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Tin Can Titans: The Heroic Men and Ships of World War II's Most Decorated Navy Destroyer Squadron Hardcover – March 14, 2017

by John Wukovits (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 917 ratings
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An epic narrative of World War II naval action that brings to life the sailors and exploits of the war's most decorated destroyer squadron.
When Admiral William Halsey selected Destroyer Squadron 21 (Desron 21) to lead his victorious ships into Tokyo Bay to accept the Japanese surrender, it was the most battle-hardened US naval squadron of the war.
But it was not the squadron of ships that had accumulated such an inspiring resume; it was the people serving aboard them. Sailors, not metallic superstructures and hulls, had won the battles and become the stuff of legend. Men like Commander Donald MacDonald, skipper of the USS O'Bannon, who became the most decorated naval officer of the Pacific war; Lieutenant Hugh Barr Miller, who survived his ship's sinking and waged a one-man battle against the enemy while stranded on a Japanese-occupied island; and Doctor Dow "Doc" Ransom, the beloved physician of the USS La Vallette, who combined a mixture of humor and medical expertise to treat his patients at sea, epitomize the sacrifices made by all the men and women of World War II.
Through diaries, personal interviews with survivors, and letters written to and by the crews during the war, preeminent historian of the Pacific theater John Wukovits brings to life the human story of the squadron that bested the Japanese in the Pacific and helped take the war to Tokyo.
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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Da Capo Press
  4. Publication date
    March 14, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0306824302
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0306824302
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Wukovits certainly joins [Samuel Eliot] Morrison and James D. Hornfischer as one of the pre-eminent writers on the history of U.S. Navy operations in the Pacific theater...Thanks should go not only to those veterans who want their story told before they're gone but as well to those like John Wukovits who do the telling in a well presented and poignantly human written manner."―New York Journal of Books

"Authors such as John Wukovits do all of us a great service by researching the lives of ships and sailors, and putting these stirring tales before a public often far too ignorant of their heritage...A well-researched, well-written and well-edited book, sure to stir the imaginations of many veterans, and well worth the time of adventure-loving civilians." ―Roanoke Times

"The strength of Tin Can Titans is that Mr. Wukovits has ferreted out deeply personal stories of the officers and enlisted men who experienced hell aboard these destroyers. Their diaries, letters and personal reminiscences, as well as the action reports from their commanders, convey the horrors of pitching decks, exploding shrapnel and gut-wrenching fear." ―Walter Borneman, Wall Street Journal

"An inspiring story of courage, duty, sacrifice, and devotion to country in the most trying and dangerous of circumstances. It's an epic story about decisive actions in a large Pacific war. But it's mostly a story about American sailors at war...most of them civilians who donned uniforms for the duration when their country needed them, and who went back, those who survived, to their civilian lives when the shooting stopped...Destroyers were workhorses in the Pacific, and elsewhere. It's right that their story is told too, as it is so well in Tin Can Titans. These are ships and Americans that should not be forgotten."―The American Spectator

"[Wukovits] draws overdue attention to the heroism, dedication, and courage of the young destroyer sailors...[He] does a masterful job capturing the day-to-day boredom, excitement, and fear ordinary tin can sailors experienced on routine patrols at the height of the Pacific war. He expertly weaves together monthly war diaries, action reports, and ships' histories, as well as interviews and oral histories from the officers and sailors that lived, fought, and often died together...Wukovits makes no claim that DesRon 21 single-handedly won the war, but he gives the men that fought in the squadron their due."―America in WWII

"Tin Can Titans is history with humanity, and should be of interest to any current student of Americana, and to any of the fading generations who still have close ties to our last great war."
―Curled Up with a Good Book

"A story of valor, sacrifice, and endurance and one that is well told...The author is a well-known military historian with vast experience on the Pacific war, and this expertise shines through in his latest book...The clear writing and thorough research combine to make a readable and enjoyable volume."―WWII History

"[Wukovits] interviewed former squadron members and mined the letters and diaries of the crews to present the Pacific War through their eyes."―Seapower

"A lively and briskly written account of destroyer squadron operations...Anyone interested in destroyer operations in general or those of the USN in particular will find this title worth consideration."―Warship International

