The Twilight Warriors

by Robert Gandt

The Twilight Warriors, winner of the 2011 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature, is the engrossing, page-turning saga of a tightly knit band of naval aviators who are thrust into the final—and most brutal—battle of the Pacific Okinawa.April 1945. The end of World War II finally appears to be nearing. The Third Reich is collapsing in Europe, and the Americans are overpowering the once-mighty Japanese Empire in the Pacific. For a group of young pilots trained in the twilight of the war, the greatest worry is that it will end before they have a chance to face the enemy. They call themselves Tail End Charlies. They fly at the tail end of formations, stand at the tail end of chow lines, and now they are catching the tail end of the war. What they don’t know is that they will be key players in the bloodiest and most difficult of naval battles—not only of World War II but in all of American history.The Twilight Warriors relives the drama of the world’s last great naval campaign. From the cockpit of a Corsair fighter we gaze down at the Japanese task force racing to destroy the American amphibious force at Okinawa. Through the eyes of the men on the destroyers assigned to picket ship duty, we experience the terror as wave after wave of kamikazes crash into their ships. Standing on the deck of the legendary superbattleship Yamato, we watch Japan’s last hope for victory die in a tableau of gunfire and explosions.Among the Tail End Charlies are men such as a twenty-two-year-old former art student who grows to manhood on the day of his first mission over Japan and his best friend, a ladies’ man and intrepid fighter pilot whose life abruptly changes when his Corsair goes down off the enemy shore. Another is a young Texan lieutenant who volunteers for the most dangerous flying job in the fleet—intercepting kamikazes at night over the blackened Pacific. Their leader is a charismatic officer who rises to greatness in the crucible of Okinawa. Directing the vast armada of sea, air, and land forces is a cast of brilliant and flawed commanders—from the imperturbable admiral and master of carrier warfare to the controversial soldier assigned to command the land forces. The fate of the Americans at Okinawa is intertwined with the lives of the “young gods”— the honor-bound Japanese airmen who swarm like killer bees toward the U.S. ships. The kamikazes are dispatched on their deadly one-way missions by a classic samurai warrior who vows that he will follow them to a warrior’s grave.The ferocity of the Okinawa fighting stuns the world. Before it ends, the long battle will cost more American lives, ships, and aircraft than any naval engagement in U.S. history. More than simply the account of a historic battle, The Twilight Warriors brings to life the human side of an epic conflict. It is the story of young Americans at war in the air and on the sea—and of their enigmatic, fanatically courageous enemy.From the Hardcover edition.

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

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2010

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be one of the finest books ever written about the 95 day battle for the island of Okinawa...the largest land, air, and sea battle of WWII. The author is a former Naval officer and pilot as well as a historian, so he knows of what he writes. And he writes it well.

WWII was winding down and the Americans were closing in on the home islands of Japan. The Japanese Imperial Navy was lying on the bottom of the ocean and the country's air power was greatly reduced. It was falsely believed that Okinawa could be taken fairly quickly since there was not much defensive action for several days once the Americans landed on the beach.. Oh, how wrong they were. The Japanese had built a complex system of bunkers and cave positions and held their fire until the American land troops were within range. And then all hell broke loose. Additionally,the kamikazi suicide planes came in droves and had their "finest hour" on the naval ships guarding the island.

The author does a superb job of showing the attitudes and beliefs of both the Americans and the Japanese which provide the reader with a better understanding of the "whys" and "hows" of the battle. He also concentrates on various individuals of both sides which adds interest to the narrative and he treats the Japanese with respect.

The human cost for capturing Okinawa was staggering: 12,000+ American troop killed or missing and 34 ships sunk; 110,000 Japanese killed and 7,440 taken prisoner. And it was all obviated by the dropping of the atomic bombs which ended that war just as Okinawa was taken by the Americans.

I highly recommend this fine history. It truly is a classic of the Pacific theater of WWII.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last great battle of the Pacific war loomed. They didn’t know it at the time but most realized the war was coming to an end. This is a story of the Okinawa campaign. This is primarily the story of the Navy pilots of the USS Intrepid. Some were veterans of other battles and campaigns. Some were brand new pilots, who called themselves ‘Tail-end Charlies’, anxious to get into the war before it ended. Some were senior officers who had never been to combat. It is also the story of the Army and Marines who landed on Okinawa and the Japanese Navy, Air Force and Army who fought there. It is a much more complete story of the campaign than I expected. Ernie Pyle is here. Kamikazes become more than early precision-guided-weapon, you get to know who they are. The last sortie of the Yamato and the race to kill it is an exciting story.

I give The Twilight Warriors: The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It 5 Battle Stars, this story is superbly well-told. I appreciated how he weaves the stories together, US and Japanese, until you get to know the participants from the commanders down to the grunts and swabbies. Perhaps I have a special connection to the story. The book I read is signed by a veteran aviator from the USS Intrepid who fought in the Okinawa campaign and was a source for the book (although his episodes are not part of the story). I had the great privilege of meeting and listening to this ‘Tail-End Charley’ tell war stories last year at our local chapter of the EAA. (Sadly he just passed away 2 months ago.)

Here is the scene as they prepare to shove off:

ALAMEDA NAVALAIR STATION, CALIFORNIA

FEBRUARY 19, 1945

It was late, nearly ten o’clock, but the party was going strong. You could hear them singing a hundred yards down the street from the officers’ club.

I wanted wiiiings

till I got the goddamn things,

Now I don’t want ‘em anymooore...

Getting plastered before deployment was a ritual in the wartime Navy, and the pilots of Bomber Fighting 10 were no exception. It was the night before their departure aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. The entire squadron had suited up in their dress blues and mustered in the club for their farewell bash.

The party began like most such occasions Pronouncements were made, senior officers recognized, lost comrades toasted. The liquor flowed, and then came the singing. It was a form of therapy. For the new pilots, the booze, bravado, and macho lyrics masked their anxieties about what lay ahead. For the veterans, the singing and the camaraderie brought reassurance. Most knew in their secret hearts that they’d been lucky. They’d lived through this much of the war. There were no guarantees they’d make it through the next round.

Leaning against the bar and clutching his drink, Ensign Roy “Eric” Erickson bellowed out the verses of the song. Erickson was a gangly twenty-two-year-old from Lincoln, Nebraska. He was one of the new pilots in the squadron. They called themselves “Tail End Charlies.” They flew at the tail end of formations, stood at the tail end of chow lines, and now were catching the tail end of the war.

But US Navy flying is only part of the story told here. The story of the kamikaze is also told in great detail because this was the battle where they made their major impact. We also will get to know US and Japanese sailors on various ships, Ernie Pyle shows up for his rendezvous with fate, the landing and battles are covered on both sides…you get a real picture of the entire campaign here. Not as detailed as Tennozan: The Battle Of Okinawa And The Atomic Bomb will give you but this book would be a great place to get excited about learning more.

Hilarious description of the gulf between the surface Navy men (black shoe) and the Navy pilots (Brown shoes). After the first day of combat in the Okinawa air campaign, the flyboys gather to relive the day’s events while the regular Navy looks on.

Jabbering at the opposite end of the room were the brown shoes, gesturing with their hands, rehashing the action over Kyushu and Shikoku. Most had flown two combat missions that day. Images of flak bursts and targets viewed through gun sights and the dry-mouthed anxiety of nearly empty fuel tanks were still fresh in their minds.

Even in normal times, the two groups maintained a cordial distance. Black shoes made no secret of their belief that they were the only real Navy men aboard the ship. They alone understood the crafts of ship handling, gunnery, navigation, damage control. Without them, the carrier was nothing more than an immobile barge.

The brown shoes, for their part, couldn’t care less about arcane nautical lore. Most of them, especially the Tail End Charlies, kept saying things like ‘left” instead of “port,” “floor” for “deck,” “wall” when they meant “bulkhead.” Mainly to annoy the black shoes, they insisted on calling the 27,000-ton aircraft carrier a “boat.”

But what galled the black-shoe officers most about the airedales was their attitude. They were like spoiled frat boys. They sequestered themselves in their private berthing spaces, where they played cards, partied, and, if reports were to be believed, actually consumed booze. One of Intrepid’s black shoes came up with an analogy: the brown shoes were just like seagulls. Except for flying, all they did was eat, sleep, and crap. .

