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The Devil in the Deep: The Untold Story of the U.S. Navy Response to 9/11.
BASED ON TRUE EVENTS:
The U.S. Navy was among the first responders on 9/11. Entrusted with the iconic Ground Zero flag, the Roosevelt battlegroup took to the seas searching out those responsible, and to bring justice to a nation in mourning.
On 1145 September 2001, the U.S.S. Leyte Gulf deployed within hours of the attack on the W.T.C. with orders to shoot down and destroy any "birds not squawking" over New York City. We were entrusted with the Ground Zero flag raised by the NYFD. We flew that flag with pride and determination from our mast on our important mission. After two days we were then redirected to the gulf and given orders to destroy the Taliban with the Tomahawk missiles onboard. During transit, we were told by our Captain that the Taliban would be waiting for us in the narrow Suez canal. So narrow in fact, only a single ship can go through at any one time. If the first and last ship were to be hit by surface to air missiles, there would be no way out. The aircraft carrier U.S.S Roosevelt, would be trapped in the middle and defenseless. There they were, waiting for us on horseback atop the sandy Suez dunes...following us. Just a bunch of scared kids manning the ships 50 cal guns, wondering what was to happen next.
One late night in the gulf, Bush declared war. It was our task to launch the first Tomahawk missiles and kick off the war on terror. We were cut off from the outside world. Email and any other means of communication had been banned for security reasons. Television reports of Anthrax gripping the country with fear and WW3 rumors scuttling through the ships decks. A six man boarding party manned up to routinely search an unresponding suspect Iraqi tanker...what was found would change our lives forever.
This is our sea story.
The U.S. Navy was among the first responders on 9/11. Entrusted with the iconic Ground Zero flag, the Roosevelt battlegroup took to the seas searching out those responsible, and to bring justice to a nation in mourning.
On 1145 September 2001, the U.S.S. Leyte Gulf deployed within hours of the attack on the W.T.C. with orders to shoot down and destroy any "birds not squawking" over New York City. We were entrusted with the Ground Zero flag raised by the NYFD. We flew that flag with pride and determination from our mast on our important mission. After two days we were then redirected to the gulf and given orders to destroy the Taliban with the Tomahawk missiles onboard. During transit, we were told by our Captain that the Taliban would be waiting for us in the narrow Suez canal. So narrow in fact, only a single ship can go through at any one time. If the first and last ship were to be hit by surface to air missiles, there would be no way out. The aircraft carrier U.S.S Roosevelt, would be trapped in the middle and defenseless. There they were, waiting for us on horseback atop the sandy Suez dunes...following us. Just a bunch of scared kids manning the ships 50 cal guns, wondering what was to happen next.
One late night in the gulf, Bush declared war. It was our task to launch the first Tomahawk missiles and kick off the war on terror. We were cut off from the outside world. Email and any other means of communication had been banned for security reasons. Television reports of Anthrax gripping the country with fear and WW3 rumors scuttling through the ships decks. A six man boarding party manned up to routinely search an unresponding suspect Iraqi tanker...what was found would change our lives forever.
This is our sea story.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2012
About the author
Joseph Pignataro
6 books12 followers Petty Officer Pignataro served as a Tomahawk missile operator, instructor, and Navy recruiter. He has been awarded three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 7, 2012
An interesting story written by a sailor aboard the USS Leyte Gulf, a cruiser that deployed mere hours after the 9/11 attack. Gives the reader a different perspective of the initial response to the attack. The author's enlistment was almost up when he reported that fateful morning and had to leave his young wife and newborn son without so much as giving them a last hug before the ship left.
Good, humorous sea stories of young sailors life on a ship and on shore leave, plus some tense action they encountered on the deployment.
Very well written with a good pace and insight on how it would feel to be in such a situation.
Good read! As you were!
Good, humorous sea stories of young sailors life on a ship and on shore leave, plus some tense action they encountered on the deployment.
Very well written with a good pace and insight on how it would feel to be in such a situation.
Good read! As you were!
July 27, 2012
This is a true story written by Joseph Pignataro who was aboard the U.S.S. Leyte Gulf during 9-11. It is his account of the Navy's first response and how they kicked off the war on Terror. It will make you laugh, cry and remember.
April 27, 2012
It never occured to me after 911 that the Navy was involved in anyway with the aftermath of the terrorist attack. I should have guessed having been in the Navy that the entire military would go on alert. This was a very easy book to read and once I got into the story I had to continue to see what happened next. The people who died in this story were true heros and probably deserved more than they were awarded. Honor in the finest traditions of the US Navy; BooRah!
May 7, 2013
I really enjoyed A Sea Story : The Untold Story of the US Navy by Joseph Pignataro. This is an autobiography about one mans job in the aftermath of 9/11. He is assigned to a naval warship sent to the Persian Gulf within hours of the 9/11 attack. It tells the stories of these heroes and their action going thru The Suez Canal and the terrorists they're after.
June 25, 2016
A great story, every American should read .
I thought I was well versed on. Nine eleven, but soon came to realize there was much more
happened than I knew about. A good read.
I thought I was well versed on. Nine eleven, but soon came to realize there was much more
happened than I knew about. A good read.
August 31, 2016
Okay
Interesting and we'll paced at the start, but then decreased in authenticity. And the author needs to stop making his characters"smirk." Very distracting. Just not a realistic portrayal, I'm sorry to say.
Interesting and we'll paced at the start, but then decreased in authenticity. And the author needs to stop making his characters"smirk." Very distracting. Just not a realistic portrayal, I'm sorry to say.
