Carriers in Combat: The Air War at Sea

by Chester G. Hearn

Engaging combat narratives from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands War, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the current Iraq War Razor-sharp analysis of the roles of ships, aircraft, commanders, tactics, and strategy

Aircraft carriers surged into prominence during World War II--mainly in the Pacific, where the U.S. and Japan fought history's greatest carrier battles, like the Coral Sea and Midway. Since then, although there have been no engagements between carrier groups, carriers have played an important role in world events, serving as distant launching pads for attacks on targets around the globe. From the first improvised wooden platforms to today's nuclear-powered supercarriers, Hearn explores how combat experiences have driven the development and use of carriers in the world's navies.

Genres: World War II

336 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2005

About the author

A 1954 graduate of Allegheny College, Chester Hearn served in the U.S. Army and worked in industrial management before becoming an author of books on the American Civil War in his retirement.

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were no Task Force 38 ships lost in the typhoon of June 1945. There were a total of six seamen killed, not 790. Loss of ships and lives cited on page 226 are actually those losses Halsey's fleet suffered in Typhoon Cobra in November, 1944.