Unsinkable: Five Men and the Indomitable Run of the USS Plunkett
- 579pages
- 21 heures de lecture
More than just a tale of a fierce engagement, this narrative follows the journeys of five men aboard a ship from Casablanca to Sicily and Salerno, culminating in a harrowing moment at Anzio. Here, the ship faced a relentless assault from German bombers, leading one Navy commander to remark on its extraordinary resilience. After a three-month overhaul and gaining a reputation as the "fightin'est ship" in the Navy, the vessel returned to action at Omaha Beach on D-Day and participated in the invasion of Southern France, making it one of the few ships involved in every Allied invasion in the European theater. The story highlights five incredibly brave individuals: the determined skipper, who earns the Navy Cross; the gunnery officer, who challenges the captain; a first lieutenant eager to join the fight in the Pacific; a seventeen-year-old water tender trying to maintain a connection with his hometown girl; and another water tender manning a 20mm gun during aerial attacks. Each man's dramatic story unfolds on the ship's decks, set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean. Drawing from Navy logs, war diaries, letters, and interviews, this account transcends the history of a military vessel, capturing the essence of young men facing the defining moments of their lives.







