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    Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II
    Unavailable
    Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II
    Unavailable
    Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II
    Ebook531 pages8 hours

    Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II

    By Bruce Henderson

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    About this ebook

    “World War II produced so many compelling stories that even students of that momentous conflict are apt to discover we’ve missed whole vital episodes. Down to the Sea, about a devastating 1944 Pacific typhoon that sank three destroyers and cost 756 American sailors their lives, is just such an eye-opener.” — New York Post

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Sons and Soldiers, an epic story opening at the hour the Greatest Generation went to war on December 7, 1941, and following four U.S. Navy ships and their crews in the Pacific until their day of reckoning three years later with a far different enemy: a deadly typhoon.

    In December 1944, while supporting General MacArthur’s invasion of the Philippines, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey neglected the Law of Storms—the unofficial bible of all seamen since the days of sail—placing the mighty U.S. Third Fleet in harm’s way. One of the most powerful fighting fleets ever assembled under any flag, the Third Fleet sailed directly into the largest storm the U.S. Navy had ever encountered—a maelstrom of 90-foot seas and 160-mph winds. More men were lost and ships sunk and damaged than in most combat engagements in the Pacific. The final toll: 3 ships sunk, 28 ships damaged, 146 aircraft destroyed, and 756 men lost at sea.

    In all, 92 survivors from the three sunken ships (each carrying a crew of about 300) were rescued, some after spending up to 80 hours in the water. Scores more had made it off their sinking ships only to perish in the monstrous seas; some from injuries and exhaustion, others snatched away by circling sharks before their horrified shipmates. In the farflung rescue operations Bruce Henderson finds some of the story’s truest heroes, exhibiting selflessness, courage, and even defiance. One badly damaged ship, whose Naval Reserve skipper disobeyed an admiral’s orders to abandon the search, singlehandedly saved 55 lives.

    Drawing on extensive interviews with nearly every living survivor and rescuer, many families of lost sailors, transcripts and other records from two naval courts of inquiry, ships’ logs and action reports, personal letters, and diaries, Bruce Henderson offers the most thorough and riveting account to date of one of the greatest naval dramas of World War II.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061866531
    Author

    Bruce Henderson

    <p></p><p>Bruce Henderson has written more than twenty books, including the national bestseller <em>Hero Found</em> and <em>Rescue at Los Baños</em>. Henderson served aboard the aircraft carrier USS <em>Ranger</em> (CVA-61) during the Vietnam War. He lives in Menlo Park, California.</p>

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    Reviews for Down to the Sea

    4/5

    14 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Good reading. Seemingly more thoroughly researched than Halseys Typhoon. At its core, it is still a terrible tragedy and none of the various responsible parties were held responsible, other than in the most superficial manner. Given the draconian discipline meted out to fleet sailors, it is a shame that their superiors were given such latitude. This book is a good read.
    • 5/5
      A well written and researched account of how and why Halsey sailed into a typhoon and how and why three destroyers were lost.
    • 5/5
      A well written and researched account of how and why Halsey sailed into a typhoon and how and why three destroyers were lost.