The drama of the final sortie of the Yamato and her escorts is superb, told from the perspectives of all the participants. Really well done. The war in the Pacific had a completely different experience from the European theater. The aftermath of the sinking of the Yamato shows this clearly.

The Yamato might be gone, but the enemy was still there. The sprawling oil slick served as a marker on the ocean for where the ship had sunk—and where her surviving crewmen were floating. The warplanes came swooping back down, one after the other, leaving long white tracks of .50-caliber machine gun fire spurting across the water. For twenty minutes they raked the survivors of the Yamato and Yahagi and the sunken destroyers.

Ducking bullets, watching the heads of their comrades splattering like melons, the swimmers felt a mixture of terror and hatred. It was not a surprise that the enemy would shoot them in the water. Given the chance, they would do the same. For some, the hail of bullets had an energizing effect. Hating the Americans gave them the spark to stay alive.

I don't think the British contribution is well known but they were there at Okinawa. Had a different result. The American carriers were getting hammered by the kamikazes. Attack after attack featured a Japanese aircraft penetrating the flight deck and creating a maelstrom in the lower hangar spaces where fully loaded and fueled airplanes waited. The Brits, on the other hand, had a different experience in the same battle:

At 1131 on May 4, a Zero wound its way through the British CAP fighters and the antiaircraft barrage and crashed into the flight deck of the carrier HMS Formidable. There was a fireball, a number of casualties, and damage to parked airplanes and deck equipment. The kamikaze had splattered on Formidable’s armored flight deck like a scrambled egg.

And that was it. No raging fires or cataclysmic explosions. The carrier shrugged off the hit and continued operating.

The incident revealed a crucial design difference between British and American aircraft carriers. All the U.S. flattops, including the newest Essex-class fast carriers such as Intrepid, had wooden flight decks. With deadly frequency kamikazes were punching through the wooden decks like knives through cardboard, exploding into the packed hangar bays.

The wooden decks were a carryover from 1930s aircraft carrier design. Wood could be more easily repaired than steel and, in theory, the lighter wooden decks allowed the ships to carry more airplanes.

No one had foreseen the specter of suicide planes crashing through the wooden planking. Now U.S. carrier skippers, watching the kamikazes ricochet off the British steel decks, were already thinking about the future. Postwar U.S. Navy aircraft carriers would not have wooden decks.

Strongly recommended!

[Hal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books on WWII. Without a doubt, this is the best I have ever had the privilege of reading on the U.S. Navy's war in the Pacific. If you want to learn more about the battle for Okinawa, the costliest for the U.S. in the Pacific theater, this is definitely the book to read.

The author, a former aviator, writes with true authority. The pacing of the book would make one think he/she is reading a novel. But it's the real stuff. I felt like I came to know the pilots of the air group, their naval commanders and the Army and Marine brass involved. And the same can be said of his reporting of their Japanese counterparts. The thoroughness of his research is unfathomable.

I will definitely be reading more books by Robert Gandt.

[J.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

By early 1945, World War II was clearly winding down. Germany would surrender by April, and US forces in the Pacific were nearing Japan. For a group of Navy aviators, it looked like they might miss out on the action. Called “Tail End Charlies,” they were not only getting in at the end of the conflict, but because of their junior status they usually flew at the end of the formations - the most junior locations - and had to make due with the leftovers from the more senior aviators. But as the battle for Okinawa got underway, the Japanese launched a new and more deadly weapon en masse: the kamikaze fighters. Hoping to inflict such horrific casualties against the Americans, they hoped that if they couldn’t turn the tide for Japan, they could at least force the US to bargain for a peace agreement that was more advantageous for themselves.

This is not the usual WWII history I’ve become accustomed to reading; it’s written in a much more engaging and readable way - more like a ‘popular’ history than the usual detailed and dry (which I don’t mean in a negative way) manner (such as a good Hornfischer or Ian Toll). Those who are perhaps new to WWII histories will find this one a perfect starting point. Focusing on the end of the war, and the horrific battle for Okinawa, from a primarily Naval perspective), this book has plenty of exciting aerial fight scenes as well as the heartbreaking casualties. I was initially going to give this book 4 stars (because of the more ‘popular’ format) but realized that would be unfair - it really is an exciting read.

