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Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II Paperback – Illustrated, November 4, 2008

by Bruce Henderson (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 119 ratings
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“World War II produced so many compelling stories that even students of that momentous conflict are apt to discover we’ve missed whole vital episodes. Down to the Sea, about a devastating 1944 Pacific typhoon that sank three destroyers and cost 756 American sailors their lives, is just such an eye-opener.” — New York Post

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sons and Soldiers, an epic story opening at the hour the Greatest Generation went to war on December 7, 1941, and following four U.S. Navy ships and their crews in the Pacific until their day of reckoning three years later with a far different enemy: a deadly typhoon.

In December 1944, while supporting General MacArthur’s invasion of the Philippines, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey neglected the Law of Storms—the unofficial bible of all seamen since the days of sail—placing the mighty U.S. Third Fleet in harm’s way. One of the most powerful fighting fleets ever assembled under any flag, the Third Fleet sailed directly into the largest storm the U.S. Navy had ever encountered—a maelstrom of 90-foot seas and 160-mph winds. More men were lost and ships sunk and damaged than in most combat engagements in the Pacific. The final toll: 3 ships sunk, 28 ships damaged, 146 aircraft destroyed, and 756 men lost at sea.

In all, 92 survivors from the three sunken ships (each carrying a crew of about 300) were rescued, some after spending up to 80 hours in the water. Scores more had made it off their sinking ships only to perish in the monstrous seas; some from injuries and exhaustion, others snatched away by circling sharks before their horrified shipmates. In the farflung rescue operations Bruce Henderson finds some of the story’s truest heroes, exhibiting selflessness, courage, and even defiance. One badly damaged ship, whose Naval Reserve skipper disobeyed an admiral’s orders to abandon the search, singlehandedly saved 55 lives.

Drawing on extensive interviews with nearly every living survivor and rescuer, many families of lost sailors, transcripts and other records from two naval courts of inquiry, ships’ logs and action reports, personal letters, and diaries, Bruce Henderson offers the most thorough and riveting account to date of one of the greatest naval dramas of World War II.

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  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 4, 2008
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.91 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0061173177
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0061173172
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“World War II produced so many compelling stories that even students of that momentous conflict are apt to discover we’ve missed whole vital episodes. Down to the Sea, about a devastating 1944 Pacific typhoon that sank three destroyers and cost 756 American sailors their lives, is just such as eye-opener.” — New York Post

“With a storm scene right out of “The Caine Mutiny,” Down to the Sea is a vivid, powerful drama of men and ships in time of war.” — Evan Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder

“My father, Chief Petty Officer John E. Kreidler, was one of more than 700 men who lost their lives in the great Pacific typhoon of December 1944. In the war’s aftermath, very little came to light about the fate of these men, and their sacrifice was scarcely acknowledged. Now Bruce Henderson has written a book that will stand as the ultimate history of the men and ships that encountered this monumental storm at sea.” — John D. Kreidler

“Because of Bruce Henderson’s skills as a historian and a tale-teller, in this book I learned how my father died. Far more importantly, I learned how he lived. But anyone may find himself or herself drawn into this titanic story of the terrible choices war forces on people who must live with their consequences, if they are lucky enough to live.” — Greil Marcus, author of The Shape of Things to Come

“What stands out in Down to the Sea are those moments that transform the disaster into an epic of courage and sacrifice. This is a book for anyone who wonders what happens when a ferocious sea attacks a ship and her crew.” — Naval History

Praise for AND THE SEA WILL TELL: “Engrossing...compelling. This book succeeds on all counts” — L.A. Times Book Review

Praise for TRUE NORTH: “Nail-biting true adventure” — Kirkus Review

Praise for TRUE NORTH: “A masterful job” — San Francisco Chronicle

From the Back Cover

This epic story opens at the hour the Greatest Generation went to war on December 7, 1941, and follows four U.S. Navy ships and their crews in the Pacific until their day of reckoning three years later with a far different enemy: a deadly typhoon. In December 1944, while supporting General MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines, Admiral William "Bull" Halsey neglected the Law of Storms, placing the mighty U.S. Third Fleet in harm's way. Drawing on extensive interviews with nearly every living survivor and rescuer, as well as many families of lost sailors, transcripts and other records from naval courts of inquiry, ships' logs, personal letters, and diaries, Bruce Henderson finds some of the story's truest heroes exhibiting selflessness, courage, and even defiance.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; Illustrated edition (November 4, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061173177
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061173172
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.91 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 119 ratings

