A true story of men and women pitted against the sea during World War II―and an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit. On May 19; 1942; a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles from New Orleans. Captained by twenty nine-year-old Iron Cross and King's Cross recipient Erich Wu¨rdemann; the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with sixty-two souls on board. Most aboard were merchant seamen; but there were also a handful of civilians; including the Downs family: Ray and Ina; and their two children; eight-year-old Sonny and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths; the Downs family had no idea that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded; chaos ensued―and each family member had to find their own path to survival. Including original; unpublished material from Commander Wu¨rdemann’s war diary; the story provides balance and perspective by chronicling the daring mission of the U-boat―and its commander’s decision-making―in the Gulf of Mexico.An inspiring historical narrative; So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks; hypothermia; drowning; and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast.
#67656 in Books 2015-10-01 2015-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .83 x 6.00l; .0 #File Name: 1629371440368 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. this volume helps me to remember the Joy of being a PSU FANBy Andy BoyI am a Penn State Fan since Joe Paterno joined the Coaching Staff. I have bled Blue and Wight and sat through most of the games during his reign as Head Coach. As I am getting older; this volume helps me to remember the Joy of being a PSU FAN!!! Thank You!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. he LOVED it!By Dianne SnyderMy husband went to Penn State...purchased this as a surprise...he LOVED it!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. We Are!By Melanie RodriguezThis is great! This book contains a lot of the rich history found at Penn State! This should be required reading for all Penn Staters!
