Overview

On November 24, 1943, a Japanese torpedo plunged into the starboard side of the American escort carrier USS Liscome Bay. The torpedo struck the thin-skinned carrier in the worst possible place the bomb storage area. The resulting explosion could be seen 16 miles away, literally ripping the Liscome Bay in half and killing 644 of her crew. In terms of lives lost, it was the costliest carrier sinking in United States naval history. Liscome Bay's loss came on her first combat operation: the American invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Despite her short career, she touched a number of remarkable and famous lives. Doris Miller, the first black American sailor to win the Navy Cross, lost his life, as did Rear Admiral Henry Mullinax, one of the Navy's first """"air admirals."""" John Crommelin was the senior officer to survive the sinking. Later in his career, Crommelin, a decorated naval aviator himself, sparked the famous Revolt of the Admirals, which helped save the role of naval aviation in America's Cold War military. James Noles's account of the Liscome Bay and those who served aboard her is based on interviews with the ship's survivors and an unpublished memoir that the ship's pay officer made available to the author. This readable, compelling book pays homage to the crew by telling their story of experience and sacrifice.

Full Product Details

9780817356033

Table of Contents

Reviews

""On November 24, 1943, the day before Thanksgiving, with the turkeys actually thawing in the galley, the American escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine as she steamed off shore in support of the American invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Noles has reconstructed life on board ship and, especially, the events of the 23 minutes from torpedo to sinking. The accounts are almost all heroic. Men saved others, helped their shipmates, sacrificed their own safety and even their own lives for their buddies. Rear Adm. Henry M. Mullinax and the ship's commanding officer, Captain Irving T. Wiltsie, went down with the ship."" - The Anniston Star ""Spellbinding.... [Not only does] Noles adroitly tell the story of the men whose paths crossed the Liscome Bay's decks, but he also deals with a number of background and tangential issues, such as CVEs in general, how and why they were made, their utility for the war effort, Japanese submarine operations, and naval aviation operations."" - Military History of the West ""A highly readable account of the short life of the USS Liscome Bay. Based on interviews with surviving crew members and an unpublished memoir of the ship's paymaster, the account makes for compelling reading,... of interest to military historians and general readers alike."" - History""

On November 24, 1943, the day before Thanksgiving, with the turkeys actually thawing in the galley, the American escort carrier USS Liscome Bay was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine as she steamed off shore in support of the American invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Noles has reconstructed life on board ship and, especially, the events of the 23 minutes from torpedo to sinking. The accounts are almost all heroic. Men saved others, helped their shipmates, sacrificed their own safety and even their own lives for their buddies. Rear Adm. Henry M. Mullinax and the ship's commanding officer, Captain Irving T. Wiltsie, went down with the ship. - The Anniston Star Spellbinding.... [Not only does] Noles adroitly tell the story of the men whose paths crossed the Liscome Bay's decks, but he also deals with a number of background and tangential issues, such as CVEs in general, how and why they were made, their utility for the war effort, Japanese submarine operations, and naval aviation operations. - Military History of the West A highly readable account of the short life of the USS Liscome Bay. Based on interviews with surviving crew members and an unpublished memoir of the ship's paymaster, the account makes for compelling reading,... of interest to military historians and general readers alike. - History

Author Information

James L. Noles is an attorney with the Birmingham, Alabama, law firm of Balch and Bingham and writes as an independent historian.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available