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Annapolis Goes to War: The Naval Academy Class of 1940 and Its Trial by Fire in World War II
America's preeminent naval historian offers a history of the Second World War based on the experiences of the young officers--fresh out of the United States Naval Academy--who served on its front lines.
They arrived in Annapolis as teenagers the year Hitler re-occupied the Rhineland and graduated as young men the week the British Army evacuated Dunkirk. Annapolis Goes to War tells the story of their four transformative years at the Naval Academy, and then four more annealing years in the cauldron of war. More than a hundred of them were on duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Ten of them died that day-seven remain entombed in the USS Arizona still. Over the next four years, these former Midshipmen participated in virtually every significant engagement in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, from North Africa to Normandy. They were at the front edge of the war in battleships, carriers, destroyers, submarines, and airplanes, and led Marine Corps units ashore. Some experienced the war as prisoners of the Japanese. Fifty-six of them died in the Second World War, the greatest wartime loss any service academy ever experienced.
Taking readers into and through the lives of these young men in wartime, Craig Symonds offers a poignant and powerful story of adjustment, growth, pain, loss, and eventually triumph. Using their diaries, memoirs, and letters, he evokes unforgettably their trials and bonds, their loss of innocence and their discovery of the meaning of sacrifice. Annapolis Goes to War is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the experience of fighting the bloodiest war in human history.
They arrived in Annapolis as teenagers the year Hitler re-occupied the Rhineland and graduated as young men the week the British Army evacuated Dunkirk. Annapolis Goes to War tells the story of their four transformative years at the Naval Academy, and then four more annealing years in the cauldron of war. More than a hundred of them were on duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Ten of them died that day-seven remain entombed in the USS Arizona still. Over the next four years, these former Midshipmen participated in virtually every significant engagement in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, from North Africa to Normandy. They were at the front edge of the war in battleships, carriers, destroyers, submarines, and airplanes, and led Marine Corps units ashore. Some experienced the war as prisoners of the Japanese. Fifty-six of them died in the Second World War, the greatest wartime loss any service academy ever experienced.
Taking readers into and through the lives of these young men in wartime, Craig Symonds offers a poignant and powerful story of adjustment, growth, pain, loss, and eventually triumph. Using their diaries, memoirs, and letters, he evokes unforgettably their trials and bonds, their loss of innocence and their discovery of the meaning of sacrifice. Annapolis Goes to War is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the experience of fighting the bloodiest war in human history.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2025
55 people are currently reading
2487 people want to read
About the author
Craig L. Symonds
45 books244 followersCraig Lee Symonds is a retired professor and former chairman of the history department at the United States Naval Academy. He earned both his MA (1969) and Ph.D. (1976) from the University of Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 6, 2025
Another excellent book from Symonds. Covering the Annapolis class of 1940 in WW2, Symonds nearly gives the reader an overview of the whole war from a naval perspective through vignettes and stories of many of the members of that class, from Atlantic convoys to Pearl Harbor to the Mediterranean and Alaska, to the island hopping campaign, and from destroyers to battleships, submarines to fighter planes and carriers. The book has it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 3, 2025
My uncle and childhood idol was in the Annapolis Class of 1940. Like his son, Class of 1966, I also followed him there in the Class of 1978. This book was a revelation to me as I was completely in the dark that the Forties had sustained the highest casualty rate of any service academy class in American History-76 deaths. My uncle is mentioned in the book and served in both theaters. He was an engineering officer on cruisers.
456 graduated. 426 commissioned: 401 USN; 25 USMC. Only one Marine died, which is remarkable and he was killed when the Japanese ship in which he was a POW was sunk.
Just like his Nimitz book this was masterfully written. So engaging. Don't expect maps as this is the story of people and not a campaign history.
456 graduated. 426 commissioned: 401 USN; 25 USMC. Only one Marine died, which is remarkable and he was killed when the Japanese ship in which he was a POW was sunk.
