The United States Navy: 200 Years

by Edward L. Beach

This The United States 200 years, is the most readable, exciting, and judgmental history of the Navy history. Painstakingly researched and colorfully written.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, World War II, Naval History, Military History

564 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Edward Latimer Beach, Jr. was a highly-decorated United States Navy submarine officer and best-selling author.

During World War II, he participated in the Battle of Midway and 12 combat patrols, earning 10 decorations for gallantry, including the Navy Cross. After the war, he served as the naval aide to the President of the United States and commanded the first submerged circumnavigation.

After World War II, Beach wrote extensively in his spare time following in the footsteps of his father, who was also a career naval officer and author. His first book Submarine! (1952) was a compilation of accounts of several wartime patrols made by his own as well as other submarines.

In all, Beach published thirteen books, but is best known for his first novel, Run Silent, Run Deep (1955), which appeared on The New York Times Book Review bestseller list for several months. A movie of the same name, based loosely on the novel and starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster, was released by United Artists in 1958. Beach penned two sequels to Run Silent, Run Deep: Dust on the Sea (1972), relating in detail a war patrol by Eel leading a wolfpack, and Cold is the Sea (1978), set in 1961 aboard a nuclear submarine.

In addition to Submarine!, Beach wrote several more books on naval history, including The Wreck of the Memphis (1966); United States Navy: 200 Years (1986), a general history of the Navy; Scapegoats: A Defense of Kimmel and Short at Pearl Harbor (1995); and Salt and Steel: Reflections of a Submariner (1999).

Keepers of the Sea (1983) is a pictorial record of the modern navy with photography by Fred J. Maroon. For a number of years Beach was co-editor of Naval Terms Dictionary as that standard reference work passed through several editions. His last work, completed shortly before his death, was to prepare for publication his father's manuscript of his own distinguished service in the navy. That book, From Annapolis to Scapa Flow: The Autobiography of Edward L. Beach, Sr (2003), is Captain Beach, Sr.'s personal account of the navy from the age of sail to the age of steam.

In addition to his books, Beach was a prolific author of articles and book reviews for periodicals ranging from Blue Book Magazine to National Geographic, and Naval History to American Heritage.

Reviews

[Gregory C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly gripping history of the US Navy - well researched, written, and explained. The descriptions of the Monitor/Merrimack battle and Midway had me on the edge of my seat - and I know how they ended. Recommended if you enjoy naval history told from an accomplished naval officer's point of view.

[Tilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a comprehensive and, in the main, very readable account of the history of the U.S. Navy (as the title might suggest to the discerning reader). Beach loves his topic and is not afraid to wield the majesty of the English language in his descriptions. The only thing that kept me from giving it a full five stars is the fact that some of the characters and events were difficult to keep straight, but this may be an inevitable casualty of a book that covers so much ground: dozens of key players in a span of nearly two hundred years. Overall, well worth a look, especially for history buffs and students.

[Curtiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, and stirring, one-volume history of the U.S. Navy by one of America's most celebrated authors of nautical adventures.

[Michael Toleno · Rating 4 out of 5]

How in the world is Military Fiction the third-listed category for this book? This is 100% history, and Beach tells it in an engaging manner. It’s been almost 34 years since I read this, so this review is necessarily short.

As with all of my pre-2000 books, the “Date finished” may be a few months off.

[John Bohnert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beach's book about the US Navy was an outstanding read for me.

[Curtis Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading about the history of those who went before you is a great experience. To read about those battles while you yourself are cruising through those same waters as you are heading into harms way was an awesome encouragement. My Father served on submarines during the late 40's and into the early 50's. I had served over 27 years onboard on Aircraft craft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, and on Frigates. Each of my Son's have served in the Navy and each their time spent at sea. Spending most of my career in the Pacific and Indian Oceans those water in which Skipper Beach writes brings many memories. To relive Skipper Beach's history of the Navy as you are onboard a Navy vessel adds a characteristic to the story line which is hard to explain but one which is moving to the soul. Skipper Beach is an Outstanding Author and a great American Hero. To read his stories is in fact, an honor.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beach writes with tremendous enthusiasm and favoritism about a series of subjects. I'm not sure that I can fully trust him because he clearly has such a strong perspective. But it makes the book into a much more fun read than otherwise.

For instance, three chapters on the Monitor and the Merrimack seem insufficient.

And the Princeton sounds like a modern-day spy thriller.

[Doug Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now the second time I have read this wonderful history of the US navy. In some senses, a history of the battle ship, and in another sense the history of the individual commanders and innovators who helped shape our navy. I highly recommend this book

[Reeds]

This is a big book so I only read part of it, but loved the part I read.