Legends of Warfare: Naval – serie

A pictorial guide to Akagi and Kaga, two early Japanese aircraft carriers that were sunk at the Battle of Midway.  Akagi and Kaga were the second and third aircraft carriers to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Navy. Akagi was initially laid down as a battle cruiser, and Kaga as a battleship; both hulls were converted into aircraft carriers during the 1920s. The two ships played key roles in most of the early engagements of the Pacific War, and both were sunk at the Battle of Midway. This is the illustrated history of both ships, including a historical synopsis, full technical description, and more than 100 photographs and diagrams. Naval historians Lars Ahlberg and Hans Lengerer have established themselves as experts on and specialists in the warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII. Their work is differentiated by being primarily driven by the utilization of Japanese-language primary source material.

USS Yorktown (CV-5) was the US Navy's first battle-worthy, purpose-built aircraft carrier. Her crew, already accustomed to wartime conditions by maintaining Neutrality Patrols during 1941 in the Atlantic, quickly adapted to the Pacific Theater, having been dispatched there immediately after Pearl Harbor. First at Coral Sea, then at Midway, Yorktown's flyers blunted the sword of Japanese aggression. The men flying from her decks were instrumental in turning the tide of WWII in the Pacific. This volume explores Yorktown's construction, prewar and wartime activities through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, which are reproduced in remarkable clarity. This clarity, and the large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, puts the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout her history.

The USS Iowa (BB-61) was the lead ship in the United States Navy's last, and most battle-worthy, battleship class, which also included the New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Missouri. This volume explores Iowa's design, construction, launching, and commissioning, as well as its extensive wartime activities in both World War II and Korea. Also covered are its post-Korea years in the reserve "mothball fleet," recommissioning in 1984, and coverage of the tragic 1989 turret explosion that killed forty-seven sailors. The carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, are reproduced in remarkable clarity, and coupled with descriptive and informative captions, this book puts the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout her history.

The story of the USS Missouri, one of America's most famous warships of the twentieth century, and the world's last battleship, is told from her inception in 1940, through WWII kamikaze attacks, to her being the location of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, on September 2, 1945. Missouri's post-WWII activities are covered, from her transporting of the Truman family from South America, to her unfortunate grounding in the Chesapeake Bay, on to her return to combat, not only off Korea in 1950, but also the Persian Gulf in 1990–91. The story of this historic ship is presented through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, and are reproduced in remarkable clarity. The story culminates in Missouri's current status as a museum in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Large, clear photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, puts the reader on the deck of this legendary American warship. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

Preserved today as a museum in its namesake state, the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) saw combat during WWII and the Korean War and was the only battleship of any nation to see service during the Vietnam War. Following service in Vietnam, New Jersey was again retired to the reserve fleet; there it languished from 1969 to 1982, when the Reagan administration reactivated and modernized the New Jersey and its three Iowa-class sisters—Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin—and returned the massive ships to service. New Jersey was again decommissioned and returned to the reserve fleet in 1991. In a move that remains controversial even now, in 1999 the New Jersey was declared surplus by the Navy. The custody of the ship was then transferred to the Home Port Alliance organization in Camden, New Jersey, which currently maintains the battleship as a memorial and museum. This book, through more than 225 photos, documents the battleship from construction, through combat during each of its wars, to its preservation today. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

The nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Nimitz is the oldest carrier in the US fleet. Commissioned in 1975, CVN-68 is named after famed navy admiral Chester Nimitz and has been at the front line of many naval operations in its 40-plus years of service. Nimitz’s design and development, construction, sea trials, commissioning, and first cruise are presented in concise, detailed text. Also covered are all of the ship's systems, including electronics, defensive/offensive armament, command and control, and aircraft launching and recovery. Nimitz’s military campaigns—including the Gulf of Sidra Incident, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom—are also covered in detail, including their results. The book concludes with its latest operational deployment, Operation Inherent Resolve, and the ship’s current status. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

