The USS Ward - by Richard P Klobuchar (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1940, with the threat of war in the Pacific imminent, the United States was forced to expand its fleet as quickly as possible. This included reconditioning and recommissioning "four stackers" from the navy's reserve fleet. It was here that the USS Ward came into her own, earning the distinction of firing the first shot in America's war against Japan and serving three years in combat until it was sunk--with no loss of life--on December 7, 1944. From the first confrontation at Pearl Harbor through the Ward's last mission in the Philippines, this history gives a detailed account of the life and times of the ship and her crew of 125 men.

Book Synopsis

In 1940, the threat of war in the Pacific forced the United States to expand its fleet quickly. This effort included reconditioning and recommissioning "four stackers" from the navy's reserve fleet. Built in 1918 to fight German submarines, the USS Ward earned at Pearl Harbor the distinction of firing the first shot in America's war against Japan. In the three years that followed, it was bombed, shelled, strafed, and finally sunk (on December 7, 1944), yet none of her crew of 125 men ever lost a life in combat. Information is drawn from naval records as well as from interviews with surviving crewmen. Appendices provide Ward technical data, a chronology of major events, listings of citations earned in World War II and of amphibious landings, and a roster of personnel.

Review Quotes

"Klobuchar narrates this interesting story in precise detail...straightforward...recommended"-Nautical Research Journal; "at long last, an acclaimed author has seen fit to focus his talents on the exciting and emotional saga of one of America's most interesting warships-the profound hard-fighting destroyer USS Ward (DD-139)."-Sea Classics; "well-written...of considerable value"-The NYMAS Review.

About the Author

World War II historian Richard P. Klobuchar is a retired civil engineer in transportation. He frequently lectures on Pearl Harbor and is the author of Pearl Harbor: Awakening a Sleeping Giant. He lives in Rochester, Minnesota.