I just finished reading Ian W. Toll’s excellent first book, Six Frigates. If you don’t know, it is a history of the birth of the US Navy, from the construction of six excellent frigates through the end of the War of 1812. One of these six frigates is still in commission to this day, the U.S.S. Constitution.
What say you. What other good Navy books should I be reading?
I just finished “October Fury” about Soviet attack subs and their showdown with ASW destroyers during the Cuban missile crisis. Good fast read. Some interesting revelations. Apparently the Soviet subs were each carrying one atomic warhead torpedo, with ROE that it was authorized for release if their hull was cracked by an attack by USN forces.
Blind Man’s Bluff was another good one. Just reread that about 2 months ago.
Six Frigates was good. Have you read Nelson’s Trafalger: The Battle that Changed the World, by Roy Adkins? Decent narritive of the action.
Six Frigates was good. Have you read Nelson’s Trafalger: The Battle that Changed the World, by Roy Adkins? Decent narritive of that action.
Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, the story of Taffy 3. Outstanding read.
Did you notice that there was pork barreling going on even in 1793 when Washington was trying to get the funding for the frigates? I thought it very interesting, the more things change, the more they stay the same 🙂
Byron, that was my first recommendation. Excellent book.
NONFICTION
Life in Mr. Lincoln’s Navy, by Dennis J. Ringle
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway: Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully
Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945 Evan Thomas
Clash of The Carriers: The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II Barrett Tillman (Anything by Tillman is excellent)
Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War IIBy Eugene B. Fluckey
FICTION:
The Cruel Sea: Nicholas Monsarrat
The Good Shepard: C.S. Forester
Start with these….
A rarely discussed subject….
GATORS OF NEPTUNE: Naval Amphibious Planning for the Normandy Invasion by Christopher Yung
http://www.usni.org/store/books/history/gators-neptune