Although some historians and many newsmen have written many words about Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy and his brilliant career in the Pacific in World War II, the complete story of this reserved and self-effacing man is now being told for the first time by one of his close friends and wartime associates. The author, Vice Admiral E. P. Forrestel, an important member of Spruance’s Staff, was in an ideal position to observe and report on the thought processes of this great and successful naval officer. Spruance’s rise to fame came in the Battle of Midway where his sound judgement and wise decisions won a stunning victory over greatly superior enemy forces. That victory reversed the long series of enemy successes and was truly the turning point in the war. From that time on he played an ever increasing part in our naval advance across the Pacific—a task he shared in full measure with another great American naval officer—Admiral W. F. Halsey, U.S. Navy. Tarawa, the Marshall Islands, the Marianas, Iwo Jima and the Ryukyus were important stepping stones along the way that lead to the deck of the U.S.S. MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay where the surrender terms were signed on September 2, 1945. To cap his extraordinarily successful naval career which ended in his Presidency of the Naval War College he accepted an appointment as our Ambassador in the Philippines. Here his wisdom and tact contributed importantly to the satisfactory settlement of a number of troublesome and vexatious problems that disturbed the good relations that should exist between the governments of the Philippines and the United States. It is given to few Americans to serve their country so effectively and at such high levels as did this man. His career will serve as an example and a challenge to service personnel and diplomats alike. His story will be read avidly by those who suffered his blows in war and by those who are hostile to our country.
Rear Admiral Raja Menon contends that nations embroiled in Continental wars have historically had poor maritime strategies. He develops the argument that navies that have been involved in such wars have made poor contributions to politial objectives, and outlines future strategies.
Gordon Campbell remains one of the greatest of Britain's naval heroes. A born leader with an iron resolve, he became the most successful Q-Ship commander of all time, destroying 3 U-boats. He is best known for the heroic fight against UC71 where his Q-Ship Dunraven became a blazing inferno, but fought to the last. This action brought his ship's company a remarkable 41 decorations.
Includes 26 illustrations, battle maps and portraits of the Naval War 1914-1918 Known to his own sailors as the “Man with the Iron Mask”, Admiral Reinhard Scheer was a hardened dedicated sailor. It was his relentless drive that enabled him to overcome his limited social background and gain the highest rank in the Kaiserliche Marine. His memoirs are of great interest to historians of the First World War and the nascent German ‘Great Power’ status. Broadly divided into three sections, the first part of his memoirs concentrates on the German Fleet’s activities during the first years of the war, including the bombardment of the coast of Britain, which came as such a shock to the Allies. The second, which naturally dominates his memoirs, are his great exploits at the Battle of Jutland or Skaggerak in command of the cruiser squadron which caused such damage to the British Fleet. The third and final part recounts his time as chief of staff of the German Navy, as an advocate of unrestricted Naval Warfare he recounts his lobbying of the Emperor and the methods and experiences of the U-Boats under his command. A thoroughly gripping Naval read. Author — Admiral Reinhard Scheer (1863-1928) Translator — Anon. Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in New York [etc.] Cassell and company, ltd., 1920. Original Page Count – xiv and 375 pages.
What is the navy for? Of what parts should be composed? What principles should be followed in designing, preparing, and operating it in order to get the maximum return for the money expended? To answer these questions clearly and without technical language is the object of this book"--Preface.
Contains more than 30 illustrations of the Author, his ships and the engagements. The term Legend is bandied about far too much these days to describe anyone who has achieved even limited prominence in their chosen field; however Legend is quite the accurate one for Fleet Admiral William “Bull” Halsey. Although a modest man who once said that “There are no great men, just great challenges which ordinary men, out of necessity, are forced by circumstances to meet.”; it is clear that the challenges that he met were extraordinary in the Pacific theatre during the Second World War. Bold, brash and determined Halsey led the first offensive against the Japanese Navy in command of the carrier group that launched the Doolittle raid; his aggressive thrusting style led to him spearheading nearly every major US Navy attack on the Japanese. In this age of soundbites Halsey is still continually quoted for the pithy wit that he often coined such as his slogan for the Navy -“Hit hard, hit fast, hit often”. Halsey left his imprint across the entire Pacific War and his autobiography is sure to interest any Naval or History buff.
The pursuit of Goeben and Breslau was a naval action that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea at the outbreak of the First World War when elements of the British Mediterranean Fleet attempted to intercept the German Mittelmeerdivision consisting of the battlecruiser SMS Goeben and the light cruiser SMS Breslau. The German ships evaded the British fleet and passed through the Dardanelles to reach Constantinople, where they were eventually handed over to the Ottoman Empire. Renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim, the former Goeben was ordered by its German captain to attack Russian positions, in doing so bringing the Ottoman Empire into the war on the side of the Central Powers. Though a bloodless “battle”, the failure of the British pursuit had enormous political and military ramifications. In the short term it effectively ended the careers of the two British Admirals [one of whom is the author of this book] who had been in charge of the pursuit. Writing several years later, Winston Churchill - who had been First Lord of the Admiralty - expressed the opinion that by forcing Turkey into the war the Goeben had brought “more slaughter, more misery, and more ruin than has ever before been borne within the compass of a ship.”
Includes 6 maps and 14 photos illustrations “Known to seafarers as the Devil’s Jaw, Point Honda has lured ships to its dangerous rocks on the coast of California 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 at a steady 20 knots 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 and eight destroyers followed her. The authors recreate in dramatic hour-by-hour detail 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. In conclusion, 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. Only Pearl Harbor in 1941 would do more damage.”-Print ed.
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