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SURVIVOR: USS Russell a World War Two Destroyer
SURVIVORThrough six grueling years of warfare, USS Russell and her gallant crew pitted their prowess against a determined enemy. From the pre-Pearl Harbor Battle of the Atlantic to the campaigns in the Pacific, She was home to warriors who fought off attacks by submarines, planes and ships. She saw them through sixteen major engagements of World War Two including the Battles of Coral Sea, Java, Midway, Savo Island, Santa Cruz, and Guadalcanal She supported the land forces through the invasions of Tarawa, Kwajelein, and the New Guinea operations. She was part of General MacArthur’s return to the Philippines at Leyte and Lingayen Gulf. She protected Allied troops during the invasion and occupation of Okinawa. More than 1,200 survivors of bombed and torpedoed ships and crashed planes were pulled aboard her deck. And she brought the men who manned her armament and her engines back home alive. Russell survived the bloody conflict of the Second World War.This is her story.She was a SURVIVOR.About the AuthorBarry Friedman served as Medical Officer aboard USS Russell from 1943 to 1945. He practiced Orthopaedic Surgery for more than 40 years. Since his retirement he has published 10 novels and 2 nonfiction books. He and his wife live in Southern California.
- GenresMilitary History
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
About the author
Barry Friedman
12 booksThere is more than one author with this name
During my fifty-odd years as an orthopaedic surgeon. I kept a small notebook (and paper napkins) on which I recorded incidents I thought were unusual. Most were humorous, some tragic. After I retired I started writing vignettes based on these notes. Several were published in obscure magazines. Then I read an article by Lawrence Block (a REAL writer) in which he stated that if you can write a short story you can write a book. I took him at his word, embellished several of the vignettes and have now published twelve books. Living off twenty-dollar royalty checks ain't easy, but it beats bagging groceries at Safeway.
The books are all listed on Amazon.com. They are in paperback and ebook format.
My website is www.barryf.com
During my fifty-odd years as an orthopaedic surgeon. I kept a small notebook (and paper napkins) on which I recorded incidents I thought were unusual. Most were humorous, some tragic. After I retired I started writing vignettes based on these notes. Several were published in obscure magazines. Then I read an article by Lawrence Block (a REAL writer) in which he stated that if you can write a short story you can write a book. I took him at his word, embellished several of the vignettes and have now published twelve books. Living off twenty-dollar royalty checks ain't easy, but it beats bagging groceries at Safeway.
The books are all listed on Amazon.com. They are in paperback and ebook format.
My website is www.barryf.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 23, 2017
The USS Russell, DD-414, destroyer of the U.S. Navy, served in the Pacific Theater for most of WWII. Survivor chronicles the Russell's travels and missions through its years of wartime service mostly through the eyes of it's medical officer, Dr. Barry Friedman. My grandfather served on a similar destroyer during WWII, the USS Abner Read. Therefor, reading about the progression of the Russell's missions, which paralleled those of my grandfather's ship up until it was sunk in October 1945, was of great personal interest.
The shortcomings of this book are related to the perspective offered by the writer. Friedman does a good job with chronicling dates and events, and generally strives to place the specific activities of the Russell within the context of the larger historical picture. However, as the ship's doctor, Friedman primarily focuses on his medical-based experiences. Consequently, a lot of the wartime experiences of the ship's officers and crew are not included. This approach tends to make Survivor more autobiographical with respect to Friedman than it is historical with respect to the Russell.
Friedman's experiences, however, are not to be discounted. His presence on the ship placed him in the line of fire of every attack that was carried out on the Russell. As such, the fear, bravery, and coping that were experience by Friedman can be extrapolated to the rest of the crew. Additionally, Friedman rides the boatswain's chair to other ships to provide medical services, and participates in rescue operations during island invasions.
Overall and regardless of perspective, the content of books like this make up the silvery threads of history. In total, when woven together and highlighted to show their best and most important parts, they serve to prove that the larger story of history, as told from the public stage, is correct. The absence or disappearance of these threads should give rise for concern.
The shortcomings of this book are related to the perspective offered by the writer. Friedman does a good job with chronicling dates and events, and generally strives to place the specific activities of the Russell within the context of the larger historical picture. However, as the ship's doctor, Friedman primarily focuses on his medical-based experiences. Consequently, a lot of the wartime experiences of the ship's officers and crew are not included. This approach tends to make Survivor more autobiographical with respect to Friedman than it is historical with respect to the Russell.
Friedman's experiences, however, are not to be discounted. His presence on the ship placed him in the line of fire of every attack that was carried out on the Russell. As such, the fear, bravery, and coping that were experience by Friedman can be extrapolated to the rest of the crew. Additionally, Friedman rides the boatswain's chair to other ships to provide medical services, and participates in rescue operations during island invasions.
Overall and regardless of perspective, the content of books like this make up the silvery threads of history. In total, when woven together and highlighted to show their best and most important parts, they serve to prove that the larger story of history, as told from the public stage, is correct. The absence or disappearance of these threads should give rise for concern.
Want to Read
August 12, 2021not really a review, but an interest. My father served on board the Russell during WWII. He was on board according to his testimony during 9 major battles in the Pacific. I am currently trying to obtain a copy of the book through my library. I will let you know how it goes.
November 29, 2019
Better editing needed.
Whoever edited this book did a lousy job. It diminished a great story. Brave men on a great ship. Thirty.
Whoever edited this book did a lousy job. It diminished a great story. Brave men on a great ship. Thirty.
May 21, 2015
This is a very mixed book. Friedman was only aboard Russell for two years during WWII, and has attempted to provide a ship's history from her commissioning to her decommissioning after the war. Because of this he seems to have resorted to using largely unedited accounts from a self-published history from the ship's crew association for the first four years of the ship's history, as informed by a review of the surviving deck logs in the National Archives. Then there's the segment of the book that is the war from the perspective of a young medical officer aboard a WWII destroyer.
I found the writing in the first half of the book to be frankly horrible. Whether it were Friedman or his source material, there seemed to be an attempt to provide context for was happening, but only in the most convoluted manner - if a reader didn't have some context, already, I can only imagine that they'd have found the allusions through the text to have been obfuscating, instead of illuminating.
Then Friedman describes his journey cross-country and then cross the ocean to catch up to the Russell and the book changes character and tone incredibly. We get an intimate look at the high points of a medical officer's memory of the war aboard a tin can. There are many incidents related that have little global significance to them, but are satisfying to read in a manner that the previous section of the book never managed to achieve. If I could I'd have given this book two different ratings: One Star for the first 150 pages, and then Four or even Five Stars for the sections written from Friedman's own experience.
One of the more interesting things is that while more famous events like the Battle of Leyte Gulf are covered, because of Friedman's own perspective the reader doesn't get a first hand account of what it was like to be part of a tissue thin line of tin cans facing the heaviest, fastest, and most powerful remaining task force of the IJN - we get more of a focus on the communications fowl-up that set the stage for that battle and a bare bones listing of the cost to the destroyers and DEs that stood with [i]Russell[/i] it's not something that seems to stick out in Friedman's memory (though there is the wonderfully laconic comment about charging to face [i]Yamato[/i], [i]Musashi[/i] and the rest of the best of the IJN in unsuppported tin cans being terrifying.), what does come through with vividness is when Friedman was sent as part of a rescue party to lift survivors from a stranded landing craft off the beaches of Iwo Jima - and dealing with one injury in particular.
it is for how well Friedman deals with his own experience and presents to the reader that redeems the beginning of the book to me.
I found the writing in the first half of the book to be frankly horrible. Whether it were Friedman or his source material, there seemed to be an attempt to provide context for was happening, but only in the most convoluted manner - if a reader didn't have some context, already, I can only imagine that they'd have found the allusions through the text to have been obfuscating, instead of illuminating.
Then Friedman describes his journey cross-country and then cross the ocean to catch up to the Russell and the book changes character and tone incredibly. We get an intimate look at the high points of a medical officer's memory of the war aboard a tin can. There are many incidents related that have little global significance to them, but are satisfying to read in a manner that the previous section of the book never managed to achieve. If I could I'd have given this book two different ratings: One Star for the first 150 pages, and then Four or even Five Stars for the sections written from Friedman's own experience.
One of the more interesting things is that while more famous events like the Battle of Leyte Gulf are covered, because of Friedman's own perspective the reader doesn't get a first hand account of what it was like to be part of a tissue thin line of tin cans facing the heaviest, fastest, and most powerful remaining task force of the IJN - we get more of a focus on the communications fowl-up that set the stage for that battle and a bare bones listing of the cost to the destroyers and DEs that stood with [i]Russell[/i] it's not something that seems to stick out in Friedman's memory (though there is the wonderfully laconic comment about charging to face [i]Yamato[/i], [i]Musashi[/i] and the rest of the best of the IJN in unsuppported tin cans being terrifying.), what does come through with vividness is when Friedman was sent as part of a rescue party to lift survivors from a stranded landing craft off the beaches of Iwo Jima - and dealing with one injury in particular.
it is for how well Friedman deals with his own experience and presents to the reader that redeems the beginning of the book to me.
December 7, 2019
Discovered this book a couple of weeks ago and promptly purchased it. The DD-414 Russell was the first of two destroyers that my father served on during WWII. Although my dad left the Russell by May 1943 ( page #117 ) and the author came aboard at that same time. The book is an exceptional tale of life on a pacific destroyer and especially this " Survivor " .
August 21, 2014
Strong support
Most reports about navy battles involve stories about battleships or carriers, but have little information about their support vessels, the destroyers. Survivor changes that. It is a very readable and informative exposition of life aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer during WW2.
Most reports about navy battles involve stories about battleships or carriers, but have little information about their support vessels, the destroyers. Survivor changes that. It is a very readable and informative exposition of life aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer during WW2.
February 22, 2015
A brave and lucky ship
The Russel fought in many major engagements throughout the World War 2 period without major battle damage to the ship or crew loss to enemy action, an amazing feat. An epic and heroic feat in a troubled time in the thick of major battles.
The Russel fought in many major engagements throughout the World War 2 period without major battle damage to the ship or crew loss to enemy action, an amazing feat. An epic and heroic feat in a troubled time in the thick of major battles.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews