Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II

In this book we gain an insight into the epic story of the history of the 1944 Typhoon, later known as Typhoon Cobra, that the Third Fleet Sailed into. The first half of the book introduces us to the destroyers and their crew that will suffer the tragedy that could have easily been avoided. In `Down to the Sea' the author does a wonderful job of detailing the strengths and failings of each ship as we follow its career from construction to its ultimate end. Using a vast number of references Henderson is able to recreate life aboard these destroyers and share with a look at what it was like to be there. We learned just enough to know the skill level of the officers and crew by the time of the storm, and all that these brave ships had accomplished while under competent command. As far as the actual details of the battles they were in, there are many books written on that subject. As you read this account of what transpired it becomes apparent that Admiral Halsey, a Naval Combat Hero, was not competent at commanding a large fleet. It was his bad judgment, tied in with his concern of appearing to not support MacArthur, that lead the fleet to sail directly into the typhoon. Though the navy made other mistakes, such as ignoring the very accurate weather reports from the Army, not recalculating the stability of the modified destroyers and the fear instilled in their crews to question their Captains so called "final decisions" lead to all these deaths and the loss of the three destroyers. It also had me questioning the motives of the board of inquiry, was it all just for show? According to this account there is no question that the surviving destroyer Captain should have been court-martialed and Admiral Halsey retired. This book is a very compelling read that was well written and researched. It flowed as if it was a novel and I wanted to continue turning each page to see what was going to transpire next. The accounts of the survivors on the last moments onboard and their many hours in the sea are harrowing. This book does not hide anything; it shows the good and the bad. I would highly recommend this book. It must be read by anyone interested in naval history.

I found this book a little heavy going, the story was very good and the author really describes the sea conditions encountered really well, but it was slow going.

"Down to the Sea" is an intensely dramatic World War II story of heroism and hubris on the high seas. Against the backdrop of the war in the Pacific, Bruce Henderson relates the tragic saga of three doomed destroyers of the Third Fleet. The enemy was not the Japanese navy but a monstrous typhoon. What makes the tragic fate of the destroyers Hull, Monaghan, and Spence so real is Henderson`s masterful telling of the personal tale of the officers and men whose lives and deaths were tied to the fate of their ships. Like the families of these men, one comes to care about their personal welfare. Henderson also carefully sets the stage for what could probably have been an avoidable tragedy by analyzing the decisions and compromises that were the result of command egos and the exigencies of war. When the catastrophe finally struck, Henderson's vivid portrayal made me feel as though I was alongside the brave sailors as they were fighting for their lives against the wind and the seas. I highly recommend Bruce Henderson's "Down to the Sea." The book is breathtaking and haunting and will stay with the reader long after the final page is read.

good book

This is an amazing account of Halsey's typhoon and ensuing naval disaster. It was a breathtaking read and I'm very glad to own it, though I earned great respect for the lives lost, and the survivors. The youtube channel The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War has an episode on this event, and the book gives much more detail on the ships, the lives, and the decisions made.

This is a must read for anyone, but being a 'destroyer' crewmember in the 60's, I felt almost as if I were there. I have previously read "Halsey's Typhoon" (which I would recommend) but found this book in much more detail. This event was brought on by mistakes from Admiral Halsey, weather forcasters, poor judgement from ships' commanding officers, overactive ego's, and last but not least, fate. This account introduces you to crewmembers and their love for their ships as well as their families. It also delves into the mistakes made by designers of these fateful ships. You will feel that you are in the midst of this terrible typhoon, (later named 'Cobra). This just might be one of your favorites on history, heroism and the power of the sea.

Purchased this book off a recommendation from a friend. It is a factual book but in some aspects, a bit too much. There is so much information offered in each chapter it's hard to conceive the whole subject. I constantly had to go back and re-read paragraphs to keep the information straight.