US Destroyers 1942–45

Author: Dave McComb
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849082677
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
Few if any 20th century warships were more justly acclaimed than the destroyers of the U.S. Navy's Fletcher class. Admired as they were for their advanced and rakish design, it was their record as workhorses of the Pacific War that placed them among the most battle-tested and successful fighting ships of all time. This title describes the Fletchers and their Allen M. Sumnerand Gearing-class derivatives, their machinery, armament, and construction, with a listing of all 343 ships by hull number and builder. It features an operational history of the 287 ships commissioned during World War II, which traces the evolution of night surface action tactics in the Solomon Islands and the parallel development of the Combat Information Center; the drive across the Pacific and liberation of the Philippines with tables showing the rapid introduction of new squadrons; and the radar pickets' climactic stand against kamikaze aircraft at Okinawa. With summaries of losses and decorations and specially commissioned artwork, this is a definitive book on the wartime US destroyer classes.

US Navy Destroyer Escorts of World War II

Author: Mark Lardas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472839757
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

Book Description
The Destroyer Escort was the smallest ocean-going escort built for the United States Navy – a downsized destroyer with less speed, fewer guns, and fewer torpedoes than its big brother, the fleet destroyer. Destroyer escorts first went into production because the Royal Navy needed an escort warship which was larger than a corvette, but which could be built faster than a destroyer. Lacking the shipyards to build these types of ships in Britain, they ordered them in the US. Once the US unexpectedly entered World War II, its navy suddenly also needed more escort warships, even warships less capable than destroyers, and the destroyer escort was reluctantly picked to fill the gap. Despite the Navy's initial reservations, these ships did yeoman service during World War II, fighting in both the Atlantic and Pacific, taking on both U-boat and Japanese submarines and serving as the early warning pickets against kamikazes later in the war. They also participated in such dramatic actions as the Battle of Samar (where a group of destroyers and destroyer escorts fought Japanese battleships and cruisers to protect the escort carriers they were shielding) and the capture of the U-505 (the only major naval vessel captured at sea by the US Navy). The destroyer escorts soldiered on after World War II in both the United States Navy and a large number of navies throughout the world, with several serving into the twenty-first century. This book tells the full story of these plucky ships, from their design and development to their service around the world, complete with stunning illustrations and contemporary photographs.

US Navy Aircraft Carriers 1942–45

Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780968108
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
Aircraft carriers were the US Navy's principal weapon against Japan during the Pacific War. Development of the Essex class began in 1939, becoming the largest class of carrier ever to be built. Early in the Pacific War it became renowned for its 'Sunday Punch' of 36 fighter planes, 36 dive bombers, and 18 torpedo planes. Alongside the lighter Independence class, these carriers formed the formidable Fast Carrier Force in the Pacific. Featuring artwork detailing the interior and exterior features of the ships, this book explores their design, development, and the action they saw in the Pacific, including the climactic battles of Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa.

Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom Book #1)

Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 144124610X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 377

Book Description
It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them. Sarah Sundin takes readers to the tense months before the US entered WWII. Readers will encounter German U-boats and torpedoes, along with the explosive power of true love, in this hopeful and romantic story.

M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers 1942–53

Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782002634
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
The US Army had a unique tactical doctrine during World War II, placing the emphasis for tank fighting on its Tank Destroyer Command whose main early-war vehicle was the M10 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, based on the reliable M4A2 Sherman tank chassis. This durable and versatile vehicle saw combat service from the North Africa campaign in 1943. By 1944, its gun was not powerful enough and it was rearmed with the new 90 mm gun, becoming the M36 90mm Gun Motor Carriage. This book details one of the only US armoured vehicles capable of dealing with the Panther and Tiger during the Battle of the Bulge.

Destroyers At Normandy: Naval Gunfire Support At Omaha Beach [Illustrated Edition]

Author: William B. Kirkland
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 1786257653
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 138

Book Description
Includes numerous maps and illustrations. This monograph provides first-hand accounts of Destroyer Squadron 18 during this critical battle upon which so much of the success of our campaign in Europe would depend. Their experience at Omaha Beach can be looked upon as typical of most U.S. warships engaged at Normandy. On the other hand, from the author’s research it appears evident that this destroyer squadron, with their British counterparts, may have had a more pivotal influence on the breakout from the beachhead and the success of the subsequent campaign than was heretofore realized. Its contributions certainly provide a basis for discussion among veterans and research by historians, as well as a solid, professional account of naval action in support of the Normandy landings.

US Submarines 1941–45

Author: Jim Christley
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780964676
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 75

Book Description
Naval warfare in the Pacific changed completely with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The strategic emphasis shifted from battleships to much more lethal, far-ranging weapons systems; one of these was the submarine. This book details the design and development, classes, weapons and equipment, tactics and operational history of the US submarine in World War II. Detailed tables, photographs, and superb color plates depict the force that had an effect far beyond its size – the submarine accounted for 55% of all Japanese shipping losses, despite suffering the highest percentage loss of any unit of the United State Armed Forces in World War II.

US Navy Aircraft Carriers 1942–45

Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780967519
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 106

US Heavy Cruisers 1941–45

Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782006303
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
Designed and produced under the regulations of the Washington Naval Treaty, the heavy cruisers of the Pensacola, Northampton, Portland, New Orleans and Wichita classes were exercises in compromise. While they possessed very heavy armament – the Pensacolas, for example, carrying a main battery of ten 8” guns – this came at the cost of protection – armor was the same thickness as a gun cruiser, and incapable of protecting the vessels from enemy 8” fire. As the classes evolved, these flaws began to be corrected, with the main battery being reduced, and increased protection being added to the vital areas of the ship. Despite these drawbacks, the pre-war heavy cruiser classes served with distinction throughout World War II.

German Battleships 1914–18 (2)

Author: Gary Staff
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1849082863
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

Book Description
Supported by official documents, personal accounts, official drawings and specially commissioned artwork, this volume is an informative history of the key classes Kaiser, König and Bayern that formed the backbone of the German Imperial Navy throughout World War I, detailing the technological revolution that had taken place to enable the building of these large dreadnought classes.