April 3, 2020
HARD MEMORIES ON THE SURFACE HAVE RETURNED TO A DEEP PLACE CALLED MY SOUL.
I HAVE RATED THIS STORY AS IT STIRRED MY EMOTIONS OF LOST MEMORIES FROM MY YOUTH.
MANY HAVE TRAVELED THROUGH THE GATEWAY OF THE ROCK OF GIBRALTER THAT LEADS TO THE RED SEA.
I F YOU HAVE EVER TRAVELED UPON A VESSEL UPON DEEP WATERS SPANNING THE GLOBE, THEN YOU A FEELING OF CONNECTION.
IF YOU KNOW OF ARE RELATED TO ANYONE THAT YOU ARE CLOSE TO, OR LOVE, THEN YOU MAY HAVE A UNDERSTANDING TO KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE.
ONCE YOU READ THIS STORY, YOUR EMOTIONS WILL BE STIRRED AS I HAVE BEEN.
THIS IF A GOOD STORY THAT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THOSE WHO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THEIR WORLD IS SAFE, THAT THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATIONS AS SOMEONE ELSE WILL WALK IN HARM'S.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE A PERSON IN UNIFORM OR A FIRST RESPONDER OR PROTECTOR OF THE PUBLIC, THANK THEM.
MOST PEOPLE WILL HAVE MANY EMOTIONAL THOUGHTS. HOWEVER, THOSE WHO ARE NOT TOUCHED BY THE TELLING OF THIS STORY, MIGHT JUST NOT GIVE THEIR OPINION WHILE IN MY PRESENCE. I AM OLD, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD OLD AMERICAN ASS WHIPPING BECAUSE, MY KICKER AIN'T BROKE. IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO KEEP YOUR OPINION TO YOURSELF, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR REMARKS ARE NEGATIVE CONCERNING THE DEVIL IN THE DEEP.
RESPECT FOR FREEDOM, HONOR, DIGNITY, DOING THE RIGHT THING AT ALL COST, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO DO ALL OF MY LIFE. THIS STORY TALKS ABOUT THOSE SAME MORALS AND VALUES THAT EACH CHARACTER DISPLAYS. I WILL READ MORE BOOKS OR STORIES BY JOSEPH PIGNATARO. SEMPER FI
I HAVE RATED THIS STORY AS IT STIRRED MY EMOTIONS OF LOST MEMORIES FROM MY YOUTH.
MANY HAVE TRAVELED THROUGH THE GATEWAY OF THE ROCK OF GIBRALTER THAT LEADS TO THE RED SEA.
I F YOU HAVE EVER TRAVELED UPON A VESSEL UPON DEEP WATERS SPANNING THE GLOBE, THEN YOU A FEELING OF CONNECTION.
IF YOU KNOW OF ARE RELATED TO ANYONE THAT YOU ARE CLOSE TO, OR LOVE, THEN YOU MAY HAVE A UNDERSTANDING TO KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE.
ONCE YOU READ THIS STORY, YOUR EMOTIONS WILL BE STIRRED AS I HAVE BEEN.
THIS IF A GOOD STORY THAT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THOSE WHO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THEIR WORLD IS SAFE, THAT THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATIONS AS SOMEONE ELSE WILL WALK IN HARM'S.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE A PERSON IN UNIFORM OR A FIRST RESPONDER OR PROTECTOR OF THE PUBLIC, THANK THEM.
MOST PEOPLE WILL HAVE MANY EMOTIONAL THOUGHTS. HOWEVER, THOSE WHO ARE NOT TOUCHED BY THE TELLING OF THIS STORY, MIGHT JUST NOT GIVE THEIR OPINION WHILE IN MY PRESENCE. I AM OLD, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD OLD AMERICAN ASS WHIPPING BECAUSE, MY KICKER AIN'T BROKE. IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO KEEP YOUR OPINION TO YOURSELF, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR REMARKS ARE NEGATIVE CONCERNING THE DEVIL IN THE DEEP.
RESPECT FOR FREEDOM, HONOR, DIGNITY, DOING THE RIGHT THING AT ALL COST, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO DO ALL OF MY LIFE. THIS STORY TALKS ABOUT THOSE SAME MORALS AND VALUES THAT EACH CHARACTER DISPLAYS. I WILL READ MORE BOOKS OR STORIES BY JOSEPH PIGNATARO. SEMPER FI
October 30, 2026
I finished A Sea Story: The Untold Story of the U.S. Navy Response to 9/11 and honestly felt like I'd spent a week living in someone else's head, for better and worse. Joseph Pignataro writes a woman cleaning out her late aunt's apartment, and the scene where she finds a drawer full of unopened birthday cards addressed to her, every year, is so quietly devastating I had to go make tea. The middle gets repetitive, with box after box and memory after memory. Who this is for: readers who like slow, reflective grief stories. Who should pass: anybody who needs a plot to keep moving.
January 14, 2020
The Persian Gulf War
Interesting book that gave you a behind the scenes look at life onboard a ship. From the juvenile pranks to the life and death battles the author relates, one can understand the preciousness of friendship among crew members.
Interesting book that gave you a behind the scenes look at life onboard a ship. From the juvenile pranks to the life and death battles the author relates, one can understand the preciousness of friendship among crew members.
March 8, 2020
Good book
As a former navy spouse i think this book is really cool to read. I wonder if it happened or if this was a tale. Either way. Keep writing.
As a former navy spouse i think this book is really cool to read. I wonder if it happened or if this was a tale. Either way. Keep writing.
April 6, 2026
I was not aware of these events that followed 9/11 or the sailors that died as a result.
May 18, 2012
AWESOME...it's my book :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews