Battleship Oklahoma (BB-37)
Jeff Phister, with Thomas Hone and Paul Goodyear. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2008. 256 pp. Illus. Appens. Notes. Gloss. Sources. Index. $19.95 (paper).
Here is the fascinating history of a dreadnought-type battleship launched in 1914. She had a heavy battery of ten 14-inch naval guns, enhanced armor protection, and a steaming range of 8,000 nautical miles at the speed of 10 knots.
In the early 1900s, the Navy was intent on moving from "the minor naval leagues to the majors," but faced the problem of "how to pack the most punch" into a ship of affordable size and cost. Innovations developed in 1910-11 had made it possible for a battleship turret to carry three guns instead of two, which enabled the Oklahoma and her sister ship, the Nevada (BB-36), to carry the same number of 14-inch guns in four turrets as their predecessors had in five. By 1928, the Oklahoma's power plant had been overhauled and thoroughly modernized.
The book covers the ship's initial training and duty in World War I, to "A Quiet Sunday Morning" at Pearl Harbor, when the Oklahoma suffered several Japanese torpedo strikes; she overturned and sank, taking 429 Sailors and Marines to the bottom with her. The book relates a number of stories of surviving crewmen who were on deck and below at the outset of the infamous surprise attack. "Resurrection" tells of raising her hull and vainly attempting to tow her to California for scrapping. Appendices include lists of the ship's commanding officers, crewmen, and medal citations.
Battleship Oklahoma is well-researched history supplemented by excellent photos and ship diagrams. The book profits greatly from the contributions of Paul Goodyear, an Oklahoma crewman who helped the author conduct interviews, and Thomas Hone, an expert on Nevada-class battleships.
Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket Ships: Okinawa, 1945
Robin L. Rielly. Drexel Hill, PA: Casemate, 2008. 448 pp. Illus. Appens. Notes. Bib. Index. $34.95.
Robin Rielly gives us a detailed account of one of the most ferocious and prolonged naval battles of World War II, as viewed by radar picket ships in the spring of 1945.
Kamikaze tactics had been initiated in October 1944, following several critical defeats for Japan. In any case, the U.S. fleet at Okinawa was so vast and effective that the Japanese could inflict serious damage only by resorting to suicide attacks. Many other histories have covered damage to our main fleet at Okinawa, but the horrendous air assaults on the fleet's outer radar picket line have not been well documented.
The book explains the "nature of radar picket duty" and thoroughly describes employment of U.S. surface craft and the aircraft of both sides. Rielly's appendices include lists of U.S. ships sunk or damaged, all committed ships by class, Japanese Army and Navy aircraft (including tactical ID charts), and the Japanese airfields involved.
Of the 206 U.S. ships on picket duty, 29 percent were sunk or damaged by air attacks. The mix of destroyers, destroyer escorts, and smaller craft performed the most hazardous naval surface action of the war. Although the huge losses were due largely to kamikaze attacks, other contributing factors included the improper use of support gunboats and failure to establish land-based radar early enough.
The author, who has written other books on U.S. naval history, based this work on primary sources such as official ship and aircraft reports and personal interviews. The result is a fascinating account replete with photos, maps, and insightful analysis.
X-Traordinary Planes, X-Traordinary Pilots: Historic Adventures in Flight Testing
Captain Stu Fitrell, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Jim Sandberg, and Hank Caruso. Lancaster, CA: Society of Experimental Test Pilots Foundation, 2008. 128 pp. Illus. $30 (paper).
This kingsized paperback is the first major fundraising venture of the foundation established by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) in 2007. It focuses on the history of flight testing and the daring men and women who flew experimental aircraft.
Beginning with "Prop Fiction," on America's first jet-propelled plane, and ending with coverage of the first privately manned spacecraft in "Two Thumbs Up!," the book's sections provide fascinating reviews of U.S. experimental efforts. Most important, it highlights the military and civilian aviators who executed complex and often dangerous tasks—including Ann Baumgarten, an engineering graduate who became our first female military test pilot in the course of World War II.
"Good Things in Store" tells of the Douglas Skyrocket, which was the first aircraft in the world to fly faster than Mach 2. Former naval aviators Bill Bridgeman and Scott Crossfield took the Skyrocket to extreme limits. In November 1953, Crossfield reached Mach 2.005 in a shallow dive, and the plane never flew that fast again.
"Encapsulated" recalls the early days of the U.S. space program. In October 1962, Lieutenant Commander Wally Schirra's flew the fifth manned Mercury mission, which was extended to six orbits. In a flight called "textbook perfect," he amply demonstrated the value that test pilot training and instincts could bring to manned space flight. (Much later, the Naval Institute came to know Wally as an ardent supporter and delightful friend.)
It is curious that Air Force Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, another famous test pilot, is not covered in the book. Nonetheless, assisted by the fantastic artwork of Hank Caruso, the SETP Foundation gives readers exciting accounts of innovative development and remarkable personalities.
Operational Culture for the Warfighter
Barak A. Salmoni and Paula Holmes-Eber. Quantico, VA: Marine Corps University Press, 2008. 344 pp. Notes. Appens. Bib. $19.95.
Marine Corps General James Mattis points out in his forward to this textbook that the Corps has long been highly adaptive. This fundamental strength continued into the 1990s, as Marines "prepared for the three-block wars we have been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001."
Salmoni and Holmes-Eber, both accomplished scholars, provide a detailed introduction that emphasizes the importance of dealing effectively with the people of diverse cultures and presents its central theme, "To help Marines link concepts of culture to the realities of planning and executing military operations around the world." After touching on irregular warfare concepts dating to Clausewitz, the introduction most helpfully summarizes the book's nine chapters and conclusion.
The authors' section on terms of reference puts operational culture in the context of historical, current, and emerging military challenges. It also provides conceptually sound cultural definitions appropriate to military professionals. Section II examines the physical environment, economic dimension, social structures applicable to warfighters, political structures, and the effect of beliefs and symbols on operations.
"Part III: Towards Applying Operational Culture" describes linkages among the five dimensions through case studies, develops a framework for cultural learning in education and training, and illustrates the congruence of Marine Corps doctrinal principles with those of operational culture.
Chapter Eight's coverage of "observable realities" is especially interesting. Regarding our initial experience in the Philippines, American preference for political decentralization unwittingly fostered a largely corrupt system run by powerful local kin groups that eventually led to widespread growth of socialist and communist movements. Alas, U.S. policies reinforced existing class structures and increased dangerous religious polarization. As General Mattis attests, this textbook is simply "superb."