Just like his Nimitz book this was masterfully written. So engaging. Don't expect maps as this is the story of people and not a campaign history.
August 18, 2025
An important book that describes the organizational culture of Annapolis during that critical period. Instead for once of looking at a detailed description and analysis of the maritime events of WW 2 the book brings us up close to the individual realities that confronted the forties (1940 grads) as they participate in the numerous naval operations. The youngsters had quickly become mature men as they were pushed into leadership roles. Promotions that took ten years in peacetime happened in a matter of months sometimes during the conflict. Their four years of preparation became a source of knowledge for draftees thrusted in position of responsibility. This is the promotion that had the highest number of combat losses. A very sobering read about commitment and devotion in a period where a sense of mission was clear and shared within the US.
June 10, 2025
This excellent book integrates Craig Symond’s deep knowledge of WW II naval history with the personal memories of members of the Naval Academy Class of 1940 to place the reader in the center of the storm of battle as seen through the eyes of of the junior officers that were there. Symonds weaves together the grand strategy and major actions with the individual stories of the participants. Highly recommended.
Ray Glennon
Naval Academy Class of 1972
Note: No relation to P.T. Glennon, one of the Forties featured in the story.
Ray Glennon
Naval Academy Class of 1972
Note: No relation to P.T. Glennon, one of the Forties featured in the story.
November 20, 2025
Excellent! A great perspective on the war in the Pacific.
November 8, 2025
In the tradition of Robert Timberg’s THE NIGHTINGALE’S SONG, Bill Murphy, Jr.’s IN A TIME OF WAR: THE PROUD AND PERILOUS JOURNEY OF WEST POINT CLASS 0F 2002, Rick Atkinson’s THE LONG GRAY LINE: THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF WEST POINT CLASS OF 1966 and Joseph Waugh’s THE CLASS OF 1846 FROM WEST POINT TO APPOMATTOX: STONEWALL JACKSON, GEORGE MCCLELLAN, AND THEIR BROTHERS, Professor Emeritus at the U.S. Naval Academy, Craig L. Symonds latest book, ANNAPOLIS GOES TO WAR: THE NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF 1940 AND ITS TRIAL BY FIRE IN WORLD WAR II examines the graduates of one of our service academies and how they were educated, trained, and adapted to warfare. Symonds, who has taught naval history for thirty years and has authored numerous books that include THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, NIMITZ AT WAR, LINCOLN AND HIS ADMIRALS, and OPERATION NEPTUNE has produced a poignant and disturbing story of how the Annapolis Class of 1940 experienced personal growth, pain, loss, and dedication as they participated in many noteworthy battles in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II.
The class of 1940 consisted of 456 men out of the 750 who graduated , though not everyone received a commission. Of those who did, 401 became Navy Ensigns, and 25 became Second Lieutenants in the US Marine Corps. They arrived at Annapolis as Adolf Hitler ordered the seizure of the Rhineland, the Spanish Civil War was beginning, the Japanese had already seized Manchuria, Mussolini forces were ensconced in Abyssinia, and Stalin had instituted his purges. Despite these events most of the plebes were more concerned with how they would survive the naval academy for the next four years. Symonds follows in detail a number of members of the class who would experience four transformative years, followed by four more hard years in the cauldron of war. The end result was that 76 graduates of the “forties” as the Class of 1940 was known would perish in the war, the highest death rate of any class from either Annapolis or West Point.
Symonds begins his narrative by introducing members of the new class and their socio-economic makeup. What is interesting to note is their diverse backgrounds, the reasons they wanted to attend the academy, and how they achieved their admission. Some were from privileged classes in terms of wealth who used their families political connections to gain an appointment. Others saw it as a free education as their families could not afford college tuition as the depression continued to impact Americans throughout the 1930s. A few saw it as a dream come true from the time they witnessed naval destroyers or cruisers at harbor when they were young men. Curiously, of the new appointees, only one was black, and one was Filipino. Symonds explores the plebes’ daily schedule that could be summed up as “reveille, formation, breakfast, class, lunch, athletics, dinner, study, lights out, repeat!”
