First published 2008
On October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland tells his crew they face a battle where survival seems impossible. The destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts and other small American ships confront the mightiest vessels of the Japanese navy. This massive enemy fleet represents the final gambit of a crumbling empire. Only these tiny warships stand between the Japanese force and Douglas MacArthur's exposed invasion troops. James D. Hornfischer reconstructs the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement without parallel in American military history. He reveals how American sailors turned overwhelming disadvantage into legendary triumph through courage and sacrifice.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, military-fiction, action, naval-history, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: heroic-sacrifice, underdog-victory
Setting: Samar, Philippines
Period: 1944
512 pages · Kindle Edition · Bantam