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Bloodstained Sea : The U.S. Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1941-1944
Historic battles, daring rescues, and covert missions—the untold story of the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II Americans called it “Torpedo Junction,” Germans “Devil’s Gorge,” but historians know it as the Battle of the Atlantic—the four-year Allied struggle to move desperately needed supplies from America to Europe through devastating assaults by German U-boats, ships, and aircraft. Now for the first time, Bloodstained Sea describes in vivid detail the heroic actions of the Coast Guard ships that defended Allied convoys en route through the North Atlantic to England and Russia. Eyewitness accounts assembled from hundreds of interviews propel this breathtaking, meticulously researched plunge into the thick of a battle fought mostly in the frozen seas east of Greenland. There, courageous but overmatched Coast Guard escorts braved the torpedo attacks of U-boat wolf packs to rescue thousands of men while thousands of others perished. Told in the voices of the men who lived it, this epic drama reveals the indomitable fighting spirit of the World War II Coast Guard.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 29, 2025
This books primary mission is to provide meticulous detail in the explanation of the U.S.coast guard’s role during the battle of the Atlantic as it became known. Especially encompassing the period 1942 and 1943 when the destruction and carnage of the transatlantic convoys was at its zenith. The war required tons of supplies to support the troops , vehicles and everything else that a war effort of that magnitude would need . The convoys ran from England to Europe sometimes via Iceland and the sizes of these convoys varied from small to
Massive the Coast Guard was responsible for the succor of the fleets and as well as having offensive responsibilities as well . The book pays tribute to all the sailors and crew members officers and deck hands of which too numerous amounts where relegated to the Stygian and icy sea this author had to have spent significant time in his research in order to achieve the intensity of detail. I’m happy that this information was put into context so this epic part of the story is known, hats off to Mr walling for this story.
Massive the Coast Guard was responsible for the succor of the fleets and as well as having offensive responsibilities as well . The book pays tribute to all the sailors and crew members officers and deck hands of which too numerous amounts where relegated to the Stygian and icy sea this author had to have spent significant time in his research in order to achieve the intensity of detail. I’m happy that this information was put into context so this epic part of the story is known, hats off to Mr walling for this story.
January 1, 2025
I found this book by chance when Goodreads recommended a book by the same author. Luckily, I was able to track down a copy thru local interlibrary loan.
My father was a Coastie in WW II and served in the North Atlantic. His ship traveled the Atlantic on a path from Galveston, TX to Halifax, NS to Reykjavik Iceland. One of his main memories was that the captain of his ship didn't allow them to steam a short distance further north of Reykjavik so they could cross the Artic Circle and earn the coveted "Bluenose" designation. My memories also include his narrative about the giant submarine "nets" they had in front of their ship to try stop torpedoes. None of Walling's subject mention the submarine nets in their narrative.
Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in this book about my father's ship. Walling focused his story on a small number of Coast Guard cutters that were in use before WW II.
The book reads more like an oral history, given his number interviews with surviving crew members long after their service. It's clear he spent a great deal of time pouring over ships' logs to get the grainier detail about the contacts with U-boats, bad weather, navigation challenges and treacherous life about a ship in such terrible seas.
The narrative becomes repetitive at times, with several interviews about the same experiences and incidents not adding much new information, just different information. Still, valuable to hear these stories told through the words of those who experienced them.
This is still a worthy read for those, like me, with interest in the subject. After reading, I'm more determined than ever to track down information about my father's service. There are some breadcrumbs in Walling's story I can follow to try find that information.
Walling tells a good tale about the hardship and bravery of the men who served on these ships, escorting convoys back and forth across the Atlantic, even before the US officially entered the war. It's interesting to read the fate of the surviving ships in the appendix.
Overall all a good primer about life on a ship escorting convoys across the North Atlantic in wartime. Think more people would appreciate the service of these Coasties if they knew more about the harrowing conditions and dangers they faced, all clearly illustrated by Walling.
My father was a Coastie in WW II and served in the North Atlantic. His ship traveled the Atlantic on a path from Galveston, TX to Halifax, NS to Reykjavik Iceland. One of his main memories was that the captain of his ship didn't allow them to steam a short distance further north of Reykjavik so they could cross the Artic Circle and earn the coveted "Bluenose" designation. My memories also include his narrative about the giant submarine "nets" they had in front of their ship to try stop torpedoes. None of Walling's subject mention the submarine nets in their narrative.
Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in this book about my father's ship. Walling focused his story on a small number of Coast Guard cutters that were in use before WW II.
The book reads more like an oral history, given his number interviews with surviving crew members long after their service. It's clear he spent a great deal of time pouring over ships' logs to get the grainier detail about the contacts with U-boats, bad weather, navigation challenges and treacherous life about a ship in such terrible seas.
The narrative becomes repetitive at times, with several interviews about the same experiences and incidents not adding much new information, just different information. Still, valuable to hear these stories told through the words of those who experienced them.
This is still a worthy read for those, like me, with interest in the subject. After reading, I'm more determined than ever to track down information about my father's service. There are some breadcrumbs in Walling's story I can follow to try find that information.
Walling tells a good tale about the hardship and bravery of the men who served on these ships, escorting convoys back and forth across the Atlantic, even before the US officially entered the war. It's interesting to read the fate of the surviving ships in the appendix.
Overall all a good primer about life on a ship escorting convoys across the North Atlantic in wartime. Think more people would appreciate the service of these Coasties if they knew more about the harrowing conditions and dangers they faced, all clearly illustrated by Walling.
May 3, 2019
This was an exciting book for me. Being a Navy man myself I could get into their plight, but also because I was a submariner there was an extra level of excitement; the thrill of the chase and knowing how hard it is to detect a submarine. It a shame that so many lost their life's.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews