Lost at sea

In the Hunt for Red October, Russian captain Marko Ramius is portrayed as imperturbable and wise. One way in which this is demonstrated is the Captain's critique of Jack Ryan's book on Admiral Halsey. Ramius delivers his negative verdict on the book and Halsey, while his submarine is being stalked by a hostile Russian submarine. Halsey's Typhoon makes the case that Halsey should at the very least be re-evaluated.

In late 1944 while sailing to the Philippines, Halsey's task force sailed right into a typhoon. Three ships were lost and more Americans died than did at Midway. In addition to the lost ships, many ships were badly damaged. The failure to spot the typhoon is laid on mid-level operational failure to communicate, but Halsey is justly reprimanded for continuing to drive the fleet through the storm when it was clear many ships could not make it. One captain is particularly condemned for failing to react at all to his sinking ship's situation.

This book is told from the perspective of the ships that sank and of one ship that rescued most of the survivors. The story is gripping although it is also very narrow. The author's only touch upon the ships that did not sink, including some light carriers. Another new book called Sea Cobra, paints a broader picture. Still, the story of the ship that disobeyed orders to stay behind and rescue sailors is an inspiring one.