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Days of Steel Rain: The Epic Story of a WWII Vengeance Ship in the Year of the Kamikaze
This intimate true account of Americans at war follows the epic drama of an unlikely group of men forced to work together in the face of an increasingly desperate enemy during the final year of World War II. Sprawling across the Pacific, this untold story follows the crew of the newly-built "vengeance ship" USS Astoria , named for her sunken predecessor lost earlier in the war. At its center lies U.S. Navy Captain George Dyer, who vowed to return to action after suffering a horrific wound. He accepted the ship's command in 1944, knowing it would be his last chance to avenge his injuries and salvage his career. Yet with the nation's resources and personnel stretched thin by the war, he found that just getting the ship into action would prove to be a battle.
Tensions among the crew flared from the start. Astoria 's sailors and Marines were a collection of replacements, retreads, and older men. Some were broken by previous traumatic combat, most had no desire to be in the war, yet all found themselves fighting an enemy more afraid of surrender than death.
The reluctant ship was called to respond to challenges that its men never could have anticipated. From a typhoon where the ocean was enemy to daring rescue missions, a gallant turn at Iwo Jima, and the ultimate crucible against the Kamikaze at Okinawa, they endured the worst of the final year of the war at sea.
Days of Steel Rain brings to life more than a decade of research and firsthand interviews, depicting with unprecedented insight the singular drama of a captain grappling with an untested crew and men who had endured enough amidst some of the most brutal fighting of World War II. Throughout, Brent Jones fills the narrative with secret diaries, memoirs, letters, interpersonal conflicts, and the innermost thoughts of the Astoria men—and more than 80 photographs that have never before been published. Days of Steel Rain weaves an intimate, unforgettable portrait of leadership, heroism, endurance, and redemption.
Tensions among the crew flared from the start. Astoria 's sailors and Marines were a collection of replacements, retreads, and older men. Some were broken by previous traumatic combat, most had no desire to be in the war, yet all found themselves fighting an enemy more afraid of surrender than death.
The reluctant ship was called to respond to challenges that its men never could have anticipated. From a typhoon where the ocean was enemy to daring rescue missions, a gallant turn at Iwo Jima, and the ultimate crucible against the Kamikaze at Okinawa, they endured the worst of the final year of the war at sea.
Days of Steel Rain brings to life more than a decade of research and firsthand interviews, depicting with unprecedented insight the singular drama of a captain grappling with an untested crew and men who had endured enough amidst some of the most brutal fighting of World War II. Throughout, Brent Jones fills the narrative with secret diaries, memoirs, letters, interpersonal conflicts, and the innermost thoughts of the Astoria men—and more than 80 photographs that have never before been published. Days of Steel Rain weaves an intimate, unforgettable portrait of leadership, heroism, endurance, and redemption.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 18, 2021
Sometimes a story, like a ship, takes a different course to get to where it’s going, ‘Days of Steel Rain’ follows the path of the light cruiser USS Astoria from its creation in the Cramp shipyards of Virginia in 1943, to the battles in the Pacific and onto the doorstep of Imperial Japan. The different path taken in this case is how author Jones pulls together the thoughts, experiences and actions of a variety of the crew from the engine room to the Captain, to tell the story.
The lens of history, especially from a higher level, tends to make things look relatively rosy for the victors, the US and Allies. This is a fascinating look at the difficulties of constructing a ship under the circumstances, the labor unrest, the difficulties of managing a project with all resources from workers to raw materials strained.
Then, bringing together a crew, which does not start off as one big happy family of 1200 men, by 1943 the US was drafting men who had previous deferments, such as older men, married with children, from the factories making war materials, and ships with experienced crews tended to contribute men they wanted to be rid of, which culminated in a mix of misfits. Another interesting difficulty, which is not often covered, is that many men had no trouble not showing up for duty, for a variety of reasons.
One feels quite a few battles have been fought just getting the Astoria to the Pacific. Even then, for a time, the foe seems held at bay, the whole crew wondering will we use our training, where is the enemy? The question is quickly answered with the force of a Typhoon, a real one, as well as the Divine Wind, a new tactic of the enemy, the kamikaze, so disturbing stories were not allowed in the press for months.
Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Indochina, the coast of Japan, any desire for action was more than fulfilled.
An extra thrill for me is that my Grandfather was in the engine room on this ship. At 33 years old, he was a bit out of place with the 18 year old draftees. He’d spent his whole adult life trying to make a living for his family during the Great Depression, then finally making money in the war factories, he was sent off as a sailor making his $20 or so dollars a month. The world must have been mind boggling to the people of this generation.
I always liked hearing his stories and looking at the picture or two he had on the wall, though I could never find anything in the history books or documentaries about the USS Astoria, the Mighty 90. This tale certainly gives one a great perspective of all their stories and what it meant to them.
The lens of history, especially from a higher level, tends to make things look relatively rosy for the victors, the US and Allies. This is a fascinating look at the difficulties of constructing a ship under the circumstances, the labor unrest, the difficulties of managing a project with all resources from workers to raw materials strained.
Then, bringing together a crew, which does not start off as one big happy family of 1200 men, by 1943 the US was drafting men who had previous deferments, such as older men, married with children, from the factories making war materials, and ships with experienced crews tended to contribute men they wanted to be rid of, which culminated in a mix of misfits. Another interesting difficulty, which is not often covered, is that many men had no trouble not showing up for duty, for a variety of reasons.
One feels quite a few battles have been fought just getting the Astoria to the Pacific. Even then, for a time, the foe seems held at bay, the whole crew wondering will we use our training, where is the enemy? The question is quickly answered with the force of a Typhoon, a real one, as well as the Divine Wind, a new tactic of the enemy, the kamikaze, so disturbing stories were not allowed in the press for months.
Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Indochina, the coast of Japan, any desire for action was more than fulfilled.
An extra thrill for me is that my Grandfather was in the engine room on this ship. At 33 years old, he was a bit out of place with the 18 year old draftees. He’d spent his whole adult life trying to make a living for his family during the Great Depression, then finally making money in the war factories, he was sent off as a sailor making his $20 or so dollars a month. The world must have been mind boggling to the people of this generation.
I always liked hearing his stories and looking at the picture or two he had on the wall, though I could never find anything in the history books or documentaries about the USS Astoria, the Mighty 90. This tale certainly gives one a great perspective of all their stories and what it meant to them.
May 10, 2022
It's fair to say that my understanding of the US Navy's actions in the latter part of World War Two can be nailed down to one throwaway remark.
I was 8 or 9 or so (1981 by my creaky old reckoning) when the BBC showed a repeat of an episode of The War At Sea dealing with the Pacific. I was watching it with my dad, and immediately after the some footage of the Kamikaze strike on St Lô, he intoned in his deadpan, Captain-Hindsight-but-I-know-what-I'm-talking-about tone "'Cause they didn't have armoured decks".
Needless to say, there's at least a quarter of this book I won't be bringing up in conversation with him.
Where it's good...
There aren't many ship stories that begin on the slipway (I can only think of one other) but it does bring a nice sense of completeness to the story. And the only thing better than a good shipyard story is a bad shipyard story (it reinforces my regional sense of superiority).
It's honest. All those warts...
Unlike a lot ofhistorical fiction history these days, there's no extraneous and plainly invented dialogue or thought processes. And it's very readable, and doesn't come across like an extended script pitch.
There's more to this here war than putting away at planes. Astoria's more than a floating gun platform, and he other activities are nicely told, adding an extra dimension not often seen. Those floatplane crews are busy guys, and you got a nice feel for the crewmen and their respective roles.
And the bad...
There's not much strategic scene setting. Maybe a but of explanation of why the Japanese needed to resort to the tactics they used might have been nice.
On top of that, it's all a bit 'small picture' (although the astute amongst you might gather that from the title) and although you get a post- war catchup for our cast of characters, I missed a but of follow up on some of the other ships in the narrative.
But on the whole, it's well worth a look, if you're smart enough to manage a slow burner. You might even consider The Kamikaze Hunters: Fighting for the Pacific, 1945 as a follow up...
