{"product_id":"into-the-dark-water-john-j-domagalski-9781612007120","title":"Into the Dark Water: The Story of Three Officers and Pt-109","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"With this new offering, John Domagalski brings PT-109 and her crew back to life once again and, in doing so, honors all who served in the patrol torpedo service.\" -- Military Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMain Selection of the Military Book Club \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMade famous by her final commanding officer, John F. Kennedy, PT-109 is one of the most celebrated warships in American history. However, a full chronicle of PT-109's wartime story has heretofore been lacking. Behind the familiar account of the future president and the boat's violent demise is the little-known record under two previous officers during the swirling battles around Guadalcanal. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn these mainly nocturnal fights, when the Japanese navy was at its apex, America's small, fast-boat flotillas would sally out to probe enemy strength, vying with enemy destroyers, who were similarly roaming the waters and able to blast a PT-boat out of the water if main armament could be brought to bear. It was constant hit-and-run and dodging between searchlights across Iron Bottom Sound, as the PT-boats darted in among the enemy fleet, like a \"barroom brawl with the lights turned out.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBryant Larson and Rollin Westholm preceded Kennedy as commanders of PT-109, and their fights with the brave ship and its crew hold second to none in the chronicles of US Navy daring. As the battles moved on across the Pacific the PT-boat flotillas gained confidence, even as the Japanese, too, learned lessons in how to destroy them. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eUnder its third and final commander, Kennedy, PT-109 came a cropper as a Japanese destroyer suddenly emerged from a dark mist and rammed it in half. Two crewmen were killed immediately but Kennedy, formerly on the swim team at Harvard, was able to shepherd his wounded and others to refuge. His unsurpassed gallantry can not resist retelling, yet the courage of the book's previous commanders have not till now seen the light of day. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis book provides the complete record of PT-109 in the Pacific, as well as a valuable glimpse of how the American Navy's daring and initiative found its full playing field in World War II.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e John J. Domagalski\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1612007120\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781612007120\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Casemate\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/15\/2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 288\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.95lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.80d","brand":"John J. Domagalski","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47200839663871,"sku":"9781612007120","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_b70aa76b-c36e-4867-82e0-1f6c424e2a5e.jpg?v=1756787985","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/into-the-dark-water-john-j-domagalski-9781612007120","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}