No less than Dwight Eisenhower described Andrew Jackson Higgins as "the man who won the war for us," referring to the landing craft he perfected. Those craft, the WWII LCP(L), LCP(R), LCV, LCVP, and LCM, are presented in this volume (the first of two on US landing craft), along with the larger LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry). These vessels, built in the tens of thousands, formed the armada that put Allied troops ashore in North Africa, the Aleutians, and Normandy and across the Pacific. Though many of these designs were initially planned as essentially disposable vessels, ultimately many of these continued to serve the nation's need through Vietnam. Some were even heavily laden with rocket launchers and used for close-in support for troops going ashore. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

The history of the carrier that launched Jimmy Doolittle's daring raid on Tokyo and saw combat at Midway and Santa Cruz The USS Hornet (CV-8), made famous through its launching of the 16 US Army B-25 Mitchell bombers flown by Jimmy Doolittle's raiders in the first US strike on Japan in May 1942, was the third and last Yorktown-class aircraft carrier completed. Serving the US Navy for just over one year, the warship had a brief yet heroic life. This book explores Hornet's construction, wartime activities (including the Battle of Midway), and ultimate sinking during the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942, through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, which are reproduced in remarkable clarity. This clarity and the large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout its short history. A Legends of Warfare series book.

The history of the design, development, and deployment of the Liberty ship. Although not a weapon in the traditional sense of the word, arguably no item in the Allied arsenal contributed as much to the defeat of the Axis during WWII as did the Liberty ships. The 2,710 Liberty ships placed into service between 1941 and 1945 provided a vital link in the supply chain not only of US but also Allied forces during WWII. The basic design itself was obsolete even before the first one slid down the builder’s ways, but it had the advantage of being relatively easy to produce, and simple to operate and maintain. Thus, the vessels were mass-produced by no fewer than eighteen shipyards. Building time, initially 244 days, dropped to forty-two days per ship, although as a publicity stunt the Robert E. Peary was launched four days and fifteen and a half hours after the keel was laid.

This second of two volumes on American landing craft of World War II focuses on the larger LCT, LSM, LCS(L)(3), and LST vessels that transported tanks and heavy equipment to the shores of North Africa and Normandy and throughout the Pacific. The need for massive numbers of landing craft capable of disgorging huge numbers of troops and equipment was predicted by the US Army in 1940. Later, the British army estimated that over 2,000 of such vessels would be required for the assault on Europe. The US launched a building campaign to produce these seagoing craft, turning primarily to shipyards and manufacturers located along the American rivers. Ultimately many of these continued to serve the nation's need through Vietnam. Some were even heavily laden with rocket launchers and used for close-in support for troops going ashore.

Carrying the highest hull number ever assigned to a commissioned US battleship, the Wisconsin was the last of the four Iowa-class battleships—along with the Iowa, New Jersey, and Missouri. The Wisconsin fought through the final year of WWII, saw extensive service during the Korean War, and then was recalled to arms to liberate Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991. During the latter war, Wisconsin not only loosed its massive 16-inch cannons but launched Tomahawk cruise missiles deep into enemy territory. Finally released from Navy service, the battleship today is a floating museum moored near downtown Norfolk, Virginia. This book, through more than 250 photos, documents the battleship from design and construction, through combat during each of its wars, to its preservation today.

A concise history of the design, development, and deployment of USS Enterprise (CV-6). Though it barely missed being caught and destroyed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the US Navy's USS Enterprise (CV-6) aircraft carrier took part in every major action of the Pacific War, from the Doolittle Raid to the battles of Midway, Santa Cruz, and Guadalcanal to the Philippine Sea and Leyte. Affectionately known as the "Big E," as well as the "fightingest ship in the Navy," the Enterprise racked up one of the most impressive tallies of damage to the enemy of any Allied warship during WWII. Explores Enterprise's design and construction, wartime activities, and ultimate postwar decommissioning and scrappingCarefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published. The clarity and large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout its famed history.

Medium-sized aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.  This book covers the design and construction of the two well-known Sōryū and Hiryū carriers, and the lesser-known ships of the Unryū class, and relies on original Japanese source material, including numerous photos, drawings, and specifications. How and why the Japanese designed and constructed the WWII-era, medium-sized Sōryū, Hiryū, and Unryū-class aircraft carriers, and how they were operated, is covered in detail.  The Imperial Japanese Navy planned the construction of 45 aircraft carriers from 1918 to 1943 and commissioned 25 of them between 1922 and 1944. These types were large, medium, and small aircraft carriers, with some converted from other warship classes, and escort aircraft carriers remodeled from passenger ships. The medium type presented here formed the majority, with a total of 18 planned: five were completed, three remained in various completion stages at the end of the Pacific War, and ten were eventually canceled.

