The Sailing of the Intrepid: The Incredible Wartime Voyage of the Navy’s Iconic Aircraft Carrier―A World War II Military History Book

by Montel Williams, David Fisher (primary_contributor)

From twenty-two-year naval and marine veteran Montel Williams comes a page-turning history of how one World War II aircraft carrier’s crew defied all odds, redefining the very meaning of what it means to struggle, persevere and survive.



1944. The USS Intrepid set sail on its first combat voyage, only to be struck by a Japanese torpedo plane, jamming its rudder at a forty-five-degree angle. It could only sail in circles amid treacherous waters.

The task force abandoned ship as it tried to make the 3,300-mile voyage to Pearl Harbor. For a day, the captain was able to slalom, alternating use of the ship’s engines, but the seas became too perilous. Until one resilient crewman came up with the ingenious idea of rigging a twenty-eight-inch-high sail on the second deck to steer the ship home safe. Incredibly, the makeshift sail proved to be their ticket to the shorelines.

With grit and determination, this spellbinding story details a remarkable survival story against all odds, for readers of Tom Clavin and Bob Drury.

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

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 6, 2025

About the author

Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American celebrity and former television talk show host.

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never has a title been meant to be taken as literally as The Sailing of the Intrepid. Oh, and before you ask. Yes, THAT Montel Williams is the author. Although, I should probably be referring to him as Lieutenant Commander Williams and his co-author David Fisher. Also, yes, I did read the entire book with Montel's voice in my head. It did increase my enjoyment even if Montel did go to the Naval Academy (Go Army!).

The book follows an incredible episode in the life of the USS Intrepid in World War II. School rivalries aside, this book was a bit personal for me as I have been to the actual Intrepid many times growing up. It is currently docked in New York City as a museum and I can confirm it's pretty cool! The main story is about when the Intrepid is disabled in the Pacific during World War II and needs to limp back to Pearl Harbor. There is some background on the captain and some sailors as well.

What I enjoyed most was the insights into ship life which clearly come from a career naval officer. It is pretty clear what Williams is bringing to the table in this book, and Fisher steers the rest of the story (pun intended!) to keep it moving. They make a good team and the book is an easy read.

As I have said about similar books in the "popular history" genre, it is important to know what you are getting. Much like Martin Dugard's excellent "Taking" series, The Sailing of the Intrepid is not trying to present an in-depth meditation or recounting of World War II in the Pacific. This is about a specific and unbelievable incident in the life of an aircraft carrier. If you are a non-history nerd, this might be the perfect book to introduce you to a subject you found boring in high school. For history nerds, the story is specific enough while not being widely recorded, that there is still plenty to discover.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.)

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I begin, I’d like to thank HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book for my review.

People have been sailing on ships for thousands of years, and unfortunately, they’ve been fighting wars for thousands of years, as well. Ships and warfighting have gotten more sophisticated, and some things have been cast aside in the name of progress, but sometimes human ingenuity has brought back something from the past to solve a problem on a more recent field of battle.

It’s 1944, and the aircraft carrier Intrepid, one of America’s newest and most sophisticated warships, has joined the fight against the Japanese in the South Pacific during World War II. The ship and its crew have been prepared for the fighting that’s coming, and they have a captain who has a history of getting things done. Not long after successfully launching attacks against the Japanese base at Truk, a lone enemy aircraft gets close enough to intrepid to fire a torpedo at her; the ship is damaged and some crewmen have died in the attack, and now they have a big problem. The torpedo hit has severely damaged the ship’s rudder, making it difficult to steer; attempts to use the ship’s engines to steer in place of the rudder aren’t wholly successful, and although Intrepid has escorts to protect her, the ship’s captain and crew face the real possibility that their ship will be a sitting duck if it’s found by the Japanese. The Navy orders Intrepid back across the Pacific for repairs, but it’s not clear how Intrepid is going to make it back with the trouble it’s having. How the Intrepid’s captain and crew used ingenuity and some technology from long ago to solve their problem is the story that Montel Williams - yes, that Montel Williams - and David Fisher tell in their book, “The Sailing of the Intrepid”.

So let’s get the most obvious question out of the way - what’s a TV personality doing writing a book about naval history? Well, as it happens, Montel is a retired naval officer as well as a talk show host, and he has a passion for sharing the stories of those who served. He learned about Intrepid’s story and got to know his co-author through a mutual acquaintance.

Montel and Dave tell not only the story of an unusual challenge and the unorthodox solution of the crew of one ship in World War II, but also share some other stories that help those folks who aren’t all that familiar with naval history and tradition understand a little more about the stories behind the story. Dave and Montel share the full story of the Intrepid (spoiler alert - she survived the war and is now a floating museum in New York), but also the stories her prior namesakes, and of the incident in the age of sail that earned the name “Intrepid” a spot in American history books. They tell the stories of the men whose background and experience made sailing Intrepid back from the front lines possible, and explain some of the naval traditions and duties that influenced the choices made. (For example, why could you find men assigned as sailmakers on a warship that didn’t have a sail?) Both authors demonstrate that they did quite a bit of research to create this book, as well as the respect they have for the men who served and continue to serve in the Navy.

