The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer. The amazing courage shown by the US Navy sailors as their tiny 2,000 ton Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts faced a Japanese fleet of Battleships, Cruisers, and Destroyers at The Battle Off Samar. Inspiring and horrifying, the DDs and DEs of the US navy were protecting "Escort Carriers" which were smaller aircraft carriers made from cargo ship hulls. Warning, may inspire you to learn a whole bunch more about world war 2. And 2 books that sort of go together: Incredible Victory: The Battle of Midway by Walter Lord, and Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. Read Incredible Victory first, learn about the luck, good and bad, that led to a much-needed victory in the Pacific. Then read Shattered Sword and get a fuller picture of events, especially from the Japanese side. Learn about how hubris and dogma led to the Japanese Navy's defeat. Then learn about how saving face led to history not being accurately told by the witnesses on the Japanese side. All 3 are great books that are well worth your time. Others that I've enjoyed:…

Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer. An astonishing tale of daring and determination about the Battle off Samar in WW2 Pacific. Told with respect and admiration for the 6 USA escort carriers, their planes, and their destroyer escorts, that faced 4 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers of the Japanese navy. One of the greatest last stands in history, and a riveting story. It made me realize the utter horror of the conditions the sailors fought under. The ordinary backgrounds of them all. That training and a culture of excellence can multiply the effectiveness of people far beyond what feels possible. That accurate information is critical to making good decisions. And that for all your preparation, you are still at the mercy of chance.