Best of
Maritime

1960

Wake of the Wahoo: The Heroic Story of America's Most Daring WWII Submarine, USS Wahoo


Forest J. Sterling - 1960
    Sterling. USS Wahoo (SS-238) was the most successful American submarine in the World War II Pacific Fleet. She was the first to penetrate an enemy harbor and sink a Japanese ship. And was the first to wipe-out an entire convoy single-handedly. In her 11 short months of life, Wahoo managed an incredible 21 kills, totaling over 60,000 tons of ships. Then, just 45 minutes before leaving Midway (island) for what would be her last and fatal patrol, Yeoman Forest Sterling was suddenly transferred to other duty. The result is this book; Wake of the Wahoo, Sterling's fantastic yet completely authentic account of a remarkable crew, captain and the ship they lived and died for. Wahoo's captain the aggressive and brave Lieutenant Commander Dudley 'Mush' Morton was the pride of the submarine fleet. He would earn the Navy Cross at the helm of Wahoo. The sub's executive officer the daring Lieutenant Richard H. 'Dick' O'Kane. O'Kane would later receive the Medal of Honor in command of the submarine USS Tang (SS-306. Forest Sterling tells the story as no one else could Wake of the Wahoo is a true account of American submarine warfare from a man who lived it ... and live to tell about it.

Man on a Raft: Fifty Days Adrift at Sea


Kenneth Cooke - 1960
    Following the 1943 sinking of the merchant ship S.S. Lulworth Hill in the south Atlantic by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci., 14 men, including the author, gather on a small liferaft. The men attempt to reach the African coast, but intense sun, starvation, sharks, injuries and madness begin to take their toll. When British warship HMS Rapid reaches the raft nearly two months later, only two men, author Kenneth Cooke and crewmate Colin Armitage, remain alive. This heart-breaking story remains inspirational due to the author's faith, determination, and compassion for his fellow raftmates. Included are six pages of illustrations.

Para Handy


Neil Munro - 1960
    The master mariner and his crew—Dougie the mate, Macphail the engineer, Sunny Jim and the Tar—all play their part in evoking the irresistible atmosphere of a bygone age when puffers sailed between West Highland ports and the great city of Glasgow. This definitive edition contains all three collections published in the author's lifetime, as well as a new story never previously published which was discovered in 2001. Extensive notes accompany each story, providing fascinating insights into colloquialisms, place-names and historical events. This volume also includes a wealth of contemporary photographs, depicting the harbors, steamers and puffers from the age of the Vital Spark.

Decision at Trafalgar: The Story of the Greatest British Naval Battle of the Age of Nelson


Dudley Pope - 1960
    His compelling descriptions of the battle itself are backed by a wealth of historical detail, including a chronicle of the preceding year, revealing both the British and the French political motives, and explaining Nelson's strategy and Napoleon's response. Pope creates an intimate portrait of the life in the Royal Navy at its finest hour.

The Great Travelers: a Collection of Firsthand Narratives of Wayfarers Wanderers and Explorers in All Parts of the World from 450 BC to the Present Volumes One and Two


Milton Rugoff - 1960