The battleships of the Kongō class were the oldest, smallest, and fastest battleships in the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII. Initially classified as battle cruisers, the lead ship in the class, Kongō, was built in England just prior to WWI. The remaining three ships in the class—Haruna, Kirishima, and Hiei—were all built and completed in Japan by 1915. All four ships were highly reconfigured in the 1920s, and they were reclassified as battleships in the 1930s. The four Kongō-class ships were the most active among the 12 WWII-era Japanese battleships and saw heavy combat throughout the war in such major campaigns as Pearl Harbor, Midway, Guadalcanal, and Leyte. All four ships were sunk by Allied forces by war’s end. This book features rare Japanese primary source material, including numerous photos, line schemes, and detailed charts.

The history of the design, development, and deployment of the famed WWII battleship USS Alabama! The fourth and final battleship in the South Dakota class, the USS Alabama served in both the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II, participating in many of the most famous battles of the war. Armed with nine 16-inch guns, 20 5-inch guns, and a myriad of 40 mm and 20 mm weapons, Alabama was one of the most powerful warships afloat. Illustrates the modifications and improvements made to the ship during her service, and the battles fought by her men. The battleship today is a floating museum and veterans memorial moored in Mobile Bay in her namesake state of Alabama. Detailed photos capture the workings of this powerful, complex warship. Through carefully researched archival documents and photographs, the history of this iconic warship and the men who crewed it is presented in this profusely illustrated volume.

Despite the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty, USS Indianapolis was an imposing warship. She was widely used by US dignitaries in the 1930s, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who sailed aboard the ship many times. After the outbreak of World War II, she saw service near Alaska before moving into waters nearer the Japanese home islands. There, she was struck by a kamikaze and forced to return to the US for repairs. Upon completion of the repairs, Indianapolis was selected to transport components of the "Little Boy" atomic bomb from mainland US to Tinian in the Marianas Islands. On the return journey, she was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine, becoming the last large warship lost by the US during World War II. Delay in the mission to recover surviving crew resulted in the largest loss of life aboard a single ship at sea in US Navy history. The sinking of Indianapolis remains surrounded in controversy, and the wreck was not located until 2017.

A comprehensive look at World War II-era Fubuki class destroyers, giving readers an understanding of why and how the Imperial Japanese Navy took the lead in destroyer design.The World War II–era destroyers of the Japanese Fubuki class were the first of a type sometimes referred to as "super destroyers." These destroyers were extremely large and heavily armed with guns and torpedoes. Ironically, the IJN was pushed to create heavier destroyers by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, which discouraged the construction of new capital ships. Particular emphasis was placed on ships that were important for the night battle preceding the "decisive battle." Thereby the stage was prepared for the Fubuki class.This book presents: The history of their design, construction, and combat historyOriginal Japanese war-era source material, including numerous diagrams and photos.The coauthors are recognized authorities in the study of the IJN in WWIIThe Fubuki class introduced a new standard for Japanese destroyers, a standard followed by almost all Japanese destroyers designed afterward.

A visual history of USS Intrepid, one of the most visited museum ships in the world! USS Intrepid, the "Fighting I," was one of America's longest-serving aircraft carriers. Launched during WWII, Intrepid and her crews weathered kamikazes, torpedoes, and typhoons throughout three years of heavy combat. Decommissioned after WWII, Intrepid was recommissioned in 1955 and designated as an attack carrier (CVA), and in 1961 as an antisubmarine warfare carrier (CVS). In the early 1960s, Intrepid served to retrieve some of the nation's first astronauts during the pioneering Mercury and Gemini spaceflights. In 1966, Intrepid made the first of three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf for combat operations with Carrier Air Wing 10 during the Vietnam War. Intrepid cruised throughout the North Atlantic and Mediterranean in the early 1970s while patrolling for Soviet submarines in antisubmarine operations during the Cold War. With her days at sea over, Intrepid first hosted the Navy exhibits during the US bicentennial celebrations in 1976, before finding a new home as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on the Hudson River waterfront in New York City.

