Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue
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Book Overview
Halsey's Typhoon is the story of World War II's most unexpected disaster at sea. In the final days of 1944, Admiral William "Bull" Halsey is the Pacific theater's most popular and colorful naval hero. After a string of victories, the "Fighting Admiral" and his thirty-thousand-man Third Fleet are charged with protecting General MacArthur's flank during the invasion of the Philippine island of Mindoro. But in the midst of the landings, Halsey attempts a complicated refueling maneuver and unwittingly drives his 170 ships into the teeth of a massive typhoon. Halsey's men find themselves battling 90-foot waves and 150 mph winds--amid the chaos, three ships are sunk and nearly nine hundred sailors and officers are swept into the Philippine Sea. For three days, small bands of survivors battle dehydration, exhaustion, sharks, and the elements awaiting rescue at the hands of the courageous lieutenant commander Henry Lee Plage, who, defying orders, sails his tiny destroyer escort, the USS Tabberer , back into the storm to rescue drifting sailors. Halsey's Typhoon is a gripping true tale of courage and survival against impossible odds--and one of the finest untold World War II sagas of our time.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0802143377
ISBN13:9780802143372
Release Date:November 2007
Publisher:Grove Press
Length:352 Pages
Weight:0.95 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.8" x 8.2"
Related Subjects
20th Century Asia History Military Modern (16th-21st Centuries) Naval Philippines World War IICustomer Reviews
4 ratings
Halsey's Typhoon
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
Being a WWII Navy Veteran, this is by far the best WW II Naval book ever published. Everyone who has served in the Navy and especially aboard a Destroyer should read this book.
HALSEYS TYPHOON
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
THIS IS A NARATIVE OF ONE OF THE DARKEST TIMES IN U S NAVAL HISTORY. AS A NAVY VETERAN WHO HAS SAILED THE DEEP WATERS OF THE PACIFIC IN A WOODEN MINESWEEPER, I FOUND THE WRITNG EXTREMELY PROFOUND THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SINKING OF EACH OF THE DESTROYERS WAS HEART RENDING. FOR MYSELF IT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF A SIXTY TWO YEAR MYSTERY WHEN I READ THE NAME OF A CLASSMATE FROM JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. I RECCOMEND THIS BOOK MOST SINCERELY AND MANY THANKS TO THE AUTHORS FOR A JOB MOST WELL DONE.
Great book!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I bought this as a gift for a WWII veteran who survived Halsey's Typhoon. He liked it so much, he's buying a copy for all his kids to read.
Powerful, moving story about a disaster at sea
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I am not a big fan of non-fiction in general, or military history in particular, but this book was completely absorbing. The authors did a clear and very visceral job of explaining all the different factors that caused this extraordinary tragedy, from the bureaucratic errors to the lack of meterological technology available at the time. The best part, however, is the very human face they put on the sailors, even the ones whose errors were part of the problem. Their stories are captivating and very, very moving. The book made me wish I could meet some of those men.
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