Battle stars for the "Cactus Navy"
Subtitle: America's fishing vessels and yachts in World War II
By: David D. Bruhn
Publisher: Heritage Books
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Berwyn Heights, Maryland
Language: eng
Number of pages: 376
ISBN-13: 9780788455735; 9780788460012
Subjects: Lists of vessels; Yachts; United States; American Naval operations; Registers; Fishing boats; World War, 1939-1945; Warships; United States. Navy; History
Other titles: America's fishing vessels and yachts in World War II
Description: "Following Pearl Harbor, the Navy obtained 700 vessels from private owners, armed them, designated them patrol yachts or patrol craft, and sent them to sea. The vessels spanned the spectrum from yacht to waterfront work-horse -- fishing vessel, whaler, tug, and freighter. San Diego tuna fishermen donned Navy uniforms without the benefit of "boot camp" training and went off to war. They were joined by fishermen and yachtsmen from ports and harbors accross America. Vessels at Guadalcanal, Saipan, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Leyte, and Balikpapan earned battle stars; officers and men aboard them received the Navy Cross, and other awards for acts of heroism performed under fire. All of the unheralded vessels served when called, and mustered out when no longer needed."--Back cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-310) and index.
Table of contents: title: The "Cactus Navy" at Guadalcanal; title: War plan - Rainbow No. 5; title: Overview of the patrol yacht and "yippie" fleets; title: Japan's submarine offensive off America's West Coast; title: West Coast defense measures and the Navy's "Q-ships"; title: War in the Aleutians; title: The Battle of Midway; title: Loss of Guam and the Philippines; title: Cutter McLain and YP-251 sink submarine in Alaskan waters; title: U-boat attacks in Torpedo Junction; title: Gulf, Panama, and Caribbean Sea frontiers; title: Additional tuna clippers sent to the South Pacific; title: Consolidation of the Southern Solomon Islands; title: Occupation and defense of Cape Torokina; title: Breaking the Bismarck Islands barrier; title: Tarawa; title: The Marianas - Saipan, Guam, and Tinian; title: The Leyte landings and aftermath; title: The assault and occupation of Iwo Jima and Okinawa; title: Mine clearance at Balikpapan, Borneo; title: Postscript; title: Appendices; title: A: Yard patrol craft (YP); title: B: Patrol yachts (PY); title: C: Coastal patrol yachts (PYc); title: D. Vaughn, Murphy and Nevle Navy Cross  Medal citations; title: E. Raymond, Petritz, and Strand Navy Cross Medal citations; title: F. YP-389 crew list; title: G. Patrol yacht, converted yacht, and YP unit awards; title: H. Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to A. Donham Owen.