USS Saratoga and her sister ship USS Lexington were the two largest aircraft carriers in the world until 1944. The keel of the battle cruiser USS Saratoga (CC-3) was laid by New York Shipbuilding in Camden, New Jersey, on September 25, 1920. Work on the fast, formidably armed battle cruiser was suspended in February 1922, when the Washington Naval Conference negotiated limits on warship sizes and numbers.  Once the accord was signed, the decision was made to covert the 28 percent complete Saratoga into an aircraft carrier (the same fate befell her sister ship, Lexington). Launched as an aircraft carrier on April 7, 1925, she became the largest ship of that type afloat. Saratoga’s revolutionary turboelectric drive and hull design allowed her to operate at 33 knots (either forward or backward), a trait believed to be useful in the event of combat damage to either end of her flight deck. And damaged she was. Though in port at San Diego, California, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, during the ensuing war the ship was damaged repeatedly, and sometimes severely. Despite this, she fought throughout the war, earning eight battle stars. Following the war, in view of her age, past damage, and the limitations of her design, Saratoga was deemed surplus and was expended as a target during the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests. She survived the first “Able” bomb test but was sunk by the “Baker” test on July 25, 1946. This 144-page volume, an expansion of the author’s earlier work, immerses the reader in the construction and operation of the ship at peace and war, as well as detailing the many refits and repairs she underwent, through over 350 photos and illustrations.

When commissioned on December 14, 1927, USS Lexington and her sister ship, USS Saratoga, were the world’s largest aircraft carriers. The Lexington-class carriers, as the ships were known, were the results of an effort akin to making lemonade from lemons. Both vessels were begun in 1920–21 as Lexington-class battle cruisers. Lexington, originally designated CC-1 (indicating battle cruiser), would have been a formidable warship armed with eight 16-inch guns in four turrets. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 banned the constructions of such ships but permitted the conversion of such hulls into aircraft carriers. Accordingly, the “Lady Lex,” as she became known to her crew, was finished as a massive 888-foot-long aircraft carrier and retained the originally planned revolutionary turboelectric drive. From the outset, Lexington, initially carrying fabric-covered biplanes, was assigned to the Pacific Fleet. In the years leading up to WWII, both the ship and her aircraft were modernized. This profusely illustrated book, an expanded and updated version of the author’s earlier work, puts the reader on the deck of Lexington through her construction, evolution, and ultimate May 8, 1942, sinking at the Battle of Coral Sea and finishes with the discovery of her wreck on March 4, 2018. Over 200 photos, numerous line drawings, and color renderings illustrate this new entry in the Legends of Warfare series.

The destroyers of the Akizuki "Autumn Moon" class were very different from the standard fleet type of Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers inaugurated with the Fubuki class. They were designed for the protection of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s carrier task forces, and in order to achieve this they carried a particularly powerful antiaircraft armament and had an extremely long radius of action. However, only 12 out of a planned number of 39 entered service, and they arrived too late to play a crucial role in the decisive carrier battles of World War II. Despite this, their history is of particular interest since the Akizuki class foreshadowed the postwar fleet escort. This is the history of their design and construction, and it relies heavily on Japanese source material and includes numerous photos and drawings.

The first book on the powerful Japanese Shōkaku-class carriers. The aircraft carriers of the Shōkaku class are generally regarded as being the most-successful carriers designed by the Imperial Japanese Navy. They became operational just prior to the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941, and their combat records are impressive. Compared with the preceding aircraft carrier designs, they represented a great design leap, combining excellent striking power with good protection. Even by the US Navy these ships were rated highly. During the Pacific War the two ships of the class participated in all carrier battles with the exception of Midway, Shōkaku being lost in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and Zuikaku off Cape Engaño (Battle of Leyte Gulf) in 1944. This is the history of their design and construction, and it relies heavily on Japanese source material and includes numerous photos and drawings.

A photographic guide to the USS Arizona, which exploded and sank in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  A battleship of the Pennsylvania class, USS Arizona is most famous for her disastrous loss, along with over 1,000 of her men, during the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. Armed with 12 14-inch guns, and numerous smaller weapons, Arizona was one of the most powerful warships in the world when commissioned in 1917. This volume illustrates the modifications and improvements made to the ship during her service, and her subsequent loss and partial salvage. Today the battleship remains on the bottom of Pearl Harbor, spanned by a memorial to the sacrifice of her men. Through carefully researched archival documents and photographs, author David Doyle has constructed a pictorial history of this warship and the men who crewed her, featuring more than 300 photographs.

