TCWriter

The exhaustively researched story of one of the most dramatic naval battles of World War II -- the 2.5 hour fight for survival by a handful of small American warships facing some of Japan's most-powerful warships.

The story of the tiny destroyers and destroyer escorts of Taffy 3 isn't as well known as some of WWII's bigger naval battles, and that's a shame. While the American Navy ultimately triumphed, it was only through the sacrifice of some of the Navy's smallest warships. Meanwhile, the admirals involved -- Halsey and Kincaid in particular -- end up looking more than a little self-involved and uncaring.

While Hornfischer manages to include a lot information, he never dwells on the arcana needlessly -- this is first and foremost a story of bravery, loss and survival. There was plenty of all three to go around. A welcome read for anyone interested in WWII military lit.