"An excellent narrative of the blue-collar destroyers...Wukovits keeps the reader engaged with interesting stories and nonstop action."
―Collected Miscellany

"Using many primary sources as well as interviews with surviving destroyer crewmen, the author strips away the idealized image of serving aboard destroyers during the most intense naval war in history...A remarkable example of popular naval history...Tin Can Titans belongs on the bookshelf of every general or specialist reader interested in the Pacific War."
―Michigan War Studies Review

About the Author

John Wukovits is a military expert specializing in the Pacific theater of World War II. He is the author of many books, including Tin Can Titans, Hell from the Heavens, For Crew and Country, One Square Mile of Hell, and Pacific Alamo. He has also written numerous articles for such publications as WWII History, Naval History, and World War II. He lives in Michigan.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Press; Later Printing edition (March 14, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0306824302
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0306824302
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 917 ratings

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John Wukovits

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
917 global ratings
Naval combat in the Pacific was hell
5 Stars
Naval combat in the Pacific was hell
This book describes a lot in vivid detail of what destroyer operations in the Pacific was like. Unlike the Atlantic convoys and the U-boat threat, Sailors on destroyers and specifically the sailors and destroyers in Desron 21 fought like hell from Guadalcanal, through the slot, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and eventually entering Tokyo bay. MacDonald’s accounts of his time in the slot was eye opening! Not to mention “Doc” Ransom and his accounts during the Philippine landings and the introduction of the deadly kamikazes! There are so many stories in this book that will keep you turning to the next page! Don’t pass this book! It’s a very good read!!
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Top reviews from the United States

Blu
5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING. BUY.
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
Superbly crafted. A worthwhile addition to any WWII military aficionado. Desron 21, a task force of eight destroyers, played an irredeemable significant role in the Pacific Theatre. Symbolic of the hardworking destroyers, "O'Bannon" participated day/night in relentless hazardous activities, from September 1942 until Japan's surrender, without any casualties. A remarkable feat. If not for Desron 21, the outcome may have been dramatically different, as boasted early in the war by Japanese Captain Hirald: "... that a victorious Japan would one day hold a naval review in New York Harbor ..." (p. 232). Young and inexperienced, the sailor crews demonstrated professionalism, duty, heroism. A tremendous fighting force.
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Mike sawyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Naval combat in the Pacific was hell
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2020
Verified Purchase
This book describes a lot in vivid detail of what destroyer operations in the Pacific was like. Unlike the Atlantic convoys and the U-boat threat, Sailors on destroyers and specifically the sailors and destroyers in Desron 21 fought like hell from Guadalcanal, through the slot, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and eventually entering Tokyo bay. MacDonald’s accounts of his time in the slot was eye opening! Not to mention “Doc” Ransom and his accounts during the Philippine landings and the introduction of the deadly kamikazes! There are so many stories in this book that will keep you turning to the next page! Don’t pass this book! It’s a very good read!!
Customer image
Mike sawyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Naval combat in the Pacific was hell
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2020
This book describes a lot in vivid detail of what destroyer operations in the Pacific was like. Unlike the Atlantic convoys and the U-boat threat, Sailors on destroyers and specifically the sailors and destroyers in Desron 21 fought like hell from Guadalcanal, through the slot, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and eventually entering Tokyo bay. MacDonald’s accounts of his time in the slot was eye opening! Not to mention “Doc” Ransom and his accounts during the Philippine landings and the introduction of the deadly kamikazes! There are so many stories in this book that will keep you turning to the next page! Don’t pass this book! It’s a very good read!!
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2 people found this helpful
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History Nut
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
The Fletcher class destroyers of WWII and the men who served on them were a key element of the victory in the Pacific theater. This book is an attempt to tell the story of one particular squadron of those ships and the men that manned them. It does a fair job of that although the author initially makes the timeline hard to follow. Often an individual's story is told and it is hard to connect it to the overall conduct of the ships in the war. This book is about Squadron 21's ships and that story is told by following the war history of the DDs that at one time or another were assigned to it. The most emotional part is about the three vessels left in the fleet at the end that entered Tokyo Bay at the head of the US Fleet for the surrender of Japan. A little more time spent on the Fletcher class design and what made it special would have been useful to the reader. The personal stories of the men are well researched and excellent coverage of the human side. Coverage of the battles are the weak portions where the author almost completely ignores any ship that wasn't part or would be part of 'Ron 21'. This book is worth reading to fill in the blanks in some stories but there are better books on the '42, '43 battles in the Solomons campaign.
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Phil Seifert
5.0 out of 5 stars Overwhelming Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
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This is the third book I've read on destroyers in this time frame of the war. Of the three, this is the best researched and most thorough. The exploits of the destroyers in Desron 21 are unbelievable. The book tracks the O'bannon along with the other ships of the unit. A great deal of detail on the battles, nightly runs, successes and disappointments of the unit from late 1942 through the end of the war in Tokyo Bay. Covers everything, including the daily routines of the runs at night, the support from Halsey, the frustration of admirals using inadequate battle formations, lack of rest and medical issues. There may be other books out there that focus on the Kamikaze aspects better, but for the Guadalcanal and Solomon's period, this is THE book to read if you only want to read one - this one covers it all. A great book.
7 people found this helpful
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Marc L. Tavasci
5.0 out of 5 stars The story of DesRon 21
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
As he did with "Hell From the Heavens", John Wukovits has once again come up with a stirring recollection of life aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer during World War II, but several this time instead of just one. This is the tale of Destroyer Squadron 21, or DesRon 21 as it was known. From the terrible battles around Guadalcanal through the final surrender in Tokyo Bay, DesRon 21 was there almost every step of the way. The book tells the story of the various ships which made up the squadron, some in more detail than others, by using personal recollections of those who were there and official ship records. The tales cover a gamut of missions: convoy escorts, night-time bombardments, anti-submarine actions, invasion bombardments, rescue of fellow sailors and/or airmen, picket duty and of course, naval combat. The squadron's actions around Guadalcanal, The Slot and the other Solomon Isles take up about half the book and comprise the majority of the naval combat, followed by events in New Guinea, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

