PT Boat Odyssey - by Robert P Gelzheiser (Paperback)

About the Book

"Like many World War II veterans, Francis Gelzheiser only shared his recollections of combat later in life. The author chronicles his father's story, details the roles PT boats played in the war and examines why, despite America's overwhelming wartime manufacturing capacity, the Japanese believed they could still win the war"--

Book Synopsis

 During the Pacific War between the United States and Imperial Japanese navies, the author's father, Francis Gelzheiser, deployed with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 16A, from New Orleans to Panama to Seattle and to Attu Island in the Aleutians. After their return voyage, the PT boats journeyed to New Guinea, then battled Japanese kamikazes for the Philippine Island of Mindoro.

Like many World War II veterans, Gelzheiser only shared his recollections of combat later in life. The author chronicles his father's experience, details the roles PT boats played in the war and examines why, despite America's overwhelming wartime manufacturing capacity, the Japanese believed they could still win the war.

Review Quotes

"PT Boat Odyssey serves as a good addition to the historiography of PT Boats as a whole and Squadron 16 in particular, providing a well written chronicle of one father's wartime experiences as told through the voice of his son. ...this work covers several often-overlooked aspects of PT Boat service during the Second World War, and offers an excellent ground level view into one man's experiences in the Aleutians, New Guinea, and on Mindoro"-The Northern Mariner

"Nicely illustrated with black-and-white historical photos...extraordinary...impressively informative.... Expertly organized and presented...recommended"-Midwest Book Review

"Robert Gelzheiser does an excellent job conveying the settings of the Pacific War, enabling the reader to understand the environment that his father and fellow sailors experienced."-Military Review.

About the Author

Robert P. Gelzheiser is a retired history teacher. He lives in Englewood, Florida.