Pearl Harbor: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal Review

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(More customer reviews)Having just visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial last week[December 9th,2004] I recalled reading this book several years ago. I went over it again and recommend it highly. In crisp, no nonsense prose, Admiral Wallin tells us his view of the attack, and how he directed the salvage of 5 of the 8 battleships sunk on December 7,1941. For me, seeing the shattered remnant of the Arizona, tomb to 1177 Sailors and Marines[about 900 bodies remain]with Admiral Wallin's poignant description of the salvage and rescue efforts, delivered powerful reminders of the evil act of that first day of the war between Japan and America. There is the stirring saga of the rebirth of those shattered dreadnoughts, 5 of which fought successfully in the Battle for Leyte Gulf in 1944 to repay the enemy for treachery.
This book is not well known to history buffs, since it contains some technical details of how to refloat a 35,000 ton sunk battleship; nonetheless the author provides an insight into the tragedy not available easily even in other sources.

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Pearl Harbor will long stand out in men's minds as an example of the results of basic unpreparedness of a peace loving nation, of highly efficient treacherous surprise attack and of the resulting unification of America into a single tidal wave of purpose to victory.Therefore, all will be interested in this unique narrative by Admiral Wallin.The Navy has long needed a succinct account of the salvage operations at Pearl Harbor that miraculously resurrected what appeared to be a forever shattered fleet.Admiral Wallin agreed to undertake the job.He was exactly the right man for it – in talent, in perception, and in experience.He had served intimately with Admiral Nimitz and with Admiral Halsey in the South Pacific, has commanded three different Navy Yards, and was a highly successful Chief of the Bureau of Ships.On 7 December 1941 the then Captain Wallin was serving at Pearl Harbor.He witnessed the events of that shattering and unifying "Day of Infamy."His mind began to race at high speeds at once on the problems and means of getting the broken fleet back into service for its giant task.Unless the United States regained control of the sea, even greater disaster loomed.Without victory at sea, tyranny soon would surely rule all Asia and Europe.In a matter of time it would surely rule the Americas.Captain Wallin salvaged most of the broken Pearl Harbor fleet that went on to figure prominently in the United States Navy's victory.So the account he masterfully tells covers what he masterfully accomplished.The United States owes him an unpayable debt for this high service among many others in his long career.