Hunting The German Shark; The American Navy In The Underseas War [Illustrated Edition] (el. knyga) (skaityta knyga) | knygos.lt

Aprašymas

“The ‘shark killers’ of the U. S. fleet”

“The United States of America entered the First World War in April 1917, though its support for the allied war effort had, of course, been immensely influential in terms of the provision of material up to that point. The direct intervention of America in the war, with its vast resources of military personnel and equipment, backed by a huge manufacturing capacity, was inevitably pivotal. This account, part history, part anecdotal and part first hand account, was written shortly before the end of the conflict and describes in some detail the endeavours of the United States Navy during the war at sea in general and, more particularly, how it dealt with the omnipresent menace of the, ‘German Shark’—the U Boats of the German Navy. This hidden undersea threat bore directly on America’s role in the war. Men and vitally needed supplies had to traverse the Atlantic in merchant vessels to reach Europe. They were perilously exposed to the depredations of the German submarine force whose task it was to prevent them reaching their destinations. This well written and engaging book takes the reader to war on the United States Navy destroyers and with the navy pilots of early military aircraft whose task it was to pursue and destroy U-Boats in order to protect the vulnerable convoys of merchantmen on the high seas. Many interesting engagements, duels and sinkings are described in compelling detail from first-hand experience. An essential book for all those particularly interested in submarine and anti-submarine warfare or the Great War generally.”

Excerpt from Hunting the German Shark: The American Navy, in the Underseas War:
"The American Fleet is made up Of a composi tion of battleships, dreadnoughts, destroyers, scout-cruisers, submarines, armed yachts, coast guard vessels, mine-layers, and repair ships, manned by a personnel of more than forty thou sand men. TO this now has to be added over a hundred Chasers and their crews; many thousands of men serving on troop and supply Ships, naval transports, as armed guards; radio and signal men; naval gun crews furnished to merchant vessels; lastly, ten thousand men of the American Naval Aviation Service. Lump ing them all together, a hundred thousand men would be a conservative estimate of the Ameri can naval forces, either serving directly under the command of Admiral Sims or coming and going in the transport service.

Judged by any standard, this is a large fleet, and one Of the most satisfactory things about it - to an American, at least-is found in the fact that its upkeep has laid no additional burden on England, already over-weighted with her own war costs and those of weaker allies."