Made famous by her final commanding officer, John F. Kennedy, PT-109 is one of the most celebrated warships in American history. However, a full chronicle of PT-109's wartime story has heretofore been lacking. Behind the familiar account of the future president and the boat's violent demise is the little-known record under two previous officers during the swirling battles around Guadalcanal. In these mainly nocturnal fights, when the Japanese navy was at its apex, America's small, fast-boat flotillas would sally out to ...
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Made famous by her final commanding officer, John F. Kennedy, PT-109 is one of the most celebrated warships in American history. However, a full chronicle of PT-109's wartime story has heretofore been lacking. Behind the familiar account of the future president and the boat's violent demise is the little-known record under two previous officers during the swirling battles around Guadalcanal. In these mainly nocturnal fights, when the Japanese navy was at its apex, America's small, fast-boat flotillas would sally out to probe enemy strength, vying with enemy destroyers, who were similarly roaming the waters and able to blast a PT-boat out of the water if main armament could be brought to bear. It was constant hit-and-run and dodging between searchlights across Iron Bottom Sound, as the PT-boats darted in among the enemy fleet, like a "barroom brawl with the lights turned out." Bryant Larson and Rollin Westholm preceded Kennedy as commanders of PT-109, and their fights with the brave ship and its crew hold second to none in the chronicles of US Navy daring. As the battles moved on across the Pacific the PT-boat flotillas gained confidence, even as the Japanese, too, learned lessons in how to destroy them. Under its third and final commander, Kennedy, PT-109 came a cropper as a Japanese destroyer suddenly emerged from a dark mist and rammed it in half. Two crewmen were killed immediately but Kennedy, formerly on the swim team at Harvard, was able to shepherd his wounded and others to refuge. His unsurpassed gallantry can not resist retelling, yet the courage of the book's previous commanders have not till now seen the light of day. This book provides the complete record of PT-109 in the Pacific, as well as a valuable glimpse of how the American Navy's daring and initiative found its full playing field in World War II.
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Add this copy of Into the Dark Water: the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $2.97, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
Add this copy of Into the Dark Water: the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $2.97, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill of the Olympics rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from TACOMA, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
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Fair. An acceptable and readable copy. All pages are intact, and the spine and cover are also intact. This item may have light highlighting, writing or underlining through out the book, curled corners, missing dust jacket and or stickers.
Add this copy of Into the Dark Water: the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $4.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Into the Dark Water the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $10.00, very good condition, Sold by Michener & Rutledge Bookseller rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Baldwin City, KS, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
Add this copy of Into the Dark Water: the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $10.00, very good condition, Sold by Enterprise Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
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Near Fine in As New dust jacket. 161200234X. Book with 1st page neatly EXCISED. Else book New. NO notes. No names or ANY markings. DJ As New. Unclipped, unpriced.; 261 pages.
Add this copy of Into the Dark Water; the Story of Three Officers and Pt to cart. $13.50, like new condition, Sold by DogStar Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lancaster, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Casemate.
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Fine in Fine dust jacket. 161200234X. B&W Photographs; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 280 pages; 2014 Casemate. HC/DJ. 1st edition, 1st printing. Tightly bound and very fresh in immaculate glossy pictorial dust jacket. Contents clean, bright, and unmarked. Illustrated with b&w photos. Feels and appears unread and as new. F/F.
