The USS Flier: Death and Survival on a World War II Submarine
Michael Sturma. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 2008. 207 pp. Illus. Maps. Notes. Bib. Index. $29.95.
On 12 August 1944, after just ten months in commission, the Flier (SS-250), believed to have struck a mine, sank in the Sulu Sea. Only 14 Sailors of her 86-man crew survived initially. The author, an Australian history professor, carefully examines the sub's all-too-short service and the fate of her survivors.
The sub's story opens with background on her skipper, Lieutenant Commander John Crowley, and his early assignment commanding the S-28 in the Aleutians, where his main battles were against the weather and his boat's "mechanical deficiencies." By July 1943, Crowley had taken command of the Flier and was immersed in fitting her out. That December, he and his green crew reached Pearl Harbor after evading a merchantman's "friendly fire" in the Caribbean.
On her first war patrol, the Flier ran aground and had to return to the West Coast for repairs. After returning to the Pacific in June 1944, she sank a large transport and damaged several cargo ships. But shortly after this brief reprieve from hard luck, she was sent to the bottom in less than a minute.
The remainder of the book is the incredible tale of the eight who lived through the ordeal. After several miserable days of searching for fresh water and food, they ran into Filipino guerrillas who led them to safety and evacuation by the Redfin (SS-272).
The USS Flier is a great read. It is full of fascinating vignettes, such as an account of John Crowley's subsequent command of another sub that experienced harrowing events and the author's speculation that rather than a mine, the Flier "may have hit a reef or other submerged hazard."
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary: Birth to the New Normalcy, 1939-2007
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Association. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company, 2007. 120 pp. Illus. Index. $55.95.
The newest history of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA) includes the many changes that have occurred since 9/11 and the dramatic response of the organization's uniformed civilian volunteers to the threat of terrorism in the United States. Following a message by Steven M. Budar, the USCGA National Commodore, and special thanks to its historian, C. Kay Larson, this coffee-table book tells of the origin and mission of an extraordinary association that was first established as a volunteer force to promote recreational boating safety.
The initial chapter summarizes the Auxiliary's accomplishments from 1939 to 2001. During World War II, more than 50,000 mariners joined up and the auxiliary "became the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard" by patrolling waterways and coastlines; indeed, yachtsmen were considered a "national defense asset." Chapter Three discusses incorporation of the organization into Coast Guard plans after the 9/11 attacks to answer the rapidly growing demands of homeland security.
A chapter is dedicated to the heroic acts performed by USCGA members during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, when they responded to calls for help with radios, boats, and their own aircraft. The exemplary roles that women have played in the Auxiliary, from World War II service to duty as commodores of "Women's Flotillas" during the 1950s, is not forgotten. For example, Betty McNabb joined in 1941 and later enlisted in the Army. She rejoined the USCGA in 1972 as a pilot and flew air patrols until she was 82.
The closing section features numerous photos of the Coast Guard and its Auxiliary in action. They top off in style the history of a naval "home guard" that has served America well.
Mess Night Traditions
Charles J. Gibowicz. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2007. 271 pp. Notes. Bib. $25.
A retired Navy captain believed that the time-honored tradition of formal naval mess nights should be reviewed and reiterated to all hands. And his self-published book does the job exceptionally well, starting with explicit details regarding the composition of the mess and ending with obligatory songs to be sung: e.g., "Anchors Aweigh," "The Marines' Hymn," and, not least, the "Song of the Seabees."
Histories of uniforms and "the spirits"—such as "splicing the main brace" in the Royal Navy—are provided, as Captain Gibowicz presses on to the importance of religion and chaplains at sea. There is also background on "the toast" as a gracious gesture that goes back to ancient Greek and Roman times.
The chapter on the "the smoking lamp" is especially interesting, given worldwide measures to totally wipe out the tobacco habit on all fronts. Even as a non-smoker, however, the author confesses that, on rare occasions like mess nights, a good cigar with a glass of port can contribute to an enjoyable evening.
Specific planning considerations and a complete script for conducting mess nights are provided in the book's closing chapters. In addition, the author lists numerous U.S. historical events and birthdays that are worthy of highlighting and celebrating.
Mess Night Traditions has the attraction of being both entertaining and practical. Navy and Marine Corps leaders will find it most useful as a comprehensive guide for formal occasions that can promote cheerful camaraderie and esprit-de-corps among their officers and senior enlisted personnel.
U.S. Military History for Dummies
John C. McManus. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, 2007. 364 pp. Illus. Maps. Index. $21.99.
Beginning with the French and Indian War and closing with current campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a good starter for those desiring an overview of our country's involvement in armed combat. According to the author, anyone who wants to understand the first thing about American history must know military history—because "like it or not, the United States was created by warfare."
The author first explains why understanding the past is important and why America has gone to war. It specifies "the Players"—e.g., politicians and military leaders—and delves into the general composition of the four armed services as well as the dramatic changes in warfare that have occurred through the decades.
The early conflicts, War for Independence, War of 1812, and the fight with Mexico that grew out of the American notion of "manifest destiny" comprise two sections. The Civil War receives considerable attention, followed by chapters on the Indian Wars and combat with Spain and the Filipino Insurrection. The rise of U.S. internationalism and America's major roles in World Wars I and II, the latter of which required total mobilization, are described, followed by the conflicts from the mid-20th century to today's "Long War Ahead" against terrorism. The author also provides an interesting chapter on his views of the best and worst U.S. generals, and the best movies on military history.
John McManus is an associate professor of U.S. military history who has written six other books on the subject. This latest effort—which is not exactly aimed at dummies—is a good checklist that also discusses a number of side issues and debates that continue to plague historians.