0814740367 360 pages, 14 illustrations $35.00
The choice of trying to a write a history of racial unrest in the US Navy is a good one. The United States of the 1960s, in fact most of the western world, was beset by racial tensions and the growing realization that was going on was not good.
The title of the book somehow gives the impression that Vietnam had something to do with racial unrest in the military. These incidents would likely have happened in any event. The real tie in, that the author brings up numerous times, is the lowering of recruitment standards after President Nixon's abolition of the military draft. Subsequent to this event, both the US Navy and Air Force all had highly educated volunteers who enlisted to avoid ground combat in Vietnam by being drafted into the US Marine Corps or Army. After the abolition, a higher percentage of poorly educated blacks were recruited for what were mostly menial jobs.
Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations from 1970-74, was instrumental in bringing about real change. Zumwalt established programs for racial sensitivity and awareness. In addition he paved the way for eventual integration of all groups by preparing for the assignment of women to seagoing positions.
His successor, James Holloway III brought in new ways of increasing black and minority participation in NROTC, US Naval Academy and other naval entry methods.
The book recounts incidents on USS Hassayampa, Kitty Hawk and Constellation in fairly good detail. Why more ships were not included should have been identified. These minor race riots continued to at least 1977 with an event on destroyer USS Davis in Roosevelt Roads PR.
The author has made a number of errors which should be an embarrassment to an official historian of the US Naval Historical Center:
Three short blasts on a ship indicates it is going astern
A US Air Force Base "northwest" of San Francisco
Use of the term "wall" instead of the correct "bulkhead"
USS Miller misidentified as USS Doris Miller and USS Jesse L Miller as USS Jesse Miller
Command Duty Officer incorrectly named Chief Duty Officer
Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) misnamed as a Ship's Restricted Availability
Such errors always leave a reader with a feeling of unease about the accuracy of other topics within the text. Author Sherwood appears to have guessed at certain things instead of coming up with the right terminology. It seems that the US Naval Historical Center should bring in a policy of vetting works by their historians for accuracy in both fact and terminology.
With sharper effort and a good grounding in naval technology and terminology, hopefully Mr Sherwood's next work will be worthy of recommendation.

Amirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors Bahrain, the US Navy and the Arabian Gulf

2009-09-01T20:10:00.001-07:00

by David F Winkler. Naval Institute Press 2007. $34.95. ISBN 1591149620. Hardcover. 274 pages.

The relationship between Bahrain and the U.S. Navy has evolved through a series of friendships between the ruling Al Khalifa royal family and senior Navy Flag officers who were assigned as Commander Middle East Force and later as Commander Fifth Fleet. David Winkler examines that unique relationship, from the Bahraini and American perspectives, and offers an overview of Bahraini history, the British role in the region, the entry of American humanitarian and economic interests, the establishment of the Navy presence in view of the Cold War, Arab-Israeli conflicts, and the downfall of the Iranian Shah.
The first US Navy visit to Bahrain was the escort carrier USS Rendova in 1948. 60 years later, Manama, Bahrain is home to the US 5th Fleet and base for four Avenger-class minehunters.
As interest grew in the region, three AVP type seaplane tenders were converted for flagship duties in the region. Originally all three were homeported in Norfolk and rotated in and out of the region.
Eventually one of the three, USS Valcour, was retained and homeported in Bahrain with the other two being stricken.
USS La Salle and Coronado, as most readers know, later replaced Valcour, in succession. Strangely Winkler neglects to mention Coronado in the narrative. The mission of the seagoing flagship was pretty much negated when Afghanistan was successfully invaded in 2001 from Tampa. Only two command ships remain in commission ostensibly on show the flag operations – Blue Ridge in Japan and Mount Whitney in Italy.This book is quite interesting as it describes US Naval operations in the heady days of the Lehman-era 600 ship fleet.
Several small skirmishes took place between US & Iranian forces as well as the infamous Iraqi Exocet attack on frigate USS Stark.
One such engagement featured probably the only ever Harpoon missile firing from USS Joseph Strauss.
Another interesting fact was Kuwait providing free fuel to US warships in the region with the understanding that no written records would ever be kept of the transfers.
Dave Winkler has done a good job with this work and is recommended for anyone interested in naval operations in the in the Persian Gulf region.