I was 8 or 9 or so (1981 by my creaky old reckoning) when the BBC showed a repeat of an episode of The War At Sea dealing with the Pacific. I was watching it with my dad, and immediately after the some footage of the Kamikaze strike on St Lô, he intoned in his deadpan, Captain-Hindsight-but-I-know-what-I'm-talking-about tone "'Cause they didn't have armoured decks".
Needless to say, there's at least a quarter of this book I won't be bringing up in conversation with him.
By the end of the week, six of seventeen available American fast carriers were out of action, more than one- third of Admiral Mitscher’s striking power. Despite repaired ships returning for duty, the asymmetric nature of Kamikaze attacks was proving effective. The Japanese were knocking carriers off the line quicker than replacements could be brought back.Thankfully though, this splendidly thorough look at the second USS Astoria's Pacific cruise isn't all about positive reinforcement. From the start of her incredibly painful construction and commissioning (and by God, it's a dictionary definition of painful) you get a totally honest, warts and all (a veritable Cromwell's face full of'em) account of the ship's wartime career. So..
Where it's good...
There aren't many ship stories that begin on the slipway (I can only think of one other) but it does bring a nice sense of completeness to the story. And the only thing better than a good shipyard story is a bad shipyard story (it reinforces my regional sense of superiority).
It's honest. All those warts...
Unlike a lot of
There's more to this here war than putting away at planes. Astoria's more than a floating gun platform, and he other activities are nicely told, adding an extra dimension not often seen. Those floatplane crews are busy guys, and you got a nice feel for the crewmen and their respective roles.
And the bad...
There's not much strategic scene setting. Maybe a but of explanation of why the Japanese needed to resort to the tactics they used might have been nice.
On top of that, it's all a bit 'small picture' (although the astute amongst you might gather that from the title) and although you get a post- war catchup for our cast of characters, I missed a but of follow up on some of the other ships in the narrative.
But on the whole, it's well worth a look, if you're smart enough to manage a slow burner. You might even consider The Kamikaze Hunters: Fighting for the Pacific, 1945 as a follow up...
June 7, 2021
Great Book!
Great story about one of the many unsung heroes that fought against the Kamikazes. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Pacific War.
Great story about one of the many unsung heroes that fought against the Kamikazes. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Pacific War.
July 14, 2021
I could not have enjoyed this book more.
It’s fairly easy to find a book that covers a particular battle, time period or individual. Rarely can you find a story about one ship, and it’s journey from shipyard to final victory in the Pacific.
I felt like I was on the ship with the sailors. I received (or in some cases did not receive) news, updates and information just as they would have. I was disappointed when shore leave was postponed or canceled. Or when someone missed a promotion.
The writing is superb. Well researched, perfectly paced and with the right amount of detail.
I highly recommend to any fans of WWII, naval history or great stories about the greatest generation.
It’s fairly easy to find a book that covers a particular battle, time period or individual. Rarely can you find a story about one ship, and it’s journey from shipyard to final victory in the Pacific.
I felt like I was on the ship with the sailors. I received (or in some cases did not receive) news, updates and information just as they would have. I was disappointed when shore leave was postponed or canceled. Or when someone missed a promotion.
The writing is superb. Well researched, perfectly paced and with the right amount of detail.
I highly recommend to any fans of WWII, naval history or great stories about the greatest generation.
May 22, 2021
Author Brent E. Jones published the book “Days of Steel Rain: The Epic Story of a WWII Vengeance Ship in the Year of the Kamikaze” in 2021. This is his first book.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains some scenes of violence. The book tells the story of the light cruiser USS Astoria during the last year of WWII.
The Astoria was a ‘vengeance ship’. The original USS Astoria (CS-34) had also been a cruiser. She was launched in December of 1933 and commissioned on April 28, 1934. She sank on August 9, 1942, after seeing action during the Battle of Savo Island. The USS Astoria (CL-90), the subject of this book, was launched on March 6, 1943, and commissioned on May 17, 1944. She was a vengeance ship because she was named after a prior ship lost in battle to the Japanese.
