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Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of her Survivors
by James D. Hornfischer
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Bantam (2007-08-28)
ISBN: 0553384503
EAN: 9780553384505
Dewey Decimal #: 359
Binding/Media: Paperback - 544 pages
Release Date: 2007-08-28
SKU: SA09122721
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comments: Exactly as shown, Spine uncreased, Text clean with NO marks.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
"Son, we’re going to Hell."
The navigator of the USS Houston confided these prophetic words to a young officer as he and his captain charted a course into U.S. naval legend. Renowned as FDR’s favorite warship, the cruiser USS Houston was a prize target trapped in the far Pacific after Pearl Harbor. Without hope of reinforcement, her crew faced a superior Japanese force ruthlessly committed to total conquest. It wasn’t a fair fight, but the men of the Houston would wage it to the death.
Hornfischer brings to life the awesome terror of nighttime naval battles that turned decks into strobe-lit slaughterhouses, the deadly rain of fire from Japanese bombers, and the almost superhuman effort of the crew as they miraculously escaped disaster again and again–until their luck ran out during a daring action in Sunda Strait. There, hopelessly outnumbered, the Houston was finally sunk and its survivors taken prisoner. For more than three years their fate would be a mystery to families waiting at home.
In the brutal privation of jungle POW camps dubiously immortalized in such films as The Bridge on the River Kwai, the war continued for the men of the Houston—a life-and-death struggle to survive forced labor, starvation, disease, and psychological torture. Here is the gritty, unvarnished story of the infamous Burma–Thailand Death Railway glamorized by Hollywood, but which in reality mercilessly reduced men to little more than animals, who fought back against their dehumanization with dignity, ingenuity, sabotage, will–power—and the undying faith that their country would prevail.
Using journals and letters, rare historical documents, including testimony from postwar Japanese war crimes tribunals, and the eyewitness accounts of Houston’s survivors, James Hornfischer has crafted an account of human valor so riveting and awe-inspiring, it’s easy to forget that every single word is true.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
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The Greatest Generation
Rating  (4)
Date: 2010-08-28
A detailed account of the crew of The USS Houston. As the years pass and survivors become fewer, this book will bring the reader back to a time when sacrifice and courage was the norm. The men that fought WWII were truly the greatest generation.
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Survivors of the Sons of Nippon
Rating  (5)
Date: 2010-04-15
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
The following comments are for the abridged CD audio book version of "Ship of Ghost - The story of the USS Houston, FDR's legendary lost cruiser, and the epic saga of her survivors" by John D. Hornfischer. Robertson Dean reads the book.
This audio book consist 5 compact disks with a total playtime of approximately 6 hours. Random House Audio is the publisher of this item.
The disks are secured in the standard fan fold multi CD holder. A plastic insert secures the holder into the external packaging box.
On 28 February 1942 the cruiser USS Houston was sunk as a result of a navel engagement with the Japanese off of Java, an island of Indonesia. Out of the original crew of 1,168 only 368 crew members made it to shore and were captured by the Japanese, 291 would survive to the end of the war.
The first two disk, CD 1 & 2, provide the listener with a realistic and factual description of ship to ship navel warfare. The far out gunned allies fought courageously but their valor was no match against the numerically superior Japanses forces.
The remaining disks detail life in capativity as a Japanese POW. It must be noted that the Houston survivors remained in captivity for the entire war. Most of the survivors were put to work constructing the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway.
I have just completed my second listening to this CD audio book. This is a sad but true story that need to be heard. War and man's inhumanity must not be ignored less we end up learning that painful lesson again.
I would like to note a couple of fact from that book that have been resonating in my mind.
The survivors stopped briefly as the Mitsubishi Shipyard were slave labor and POW's were employed to manufacture warships. I recently check WIKI and the article on Mitsubishi omits the use of forced labor...interesting.
After WW2 Congress voted a compensation of $2.50 per day of captivity for those that lived - that's correct two dollars and fifty cents. It was suggested the Japan should also compensated the survivors but this was deemed not to be politically correct and nothing ever came of it.
Those survivors that made it back to the United States formed an association and held yearly reunion meetings. That fact that many were able to resume "normal' lives is a tribute to man's capacity to survive any adversity.
The USS Houston was associated with president Roosevelt because he traveled - and fished - on the ship several times prior to the out break of war.
For several years after the Houston sank it was believed there were no survivors. Name of captives were not exchanged during that war.
One ironic fact was that one of the captives from the Houston was a Japanese-American who assumed his captives would take him for a Mexican of a Korean. One day his luck ran out and the Japanese discover a Son of Nippon amount the captives. After a beating he was displayed to the officer corps -they were amazed that a full blood Japanese would joint the "enemy".
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Great book.
Rating (5)
Date: 2010-01-28
This was a gift for my Dad...He said he really enjoyed the book, and was actually reading it for a 2nd time. He said the photo's were excellent.
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Bridge over the River Kwai
Rating (5)
Date: 2009-11-24
I recommend this account of a torturous task to build a railroad through a jungle. The author is able to paint a picture of the Japanese inhuman treatment of their prisoners during the war.
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Forgotten Heroes
Rating (5)
Date: 2009-11-09
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
As World War II history and its warriors fade more and more into the past I am so grateful to James Hornfischer for bringing to light this incredible account of bravery and survival.
The story tells of the brave men aboard the USS Houston who were caught up in one of the early battles with the Japanese navy near Java. The enemy had the momentum and it was not long before the Houston was sunk and the survivors thrown into the sea. Hornfischer's description of the battle is so detailed you'll feel as if you are right along side our men as they fought their last best effort.
This is only the beginning of a long, three year account of capture and imprisonment for men who did not die as the Houston went down. Those survivor's stories of bravery, determination and courage are almost impossible to believe. How could anyone continue in these savage, merciless prison camps, enduring beatings, disease, lack of food and endless days of forced labor? Men were transferred from camp to camp, but many of them ended up on one of the most brutal endeavors of the war in this part of Asia...the building of the infamous Burma railway and the Bridge on the River Kwai.
The well known movie about the Bridge is a far cry from what really happened. As the author takes you through these day by day efforts, one can hardly believe a man could be pushed to this extreme.
Hornfischer has done a brilliant job of research, interviewing survivors, checking all available data and compiling a story that will rivet you from start to finish. These men were heroes and great Americans. Thank God many of them survived and thanks to this book their story will live on. You will not be disappointed in reading this one!!!
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