Sailing Into the Abyss: A True Story of Extreme Heroism on the High Seas: A True Store of

by William R. Benedetto

Book Overview

In the spirit of The Perfect Storm and Shadow Divers, Sailing into the Abyss presents a minute-by-minute account of the sinking of the Merchant Marine vessel the SS Badger State, a cargo ship loaded... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806526343
• ISBN13: 9780806526348
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Citadel Press
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Wow I love this!!!

MR. Benedetto has written a phenomenal book of men who lead courageous, hard working, and very real lives. He has made the craftsmanship of seamen come to life in such a way that you feel you really know these men and understand the work that they must do to serve. Diane M. Clarke

Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Heroism

I loved this tale of ordinary men who at the defining moment of their lives never shirked duty even when that meant attempting to wrestle delinquent, 2,000 pound bombs back into order. Two thumbs up for these men and a really great story.

Another story of courage in the face of great adversity...

This book caught my eye while browsing, and I do not regret taking the time to read this. Unlike situations like the Titanic, where the arrogance of men put thousands of people in danger, the men on the SS Badger State, a merchant marine ship used by our military to deliver ammo to those fighting the Vietnam War...these men were the victims of the weather and of those who loaded bombs and equipment on this ship. These men more than did their duty, yet all too often these are the very men who are passed over and their families neglected especially when they gave their lives in a war that still brings up mixed feelings. It doesn't matter what we as civilians or as military feel about that war and its consequences. What matters is that these men be recognized for the service they gave our country. It's to easy to dismiss these incidents as 'accidents' or as occurences that should be expected during times of war. These men did not sign up for the military, in fact, many of them had already served their country in the Korean War. These men were trying to make a living for themselves and their families, and continued to serve their country by being in the merchant marines...they did not count on having to carry armaments (and badly loaded ones at that), and deal with an unknown (the sea and the weather). We still cannot predict weather or what the oceans will do after another fifty years. We just barely are understanding the physics and mechanics of weather such as tornados and hurricanes, let alone back in 1969. I thought it a bit ironic that in the year we were celebrating the achievement of reaching the moon, we were still losing men to the same things down here. As with the Challenger, other space catastrophes, 9/11, etc. so many lives are lost because of ineptitude, because of sheer carelessness. In the case of the SS Badger State, the ship was loaded badly and inefficiently, yet no where in this book was any blame alloted to anyone. The captain had to sit by and watch more than half his crew drown due to that carelessness, but he held his blame for himself and for 'what ifs'. Not only were the men on the Badger outstanding for the work they tried to do in not only trying to save their ship but save the ammo loaded on that ship despite having little to work with in a sea that would not stop rolling, but also the Greek ship, Khian Star, went out of their way to rescue as many men as they could, putting at risk their own men for a war they were not involved it. This is simply courage at its best. I wish more of these stories involving courage, bravery, and integrity could be shared with our youth. They could see that these attributes come in many forms. Our young people need to have people they can look up to--not celebreties who are full of themselves, and who seem incapable of giving back to society. We need more heroes along this line, not people who are self-involved. Karen SAdler

Ammunition Ship Disaster Realistically Reported

As a retired Merchant Marine engineer that sailed in ammo ships, I emphathized with the critical situation of the captain and crew. The author presents a factual and experienced reporting of the sinking of the S/S Badger State and the consequences . His inclusion of similar maritime disasters is relevant to understanding the disaster. Jack B Navarre, Mt Prospect, IL

Sailing into the Abyss

This is truly one of the rare "can't put it down" books I have read! Learn about true heroism on the high seas and the challenges faced by the U. S. Maritime Service. As a U. S. Coast Guard veteran (and retiree), I was fascined by this hair-raising story of the shipment of bombs to a war zone. You'll be holding your breath during many of the thrilling acts of heroism superbly told by a 29-year veteran of the U. S. Coast Guard. As a matter of fact, I was fortunate enough to have shared a duty station for six months with this marvelous story teller ... 52 years ago! Submitted by Bob Hilgerman, Ph.D. A retired college professor and a retired Lt. Commander, U. S. Coast Guard