Overview

During America’s epic naval confrontation against Imperial Japan, Francis Gelzheiser and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 16A, sojourned from New Orleans to Panama then north to Seattle and then Attu Island in the Aleutians. After their return voyage the tiny vessels journeyed to New Guinea and then faced the Japanese Kamikaze force during the battle for the Philippine Island of Mindoro. The battle for Alaska and the campaigns for New Guinea and the Philippines are examined and then the role played by PT Boat Squadron 16 in these actions is explored. The epic battle for Manila and the horror that the author’s father encountered when he journeyed into the city is described. Finally, the author attempts to understand how his father was impacted by his experiences in WWII. Like many warriors, Francis Gelzheiser hid his war from everyone, and it was not until late in life that he shared his experiences and attempted to come to terms with killing and the horrors he had witnessed. The history, construction, armament and tactics used by PT boats, and the development of the Japanese Kamikaze force and the role it played in the War are explored. The author also examines the American production juggernaut and why, despite America’s overwhelming production advantage, the Japanese believed that if their people possessed the proper will, they could still win the War.

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9781476662640

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Reviews

"""PT Boat Odyssey serves as a good addition to the historiography of PT Boats as a whole and Squadron 16 in particular, providing a well written chronicle of one father's wartime experiences as told through the voice of his son. ...this work covers several often-overlooked aspects of PT Boat service during the Second World War, and offers an excellent ground level view into one man's experiences in the Aleutians, New Guinea, and on Mindoro""--The Northern Mariner ""Nicely illustrated with black-and-white historical photos...extraordinary...impressively informative.... Expertly organized and presented...recommended""--Midwest Book Review ""Robert Gelzheiser does an excellent job conveying the settings of the Pacific War, enabling the reader to understand the environment that his father and fellow sailors experienced.""--Military Review."

Nicely illustrated with black-and-white historical photos...extraordinary...impressively informative.... Expertly organized and presented...recommended --Midwest Book Review.

Author Information

Robert P. Gelzheiser is a retired history teacher. He lives in Venice, Florida.

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