The book tells the story of CL-90. It describes the background of her construction and the corresponding difficulties. The book first follows her shakedown cruise to the vicinity of Bermuda. Soon after she began operations with the Pacific Fleet. Most of Astoria’s war experience was as a carrier escort.
U.S. Navy Captain George Dyer commanded the Astoria. He had to build the crew from what he was given. He had a few experience sailers, but most were fresh out of training or the rejects of other ships. In the months between commissioning and the end of the war, they became a tight and ready crew. It was at Okinawa where they faced their greatest challenge. It was there they faced their greatest challenge from the Japanese Kamikazes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5+ hours I spent reading this 401-page WWII naval history. The author does a good job of working excerpts from crew written letters and journals into the story. I had never heard of using spotter planes for air-sea rescue until reading this book. Cruisers and battleships carried catapult-launched amphibious planes. The Astoria's pilots made many a rescue. Captain Dyer faced more challenges than I would have expected. The demands of assembling and training up his crew were greater than I would have thought for 1944. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’ because it contains some scenes of violence. The book tells the story of the light cruiser USS Astoria during the last year of WWII.
The Astoria was a ‘vengeance ship’. The original USS Astoria (CS-34) had also been a cruiser. She was launched in December of 1933 and commissioned on April 28, 1934. She sank on August 9, 1942, after seeing action during the Battle of Savo Island. The USS Astoria (CL-90), the subject of this book, was launched on March 6, 1943, and commissioned on May 17, 1944. She was a vengeance ship because she was named after a prior ship lost in battle to the Japanese.
The book tells the story of CL-90. It describes the background of her construction and the corresponding difficulties. The book first follows her shakedown cruise to the vicinity of Bermuda. Soon after she began operations with the Pacific Fleet. Most of Astoria’s war experience was as a carrier escort.
U.S. Navy Captain George Dyer commanded the Astoria. He had to build the crew from what he was given. He had a few experience sailers, but most were fresh out of training or the rejects of other ships. In the months between commissioning and the end of the war, they became a tight and ready crew. It was at Okinawa where they faced their greatest challenge. It was there they faced their greatest challenge from the Japanese Kamikazes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5+ hours I spent reading this 401-page WWII naval history. The author does a good job of working excerpts from crew written letters and journals into the story. I had never heard of using spotter planes for air-sea rescue until reading this book. Cruisers and battleships carried catapult-launched amphibious planes. The Astoria's pilots made many a rescue. Captain Dyer faced more challenges than I would have expected. The demands of assembling and training up his crew were greater than I would have thought for 1944. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
April 13, 2022
This was great! Well-researched: the author had access to a lot of diaries and sailors, and especially the photo prints kept by the ship's photographer.
One of my favorite elements of history is filling in the gaps between the major events, such as battles, with "slice of life" details. Relationships between specific sailors and officers, for instance.
There were a lot of small pieces that I enjoyed, such as the long-running saga of one sailor who didn't want to sail on another ship named USS Astoria.
One of my favorite elements of history is filling in the gaps between the major events, such as battles, with "slice of life" details. Relationships between specific sailors and officers, for instance.
There were a lot of small pieces that I enjoyed, such as the long-running saga of one sailor who didn't want to sail on another ship named USS Astoria.
October 31, 2023
Even though the history of the Second World War remains my favorite subject after all these years, I've gotten fairly picky when I choose my next book; there are just too many pot-boilers out there. However, this history of an American cruiser in the last year of the Pacific War is a good one. The author writes in the spirit of trying to push behind the silence of the men who returned home, and who just could not stand to relate their experiences of grinding endurance, punctuated by moments of horror and outrage.
It was actually something of a minor miracle that USS "Astoria" even managed to get into action, as the shipyard that built her was an exercise in wartime emergency measures, and many were the inefficiencies and failures. Add to that a scratch crew, without much of a trained cadre of leaders. The real difference maker was the initial captain, one George Dyer, who took the unpromising ingredients he'd been given, and produced a crack ship that men were proud to have served in. Well, most men; a running theme through this book is the epidemic of desertion that the USN experienced in the last year of the war, and Captain Dyer made hunting down miscreants a personal mission.