So, the next obvious question: if the story and the folks who write are so good, why’d the book only get a four star review? My issue with the book is there are so many stories tangential to the main story that readers may lose focus on the main story - namely, the experience of the men and their ship during this incident. A reader hears a lot from Montel and Dave about the tense and difficult situation the Intrepid’s and her crew, but the tangential stories rob the book of some of its tension and urgency, which is a pity, because it’s quite a story!

“The Sailing of the Intrepid” is a fairly quick and interesting read about an incident that all but the most dedicated naval historians have never heard of. The authors have a great respect for their subject and the pe people who were involved. Even if you aren’t much of an armchair historian, consider picking up a copy of this book - particularly if your plans include a visit to Intrepid the next time in New York. Recommended!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barnes and Noble 2025 Summer Reading Challenge W 9 [Ocean]

WOW! This is such an amazing book!!!

What I knew about the Intrepid and its incredibly brave crew does not compare to what I learned, which was 1. a LOT, and 2. had my jaw smacking off my desk over and over.

This book is completely amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone.

**THIS review is vague ON. PURPOSE. This book should be read knowing as little as possible [though those who DO know about the ship will still be in awe of this story I believe], as it really adds to the overall experience of the book and what happened within its pages. Read it and be amazed, just like I was.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montel William LCDR USN, Ret, David Fisher - Contributor, and Harlequin trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story. My rating might also be influenced by the fact there's not a lot of technical details or other "filler" information. It is basically short and to the point, but with enough description of the circumstances and people involved to keep in interesting.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only wished I ihad read it prior to attending her 100 Anniversary. I only was aboard her for several weeks as she got her “E” rating for her Nam deployment. She was based in Jacksonville,Florida. She was patrolling the Med with her sister ships, The Saratoga and The Shangri-La. I was attached to VA-106, a fighter/bomber squadron which helped her get her “E”: she then took to Norfolk Shipping Yard to continue being refitted for Nam. She did three deployments to Nam ans when the fiasco was finished, she as scheduled to be sold for scrap and scuttled. She was saved and became a floating museum in New York. She-now tells every one of her exploits and the exploits of the United States Navy. If you want, and you should, more information on her you will have to read the book. It is not only a informative read but a very easy read.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Commissioned during World War II as an aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid participated in Pacific theater campaigns, including the Battle of Leyte. On Intrepid’s initial voyage, a Japanese torpedo plane jammed the rudder making the ship uncontrollable. The captain and crew examined options, such as manually operating the rudder or using a tug boat as a rudder, but discarded those ideas for various reasons. They tried sandwiching the Intrepid between two destroyers using steel cables, but the seas were too rough to make this work. An innovative and last-ditch solution was to make a sail. While some of the crew were skeptical and everyone wondered about this last-ditch effort to sail a 40,000-ton aircraft carrier, it worked well enough to allow Intrepid to head for shore.

Along the way, Intrepid also became the first of America’s fast carriers to be hit by kamikaze pilots. Reading this was even more harrowing than the original attack. Planes began exploding, firing off their ammunition, fires were started, smoke engulfed the ship. Incredibly, the courageous men in the radar room got down on the floor below the smoke, filling their lungs with air and then standing up to watch their radar screens. Despite being hit by kamikaze planes 4 times, Intrepid was credited with sinking 89 ships and downing more than 660 enemy planes.

“The Intrepid earned many nicknames during the war. She was called the ‘Evil I’ because of her propensity to collect Japanese torpedoes, bombs and kamikazes, which she did more often than any other carrier that remained afloat. But more than any nickname, her own name, the Intrepid, best described her behavior throughout the war. She was bombed, torpedoed, strafed and crashed by Kamikazes, she was ripped open, burned and twisted; she lost a great many men on her decks and in the air but she always came back and fought again, boldly, undaunted, fearlessly and courageously, again and again and again.”

