Inchon to Wonsan: From the Deck of a Destroyer in the Korean War

by James Edwin Alexander

Book Overview

Destroyers were the workhorses of the U.S. Fleet during the Korean War. This is the story of their experiences told by an enlisted man from the USS John A. Bole. James Alexander presents an accurate... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557500223
• ISBN13: 9781557500229
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

KOREA UNVEILED.

To a Coastie of the 90's this brought the "Forgotten War" of the sailor of the 50's to life. I enjoyed how it gave a little personnel insight to Mr. Alexander's life aboard the destroyer and also his personnel love letter's to his future wife. Then it gave a little Navy operations overview and finally an overview of the armed forces (i.e. Army and Marine) in the Korean War. I didn't realize that the destroyermen and those who manned the sweepers paid for their service in blood. I would have enjoyed more personnel stories from the sailors, but over all I enjoyed this story and have a new found respect for all Korean War veterans. I salute you all and thank you for your service and sacrifices for mine and my children. Thank you.

Brings back a lot memories to a tin can sailor in the KW

Very good description of life on a tin can during Korea. I was a radarman petty officer on the USS Eversole (DD789). Some flaws: I saw no "posh hotels" in Yokosuka; in fact, nothing posh in Japan at that time. Misspelled the Keyes from Desdiv 31. Accurate description of a tin can in a typhoon except I believe the descriptions of rolls in the high 50-degrees and up to 70 degrees exceed the design limits of a top-heavy Sumner. The worst I ever experienced was 47-degrees and we almost didn't come out of it. The "incident" that MacArthur was apparently trying to create off Swatow begs for verification. Have never read of the incident in any history of the war, including a book on the covert/intelligence side. Without giving a source for the information, the author is asking a lot of the reader. But I highly recommend the book for any tin can sailor in the Korean War.