A pictorial guide to battleship Massachusetts, a WWII veteran and floating museum.  USS Massachusetts (BB-59) is a South Dakota–class battleship. Launched just before US entry into the Second World War, Massachusetts saw action in the Mediterranean and Pacific theaters at Casablanca, the Philippines, and Okinawa. The ship survived the war and the scrapyard and is currently on display at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. This is a detailed pictorial history of the ship, including nearly 400 vintage and recent photographs.

A pictorial guide to the Imperial Japanese Navy's Nagato-class battleships, Nagato and Mutsu.  The Nagato-class battleships, Nagato and Mutsu, were super-dreadnought-type vessels launched just after the end of the First World War. Mutsu exploded while at anchor in port in 1943. More than 1,000 were killed; the cause remains unknown to this day. Nagato survived the war and was sunk during the American nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll; the wreck is widely considered one of the premier diving destinations in the world. This is the illustrated history of both ships, including a historical synopsis, full technical description, and more than 100 photographs and diagrams. Naval historians Lars Ahlberg and Hans Lengerer have established themselves as experts on and specialists in the warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII. Their work is differentiated by being primarily driven by the utilization of Japanese-language primary source material.

The pictorial history of a 327-foot, 20-knot, heavily armed Coast Guard cutter, which saw combat both in WWII and Vietnam. The ship currently referred to as US Coast Guard Cutter 37 (or WHEC-37) was christened Roger B. Taney in 1936. That was formally abbreviated to Taney in 1941, the name by which the vessel was most commonly known as throughout her 50-year service life. Taney engaged Japanese aircraft during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Today, she is the last warship afloat that was present for the attack, and one of two surviving ships from the Treasury class. The ship served with distinction both in WWII and Vietnam and today is on display in Baltimore's Inner Harbor as part of the Historic Ships in Baltimore collection. Readers will enjoy a detailed visual guide to this 327-foot, 20-knot, heavily armed Coast Guard cutter.

Battleship Nevada holds the unique distinction of having survived Pearl Harbor, D-Day, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa and being the target of atomic bomb testing during Operation Crossroads. Both USS Nevada (BB-36) and her sister ship USS Oklahoma were sunk in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Unlike Oklahoma, which was scrapped, Nevada was repaired, refit, and returned to service. BB-36 served with distinction during the invasion of France, and also in the Pacific, supporting the amphibious landings at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.  Obsolete by the end of the war, Nevada survived the nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll during Operation Crossroads. She was finally sunk as a practice target in 1948. This expanded 176-page entry in the Legends of Warfare series includes 350 images. The photographs, tables, and accompanying text reveal the ship in construction and during her service in both world wars.

This expanded 176-page volume in the Legends of Warfare series includes 350 images, making it one of the most comprehensive entries in the series to date. USS Yorktown (CV-10) is an Essex-class aircraft carrier, which sailed on combat tours with the US Navy in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The ship currently is preserved and open to the public as part of the Patriots Point museum complex near Charleston, South Carolina. CV-10 replaced Yorktown CV-5, which was sunk at the Battle of Midway. This expanded 176-page entry in the Legends of Warfare series includes 350 images. The photographs, tables, and accompanying text reveal the ship in construction, on display at Patriots Point, and of course during its long naval service in the interim.

A pictorial history of USS California, a battleship that was sunk in Pearl Harbor, raised, repaired, and returned to duty during the Second World War. USS California (BB-44) was commissioned by the US Navy in 1921, a year after her sister ship, USS Tennessee. The ship was sunk during the surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in 1941. California was raised and subject to a drastic refit and modernization, finally returning to operational duty in early 1944. BB-44 saw combat in several of the later battles against Japan. The battleship was placed in reserve in 1946, decommissioned in 1947, and scrapped in 1959. This work provides a pictorial history of California, from the keel laying in 1916 onward. Several hundred images and detailed captions show the ship in action and in its various technical details, both before and after the extensive wartime refit.