This is an incredible tale of valor. The USS Intrepid aircraft carrier is moored at Pier 86 in New York Harbor, preserved for generations to come.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “The Sailing of the Intrepid,” Montel Williams—yes, the Emmy-winning talk show host and career officer—teams up with David Fisher to deliver a riveting story from beneath the waves of WWII naval history. Their book zeroes in on one of the most dramatic, nearly forgotten episodes of the war, bringing to life equal measures of daring, desperation, and determination. The book’s heart-pounding narrative orbits the USS Intrepid, a state-of-the-art aircraft carrier under Captain Thomas Sprague’s command. In 1944, amidst the Pacific’s chaos, a Japanese torpedo inflicted catastrophic damage, jamming the ship’s rudder hard over and rendering it able only to spin helplessly in circles. Stranded more than 3,000 miles from safety and surrounded by enemy submarines, the crew’s predicament was as tense as any thriller. Williams and Fisher’s account isn’t just a blow-by-blow of technical naval maneuvers—it’s a testament to human ingenuity in a crisis, as Sprague and his sailors cobbled together a 3,000-square-foot sail from spare canvas. This extraordinary improvisation, recalling the bygone Age of Sail, allowed the mighty Intrepid to limp home instead of succumbing to the waves or the enemy. The image of a modern American warship awkwardly but triumphantly harnessing the wind is as unforgettable as it is unexpected. What sets this book apart is its immersive view of life aboard ship. Drawing from Williams’s own naval background, the authors vividly capture daily routines, harrowing moments, and the tightly-knit teamwork required to persevere against impossible odds. Readers not only learn about the pivotal voyage but also about the personalities and backgrounds of the men involved—turning the narrative from mere history into high adventure. Accessible, brisk, and rich with tension, “The Sailing of the Intrepid” will captivate anyone with an appetite for dramatic real-life survival tales. It’s a standout narrative of resourcefulness and leadership, perfectly suited for both history buffs and newcomers to World War II literature.

[Loyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read for the 2025 Memorial Day weekend. ... The focus of the book was on the WW II battle where the Intrepid's rudder was damaged and they had to get her back to Pearl Harbor for repairs. To offset the zig-zagging, hard-to-control course and increase their speed home they came up with the creative idea of rigging a "sail" for the carrier. ... As a bonus to the main story, the earlier part of the book summarily covered the three earlier versions of the Intrepid in Navy lore, and wrapped up the book with a summary of her remainder-of-the-war and post war history. ... The book was especially interesting and important to me as my father had served on the Intrepid during the noted time frame. Several events in the book further explained and helped me better understand some of the events and experiences in the few stories that he'd shared with me. Regretfully, most of what I knew of his time on the Intrepid came from overhearing him talk with fellow shipmates, and information from his brothers and sisters who saw the before and after version of him. ... I found the book to be an easy read. Many history books quickly become a list of names, dates, and places and don't flow well. This one did not have that weakness. ... My hat is off to the officers and enlisted of the Intrepid. She was a great ship, and with the hard work of the crew, was able to bring most of those who sailed her home again. My thoughts this special weekend go out to those who were not able to make it back. ... I was lucky enough to visit Intrepid, currently serving as a museum in New York, a decade ago and hope to see her again some day.

[Jen Juenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea that a huge aircraft carrier would ever need to open up the sails, but this book proves otherwise.

With heart pounding action, the author takes the reader on an adventure into war. How one torpedo can cause so much damage to a huge ship.

I was really impressed with the ingenuity of the people onboard the disabled ship. Further, who knew that they would have that much stuff to sew together to make a massive sail?

I thought that the author did a great job going through the different things that befall a ship once damaged. The men who were lost were also mentioned and cared for.

This is a book for anyone interested in Naval History, World War 2, or heck even how to sail.

The only thing I wished that it had was a diagram of where the sail was placed so that I could have seen it, from the description in the book, it was hard to figure out what was going on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

[Bill Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe as high as a 4.5! I liked this book. It was an enjoyable read. I was very intrigued when I ran across it. I had no idea what the title implied so I needed to find out. You might think it’s a story about how the USS Intrepid was rigged to sail home from battle. And to a certain extent it was.

Due to the damage done to the Intrepid the authors cover a lot of ground in order to explain the thought process behind “sailing” this aircraft carrier. They discuss topics like a jammed rudder, naval warfare in the age of sail and the reason US warships still have a sailmaker, among many others. But it is done in such a way as to fit into the flow of the narrative.

I have read much on World War II and especially the Pacific War. Yet I had never heard of this story. It is definitely one that needed to be told. There were a few editing issues that I found frustrating but for the most part this was a well told story.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main topic here is the makeshift solution of stabilizing and steering Intrepid after a torpedo destroyed its rudder and steering. (Remember Bismarck’s sinking by the Royal Navy.) A huge canvas sail was rigged by the ship’s sailmaker to enclose the forecastle and prevent the wind from blowing Intrepid every which way. Kudos to Captain Tom Sprague.

The text frequently goes down rabbit holes, like the history of the Navy, damage control, Sprague’s ancestry, superstition of sailors. Intrepid’s early history and first action are covered. After making it safely to California for repair, Intrepid’s later action is skimmed over, including its encounters with kamikazes.

The ingenuity of the torpedo/sail incident is spellbinding.

