The Battle of Belleau Wood; stunning in both its concentration and intensity; was the fiery furnace from which the modern United States Marine Corps emerged as America's fiercest and most effective warriors; the world's preeminent fighting elite.
#858214 in Books 2012-07-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.30 x .90 x 6.10l; 1.10 #File Name: 1596987677352 pagesthe World War II mystery of the USS Grunionsubmarine warfare / naval operations / World War IIunderwater exploration / Alaska / Kiska Island Region / antiquities search
Review
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Fatal Flaws; but still a fairly good readBy Glenn L. SmithThis reviewer is a 29-year Navy veteran with most of the service being in submarine force ships (submarine; submarine rescue; floating dry dock; and submarine tenders). I am qualified in submarines (enlisted QMCM(SS)) and an experienced salvage officer (Deck LDO LCDR) having served as a salvor in two ships that specialise in those kinds of operations (USS Reclaimer ARS-42 USS Coucal ASR-8).The Review:Off Kiska; Territory of Alaska; July 29; 1942. (Some sources say the date was actually July 31; 1942) Two ships were about to be eternally tangled in history and mystery. The giant 680-foot long former Japanese passenger ship; now freighter; SS KANO MARU was about to meet American submarine USS GRUNION SS-216. GRUNION was on her first war patrol and was under the command of LCDR Mannert Lincoln "Jim" Abele. She had already had a successful patrol; sinking two enemy sub-chasers; CH-25 CH-27; and had attacked two destroyers with undetermined results. She had been ordered to return to Dutch Harbor. But when the monstrous KANO MARU loomed out of the foggy mists; GRUNION apparently could not resist...she had torpedoes; and wanted to use them.There followed a melee; with the resultant confusion caused by the `fog of war.' GRUNION is believed to have fired at least four torpedoes; and KANO MARU responded with machine guns and her main battery three-inch cannon. Both ships were damaged; KANO MARU was towed to Kiska and later attacked by air causing her to be beached. GRUNION was lost with all hands. The mystery of how she was lost and where she lay are the principle subjects of this book.The author does a very commendable job of outlining his hypothesis of GRUNION's sinking. He makes a strong case that her ultimate fate was to be the first American submarine in WWII to be sunk by her own circular run torpedo. The expedition to find GRUNION's final resting place; funded by one of LCDR Abele's sons; is the focus of about half of the book; and here the author really shines. The reader is taken aboard the search vessel; an Alaskan crabber; and feels the palpable danger of sailing in the waters off Kiska; one of the nastiest stretches of sea that mariners face. Finding GRUNION was thought impossible by almost every knowledgeable observer; and success was never assured. In spite of the dangers and difficulties; GRUNION was finally found. The Navy has; to this day; not confirmed author Stevens hypothesis of GRUNION's sinking; but it is highly believable to this reviewer.Now to the part of the book that is less than satisfactory; the errors:* Page 22: In 1939; Chester Nimitz is identified as an admiral and "the Navy commander." At that time ; he was a rear admiral and was the chief of the Bureau of Navigation; which was the office that was responsible for personnel management (in 1942 it became the Bureau of Naval Personnel-BUPERS; as it still is today). (Note: Nimitz was promoted from rear admiral to admiral on December 31; 1941; never having been a vice admiral.)* Page 25: USS MALLARD is identified as a "tender." MALLARD was a submarine rescue vessel (ASR-4).* Page 21: Danny Cullinane was identified as a chief master machinist mate; and on page 188 as chief motor machinist mate. The latter is most likely correct (CMoMM).* Page 89: Famous submariner Edward Beach is identified as being a retired Commander . Beach retired in the rank of Captain.* Page 129 facing page: A picture of USS VOLADOR SS-490 has a projectile protruding from her starboard side; and the caption reads: "The USS VOLADOR survived a circular-run torpedo that lodged in the conning tower but did not detonate." The picture does not show a circular-run torpedo; but rather an anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) that was launched by the USS KING DLG-10 during an ASW exercise in February 1961. It did not detonate because it had not run sufficient distance from its launcher. This was the most serious and substantial error; since it was obviously intended to fortify the author's contention of a circular-run torpedo being responsible for GRUNION's loss.Looking beyond the errors; this book is otherwise a very good read; and contributes to the scholarship on WWII submarine operations. The comments of reviewers that claim to have been on the scene are noted; and I yield to their expertise and personal observations on that part of the book. Potential buyers should give appropriate weight to those comments.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A griping tale of a search for a lost submarineBy Michael T KennedyThis book is well written and an engrossing story. The Grunion was one of the early fleet subs and was lost in 1942 under mysterious circumstances. The Navy has never been very forthcoming about what happened. There are several negative reviews by men who were apparently aboard for part of the search and who appear to be miffed at the author's failure to credit them. I have no way to know the truth of their complaints but they seem to be limited to the first year voyage when sonar was used to search. The second year used an underwater vehicle which got many hours of video and many still photos identifying the sub as one they were seeking.As far as the theory of a circular torpedo run; these have been documented; even with photos. The failure of the Mar XIV torpedo is STILL not acknowledged by official Navy sources so the secrecy described in the book is totally plausible to me. For those who want more about the torpedo failures; read Iron Men and Tin Fish: The Race to Build a Better Torpedo During World War II which is referenced in the book. The same failures of the Torpedo Station's products have been documented in books about the torpedo bombers at Midway; such as The Unknown Battle of Midway: The Destruction of the American Torpedo Squadrons (Yale Library of Military History). The facts are there and can be easily found. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and doubt the validity of the negative reviews.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book is 6 stars not 5!!!By submarinerThis is truly one of the greatest submarine factoral books I have ever read. If you liked Bob Ballard the finding of the Titanic you will absolutely love this hunt by the sons of Lt. Commander Jim Abele the man every submariner wanted to serve under disappeared without a trace when the submarine USS Grunion went down with all hands in some of the most dangerous seas on earth. The Aleutians. On her FIRST war patrol. Ballard told the Abele brothers that their obsessive search for their fathers ill fated sub might be fruitless. Nevertheless he lended his expert support by E-mail. The Navy was less accommodating which is most unusual. In the end it was information from the Japanese Yutaka Iwasaki who gave the brothers the 2 key clues for discovering the Grunion. This book includes some fantastic pictures of Grunion as she lies over 3;000 feet beneath the sea.
