Looks like an interesting read:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOW-TO-LIVE-...%257Ciid%253A1

 

Just got a book called Japanese Destroyer Captain by Capt.Tameichi Hara. The book is about the Japanese destroyers during WWII. Amazing the difference between the tactics and abilities of their destroyers vs the US destroyers. Their destroyers could easily take on the biggest and best we had....and win. If it wasn't for the advent of the carrier, the wars outcome could have been a lot different.
Here's the Google book preview. If you like WWII history, this is a must read:
https://books.google.com/books?id=gm...page&q&f=false

 

Did he talk about damage control such as from fires? I remember reading that the Japanese ships and airplanes were harder to save from damage because they didn't design for damage recovery. Arrogance will get you.

 

Haven't got into the book yet to read about any fire control. I've read previously that damage control efforts were not the same as with US ships. It appear to me that the Japanese relied more on the sailors to control the damage rather than any mechanical safety mechanisms.

How to Live with a Bitch, I could have written that book only my book would not have been humorous. The first wife is the living definition of a bitch. While I haven't been married to her for 30 years, there's no doubt it only got worse. She was one of those that thought everybody else was suppose to cater to her needs. A posterbitch for the democrats. Like I told her, she has life and BS confused.

 

The navy war in the Pacific in WWII is amazing to read about. The Japanese had a tremendous advantage in the number of ships, carriers, airplanes, everything, and they were fought to a draw at the battle of the Coral Sea which turned them back from landing in New Zealand and ultimately Australia and then the US Navy whupped the Japanese badly at Midway that was the turning point in the Pacific theater. The courage of the men in the US Navy makes an amazing story.

 

My dad was on a mine sweeper in the South Pacific from 1943 till 1945. He could not talk about some of the stuff he saw. Could not watch war movies. The father of best friend growing up was a gunner on a battleship. It was horrible what he experienced.

 

If you like to read about the Navy in the Pacific during WWII, research the USS Johnston DD-557 I believe. A pitiful escort destroyer designed to handle enemy aircraft, not engagement with another ship, took on the most powerful Japanese fleet ever assembled at Leyte Gulf. It was her 5" guns against the likes of the Yamato, Kongo, and other capital Japanese ships that had the real guns- the largest ever to be on a floating platform. Her attack was so strong against the Japanese that the Japanese became confused and were not able to form a battle line. As the Japanese retired from the area, the Japanese drove by the sinking Johnston and each Japanese sailor gave them a salute to their bravery. Commander Evans died, still giving orders from the fantail as his crippled ship sank.
http://badassoftheweek.com/index.cgi?id=52657811114

Here's an article about PT boats at the Surigao Straits. You were either incredibly brave to serve on one or incredibly stupid.
http://www.historynet.com/wooden-boa...gao-strait.htm

Here's an article about Admiral Jesse Oldedorf who used the revived sunken fleet of Pearl Harbor to inflict major damage to the Japanese at Surigao. He had set the trap and the odds were stacked against the Japanese survival. This was the last battle between Japanese and US Navies. After the Battel of Letye Gulf, the Japanese didn't have much of a Navy left.
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the...o-strait-20713

The USS Laffey DD-724, that survived not one, not two, but twenty two kamikaze attackers and still did not sink. They were down to only one gun on the Laffey that worked.
http://www.historynet.com/uss-laffey...rld-war-ii.htm

If you ever wondered why they are called the Greatest Generation, now you know. I was fortunate enough to have as a 4x4 bud that was with Patton in WWII. The drive to Bastogne, per Allen, was not Pattons plan but the plan of his staff who had been reading the Germans mail. They were aware of the troop buildup in the Ardennes region and had already assumed the Germans were going to counterattack there. While it seems like a heroic deed, according to Allen, they rolled into Bastogne at night expecting to have a hot meal since they hadn't had anything for 2 days. They got C rations. Allen was in charge of a mechanized automatic weapons group, half tracks with quad 50's on top. The next day he was handed his ammunition in a grocery bag and told not to waste it. Seems typical Patton had outrun his supply line again and all units were basically out of ammo. Had the Germans mounted any major kind of offensive, they would have had a lot of prisoners and Patton would have been a fool instead of a hero. Thankfully, the skies cleared and the Allied fighter aircraft set the Germans back on their heels.

 

Commander Evans and the rest of the those heroes saved Admiral Bull Halsey's career as well as lots of lives. Bull Halsey was the one who got suckered into leaving his positions trying to find a naval battle. They were indeed the greatest generation. Just look around the country now and see the useless whiners in the USA. It's disgusting.

 

Tanks for the suggestion, it looks interesting. I will definitely read this one since one of my family members was the captain of the light cruiser USS San Diego and was there. He had some real nasty stories about that battle, including putting his ship along side the burning and sinking USS Hornet so that he would take the torpedo hits instead of the Hornet. The Battle of the Coral Sea is probably one of the under appreciated US victories of all time IMO.


Another good read is 'The History of the Imperial Japanese Navy' or something like that. I can't find it right now but it was written by one of the Japanese planners of the Pearl Harbor attack, Minoru Genda, I think.

 

X10 on all counts! But I don't blame Bull Halsey too much, the US wanted an AGGRESSIVE commander and they got one! He took a gamble but it didn't pay off. If he had caught the Japanese fleet he most likely would have utterly destroyed them.

 

My father in law served in Europe under General Patton and hated his guts! In his opinion, Patton was a glory seeking prima donna that was willing to waste his men's lives as long as he got the glory.

 

Tanks for the suggestion, it looks interesting. I will definitely read this one since one of my family members was the captain of the light cruiser USS San Diego and was there. He had some real nasty stories about that battle, including putting his ship along side the burning and sinking USS Hornet so that he would take the torpedo hits instead of the Hornet. The Battle of the Coral Sea is probably one of the under appreciated US victories of all time IMO.


Another good read is 'The History of the Imperial Japanese Navy' or something like that. I can't find it right now but it was written by one of the Japanese planners of the Pearl Harbor attack, Minoru Genda, I think.

 

Patton should have been court marshaled on 2 occasions. The first was the Task Force Baum. He had sent 300 men behind enemy lines 50 miles to rescue his son in law who was a prisoner of war. Of the 300 men only 35 returned. He lost 57 tanks, jeeps, and trucks on this venture. Second time was at Metz where he was ordered NO direct assault on the German Forts. As he approached Metz, his tanks and truck were running out of gas. Patton had outrun his supplies, again. He ordered his men to assault the forts by foot. Men with rifles, no artillery, against the the best German Army General Balck who had tanks, artillery, and every conceivable weapon at his disposal. Patton managed 50,000 casualties because he wouldn't wait for supplies. But America needed a hero, no matter how reckless he was with men and material.