The author does an excellent job integrating world events as he relates the experiences of his subjects. He provides important aspects of events, in depth analysis, and the possible impact of what had transpired outside the “Naval Academy bubble” on its newest class. A good example is Symonds discussion of the 1936 Army-Navy game which Navy was victorious by a score of 7-0 and the growing partnership developing between Japan and Germany which the following year would result in the anti-Comintern Pact, and the Panay Incident the following year when the Japanese attacked a US gun boat on the Yangtze River. By September 1939, the fall of Warsaw provoked a growing interest on the part of the “forties” as they could imagine war on the horizon and their renewed commitment to their training resulted.
The narrative reflects how racist American society was during this period. Aside from racial makeup of the class, their behavior toward certain staff members of the academy was indicative of American values. For example, the “forties” would pay janitors 25 cents a week to sweep their rooms and make their bunks. They would also refer to them as “mokes” which translated to “colored corridor boy!”
Symonds intimate detail is impressive and reflects how intrusive academy regulations could be. The navy had a regulation that men could not marry until they served two years as commissioned officers at sea. Those who secretly married were dismissed from the academy and lost their commissions. However, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the losses the United States suffered in the Pacific the need for more naval officers was acute and the regulation was changed, and men no longer had to wait two years to marry. But again, if they did so before the change was implemented they were dismissed. It did result in a number of the class of 1940 getting married before they shipped out.
Symonds does not devote much detail on the last three years the Class of 1940 spent at Annapolis. After about a third of the book discussing the ”forties” he jumps to graduation as the situation in Europe, England, and the Atlantic deteriorates as the Nazis become even more aggressive. Upon graduation 50 men are assigned to aircraft carriers, 167 are assigned to battleships, and another 101 are assigned to cruisers. Others transfer to the Marine Corps, submarines, and aviation services. At this time, the Atlantic was more dangerous than the Pacific as German U boats sought to cut off American shipments to England. President Roosevelt would gain passage of the Lend Lease program which expanded the navy’s role in the Atlantic. As US ships conducted search patrols as far as the Azores the navy became more engaged in an undeclared war against the Germans and naval preparation and operations increased and the training of the members of the Class of 1940 was put to use.
By September 1941 it became clear the US navy was increasingly escorting allied convoys in the Atlantic and active combat resulted as the USS Kearny was hit by a German torpedo and the USS Reuben James was sunk. Symonds as he does with the course of the growing conflict explains correctly that Hitler was careful not to push naval confrontation with the United States at this time because he wanted to defeat the Soviet Union which Germany had invaded in June 1941. The US would continue to increase its convoy role in bringing aid to England in the Atlantic, at the same time Roosevelt ratcheted up sanctions against the Japanese in the Pacific which would ultimately lead to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Symonds description of the attack on Pearl Harbor reflects the standard account of events. What makes it more personal for the reader is how the author integrates the experiences of Class of 1940 graduates. Men like Irving Davenport and Sideny Sherwin served on the USS Oklahoma which was sunk resulting in 429 deaths. Dave Davison was the Officer of the Day on the USS Arizona as was Virgil Gex who made up two the seven “forties” with the over 1000 men who did not survive the attack. Others from the Class of 1940 like Nick Nicholson was the Officer of the Day on the USS California as were a number of others. Symonds stories of those who survived and those who did not reflect the heroism and personal sacrifice so many men experienced on December 7th.
