Overview

In November 1944, the U.S. Navy fleet lay at anchor in Ulithi Harbor, deep in the Pacific Ocean, when the oiler USS Mississinewa erupted in a ball of flames. Japan's secret weapon, the Kaiten--a manned suicide submarine--had succeeded in its first mission. The Kaiten was so secret that even Japanese naval commanders didn't know of its existence. And the Americans kept it secret as well. Embarrassed by the shocking surprise attack, the U.S. Navy refused to salvage or inspect the sunken Mighty Miss. Only decades later would the survivors understand what really happened at Ulithi, when a diving team located the wreck in 2001. In Kaiten, Michael Mair and Joy Waldron tell the full story from both sides, from the strategic importance of the USS Mississinewa to newly revealed secrets of the Kaiten development and training schools. U.S. Navy survivors recount their gripping experiences in the wake of the attack, as well as the harrowing recovery efforts that came later. Japanese pilots reveal their terrifying experiences training to die for their country and Emperor, never knowing when their moment of doom would come.

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Reviews

"A powerful tale about how an intersection of youth, patriotism and sacrifice ended in a fiery, suicidal assault on an American warship. More than recounting a battle, this is a very human story that relives one of the most painful episodes of World War II.-- ""James P. Delgado"" ""A powerful tale about how an intersection of youth, patriotism, and sacrifice ended in a fiery, suicidal assault on an American warship. More than recounting a battle, this is a very human story that relives one of the most painful episodes of World War II."" -- ""James P. Delgado, author of Across the Top of the World"" ""If you like reading history with the details to bring it to back to life, you'll enjoy Kaiten."" -- ""Ralph Wilbanks, underwater archaeologist and NUMA expedition leader"" ""Narrator Robertson Dean delivers this detailed and sometimes very personal account of a desperate and deadly Japanese attack on US forces, which was kept secret by both sides for years...Author Michael Mair's father survived the attack. One can hear Dean's voice quaver slightly when he recounts the many acts of individual bravery that resulted in the survival of 236 of the 299 crew members that fateful day."" -- ""AudioFile"""

Author Information

A businessman and historian, Michael Mair is the son of a USS Mississinewa survivor. He has appeared on various History Channel programs, served as a consultant for the Canadian television program Sea Hunters, and contributed to Naval History magazine. He lives in Platteville, Wisconsin. Joy Waldron is the coauthor of The USS Arizona: The Ship, the Men, the Pearl Harbor Attack, and the Symbol That Aroused America. A journalist and editor, she has published numerous articles on World War II ships, survivors, and underwater archaeology. Other journalistic credits include investigative reporting on the search for the Titanic and breaking the news worldwide of Robert Ballard's expedition, including stories for Smithsonian magazine and others. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Bordeaux, France. Robertson Dean has played leading roles on and off Broadway and at dozens of regional theaters. He has a BA from Tufts University and an MFA from Yale. His audiobook narration has garnered numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards.

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