Brian Lane Herder Livres

"Drawing on difficult-to-access wartime documents and other contemporary sources, this is the first compact, illustrated study of the tactics and techniques of the US fast carriers of Task Forces 50, 58 and 38 during the naval war against Japan in 1943-45. This title concentrates on exactly how these highly successful forces actually operated: their composition in ships, aircraft and men; the essential technology at their disposal; the evolving doctrine for their employment; the opposition and dangers they faced; and how they overcame them at the tactical level. It explains in straightforward terms the intricate details of topics such as how ships manoeuvred, how aircraft were deployed and recovered, the formations and approaches used by fighters, dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers against naval and land targets, and how Task Forces defended themselves. The text is supported by a wide range of wartime photos and full-colour illustrations, showing, for example, the formations employed by ships and aircraft, with altitudes and ranges throughout the course of attacks." -- provided by publisher

An illustration-packed new account of the powerful Royal Navy fleet that fought alongside the US Navy throughout the last year of the Pacific War.The British Pacific Fleet was the Royal Navy's primary contribution to the direct defeat of Japan in 1945, and is among the most powerful fleets Britain has ever sent into action. With naval supremacy in home waters achieved by 1944, many of the best and most modern ships in the Royal Navy could be sent to the Pacific, including battleships, submarines, light forces, replenishment groups, and shore establishment. However, the main striking force was the fast carrier force.Illustrated throughout with dramatic new artwork, 3D diagrams, maps and archive photos, this book explains how the Royal Navy joined the Pacific carrier war, and how the fleet adopted the US Navy's ruthlessly effective fast carrier doctrine. With ships optimized for short-range operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the BPF had to rapidly adapt to the long-range, high-tempo warfare of the Pacific, and the story is often one of inspired improvisation. The BPF shared the US Navy's terrifying experience of kamikaze strikes, and famously its armoured carriers proved tougher than the US counterparts.With discussion of the ships, their technology, how the fleet was organized and commanded, and how it fought the campaign, this book is a fascinating exploration of the Royal Navy's part in the victory over Japan.

A highly illustrated study of the last great campaign in the Pacific Theater of World War II: the US Navy's and Royal Navy's air, surface, and submarine attacks on the Japanese Home Islands.

At the dawn of the "Steel Navy" era, the expanding US Navy's fleet included not only battleships but also armored cruisers, precursors to the battlecruiser. These cruisers traded the battleship's firepower and protection for enhanced speed and range, leading to a complex role that was often difficult to define. Critics noted their size and cost, arguing that "naval wars are not won by running away from stronger ships." Despite their high expense and lack of a clear tactical mission—traditionally focused on commerce raiding and protection—Brian Lane Herder illustrates the successful deployment of armored cruisers within the US Navy. After 1906, some cruisers replaced battleships in the Pacific, serving as oversized gunboats. Notably, the modified armored cruiser Pennsylvania was involved in the first landing of an airplane on a ship. On November 5, 1915, North Carolina became the first cruiser to launch an aircraft from a catapult while underway. Post-war, surviving armored cruisers represented the US Navy on the Asiatic station until the last was scuttled in 1946. Through detailed artwork and photos, this book explores the development and deployment of these controversial ships, highlighting their significant roles in various defensive and escorting capacities.

This volume offers a comprehensive file on the scientific investigation of crime. It includes the scene of crime (how evidence is taken and the investigation begun), genetic fingerprinting, ballistics (how bullets are matched to firearms), and "personality profiling".

The epic story of the American battleships that turned the US Navy into a global power, and were made famous in the cruise of the Great White Fleet.

This study describes the air-sea offensive supporting the ground-force invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in February and April 1945, which led to the sinking of the Yamato and the onslaught of the Japanese kamikaze. The island invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa were the last two major ground campaigns to be initiated during the Pacific War. This superbly illustrated volume explores the air–sea aspects of these pivotal battles. Among the events covered are the 'death ride' of the Japanese battleship Yamato (the largest ever built), and the mass kamikaze attacks off Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as the amphibious invasions themselves, including the air–sea bombardment of the two islands. By early 1945, the US Navy had reached an exceptional level of coordination in its amphibious operations and was able to overrun and subdue Japanese territories efficiently. Faced with the increasing might of these forces and to prevent further defeat, Japan deployed its squadron of kamikaze and attacked many US heavy aircraft carriers and destroyers; several were sunk, while others were knocked out of the war. The book explores the devastating impact they had and considers the contribution of the USAAF and the British Pacific Fleet to the eventual victory of US air and ground forces.

Aleutians 1942–43 is the full story of the forgotten battle to liberate American soil from the Japanese during World War II.It is often forgotten that during World War II, the Japanese managed to successfully invade and conquer a precious part of American home soil--the first time this had happened since 1815. Capturing the Aleutian Islands, located in Alaska territory, was seen by the Japanese as vital in order to shore up their northern defensive perimeter.Fighting in the Aleutians was uniquely brutal. It is a barren, rugged archipelago of icy mountains and thick bogs, with a climate of constant snow, freezing rains, and windstorms. These geographic conditions tended to neutralize traditional American strengths such as air power, radar, naval bombardment, and logistics. The campaign to recapture the islands required extensive combined-ops planning, and inflicted on the United States its second highest casualty rate in the Pacific Theater. Featuring the largest Japanese banzai charge of the war, first use of pre-battle battleship bombardment in the Pacific, and the battle at the Komandorski Islands, this is the story of America's forgotten war.