[Daniel Villines · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I was a kid, so many years ago, my family would watch quite a few documentaries on TV. My mom loved wildlife shows like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and especially National Geographic. As I recall watching these shows, I realize that most of the footage was dominated by nature and the narrator was there only to provide relevant information. That was it. There was no dominating sound-track to hype the action of a chipmunk being bitten and then swallowed whole by a snake. That’s what learning was all about back then. Nature was presented and the viewer was given the opportunity to explore the full spectrum of their human reactions and ultimately understand the complexities, the sorrow, the joy, the necessity, and the reality of the scene.

In the present day, it seems that the need for drama has invaded even the sanctum of TV documentaries. Exhilarating music needs to accompany the run of the cheetah as it races towards the gazelle. To this same extent, the quiet objective nature of history has also fallen to this need for dramatics, which is what I find distasteful about The Twilight Warriors. Robert Gandt gives no room for reflection, no alternative to the thrill of war, no pause for reflection.

Therefore, if you like your history to be a one-dimensional thrill ride, The Twilight Warriors is probably a book to consider. The language is exciting with combatants being “mowed” down and their heads “splattering like melons.” The text is unburdened with footnote numbers so there are no pesky distractions to Gandt’s version of history. In short, if you are looking for a thrill, The Twilight Warriors is your book, but history is far more than this.

[Johnny C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written account of the tail-end charlies. Great job in weaving the naval combat with the associated ground combat they supported.

[Gerhard Venter · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite kind of book: nonfiction, clear, concise, with minute-to-minute battle reports, background, and character sketches.
Also, it takes into account the Japanese point of view, which is sometimes hard for me when I read about the bad things that happened at the time in Nanking and Manchuria.
Altogether a very instructive and enjoyable book.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since my uncle, Al, first told me he was a young Marine Officer during WWII and had been deployed to Okinawa during the war, I had realized I was a history buff and had loved reading about the Second World War, but knew very little of the Pacific side of the war. In this, I think I wasn't all that different than those reading the news back then, that tended to focus their attention on the European theater rather than the Asian side.

And that was wrong. Especially as a Navy man...the Pacific side stretched and challenged the Navy and Marine forces as almost no other time in the history of Navy and amphibious warfare ever.

My knowledge of the Battle of Okinawa was even less, I admit. I had read about Iwo Jima at several instances. And the Navy reminds us all about the Battle of Midway every year to the point that it is one of only 2 "significant" dates (June 3-ish) we honor on an annual basis (the Navy Birthday being the other, Oct 13). THIS book was does a very good job of filling in the gaps for someone just being introduced to this very significant and tragic battle. It was likely that it was THIS battle that convinced President Truman to use the atomic bomb rather than risk literally YEARS worth of Okinawa battles. As a Sailor who has done a couple deployments, I was also struck by the horrific descriptions of the kamakaze attacks on our ships. My God, that would challenge every amount of courage a Sailor could muster up!

Mr. Gandt does a fairly good job keeping the story rolling and making this a very readable book. Chapters are relatively short but still full of facts and resources without being pedantic. He did a very impressive amount of research to make sure this battle was not depicted from the American side only. He maintains a good balance of insuring that the Japanese perspective is taken into historical context. He is fair and not condemning.

Perhaps it's the influence of Stephen Ambrose, Gandt also decided to focus on a "band of brothers" in this story. Mostly pilots (maybe because he himself was a Navy pilot and he is in his comfort zone) in training and preparing to go to war. While many of the stories of these pilots and their challenges, and trials are interesting of and by themselves, at times I also found them distracting. He did a decent job of keeping the actions of these real men-in-combat in context to the story, but I personally felt nothing personal with them. They felt like just characters in a story and not real people. While, Mr. Gandt is using techniques perfected by great historians like Ambrose, he falls a bit short, because I simply could not feel much of a connection for these airdales and some of their personal stories were hiccups in the story.

Overall, this is a very readable story and a great primer for reading more about this tragic and VERY long battle. In some ways, it is THIS side of the war in the Pacific that should have served has a foreshadowing of the American conflicts in Korea and Vietnam. I give it 4 stars mostly for it being a good book that should be on the Navy Reading List.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best book that I have read on the Pacific theater of World War II. Okinawa is the last battle of the war before the final invasion of Japan. The objective of the Japanese leaders was to prove that they would fight to the death not just for an outpost like Okinawa, but especially for their homeland. Their hope was that the Allies would see what the cost in lives would be if they invaded Japan and instead sue for peace. Okinawa would prove to be the costliest naval engagement in US history with 12, 520 Americans killed or missing and 36,631 wounded. This included 4,907 naval personnel killed or missing and about the same number wounded. 34 allied ships were sunk and 368 damaged, mostly by Kamikaze strikes. The cost for the Japanese was far greater with over 110,000 killed and 7,400 taken prisoner. They lost 16 ships and 4,000 aircraft. Okinawan civilian loses were a staggering 100,000 or more. Japan convincingly proved their point that any invasion of mainland Japan would be an Okinawa from one end to the other, but it was this certainty that drove the US to use the atomic bomb. A terrible solution, but less so that the bloodshed an invasion would have brought. The main focus of the book in on a group of young American naval airmen who called themselves the Tail End Charlies and feared the war would end before they got a chance to fight. But this book is not just about these airmen, they only serve as the vehicle to view the entire battle. It also vividly describes the surface navy's role and what it was like to experience the mass Kamikaze attacks. While not described in detail the ground battles are also covered. But the thing that really helped present a full picture of the battle was the glimpses from the Japanese side, in particular the mindset of the Kamikaze pilots and their leaders. If you have any interest in the Pacific theater of WWII I highly recommend this book that included the meticulous research of non-fiction and the readability of a novel.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Skygods I was not a huge fan of the writing style, but all in all a good book. I had thought that more of this was about air to air combat, but perhaps I should have paid a little more attention to the summary. If you are interested in the Pacific Theater or Okinawa specifically you will not be disappointed.

[Karen (Living Unabridged) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about some of the last days of WW2 in the Pacific. I started this book for research but it reads like a novel (and I mean that as high praise) and it was hard to put down. Excellent book!

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 3 out of 5]

1945 and the United States and its allies are closing in on Japan. Bypassing Formosa, they decide to invade Okinawa, an island close enough to the main islands to provide a strong air and naval base. Okinawa is heavily defended and well organized and the Japanese military are prepared to use kamikaze flights and ship runs to try and halt the advance. Their plan is to inflict as much damage as possible to make the Americans realise the cost in life of invading the main Japanese islands and hopefully reach some kind of peace on acceptable terms. It’s a strategy that pays some dividends, with 34 US ships sunk, 368 damaged, 763 aircraft lost, 4907 Navy men killed and 4,824 wounded, and 12,520 soldiers killed and 36,311 wounded, and it directly influences the decision to drop the atomic bombs. On the Japanese side, 16 ships and 4000 planes were lost, and 110,000 personnel were killed plus 100,000 civilians. The Twilight Warriors tells the tale from both American and Japanese perspectives and covers engagements on land, air and sea, and the strategies adopted by military leaders, though it provides the personnel experiences by concentrating on the exploits of USS Intrepid’s fighter pilots.

Gandt does a good job of providing an overarching picture of the scope and extent of various battles. However, the battle on the island is covered in somewhat sketchy terms, with the narrative focusing more on the naval and aerial side of the battle, and in particular the kamikaze raids and the sinking of the Yamato and her escorts. Given the wide brief and approach, as might be expected, the narrative chops and changes perspectives quite a bit, flitting between various actions and decisions, and the exploits of a small group of naval aviators. The latter grounds the battle in the everyday experiences of men facing danger head-on, with a number of them killed in action, or ditching into the sea. Snippets are also given of the views and experiences of other US personnel, especially on ships under kamikaze attack and those taking part in such suicide missions. At first, this style is quite jarring, but as the book progresses it finds a rhythm and works quite well to give a sense of scale of operations, yet still be grounded in individual lives. Overall, an interesting, engaging and a little uneven read.

[DanielL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Twilight Warriors: The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It by Robert Gandt is a “Band of Brothers” of US naval aviators, but this book isn’t only about them. Surface warships and the land battles on Okinawa are also included, but the book is primarily about the kamikaze attacks on US naval warships and the heavy toll that it took on them; and US naval aviators attempt to stop the attacks.

What makes The Twilight Warriors: The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It unique is that Robert Gandt also presents the Japanese military’s side.

Something that I also found unique is that Robert Gandt brought to light some acts of war crimes, e.g., US aviators and anti-aircraft gunners on ships machine gunning parachuting Japanese pilots; and US aviators strafing Japanese sailors swimming or on rafts. Although the Japanese admitted that they would have done the same, I still found it troubling.

The Twilight Warriors: The Deadliest Naval Battle of World War II and the Men Who Fought It is a very readable book and Robert Gandt does capture the terror of kamikaze attacks. I highly recommend the book.

[Esoteric Grimoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Twilight Warriors" covers the stories of several of Corsair fighter-bomber pilots called "Tail-end Charlies," for their newness and the perception that the war was winding down, operating off of US Navy aircraft carriers during the final days of the war in the Pacific. The book pays particular attention to the Okinawa campaign, the last major engagement in the Pacific War, with further emphasis on the stories of the US Navy in those final days of the war. Telling the story from both the Japanese and American perspectives. The book keeps the reader engaged with a narrative history that includes both eye witness accounts from the pilots themselves as well as historical accounts of movements of fleets and armies. The book also does a splendid job of highlighting the different character traits of the major players, American and Japanese, and how their personalities and cultures of command effected decisions on the ground. The book in addition to documenting the stories of the "Tail-end Charlies" the book documents the Japanese Toko (suicide) attacks, Toko being the technical term for kamikaze operations. John Pruden does it again, ironically this is the second book on tape that I have listened to where he is the narrator. This one was a surprise. Like always Pruden delivers with his voice modulation and his ability to keep the listener engaged even as he treads over dry historic fact.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a bit of time to get into the rhythm of this book. I had trouble understanding the framing/formatting of the book, specifically, who/what the book was about. It's not exactly about what happened on Okinawa, it's not exactly about the Japanese or American military leaders involved, it's not exactly about the ships at or heading towards Okinawa, and it's not exactly about the pilots who flew missions around Okinawa. It's a little bit of everything, thrown in together, and I had some trouble following it all. But I must say, as I read on, things started to (more or less) fall into place. I was originally feeling that it might be a 3-star book, but I revised my opinions after some truly choice chapters on aerial dogfights and kamikaze attacks.

Two personal notes: I recently watched Dunkirk (one of my favorite movies I've seen lately) and I realized halfway into this book that listening to the Dunkirk soundtrack while reading would be an EXCELLENT idea, so I tried it out, and it WAS. Also, I've had the opportunity to visit the USS Cassin Young several times, and even go on a below-and-above-decks tour, and it was absolutely thrilling to see references to the Cassin Young's involvement at Okinawa and to know that I've stood on her very decks.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gandt looks at three interesting aspects of WW2 - the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought at the end of the war, Gandt's twilight warriors; the battle of Okinawa; and fighter pilots from Air Group 10, which served on the Intrepid during the Okinawa campaign. All three are interesting topics, but in the act of juggling them, Gandt, in my view, ever satisfactorily goes in depth on any of the three topics. For instance, all three intersect with final mission and sinking of the Yamato, but Gandt's discussion of this doesn't provide a lot of depth. There are also some questionable statements throughout. Students of WW2 who have studied the use of planes such as the FW-190 and P-47 in Europe and the F6F and Corsair in the Central Pacific campaigns as fighter bombers will be surprised to read Gandt's comment that the era of the fighter bomber did not arrive until April 1945. He also refers to being on a carrier as being "on dry land" and calls Japanese losses that were twice that of US losses in Okinawa as "exponentially higher."
An interesting book, but it doesn't really deliver, in my view, on any of the three promising areas it looks to explore.

[Urey Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 6-stars if I could... Gandt narrates the Battle of Okinawa from the experiences and perspectives of the participants, American and Japanese, from their training and preparation, preceding combat, and the battle itself. His chapter on the sinking of the Yamato, from the Japanese side, is spellbinding. Gandt is primarily a novelist with an extensive background in naval aviation, and that enhances his narrative. He explains, simply and clearly, the characteristics of the aircraft - especially the F4U Corsair - life aboard ship - aerial combat - kamikaze sorties - night fighters - carrier operations - interlaced accounts of the ground campaign and the command personalities ashore and afloat. With the skill of an accomplished novelist he brings combat history alive and immerses you in the events and experiences of the day. It is gripping reading - one of those books I was loath to put down, wanting to read just one more chapter... then just on more.... a must read!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book I’ve read that revolved around the Pacific Theater of WWII. I’m afraid that I couldn’t fully appreciate it due to that fact and since I didn’t realize it was nonfiction until I began reading it. I ended up listening to the audiobook to make my way through it. The amount of detail and the descriptions were very impressive although due to the amount of detail the story was sometimes confusing (I couldn’t keep track of who was who and their backstories beyond American or Japanese). I think if I had previously read up on the Pacific Theater or watched some documentaries, I would’ve enjoyed this book much more (obviously of no fault to the author). Despite this, the cultural differences were interesting. And, the hardships the soldiers faced gave me a renewed sense of respect for those men who fought. Would recommend to those who already have some knowledge of the Japanese-American conflict of WWII beyond what happened in Pearl Harbor!

[Maria Louise Schreffler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Account of the Battle for Okinawa

There are few Americans still alive who can recount the Battle for Okinawa. This was the last battle of WWII, and tens of thousands of American lives were lost, as well as over 100,00 Japanese and another 100,000 Okinawan civilians. The author gives a very detailed account of the naval battle and the success of American naval aviation in aerial combat and bombing. He also described in great detail the effectiveness of the Japanese kamikaze attacks and the death and destruction these attacks brought to our ships. Writing style is fantastic - almost read like a novel rather than an historical account. I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend!

[Phillip Manson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the kamikazes efforts to force an armistice between America and Japan. The loss of sailors and ships was carefully kept secret instead of admitting to not having a strategy to control the waves of planes with dedicated sacrificers to try and win the battle on land and sea. An interesting note on the Corsair's inability to deal with high altitude combat while the emphasis was on more speed to keep up with the Zero's quick maneuverability. A well-written book on both land and sea action.

[Carl Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid Recollection

This book is a vivid recollection of the air war in the Pacific, particularly from the point of view in the air. It contains a great deal of information about kamikaze attacks.
Some academics might disdain this book because it is not written in the dry, intentionally obscure style which is favored by too many historians.
I hope that does not happen. Telling the story the way it is helps us to begin to value the contributions of the Greatest Generation.

[Anthony Bracciante · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent account of the overall struggle for Okinawa especially the battle fought by the US Navy against the deadly kamikaze pilots of Japan. I hesitated to give this book 5 stars because of too many glaring errors such as referring to the USS New Mexico several times as a cruiser instead of a battleship; referring to the command ship USS Eldorado repeatedly as a cruiser; and other mistakes. Poor editing took away from the overall quality of this book.

[Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched book. It includes Japanese combatants and their aftermath
h. Very interesting way of telling the story. A lot of the silly, costly in-fighting between the services at this crucial time. Even the way the Japanese army did things that was very archaic and very costly in war.

I have to add: The New Mexico was a Battleship, mentioned several times as a cruiser in the text.

[Esteban Stipnieks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gandt writes great aviation books he is good capturing the flying and person. His narrative of the Yamato's demise as well his narrative of both sides of the Kamikaze action around Okinawa are well written. You can not do wrong if you are an aviation buff reading a book by Gandt this is another example

[Jean Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the war in the Pacific

This is an excellent read and historically factual. In later years I served on one of the ship's mentioned -- the destroyer USS Halsey Powell.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent history

Readable and engaging, it conjures up the campaign with clever use of personal narratives and good writing. There may be better accounts of the land war, but the onslaught of the kamikaze hordes is horrifyingly done.

[Alan Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book focuses on the carrier USS Intrepid and especially the fighter pilots of VF-10, flying Corsairs. Once you accept that, the book becomes better.

Odd to think of the musuem ship in NYC, on the west side of Manhattan, as an active warship, however.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid nuts-and-bolts history of the last phase of the conventional war against Japan, with an emphasis on the Corsair pilots who flew off the USS Intrepid.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cool and I really enjoyed reading it.

[James Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

This, for a historic a book, is a gripping narrative that presents the views of both sides of the war with Japan.