As you read about the exploits of of DesRon 21, you'll not only learn about the horrors of naval combat in the Pacific, but you’ll learn about the brave men who came from all parts of the U.S. to serve their country. The book is filled with small vignettes from a variety of men who served, and these stories are woven nicely into the greater narrative. Some ships didn’t see much action as they joined at later dates or had shorter lives than their counterparts, but nearly all are represented in some depth at one point.

The book does a great job of discussing the growth of the U.S. Navy from its shoestring days off Guadalcanal through the end of the war when it was the mightiest navy to ever sail the oceans. Along the way there are changes in commanders, tactics and weapons which helped make the final victory possible, although sometimes the changes didn’t always work out for the best.

This book will really give you a feel for life about a destroyer and makes a great companion of Wukovits’ other works on naval combat. Definitely worth picking up!
74 people found this helpful
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Bryan L Lucas
5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
Enjoyable read, quickly grabs and holds your interest. Wukovitz vividly recounts the leadership, courage, and bravery of DesRon21 in the pacific.
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Top reviews from other countries

jazz69
5.0 out of 5 stars A Memorable Piece of Work
Reviewed in Canada on January 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
This was an outstanding rendition of a heroic and worthy U.S. destroyer squadron during some of the earliest and most intense challenges faced by an under-equipped Navy in the South Pacific and through other naval campaigns leading to the surrender of the Japanese in Tokyo Bay. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Particularly interesting was the focus on the destroyer officers and their characteristics, as well as the accounts and experiences of the young sailors in battle.
One person found this helpful
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Richard W Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2017
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A fantastic read. Could not put the book down. The story of very brave men.
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RC
4.0 out of 5 stars A fast paced ride
Reviewed in Canada on August 26, 2020
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A well written history of true heroes of WW2 and the ships that carried them from operation to operation dealing with a fearsome enemy.
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Franklin Orfe
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2017
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EXCELLENT
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Mark H
4.0 out of 5 stars Well Written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed Mr Wukovits previous title 'Hell from the Heavens' about the ordeal of the USS Laffey and was again similarly impressed with this book.
The author picks great subject matter once more, describing this time the operations of Desron 21 from their early operations in and around the Solomon Islands right up to their arrival in Tokyo Bay during the Japanese surrender in 1945.
One person found this helpful
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