The author’s expertise as a naval historian dominates and enhances the monograph. His views are supported by years of research and familiarity with primary and secondary materials. Symonds relies on letters, diaries, family archives, and interviews to augment his portrayal of events and the role of the members of the Class of 1940. One example in particular stands out as he relates General Douglas MacArthur’s fears that building defenses and stockpiling food on Bataan would appear defeatist to Japan. He convinced Washington to allow him to defend all of Luzon, including Manila once the Japanese attacked. This was a grave error as the Japanese landed on Luzon on December 22 and MacArthur was forced to move his headquarters from Bataan to the small, fortified island of Corregidor. Allied forces would surrender on April 7, 1942, after fierce fighting and “Sparky” Campo, the lone Filipino in the Class of 1940 was able to escape by executing a bold torpedo attack against Japanese destroyers.
By 1942 the Class of 1940 was in the thick of combat as convoy escorts became the primary function of the Atlantic fleet. Despite tremendous losses it was decisive for the war effort because of the American ability to build new ships and filling the need to increase protection for the convoys . This increase in American shipping created the need for more naval officers which tapped a number of the 1940 Class’s members. They would fill many new staff positions; engineering, torpedo and gunnery officers, in addition to executive officers on smaller craft.
Symonds describes the difficulty and danger faced by the navy in convoying across the Atlantic. The author provides the speed and size of the convoys, their strategy designed to avoid U boats, even the inability to sleep and eat due to conditions caused by storms and high seas. Symonds zeros in on the USS Buck and USS Bristol as he relates the dangers and anxiety that naval personnel faced. The situation became even more difficult as the US began supplying lend lease aid to the Soviet Union as convoys had to transit the Arctic Ocean around northern Norway where the Nazis had an air base in their attempts to reach the Barent Sea. It became even more difficult as losses caused Roosevelt to suspend certain shipping to Russia which fed Joseph Stalin’s paranoia about the allies using Moscow as a vehicle to defeat the Nazis and at the same time destroy his country. This paranoia and anger against London and Washington would fester and cause difficulties throughout the war and even contributed to the cause of the Cold War after 1945.
Symonds’ topic is vast because of the geography of the war. His narrative encompasses the Atlantic and Pacific theaters but also devotes his coverage to the Mediterranean theater. What stands out is the convoy support in the Atlantic which suffered tremendous losses of material and lives as we tried to supply our allies. In the Pacific, the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal dominate as the Japanese zeroed in on the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier at the battle of Midway at the end of May 1942. Luckily, they could not zero in on other carriers, the USS Hornet and USS Enterprise. By chance, the officer on deck was Lt. Junior Grade Peck Greenbacker of the Class of 1940 who was at the center of the storm and eventually the Yorktown could not be saved as it was repeatedly hit by Japanese torpedoes. At Guadalcanal, the US Navy suffered its worst defeat in its history as it lost the USS Quincy killing 370, the USS Vincennes with the loss of 322 men in early August 1942. In addition, more ships were lost and the death total encompassing all losses included a number from the Class of 1942 as class members were involved throughout the battles. So many ships were sunk in the waters off Guadalcanal that it soon earned the nickname, “Ironbottom Sound.”
In the Mediterranean Operation Torch became Roosevelt’s response to domestic pressure and Winston Churchill to finally take it to the Nazis. Symonds fittingly points out that General George C. Marshall feared diverting assets to North Africa would cause a postponement of any landing in France in 1943, which in the end was the result. The main obstacle to Torch was the French Vichy destroyer, Jean Bart in Casablanca Harbor. Lt. Warren Walker’s USS Massachusetts and his compatriots were able to take out the ship allowing General George Patton’s troops to invade Morocco in November 1942, and later, Walker was involved with the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa’s heavy guns which assisted allied troops as they landed at Utah Beach on D-Day. Another sailor associated with the Class of 1940 was Sam Edelsein who in early July 1943 was sent to the Mediterranean on the eve of the invasion of Sicily to supervise the installation of SG radar sets on Admiral Richard Connolly’s flagship, the USS Biscayne. Edelstein would oversee the acquisition and dissemination of radar intelligence throughout the invasion.