As for the nature of the cruiser's war, that mostly involved the grinding battles of attrition off Iwo Jima and Okinawa, along with operations related to the naval siege of Japan itself. Based on personal accounts, Jones does a good job of capturing the horror of it all, and it's a story that remains relevant because the "special attack" pilots were essentially conducting the first naval cruise-missile war; it's a possible vision of what the USN's next major campaign might look like.
Highly recommended.
It was actually something of a minor miracle that USS "Astoria" even managed to get into action, as the shipyard that built her was an exercise in wartime emergency measures, and many were the inefficiencies and failures. Add to that a scratch crew, without much of a trained cadre of leaders. The real difference maker was the initial captain, one George Dyer, who took the unpromising ingredients he'd been given, and produced a crack ship that men were proud to have served in. Well, most men; a running theme through this book is the epidemic of desertion that the USN experienced in the last year of the war, and Captain Dyer made hunting down miscreants a personal mission.
As for the nature of the cruiser's war, that mostly involved the grinding battles of attrition off Iwo Jima and Okinawa, along with operations related to the naval siege of Japan itself. Based on personal accounts, Jones does a good job of capturing the horror of it all, and it's a story that remains relevant because the "special attack" pilots were essentially conducting the first naval cruise-missile war; it's a possible vision of what the USN's next major campaign might look like.
Highly recommended.
July 29, 2021
This is such an intriguing and interesting story. It isn’t necessarily a book I would have chosen but I was offered the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley and the publisher. Even for someone who isn’t that well informed about war ships I found it to be very readable although there were some technical sections that I skipped over. The author did a wonderful job of drawing the reader in by introducing individuals involved with the ship. It helped to build a connection and made me want to find out what happened to each of them. I learned many new things about WWII, but most notable was that workers in the shipyards were able to go on strike during the height of the war.
April 16, 2023
Non-fiction war accounts are a genre I just don't usually like. However, this book was so superbly written, I would forget it was a true story. It reads like fiction, moving from multiple character perspectives, yet all interweaving into one overarching narrative about being at war against the Japanese during the final years of WWII. The author and the surviving family members of the USS Astoria should be proud.
July 21, 2021
A fantastic account of the personal side of serving on a US navy ship in the last year of WW 2. Well written, moving well through a narrative that encompasses all the emotions endured by sailors of all rates.
December 16, 2024
A great and even entertaining read about one specific ship in WW2. Progressing through the building of the ship, getting and training a crew, and finally entering combat and surviving kamikaze attacks the book gives many insights I never would have considered. One unique example is how the Captain assumed bringing aboard mail from home would boost morale, only to find out there were so many “dear John” letters that it actually hurt morale. If you have an interest in anything WW2 related, or an interest in naval battles or in kamikazes you won’t be disappointed.
May 22, 2021
What am amazing book! This had me hooked from the start as the author introduced the idea behind the story and what brought him to write it. I was very impressed with the story telling and how the personal stories were told with a combination of personal accounts and researched facts. Including so many aspects of different men on the ship, from interviews, diaries, even some artwork/cartoons brought these men to life. I felt like I was reading my grandfather’s story (he never talked about his days at sea), so much praise to the author for being able to find a way to help these men have their voice. And the photographs...wow! I always love seeing photographs! This book gave me so many. My only “criticism” is I wanted MORE photographs! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys personal accounts of struggles people face. Even if you’re not a fan of “history books”, you’ll enjoy this read!
September 2, 2023
The book is an intimate portrait of one ship in the last months of WWII and the men who sailed on her. It is not your typical war tale that focuses on large-scale battles or multiple forces. "Days of Steel Rain" instead details the lives of the individual men assigned to the U.S.S. Astoria, their backgrounds, training, joys, and fears. The book allows the reader to experience the day-to-day lives of the men, both the boring and the terrifying. I enjoyed the book since I realized they type of story it was going in; however, those expecting a more traditional tale may be disappointed.
