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by James D. Hornfischer (Author)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The exhilarating true story of the U.S. Navy's improbable victory at the Battle of Samar--"a dire survival-at-sea saga" (Denver Post) from the acclaimed author of Neptune's Inferno
"A critically acclaimed, blow-by-blow look at a small American force counterattacking into the teeth of hopeless odds."--Miami Herald "The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors will take its place amidst the great literature of World War II."--Ron Powers, co-author of Flags of Our Fathers Desperately fought on the morning of October 25, 1944, the Battle off Samar is one of the most celebrated engagements in United States naval lore. Facing overwhelming firepower, with no prospect of reinforcement, thirteen American warships began a fight they couldn't win--and fought it to the death. Weaving together extensive interviews with veterans, unpublished eyewitness accounts, declassified documents, and rare Japanese sources, James D. Hornfischer has created an unprecedented account of a naval engagement unlike any other in American history. A resonant portrait of the Navy man's indomitable spirit and a stirring tale of heroism in the face of hopeless odds, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors unforgettably captures the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory. WINNER OF THE SAMUEL ELIOT MORISON AWARD FOR NAVAL LITERATUREFront Jacket
This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.
With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS "Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur's vulnerable invasion force were the "Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.
In the tradition of the #1 "New York Times bestseller "Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history--and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.
"From the Hardcover edition.
Author Biography
James D. Hornfischer was a writer, literary agent, and book editor. He was the author of the New York Times bestsellers Neptune's Inferno, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Soldiers, Ship of Ghosts, and The Fleet at Flood Tide, all widely acclaimed accounts of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II, as well as the upcoming Who Can Hold the Sea. His books have received numerous awards, including the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Distinguished Service and the Naval Historical Foundation Distinguished Service Award. James D. Hornfischer died in 2021.