ANNAPOLIS GOES TO WAR is a well written account of the lives of the Class of 1940, and their contribution to the war effort. Based on impressive research his narrative encompasses the vast geography of the naval battles of World War II and in the end is an acknowledgement and salute to those who gave their lives and those who contributed to victory.
The class of 1940 consisted of 456 men out of the 750 who graduated , though not everyone received a commission. Of those who did, 401 became Navy Ensigns, and 25 became Second Lieutenants in the US Marine Corps. They arrived at Annapolis as Adolf Hitler ordered the seizure of the Rhineland, the Spanish Civil War was beginning, the Japanese had already seized Manchuria, Mussolini forces were ensconced in Abyssinia, and Stalin had instituted his purges. Despite these events most of the plebes were more concerned with how they would survive the naval academy for the next four years. Symonds follows in detail a number of members of the class who would experience four transformative years, followed by four more hard years in the cauldron of war. The end result was that 76 graduates of the “forties” as the Class of 1940 was known would perish in the war, the highest death rate of any class from either Annapolis or West Point.
Symonds begins his narrative by introducing members of the new class and their socio-economic makeup. What is interesting to note is their diverse backgrounds, the reasons they wanted to attend the academy, and how they achieved their admission. Some were from privileged classes in terms of wealth who used their families political connections to gain an appointment. Others saw it as a free education as their families could not afford college tuition as the depression continued to impact Americans throughout the 1930s. A few saw it as a dream come true from the time they witnessed naval destroyers or cruisers at harbor when they were young men. Curiously, of the new appointees, only one was black, and one was Filipino. Symonds explores the plebes’ daily schedule that could be summed up as “reveille, formation, breakfast, class, lunch, athletics, dinner, study, lights out, repeat!”
The author does an excellent job integrating world events as he relates the experiences of his subjects. He provides important aspects of events, in depth analysis, and the possible impact of what had transpired outside the “Naval Academy bubble” on its newest class. A good example is Symonds discussion of the 1936 Army-Navy game which Navy was victorious by a score of 7-0 and the growing partnership developing between Japan and Germany which the following year would result in the anti-Comintern Pact, and the Panay Incident the following year when the Japanese attacked a US gun boat on the Yangtze River. By September 1939, the fall of Warsaw provoked a growing interest on the part of the “forties” as they could imagine war on the horizon and their renewed commitment to their training resulted.
The narrative reflects how racist American society was during this period. Aside from racial makeup of the class, their behavior toward certain staff members of the academy was indicative of American values. For example, the “forties” would pay janitors 25 cents a week to sweep their rooms and make their bunks. They would also refer to them as “mokes” which translated to “colored corridor boy!”
Symonds intimate detail is impressive and reflects how intrusive academy regulations could be. The navy had a regulation that men could not marry until they served two years as commissioned officers at sea. Those who secretly married were dismissed from the academy and lost their commissions. However, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the losses the United States suffered in the Pacific the need for more naval officers was acute and the regulation was changed, and men no longer had to wait two years to marry. But again, if they did so before the change was implemented they were dismissed. It did result in a number of the class of 1940 getting married before they shipped out.
Symonds does not devote much detail on the last three years the Class of 1940 spent at Annapolis. After about a third of the book discussing the ”forties” he jumps to graduation as the situation in Europe, England, and the Atlantic deteriorates as the Nazis become even more aggressive. Upon graduation 50 men are assigned to aircraft carriers, 167 are assigned to battleships, and another 101 are assigned to cruisers. Others transfer to the Marine Corps, submarines, and aviation services. At this time, the Atlantic was more dangerous than the Pacific as German U boats sought to cut off American shipments to England. President Roosevelt would gain passage of the Lend Lease program which expanded the navy’s role in the Atlantic. As US ships conducted search patrols as far as the Azores the navy became more engaged in an undeclared war against the Germans and naval preparation and operations increased and the training of the members of the Class of 1940 was put to use.