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  1. Bruce Henderson

    Bruce Henderson

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    Bruce Henderson is the author of more than twenty nonfiction books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller AND THE SEA WILL TELL, which was made into a highly-rated TV series. His latest book, SONS AND SOLDIERS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE JEWS WHO ESCAPED THE NAZIS AND RETURNED WITH THE U.S. ARMY TO FIGHT HITLER, hit the New York Times Bestseller List in 2018. Henderson's previous books include RESCUE AT LOS BANOS: THE MOST DARING PRISON CAMP RAID OF WORLD WAR II, and HERO FOUND: THE GREATEST POW ESCAPE OF THE VIETNAM WAR, a national bestseller which told the true story of U.S. Navy pilot Dieter Dengler, with whom Henderson served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA-61) during Vietnam. Henderson is also the author of TRACE EVIDENCE: THE HUNT FOR THE I-5 SERIAL KILLER and FATAL NORTH: MURDER AND SURVIVAL ON THE FIRST NORTH POLE EXPEDITION. An award-winning journalist and author, he has taught reporting and writing at USC School of Journalism and Stanford University. Visit his website: www.BruceHendersonBooks.com.

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  2. Jonathan Litton

    Jonathan Litton

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
119 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Ronald L. Mallett
5.0 out of 5 stars WWII tragedy on the high seas
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2007
Verified Purchase
"Down to the Sea" is an intensely dramatic World War II story of heroism and hubris on the high seas. Against the backdrop of the war in the Pacific, Bruce Henderson relates the tragic saga of three doomed destroyers of the Third Fleet. The enemy was not the Japanese navy but a monstrous typhoon. What makes the tragic fate of the destroyers Hull, Monaghan, and Spence so real is Henderson`s masterful telling of the personal tale of the officers and men whose lives and deaths were tied to the fate of their ships. Like the families of these men, one comes to care about their personal welfare.
Henderson also carefully sets the stage for what could probably have been an avoidable tragedy by analyzing the decisions and compromises that were the result of command egos and the exigencies of war. When the catastrophe finally struck, Henderson's vivid portrayal made me feel as though I was alongside the brave sailors as they were fighting for their lives against the wind and the seas. I highly recommend Bruce Henderson's "Down to the Sea." The book is breathtaking and haunting and will stay with the reader long after the final page is read.
7 people found this helpful
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joe hilbern
5.0 out of 5 stars Down to the Sea
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2011
Verified Purchase
As a former "Tin can sailor", I can relate to almost every word written in this book, As a young engineering striker in '73, I reported aboard a Destroyer Escort in Japan, it was the first ship I had ever seen, and the following morning we were ordered to sea to out run a fast approaching Typhoon. Reading "Down to the Sea," I relived every moment I experienced aboard my ship and the terrifying sea's and wind we found our selves in. This book is so well written that it gives the reader the feeling he is part of the crews that are doomed by ego's, incompetence and the power of nature. There are hero's to cheer for, and a Commanding Officer you just want to punch out. And when the survivors recall up to 3 day's afloat, in a turbulent sea while sharks circle. Just try to have a restful sleep when you put the book down for the night. I am happy I found "Down to the Sea," it will be a book I revisit many time's in the years ahead.
5 people found this helpful
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GeneT
4.0 out of 5 stars Gifted
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Was well received by an avid wwii naval buff.
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Fly.On
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for sea going Navy types, sailors & WWll buffs.
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2009
Verified Purchase
I have commanded two USNavy ships and sailed frequently in the waters sited in this book. The descriptions of actions needed to prepare for riding out a typhoon will make a believer out of any seaman. The well-researched descriptions of how 3 destroyers found themselves in dire trouble and how one other becomes heroic ring true and rivet ones attention. The telling of individual actions, from little known Pearl Harbor fighting to the throes of WWll in the Pacific, most by heros and others by cowards, and the subsequent lack of appropriate investigation by the Navy will both excite and revolt you.
5 people found this helpful
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Raymond H. Mullen
5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, tragic, memorable book
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2010
Verified Purchase
This is a must read for anyone, but being a 'destroyer' crewmember in the 60's, I felt almost as if I were there. I have previously read "Halsey's Typhoon" (which I would recommend) but found this book in much more detail. This event was brought on by mistakes from Admiral Halsey, weather forcasters, poor judgement from ships' commanding officers, overactive ego's, and last but not least, fate.
This account introduces you to crewmembers and their love for their ships as well as their families. It also delves into the mistakes made by designers of these fateful ships.
You will feel that you are in the midst of this terrible typhoon, (later named 'Cobra).
This just might be one of your favorites on history, heroism and the power of the sea.
7 people found this helpful
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Jill
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit difficult to read
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2012
Verified Purchase
Purchased this book off a recommendation from a friend. It is a factual book but in some aspects, a bit too much. There is so much information offered in each chapter it's hard to conceive the whole subject. I constantly had to go back and re-read paragraphs to keep the information straight.
One person found this helpful
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Sugar Drummond
5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal Reading
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
My husbands dad was one of the survivors of the USS Hull so this book was a must for our library. Excellent recount of what happened during Typhoon Cobra in WWW II and the brave men who survived Halsey’s Typhoon.
3 people found this helpful
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