[JRF · Rating 2 out of 5]

did not care for this book. First off, the title is misleading. A sail is a means of propulsion for a ship or boat. What they rigged was made of canvas, yes, but it was in effect a large canvas bulkhead rigged to prevent the wind from entering the hanger deck and from "propelling" the ship from side to side. The opposite of what a sail does. It was a clever solution to the problem but a sail it was not. The writing was not the best and drifted a lot. I found most of it very boring. The story could've been told in half as many pages with ample depth into the facts and circumstances involved. Obviously a lot of readers like the book which is surprising to me but "whatever floats your boat" as they say.

[Lisac3147 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and detailed story of the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier Intrepid. The ship was commissioned early in WWII and sent to the Pacific after the attack at Pearl Harbor. During an air attack by Japanese planes, one dropped a torpedo that struck and disabled the ship's rudder. The ship became uncontrollable though it stayed afloat. Through the ingenuity of the crew, they made a sail out of 3,000 sq ft of canvas so the ship could return 6,000 miles to San Francisco for repairs. The ship was then sent back to the fleet. Intrepid is now a floating museum in New York City, with millions of visitors every year.

[Auke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book wasn't bad, but it certainly doesn't deserve the high praise it's getting. The story of the 'sailing' is not as spectacular as it was made out to be. As another reviewer pointed out, a sail catches the wind to propel a ship; the 'sail' that was rigged on Intrepid was essentially just a piece of canvas to close off the forecastle - to prevent the wind from entering the hangar deck - and had nothing to do with propulsion. Intrepid's engines worked just fine. I also felt the authors wandered off too often, devoting too many pages to irrelevant side tracks. It was unnecessary to spend ten pages on the history of the rudder and the story of the Bismarck - we all know that story and the comparison was flawed anyway. In the end it made the book too superficial.

The book also contains a number of grammatical errors and factual mistakes that a decent editor could have easily fixed (the four ships mentioned on page 151 are destroyers, not battleships; Intrepid arrives in San Francisco on March 22, not March 16 (page 235; he departure from Pearl Harbor on March 16 is mentioned on the previous page), to name a few).

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so interesting. I learned a lot about the history of the Intrepid, as well as the other ships that were built and sailed around the same time. It was intriguing to read about what life was like for those sailors and the terror of many moments during the war. There was much tragedy seen by the Intrepid; many lives buried at sea during its missions.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I enjoyed it. Very factual. I wish there were more stories from people who were on the ship, but the information was fascinating.

*Some swear words in quotes throughout.

[Kevin Rumsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hailing from the New York metro area, driving by the Intrepid Sea, Air and Museum was always a thrill. While I was in the Navy Reserves there were a couple of opportunities to be part of Fleet Week in New York. However my orders usually brought me to other locations . Having read this account of the USS Intrepid inspires me to visit the Museum as a retired sailor. The flow of this book places me with the crew during WWII. This is a most read.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding tale of heroism and ingenuity. The story will grab and hold your attention as the crew tries to save their ship after being torpedoed in the Pacific in WW2. The story is a great read with a good moral of never giving up and always looking for a solution.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Logan Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up. This was wonderful. The love and respect for the Navy and her ships really shines through. Definitely fun reading about the ingenuity of rigging a makeshift sail and solving the problem of a damaged rudder.

[Artie Monahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful history

A wonderful “biography” of a historic ship. The American ingenuity that improvised to save a ship. The story of its brave crew of sailors and aviators is inspiring.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

War is complicated. The history of the intrepid supports that. Running and supporting a floating city in wartime shows how this tool supported by sailors will have highs and lows. This was my first audio book. Montel did a great job of capturing and keeping my interest.

[Alex Berkowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

As somebody who visited the Intrepid museum many times as a kid, I’m very glad this book was written. I just wish that Montel focused more on the actual service of the ship in the Pacific, and not 70% on the “sail” episode

[HTP Books]

World War II History, 20th Century United States History, Wars & Conflicts, Naval History

[Naomie Barnabas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping and inspiring true tale of ingenuity and perseverance, The USS Intrepid captures the heroic spirit of a crew that turned disaster into triumph on the high seas.

[Stephen Branstetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I served on 2 carriers ,in the air wing,so this story was of interest to me.It's a pretty good history lesson of the events at certain battles in the Pacific.I enjoyed it.

[Cory Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book for war book

[Artie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A challenging book to review. The story is great but the proofing and editing is exceptionally bad.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very interesting. I liked the added bits of background and side history to better understand points being made.

[Paul Shotsberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really excellent history that I wish I’d read rather than listened to. Montel Williams is a pretty terrible narrator. That said, the story is intriguing and the research is impressive. Recommended!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of another important gray lady of WWII.

[Kirk Tapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

picked this book up on a while after seeing it at the book store. really glad I did! Overall, a quick read, but a great read. Interesting history and a well told story.