By September 1941 it became clear the US navy was increasingly escorting allied convoys in the Atlantic and active combat resulted as the USS Kearny was hit by a German torpedo and the USS Reuben James was sunk. Symonds as he does with the course of the growing conflict explains correctly that Hitler was careful not to push naval confrontation with the United States at this time because he wanted to defeat the Soviet Union which Germany had invaded in June 1941. The US would continue to increase its convoy role in bringing aid to England in the Atlantic, at the same time Roosevelt ratcheted up sanctions against the Japanese in the Pacific which would ultimately lead to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Symonds description of the attack on Pearl Harbor reflects the standard account of events. What makes it more personal for the reader is how the author integrates the experiences of Class of 1940 graduates. Men like Irving Davenport and Sideny Sherwin served on the USS Oklahoma which was sunk resulting in 429 deaths. Dave Davison was the Officer of the Day on the USS Arizona as was Virgil Gex who made up two the seven “forties” with the over 1000 men who did not survive the attack. Others from the Class of 1940 like Nick Nicholson was the Officer of the Day on the USS California as were a number of others. Symonds stories of those who survived and those who did not reflect the heroism and personal sacrifice so many men experienced on December 7th.
The author’s expertise as a naval historian dominates and enhances the monograph. His views are supported by years of research and familiarity with primary and secondary materials. Symonds relies on letters, diaries, family archives, and interviews to augment his portrayal of events and the role of the members of the Class of 1940. One example in particular stands out as he relates General Douglas MacArthur’s fears that building defenses and stockpiling food on Bataan would appear defeatist to Japan. He convinced Washington to allow him to defend all of Luzon, including Manila once the Japanese attacked. This was a grave error as the Japanese landed on Luzon on December 22 and MacArthur was forced to move his headquarters from Bataan to the small, fortified island of Corregidor. Allied forces would surrender on April 7, 1942, after fierce fighting and “Sparky” Campo, the lone Filipino in the Class of 1940 was able to escape by executing a bold torpedo attack against Japanese destroyers.
By 1942 the Class of 1940 was in the thick of combat as convoy escorts became the primary function of the Atlantic fleet. Despite tremendous losses it was decisive for the war effort because of the American ability to build new ships and filling the need to increase protection for the convoys . This increase in American shipping created the need for more naval officers which tapped a number of the 1940 Class’s members. They would fill many new staff positions; engineering, torpedo and gunnery officers, in addition to executive officers on smaller craft.
Symonds describes the difficulty and danger faced by the navy in convoying across the Atlantic. The author provides the speed and size of the convoys, their strategy designed to avoid U boats, even the inability to sleep and eat due to conditions caused by storms and high seas. Symonds zeros in on the USS Buck and USS Bristol as he relates the dangers and anxiety that naval personnel faced. The situation became even more difficult as the US began supplying lend lease aid to the Soviet Union as convoys had to transit the Arctic Ocean around northern Norway where the Nazis had an air base in their attempts to reach the Barent Sea. It became even more difficult as losses caused Roosevelt to suspend certain shipping to Russia which fed Joseph Stalin’s paranoia about the allies using Moscow as a vehicle to defeat the Nazis and at the same time destroy his country. This paranoia and anger against London and Washington would fester and cause difficulties throughout the war and even contributed to the cause of the Cold War after 1945.
Symonds’ topic is vast because of the geography of the war. His narrative encompasses the Atlantic and Pacific theaters but also devotes his coverage to the Mediterranean theater. What stands out is the convoy support in the Atlantic which suffered tremendous losses of material and lives as we tried to supply our allies. In the Pacific, the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal dominate as the Japanese zeroed in on the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier at the battle of Midway at the end of May 1942. Luckily, they could not zero in on other carriers, the USS Hornet and USS Enterprise. By chance, the officer on deck was Lt. Junior Grade Peck Greenbacker of the Class of 1940 who was at the center of the storm and eventually the Yorktown could not be saved as it was repeatedly hit by Japanese torpedoes. At Guadalcanal, the US Navy suffered its worst defeat in its history as it lost the USS Quincy killing 370, the USS Vincennes with the loss of 322 men in early August 1942. In addition, more ships were lost and the death total encompassing all losses included a number from the Class of 1942 as class members were involved throughout the battles. So many ships were sunk in the waters off Guadalcanal that it soon earned the nickname, “Ironbottom Sound.”
