First published 2024
Captain Ernest Evans stands on the bridge of the USS Johnston as Japanese warships appear on the horizon near Samar. The date is October 25, 1944, and his small American flotilla faces a massive enemy fleet with superior vessels and firepower. Evans, who rose from humble beginnings in Pawnee, Oklahoma, as the child of a Cherokee and Creek family to graduate from the Naval Academy in 1931, now confronts the ultimate test of his naval career. He orders his destroyer forward into attack position against overwhelming odds. His crew fires torpedo after torpedo while maneuvering desperately to avoid enemy shells. Two other American destroyers join the desperate fight. Evans and his sailors must rely on courage, skill, and determination as they face one of Tokyo's most powerful naval forces in what becomes a valiant last stand that will determine their fate and honor.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, military-fiction, action, naval-history, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: last-stand, underdog
Setting: Pawnee, Oklahoma, Samar, United States
Period: 1944, 1931
256 pages · Paperback · Dutton Caliber