Standing Into Danger

by Cassie Brown

In the snowy predawn of February 18, 1942, a convoy of three American ships zigzagged up the North Atlantic toward Newfoundland, heading for one of the worst disasters in naval history.

The ships were under radio silence to protect their position from the threat of German U-boats. A storm was raging, visibility was zero, and the currents had turned wildly unpredictable. With only unreliable soundings to guide them across the jagged ocean floor, all three vessels ran aground on the sheer rock coast of Newfoundland.

Attempts to carry lifelines ashore were thwarted by heavy surf, cold, oil slicks, and floating wreckage. A few sailors, however, overcame the odds and managed to reach the coast where the communities of Lawn and St. Lawrence effected a superhuman rescue operation.

Two hundred and three American sailors died as the Wilkes, the Pollux, and the Truxtun were battered against the icy shore by the treacherous North Atlantic. And those who survived would return home to receive not a hero's welcome but the harsh interrogation of their naval superiors.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Nautical

354 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 1985

About the author

Cassie Eileen Brown (1919–1986) was a Newfoundland and Labrador journalist, author, publisher and editor. Brown is most distinguished for her books Death on the Ice which was featured in Reader's Digest and the Wreck of the Florizel.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult read due to technical components (I know nothing of sailing) but my Uncle Paul died on the USS Truxton, so I wanted to know more about the disaster. A great read for WWII history buffs, also for any Navy man. A great big 'thank you' to author Cassie Brown for her thorough invesigation and telling of the tale.

[Loretta Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful retelling of the events that led to the disaster unfolding and the harrowing & heartbreaking rescue that occurred on a blizzardy February night on the shores of Placentia Bay. Because there’s so much of the technical story being told, I give this a 4 and not the 5 it deserves.

[Allison Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting true story - a must-read.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic ~ Fabulous read ~ Unforgetable

[Jerry Cranford · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Cassie Brown has done an awesome job. Her long and meticulous task of preparation has paid off in a finished work that everybody interested in Newfoundland, in the sea, and indeed in people, should be glad to own." -- Saturday Night

"If anyone wants a story of tragedy and death, of suffering and endurance, of indecision and ruthlessness, this is it." -- Chronicle-Herald

"Miss Brown has a skill for isolating the most dramatic events and making them come alive…" -- The Globe and Mail

"Another exciting addition to Canadian maritime history…a tragedy of classic proportions. Fascinating reading." -- Vancouver Province

"Meticulously researched . . ." -- The Telegram

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasa very interesting read. Well researched and moving, this book takes the reader back to when WWII was raging. Though it can be difficult to read at times due to all the technical components, this book can still be read with few problems. History buffs and Anyone who has served or is serving in the Navy would enjoy reading this book.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

really, really interesting and in a setting i know sort of

[Grace Harbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeless.