Series in Navy
Books in Navy
Destroyer Captain
From James D. Hornfischer, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Soldiers , a riveting account of the life of WWII hero Commander Ernest E. Evans and his heroics and sacrifice during the Leyte Gulf Battle of Samar. For the first time ever, acclaimed naval historian James D. Hornfischer, “the dean of World War II naval history," writing with his son David J. Hornfischer, explores Capt. E. Evans’s incredible story, from his humble upbringing as a child of a Cherokee and Creek family in Pawnee, Oklahoma, and his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1931, to his service on fighting ships during the Pacific War and his selfless bravery and cool command during a valiant faceoff with the pride of the Japanese Navy. Interspersed with impeccable research, interviews with men who fought alongside Capt. E. Evans, and thrilling anecdotes about United States Navy experiences during WWII, Destroyer Captain provides insight into an incredible man who spent his life beating the odds through courage, ability, and sheer determination. Never were these attributes better on display than on the morning of October 25, 1944, when, in the waters off Samar, a small flotilla of US Navy ships encountered a Japanese fleet superior in both vessels and firepower. Aboard the USS Johnston , Capt. Ernest E. Evans seized the moment, ordering his destroyer to steam forward and attack. Heavily outgunned, Evans and his sailors fired torpedo after torpedo, all the while maneuvering to dodge enemy shells, as two other American destroyers joined the fight. It was a valiant last stand for Capt. E. Evans, one of the toughest warriors in the Navy, but thanks to his bravery and steadiness under fire, these dogged Americans routed one of the most powerful naval forces that Tokyo had ever put to sea. A remarkable story of patriotism and courageousness, Destroyer Captain honors a singular American hero whose name shall never be forgotten.
Destroyer Captain(With: David J. Hornfischer)
From James D. Hornfischer, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Soldiers , a riveting account of the life of WWII hero Commander Ernest E. Evans and his heroics and sacrifice during the Leyte Gulf Battle of Samar. For the first time ever, acclaimed naval historian James D. Hornfischer, “the dean of World War II naval history," writing with his son David J. Hornfischer, explores Capt. E. Evans’s incredible story, from his humble upbringing as a child of a Cherokee and Creek family in Pawnee, Oklahoma, and his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1931, to his service on fighting ships during the Pacific War and his selfless bravery and cool command during a valiant faceoff with the pride of the Japanese Navy. Interspersed with impeccable research, interviews with men who fought alongside Capt. E. Evans, and thrilling anecdotes about United States Navy experiences during WWII, Destroyer Captain provides insight into an incredible man who spent his life beating the odds through courage, ability, and sheer determination. Never were these attributes better on display than on the morning of October 25, 1944, when, in the waters off Samar, a small flotilla of US Navy ships encountered a Japanese fleet superior in both vessels and firepower. Aboard the USS Johnston , Capt. Ernest E. Evans seized the moment, ordering his destroyer to steam forward and attack. Heavily outgunned, Evans and his sailors fired torpedo after torpedo, all the while maneuvering to dodge enemy shells, as two other American destroyers joined the fight. It was a valiant last stand for Capt. E. Evans, one of the toughest warriors in the Navy, but thanks to his bravery and steadiness under fire, these dogged Americans routed one of the most powerful naval forces that Tokyo had ever put to sea. A remarkable story of patriotism and courageousness, Destroyer Captain honors a singular American hero whose name shall never be forgotten.
Falklands
The true story of one young naval officer’s journey to war. Spring, 1982. The government of Argentina seizes control of an obscure group of islands in the South Atlantic. And the Falklands War, the last great naval conflict of the 20th century, is about to begin. On board HMS Illustrious a young naval officer, James Barrington , started keeping a diary - the story of a young man embarking on a terrifying adventure from which he couldn't know if he would return alive. A fascinating glimpse into the psychology of going into battle for the first time, the anxiety, anticipation and excitement are captured in brilliant detail, as is the intense preparation that went into recapturing the islands. Falklands: Voyage To War is a must-read for fans of real-life military stories such as Sniper One , 3 Para or Apache Down .
H.M.S. Illustrious
A riveting true life account of a Royal Navy serviceman on board an aircraft carrier. 14th June, 1982: The Argentine government officially surrenders to the British, ending the Falklands War. Six British ships were lost in the conflict, along with 255 British servicemen. Victory was won, but at a cost. Having emerged from his first experience of combat alive and well, we follow our author while serving on the British Navy aircraft carrier, the HMS Illustrious . The rhythms and highs of Navy life are laid bare in this fascinating insight into the everyday life of military procedure, grounded in one man’s extraordinary experiences. Fans of military non-fiction must read HMS Illustrious , a gripping depiction of life in the Navy from bestselling thriller writer James Barrington, in the same mold as The Longest Kill , First Man In , and Battle Scars.
Kimo's War
NEW EDIT by Jeremy Beard! Kimo's War is compelling. The story alone will rapidly seize the attention of fans of military fiction and non-fiction, collectors of first-person histories of the U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and particularly those who have had boots on the ground in either theater. It is a complex psychological and comedic narrative of the life and mind of LT Kimo Kitazono and his alter ego, Lapu (Hawaiian God of Darkness), who materializes as a defense mechanism in Kimo's mind during the War. The trifecta of Kimo, Lapu, and sub-textually, the author, emerge through the story as both the main and supporting characters. The writing is raw, and at times, humorous and satirical. The narrative reads like Dave Barry with a healthy dose of PJ O'Rourke and is seeded with heavier verse reminiscent of Joseph Heller. You will laugh and you will cry. But perhaps more importantly, you will experience first-hand wartime conflict and its physical and psychological aftermath through the unique perspective of the author, James J Frey. The book will surely find a permanent place in many personal libraries.
Midget Submarine Commander: The Life of Godfrey Place VC
A biography of the twentieth-century British Royal Navy officer and Victoria Cross recipient, who fought below, above, and on the waves. Of all the acts of gallantry in World War II few were as audacious as the attack by midget submarines on the pride of the German fleet, the battleship Tirpitz , lying in her heavily fortified lair deep in a Norwegian fjord. Lieutenant Godfrey Place was in command of submarine X7 in September 1943 and travelled over 1,000 miles, negotiating minefields and anti-submarine nets to place four tons of high explosive accurately under the hull of the Tirpitz . For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1944, at the age of twenty-two. Taken prisoner he was repatriated to England at the end of the war, and continued to serve in the Royal Navy for twenty-five years, flying with 801 squadron in the Korean War, and serving on aircraft carriers at Suez, Nigeria and the withdrawal from Aden. On his retirement in 1970 he had the distinction of being the last serving naval officer to hold the Victoria Cross. This overdue biography details Godfrey Place VC’s eventful life, from a childhood spent partly in East Africa to being the hugely respected Chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association for over twenty years. Thanks to the author’s extensive access to previously unpublished material, including Place’s own recollections of the attack, there is unlikely to be a better or more thrilling account of the attack on the Tirpitz.