CompleteMartialArts.com - Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue
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List Price: $15.00
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Manufacturer: Grove Press
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.545973
EAN: 9780802143372
ISBN: 0802143377
Label: Grove Press
Manufacturer: Grove Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2007-11-10
Publisher: Grove Press
Studio: Grove Press
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Editorial Reviews:
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Halsey’s Typhoon is the story of World War II’s most unexpected disaster at sea. In the final days of 1944, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey is the Pacific theater’s most popular and colorful naval hero. After a string of victories, the “Fighting Admiral” and his thirty-thousand-man Third Fleet are charged with protecting General MacArthur’s flank during the invasion of the Philippine island of Mindoro. But in the midst of the landings, Halsey attempts a complicated refueling maneuver and unwittingly drives his 170 ships into the teeth of a massive typhoon. Halsey’s men find themselves battling 90-foot waves and 150 mph winds—amid the chaos, three ships are sunk and nearly nine hundred sailors and officers are swept into the Philippine Sea. For three days, small bands of survivors battle dehydration, exhaustion, sharks, and the elements awaiting rescue at the hands of the courageous lieutenant commander Henry Lee Plage, who, defying orders, sails his tiny destroyer escort, the USS Tabberer, back into the storm to rescue drifting sailors. Halsey’s Typhoon is a gripping true tale of courage and survival against impossible odds—and one of the finest untold World War II sagas of our time.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Compelling Tale, Grippingly Told
Comment: This is a LONG audiobook (over 10 hours), but I couldn't stop listening to it. It was incredibly compelling to hear the story of U.S. sailors before, during and after a devastating typhoon in the Pacific at a critical time in the Pacific Theater in World War II. The narrator, Eric Conger, has a voice that draws you in as you listen to the stories of the ships and crews in their daily lives, and how those lives are changed forever, for good or ill, by the typhoon, by the decisions made by the officers, and by their own actions and reactions to awsome and terrifying circumstances.
I found myself liking some men, admiring many, and changing my opinions back and forth about some, as the story developed. I was surprised to hear of then Lieutenant, later President, Gerald Ford's heroic actions in a crisis.
This was clearly well-researched and well-wtitten, and well worth a listen.
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Halsey's Typhoon" : Best read by people interested in military history
Comment: I received this book as a gift and thought I'd pass along my review to help others who prefer customer feedback rather than marketing hype and fancy book jackets.
Its best enjoyed by people who have some understanding of military history, as I do. Even with my own background, there were terms used that I had to look up and definitions that weren't given.
Although it is packed with good information, the book lacked that "flow" that I so enjoy. It was more "choppy" throughout and that caused me to have to reread things here and there to understand what was being said. For example, I recall at least one incidence of the author using an incomplete sentence structure which is okay when speaking to another person live, but not okay when writing out thoughts on paper.
I rated the book three stars out of five. The text could have been worked some more and polished into a really nice work, but its as if the polishing stage was never reached.
The book does have period photos which is always nice, and because the event was so famous during that era, even more photos are easily researched online.
I doubt the young generation of today knows anything about the event, the typhoon (hurricane) that engulfed the ships during WWII. But, the event does have a link to modern America. The current Presidential Candidate, John McCain, was linked to the storm as his grandfather was one of the Admirals involved in the drama. Also, former President Gerald Ford (now deceased), was a young officer on board one of the ships and who was nearly washed overboard into the sea.
As a side note to people interested in boating, the book provides some useful information on risks of ocean going boats/ships in that part of the world (very near Japan and the Phillipine Islands).
Customer Rating:
Summary: Halsey's Typhoon
Comment: This is a magnificent read because it was written by people who make their livings writing. The turns of phrase, the interweaving of different time periods, people and ships in, out, and back into the story, even the use of terms that are more easily understood than those written in ancient mariner lexicons make this book refreshingly easy to read and understand. Maybe it helped to have several dozen Navy people editing and helping with the composition. You can almost hear the howling winds and see the translucent greens of the water. Nasty business to be sure, here so eloquently told, on a par with Joseph Conrad. Thank you everyone for a job very well done. Thomas McKnight, old Marine, Washington DC.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Halsey's Typhoon
Comment: I was an officer on a destroyer escort, the USS Hilbert, De 742, which was part of Halsey's task force, which is the subject of this book. I was also Deck Officer, during the worst night of the typhoon, and have the most vivid memories, of a harrowing experience. This book is an excellent story of Admiral Halsey's entire operation, and all aspects of this Typhoon, Cobra! It gave me background information, which was new to me. It is very well told, in a narrative manner. which is never dull. I recommend it to every DE sailor and to anyone who is a fan of the US Navy's WW2 fight against Japan.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, Exciting, Great Historical Value
Comment: Whether you are a history buff, a seaman, or just someone who desires a wonderfully exciting first hand account of one of the U.S. Navy's worst encounters with nature's fury, this is the one to read! As an ex Destroyer sailor myself,this book renewed my love for the sea and the Navy. Even the political nature of the Navy's Board of Inquiry was interesting. This was a 2 day read for me because I simply could not put it down. Some reviewers state the mistakes in 'Navy jargon' by the authors. Trust me, this will take nothing from this superb book! 5 stars is not a good enough rating. Don't miss this one!!
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