March 21, 2025
Deep dive into the experiences of sailors and marines on the vaunted destroyer USS Astoria during the final years of WWII in the Pacific theatre. The author’s extensive research, of archives and remembrances by those who served on the ship or passed on memories to subsequent generations, provided for a realistic feel of the action and the servicemen’s reactions when faced with brutal effects of war at sea.
July 18, 2022
Am interesting narrative of a late Pacific War Cleveland-class light cruiser, its Captain, the crew he had to work with and the deadly times they all faced under fire.
Several things struck at me as I read. First, at this point in the war the "gung ho" spirit wasn't what I supposed it would be or should've been. The crew seemed to be permeated with reluctant draftees, disgruntled vets, malingerers and the number of personnel missing ship's movement was astounding. The latter, a problem it seemed throughout the service at this point.
Secondly. the number of casualties caused by "friendly fire." The close-in fighting trying to knock down attacking Japanese planes wrought havoc among ship's crews and the ships themselves. A "steel rain" of falling shrapnel indeed.
Last but not least, the typhoons that devastated our fleets that year (1945). The Astoria was lucky but many of the other ships, especially the destroyers, were not. Blame it seems was placed on Admiral Halsey for not performing a textbook maneuver that was recommended to him by Captain Dyer of Astoria, leaving the fleet to suffer the consequences.
U.S.S. Astoria CL-90, namesake of a cruiser lost at Savo Island in 1942, accomplished her mission of protecting her aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Essex. The Essex was one of only a handful of of U.S. carriers not seriously damaged by "kamikazes" in the final drive on Japan. Astoria was an important part of that "antiaircraft umbrella" spread over the decks of the flattops. Captain Dyer and the men he made "fighting sailors" did good.
Several things struck at me as I read. First, at this point in the war the "gung ho" spirit wasn't what I supposed it would be or should've been. The crew seemed to be permeated with reluctant draftees, disgruntled vets, malingerers and the number of personnel missing ship's movement was astounding. The latter, a problem it seemed throughout the service at this point.
Secondly. the number of casualties caused by "friendly fire." The close-in fighting trying to knock down attacking Japanese planes wrought havoc among ship's crews and the ships themselves. A "steel rain" of falling shrapnel indeed.
Last but not least, the typhoons that devastated our fleets that year (1945). The Astoria was lucky but many of the other ships, especially the destroyers, were not. Blame it seems was placed on Admiral Halsey for not performing a textbook maneuver that was recommended to him by Captain Dyer of Astoria, leaving the fleet to suffer the consequences.
U.S.S. Astoria CL-90, namesake of a cruiser lost at Savo Island in 1942, accomplished her mission of protecting her aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Essex. The Essex was one of only a handful of of U.S. carriers not seriously damaged by "kamikazes" in the final drive on Japan. Astoria was an important part of that "antiaircraft umbrella" spread over the decks of the flattops. Captain Dyer and the men he made "fighting sailors" did good.
October 11, 2021
When the US Navy first encountered Japanese Kamikaze suicide pilots, the US Navy kept it secret from the US public. Hundreds of ships were damaged (including numerous aircraft carriers) and thousands of US sailors were killed and maimed. Only the overwhelming size of the US Navy, at that time, being split into five large fleet task forces in the Pacific, allowed the US Navy to keep making progress in the war. The US Navy deceived the Japanese by changing the name of the same fleet from the Third Fleet to the Fifth Fleet as the commanders rotated between Admiral Halsey and Admiral Spruance.
This history documents the WWII history of the Astoria, a "vengeance" ship, Cruiser CL-90, renamed to honor the first Astoria, Cruiser CL-34, that rested on the bottom of IronBottom Sound in the Solomon Islands after the Japanese sunk her.
Many former Astoria crew were interviewed and shared new source documents such as lost photographs and secret diaries.
The Astoria was a very effective ship at the end of the Pacific War in 1944 and 1945. This is an intimate story about life on a WWII warship in the Pacific during the time of "Steel Rain" from the Kamikazes. It is well worth reading for WWII history "buffs".
This history documents the WWII history of the Astoria, a "vengeance" ship, Cruiser CL-90, renamed to honor the first Astoria, Cruiser CL-34, that rested on the bottom of IronBottom Sound in the Solomon Islands after the Japanese sunk her.
Many former Astoria crew were interviewed and shared new source documents such as lost photographs and secret diaries.
The Astoria was a very effective ship at the end of the Pacific War in 1944 and 1945. This is an intimate story about life on a WWII warship in the Pacific during the time of "Steel Rain" from the Kamikazes. It is well worth reading for WWII history "buffs".
October 12, 2021
This book is a great example of ww2 ship USS Astoria which was deployed after pearl harbor, it shows how sailors had a hard time on the ship because of seasickness. my favorite quote was "Liberty at port of Spain inevitably caused it share of casualties, as a few men returned to be placed on venereal watch despite the Navy's best efforts to issue protective kits and regulate the local houses." the plot of
"Days of Steel Rain", is captain Dyer gets injured, he is in the hospital, then pearl harbor happen then they sail to fight in ww2, etc. I belive the theme is that war changes people.
"Days of Steel Rain", is captain Dyer gets injured, he is in the hospital, then pearl harbor happen then they sail to fight in ww2, etc. I belive the theme is that war changes people.
June 21, 2022
I read many books and stories related to the battle history of the United States Navy. This book was particularly enjoyable since it takes a personal perspective on serving in combat. The public has little appreciation for something they don't know or can't understand. This book allows the reader to understand the battles in the Pacific through first hand accounts of those who lived through the last year of war in the Pacific.
June 12, 2022
It is maybe not giving too much away that the only casualty aboard the fourth USS ASTORIA was a heart attack suffered by a seaman, although this is not from lack of trying. The third USS ASTORIA was unluckier, sinking in Ironbottom Bay during the Battle of Savo Island, off Guadalcanal. (Hence the moniker "vengeance ship" in the title.) The fourth USS ASTORIA was built in Philadelphia, joined the Pacific Fleet, survived the typhoon that nearly sank Humphrey Bogart and his mutinous crew aboard the fictional USS CAINE, and participated in the bombardment of Iwo Jima and shot down kamikaze fighters during the Okinawa invasion.
DAYS OF STEEL RAIN is one of my favorite genres; telling the story of a war through a small group of participants. The difference between this and, say, BAND OF BROTHERS, is that maybe the drama of service aboard a Navy cruiser (in what Jones tell us was derisively called the "ice-cream fleet") isn't quite up to that same level. It doesn't matter, though, because Jones deftly uses interviews and letters to tell the stories of the crew. It's both an outstanding research project and an entertaining read, and you can't ask for much better than that. Highly recommended.
DAYS OF STEEL RAIN is one of my favorite genres; telling the story of a war through a small group of participants. The difference between this and, say, BAND OF BROTHERS, is that maybe the drama of service aboard a Navy cruiser (in what Jones tell us was derisively called the "ice-cream fleet") isn't quite up to that same level. It doesn't matter, though, because Jones deftly uses interviews and letters to tell the stories of the crew. It's both an outstanding research project and an entertaining read, and you can't ask for much better than that. Highly recommended.
April 8, 2023
War as seen from the deck of a Ship.
A Micro-History of the vengeance ship USS Astoria (CL-90). Well researched and well written.
Starts in the last days of the Cramp Shipbuilding yard, the initial sea trails, and on into the war in the Pacific. It introduces you to the crew, the day to day life aboard a light cruiser and their experience in the battles in the Pacific. This is what war, experienced by sailors, is really like. From the 1st man lost, Washington Ostrander, the ships cook, to the life saving adventures of Aviator Chuck Tanner, to the trails of the ships photographer Herman Schnipper. Schnipper‘s photographs are still available on line. Certainly an interest to anyone who has served aboard a Navy ship or their descendents.
A Micro-History of the vengeance ship USS Astoria (CL-90). Well researched and well written.