In the Mediterranean Operation Torch became Roosevelt’s response to domestic pressure and Winston Churchill to finally take it to the Nazis. Symonds fittingly points out that General George C. Marshall feared diverting assets to North Africa would cause a postponement of any landing in France in 1943, which in the end was the result. The main obstacle to Torch was the French Vichy destroyer, Jean Bart in Casablanca Harbor. Lt. Warren Walker’s USS Massachusetts and his compatriots were able to take out the ship allowing General George Patton’s troops to invade Morocco in November 1942, and later, Walker was involved with the cruiser USS Tuscaloosa’s heavy guns which assisted allied troops as they landed at Utah Beach on D-Day. Another sailor associated with the Class of 1940 was Sam Edelsein who in early July 1943 was sent to the Mediterranean on the eve of the invasion of Sicily to supervise the installation of SG radar sets on Admiral Richard Connolly’s flagship, the USS Biscayne. Edelstein would oversee the acquisition and dissemination of radar intelligence throughout the invasion.
ANNAPOLIS GOES TO WAR is a well written account of the lives of the Class of 1940, and their contribution to the war effort. Based on impressive research his narrative encompasses the vast geography of the naval battles of World War II and in the end is an acknowledgement and salute to those who gave their lives and those who contributed to victory.
June 6, 2025
Excellent book starting with the Annapolis class of 1940. It covers their time at the Naval Academy and into WWII. This is a slice of the war focused on the USN and particularly the class of 1940. Pearl Harbor and major battles are mentioned some in more detail than others. They served with honor and distinction, many giving everything. They and everyone that served in WWII have my utmost respect for all they did to defeat the Axis powers.
July 8, 2025
I was spoiled by "World War II at Sea" by this author. I gave it five stars. Both books are well-written; I just feel that the subject matter of this book was less significant as compared to the prior one. I have read many histories of WWII and always new insights in each one. "World War II at Sea" was eye-opening for me because of its expanded scope. Most coverage of WWII is written as if the war began when the United States was directly threatened and involved, implying that the war, at least in the Pacific Theater, began with Pearl Harbor. In fact, in Asia, the war had been going on for many years. In addition, while Pearl Harbor dominates the American view of the events of December 1941, many other Japanese invasions were almost simultaneous with it. Just ask the British. Symonds treated the war globally and illuminated the effect of the demand on resources on decisions made in both the European and Pacific theaters.
The Annapolis book focuses on individuals and their roles in the global conflict. As such, it's contribution of new insights for me involve a better understanding of details. One example is in the use of dyes with naval gunfire in order to determine the source of shelling to allow the targeting to be adjusted to home in on the target (straddling). I don't remember this ever being mentioned in all my previous reading. The relationship between petty officers and newly commissioned officers was also well covered.
Yes, I recommend this book to readers who are going to read many WWII histories or who have a particular interest in the Naval Academy. However, put "World War II at Sea" on your list of must-reads.
The Annapolis book focuses on individuals and their roles in the global conflict. As such, it's contribution of new insights for me involve a better understanding of details. One example is in the use of dyes with naval gunfire in order to determine the source of shelling to allow the targeting to be adjusted to home in on the target (straddling). I don't remember this ever being mentioned in all my previous reading. The relationship between petty officers and newly commissioned officers was also well covered.
Yes, I recommend this book to readers who are going to read many WWII histories or who have a particular interest in the Naval Academy. However, put "World War II at Sea" on your list of must-reads.
September 24, 2025
Another smash hit from America's number one naval warfare historian, Craig Symonds.
Seven hundred and fifty young hopefuls arrived at Annapolis to start their plebe year in 1936 with just 456 seniors coming out of the other end of the pipe in 1940 with most but not all, wining commissions in either the US Navy or the US Marine Corps. (Surprisingly, the Marines only accepted 25 graduates into their ranks which is a telling clue to readers about how small the pre-war USMC was in 1940.)
Author Symonds does a masterful job of describing the various ships and commands to which the young Ensigns and 2nd Lts. were sent after graduation. Seventy-nine academy graduates lost their lives in battle during the conflict.
The book is a page-turner that will keep you coming back for more. (I was glued to the book and read the entire work in four days.) You'll learn a lot about the peculiarities of academy life and also some of the lesser known but still critical posts to which graduates were sent as American awoke to the operational needs of fighting and winning World War II.
Seven hundred and fifty young hopefuls arrived at Annapolis to start their plebe year in 1936 with just 456 seniors coming out of the other end of the pipe in 1940 with most but not all, wining commissions in either the US Navy or the US Marine Corps. (Surprisingly, the Marines only accepted 25 graduates into their ranks which is a telling clue to readers about how small the pre-war USMC was in 1940.)
Author Symonds does a masterful job of describing the various ships and commands to which the young Ensigns and 2nd Lts. were sent after graduation. Seventy-nine academy graduates lost their lives in battle during the conflict.
The book is a page-turner that will keep you coming back for more. (I was glued to the book and read the entire work in four days.) You'll learn a lot about the peculiarities of academy life and also some of the lesser known but still critical posts to which graduates were sent as American awoke to the operational needs of fighting and winning World War II.
October 14, 2025
A Well Developed Portrayal of a USNA Class in WWII
As a member of the USNA Class of 1957, I found Mr Sympnds development of this book quite interesting and informative. My class recently also published a book comprised of stories relating to the careers of some 60 classmates who contributed to the book. Mr Symonds portrays the Class of 1940, quite well in narrating their story and ultimately tying major WWII events together.
As a member of the USNA Class of 1957, I found Mr Sympnds development of this book quite interesting and informative. My class recently also published a book comprised of stories relating to the careers of some 60 classmates who contributed to the book. Mr Symonds portrays the Class of 1940, quite well in narrating their story and ultimately tying major WWII events together.
January 3, 2026
An extraordinary World War II story as experienced by a dozen or so Midshipmen who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1940. The vastly different wartime paths these men followed are both compelling and fascinating. The book weaves together accounts of battles, missions, and adventures spanning the entire gamut of the Navy and Marine Corps—blimps, submarines, battleships, destroyers, and fighter and bomber aviation. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of World War II.
November 3, 2025
Understand that I am a senior female with no personal military background. Yet I found this collective biography a compelling read. It is not a comprehensive history (Symonds has other titles that do this) but gives a personal perspective to a period that shaped the world.
October 8, 2025
Symonds gives readers an engrossing portrait of wartime duty and valor.
October 21, 2025
This is a very readable and unique way to relate U.S. Naval history of WWII. Highly recommended!
January 31, 2026
5/5 great book. Very well written.
September 28, 2025
If all history books were like this I would read so many more of them. I don’t usually read these kind of books as I usually find them a bit slow and boring as opposed to my preferred Historical Fiction novels. But the way this was written, how you got to learn all the men’s individual stories was just amazing. You could tell the amount of research was probably a bit tedious but being able to have the stories of the individual classmates is most likely why I enjoyed it so much. I was fascinated and didn’t want to put it down. I have already leant it to a few friends and spend a little more time looking in the non-fiction section at the library.
December 30, 2025
Enjoyable - a bit heavy on the Navy jargon for us civilians
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