Destroyer Captain

The Life of Ernest E. Evans

James D. Hornfischer, David J. Hornfischer

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English

Dutton / Signet
27 August 2024

History

The Battle off Samar, fought on the morning of October 25, 1944, during the climactic Battle of Leyte Gulf, pitted 23 Japanese warships against 13 U.S. To call it a mismatch scarcely described it. The Japanese fleet consisted of four battleships, six heavy cruisers and thirteen destroyers. The American force was built around six small, slow aircraft carriers, escorted by five small destroyers. The single largest of the Japanese combatants, the super-battleship Yamato, outweighed the entire American force combined. Yet somehow, in the chaotic and bloody two-hour daylight fight that followed, the undersized American side prevailed, routing the most powerful force that Tokyo's naval command had ever sent into battle. No American performed more bravely that day than Captain Ernest Evans, commander of the USS Johnston, a tincan armed with unimposing naval guns. For the first time, Evans's astonishing grit and determination are explored in full, offering readers an unforgettable story of wartime heroism at sea.

By: James D. Hornfischer, David J. Hornfischer
Imprint: Dutton / Signet
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 207mm, Width: 137mm, Spine: 13mm
Weight: 234g
ISBN: 9780593184677
ISBN 10: 059318467X
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 27 August 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

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 Who Can Hold the Sea, which covers the U.S. Navy's crucial role in the Cold War. His books have received numerous awards, including the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature and the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. James D. Hornfischer died in 2021. David James Hornfischer is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree from the Walton School of Business. David has had a lifelong interest in history, particular WWII history where he had a front row seat throughout his father’s military historian career. Since the age of 6 David has been his father’s office assistant and book box carrier. David was fond of book signings where he could be of extra help with setting up books for these signings. Through the years as David’s acumen and interest grew, he became an invaluable research assistant for various history projects. Destroyer Captain: The Life of Ernest E. Evans is his first book. Today David is leaning into his interest of history and is pursuing a career as a history teacher. David lives in Austin, Texas.

Reviews for Destroyer Captain: The Life of Ernest E. Evans

"""Graceful prose and heart-pounding action make this one for WWII buffs to relish."" —Publishers Weekly “Renowned WWII naval historian John D. Hornfischer launched this first biography of Evans; David J. Hornfischer, his son, now brings his late father's work to fruition in spectacular fashion. Destroyer Captain is a testament to their skills as historians to pull together an entire book about a man whose life has barely been documented... A resounding story of heroism and sacrifice that no lover of history should overlook."" —Booklist"