Starts in the last days of the Cramp Shipbuilding yard, the initial sea trails, and on into the war in the Pacific. It introduces you to the crew, the day to day life aboard a light cruiser and their experience in the battles in the Pacific. This is what war, experienced by sailors, is really like. From the 1st man lost, Washington Ostrander, the ships cook, to the life saving adventures of Aviator Chuck Tanner, to the trails of the ships photographer Herman Schnipper. Schnipper‘s photographs are still available on line. Certainly an interest to anyone who has served aboard a Navy ship or their descendents.
June 15, 2023
The USS Astoria was a Philadelphia Class light cruiser. It was a vengeance ship: named after another cruiser that had been sunk at Savo Bay after a noteworthy career fighting the Japanese. The second USS Astoria fought the waves of kamikazes whose fiery attacks marked the increasingly desperate end of the Japanese war effort. Jones is particularly good at describing the molding of the ship’s crew into an effective fighting unit. The Astoria deserved better than to be sold for scrap after the war, but Jones has built her a monument. (When I was in junior high I read The Fightingest Ship about the USS Helena, and I’ve always been drawn to cruisers. Maybe someone will write the story of the USS Salt Lake City.)
September 1, 2023
This is the exceptional story of the CL-90 USS Astoria built as a replacement for the heavy cruiser of the same name sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942 in the early days of the Guadalcanal campaign. This light cruiser served valiantly in the last year of the Pacific War doing valiant duty protecting the fleet aircraft carrier USS Essex against Kamikazes off of Okinawa; lending fire support during the invasion of Iwo Jima; rescuing downed U.S. pilots; and escorting carrier raids in both the Philippines and against Japan. The lives of her crew come alive through extensive interviews; war diaries of her men; and historical records. A great book for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during WWII.
January 16, 2024
A story that follows the USS Astoria and her crew. Looking at the different personnel beginning with Dyer who after serving a horrific wound had vowed to return to the war. Now in 1944, he got the chance with the USS Astoria. You are taken through a battle with a typhoon that lost many ships, then they are off to Iwo Jima and then to the attack of Kamikazes during Okinawa. A very good story about men coming together whether fighting or fighting for their lives. An excellent read. I received this book from Netgalley.com
September 23, 2021
A very enjoyable history of a single ship fighting in the Pacific Theater in WWII. I enjoy top down histories like the The Fleet at Flood Tide and Twilight of the Gods by Hornfischer and Toll but my favorites are the written about a single small group of individuals and how they cope with war and tragedy. This boos also described the manpower shortages and the shirking which was not uncommon but rarely talked about. A good read
August 17, 2023
Engrossing audiobook, narrated by Dan Warren, of the odyssey of the USS Astoria, a light cruiser built late in WWII and belatedly renamed in honor of another USS Astoria, which went down earlier in the war. The story details the travails of the dragged out construction process, acquiring the motley crew, and their outstanding performance in the Pacific Theatre, and in particular, against the relentless attack of the kamikaze pilots. Highly recommended read.
September 18, 2023
Not your usual WWII story, based on individual memories and writing as well as official documents, it's personal but doesn't spill over into nostalgic. The ship itself is the major character. A good part of the book, and perhaps the most interesting is the struggle to actually get it commissioned, working and the crew functioning as a crew.
July 22, 2025
A very readable and interesting compilation of the memoirs of the crew of the World War II light cruiser Astoria. Commanded by a very eager and intense warrior captain, it followed the ship from its launching through its primary role as a landing support and flak ship during several US Pacific invasions. Many excellent photos and insightful stories from the crew enliven the narrative.
January 10, 2022
Great read.
The details and narratives makes the book seem like I was there.
I have a 96 year old neighbor who was there and I cannot wait to talk to him about his experiences there.
The details and narratives makes the book seem like I was there.
I have a 96 year old neighbor who was there and I cannot wait to talk to him about his experiences there.
May 30, 2021
Beaut
Great read,well researched and seemingly no punches pulled when it comes to racism in the US navy.all in all a tremendous story.
Great read,well researched and seemingly no punches pulled when it comes to racism in the US navy.all in all a tremendous story.
June 28, 2021
A great read and great stories
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews