Shadow Voyage: The Extraordinary Wartime Escape of the Legendary SS Bremen

by Peter A. Huchthausen

A fast-paced, little-known story of danger at sea on the eve of World War II

On the sweltering evening of August 30, 1939, the German luxury liner S.S. Bremen slipped her moorings on Manhattan's west side, abandoned all caution (including foghorns, radar, and running lights), and sailed out of New York Harbor, commencing a dramatic escape run that would challenge the rules for unrestricted warfare at sea. Written by naval historian Peter Huchthausen, Shadow Voyage tells the epic adventure of the Bremen's extraordinary flight to Germany, which became a life-and-death race with British warships and submarines intent on intercepting her. Revealing new details from naval archives, Huchthausen's riveting narrative captures the great courage and magnanimity of the Royal Navy, the cunning and intricate planning of the Germans, and the tension and ambiguity that preceded the outbreak of World War II.

Captain Peter Huchthausen, U.S. Navy, Retired (Hiram, ME), has had a distinguished career, serving at sea and on land as a Soviet naval analyst and as a naval attach? in Yugoslavia, Romania, and the Soviet Union. He is now a consultant and writer, author of the bestselling Hostile Waters and October Fury (0-471-41534-0).

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Captain Peter A. Huchthausen (USN, Ret.) was an American naval officer, naval attaché, author and businessman.

He received his commission upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1962, and served in many different positions during his career, including two combat tours of duty during the Vietnam War, first with the United States Navy's Riverine Force in the Mekong Delta and later as Chief Engineer in the destroyer USS Orleck, which provided naval gunfire support to Army and Marine forces along the coast of Viet Nam. After service as a naval attaché in Yugoslavia and Romania, he served as chief of attaché and human intelligence collection operations in Western Europe for the Defense Intelligence Agency. During the late 1980s he was the senior U.S. Naval Attaché to the U.S.S.R.; he retired from the U.S. Navy in 1990.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring plot

[Vic Lauterbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

This detailed study of a relatively minor incident in early WWII naval history is well written and meticulously researched. The main interest for me was how well it portrayed the attitudes and perceptions held by both sides in late 1939. How the participants anticipated the war would develop differ markedly from how hostilities actually occurred and played out. This reinforces the importance of not "reading history backwards" and allowing knowledge of the 'future' to distort your understanding of past events. The notes contain many fascinating sidelights including stories of successful German espionage before the war (Herman Lang's theft of the Norden bombsight plans, and William Lonkowski's theft of one Curtis and three Boeing aircraft designs). Highly recommended to anyone interested in the early months of WWII, transatlantic liners of the Blue Riband era, or the history of the Stalin's duplicitous and covetous alliance with Hitler.
Note: While Mr. Huchthausen repeatedly states that the crew painted Breman 'entirely gray' her Atlantic crossing, photos on pp. 169 and 184 identified by caption as taken during dash home show that her hull remained black. Only her yellow funnels and white superstructure were painted, and the gray used was light, appearing white in b/w photos.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual book, I think it tries to make an interesting story into a sensation so that leads to a disappointment. The second voyage was the most interesting and contained the fewest details. I am also disappointed by some of the errors in simple descriptions such as the various naming of the vessel bridge. The book claims that a myriad of navigational such as light vessels, buoys and shore stations transmitted underwater signals, that could be received by a hydrophone receiver in the ships hull, not a technology that I was aware of for normal merchant vessels even now. The book also claims that a position from a Direction Finder may be assisted by getting a range from signal strength! The book cover also states that the Bremen undertook her passage foregoing Radar, must have been a rare vessel in 1939 equipped with radar? Simple errors like this make on query how much of the rest is also wrong. I did find the details of the Soviet assistance in Murmansk interesting.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished this extremely fascinating book about the German cruise liner SS Bremen, that was caught in an American port when WWII was declared.
The Liner is ordered home by the German Naval Command and the story is about the run for home. Which makes interesting reading. You get to know the captain and his crew very well and you do have sympathy for their adventure. There are a lot of facts in the book (but it is a true story and sets the scene), there are also quite a few photographs of crew members and submarines etc.. but the actual journey home reads like a thriller and has you hooked!!

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I "liked" it! I like that it's a true story and a fast-paced one, too. The history lesson is always appreciated and I like that this tells of the non-party German luxury cruise liner and it's captain.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fast paced book, on a part of history that is not well known. This side of the start of WWII, with the ship being a part of both the Germans and Americans, an the difficulties invovled in the political distress of the period allows you to feel some of the other persons attitudes.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.