For Crew and Country: The Inspirational True Story of Bravery and Sacrifice Aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts

On October 25, 1944, the USS Samuel B. Roberts took part in one of the most doomed naval battles in U.S. history. The Roberts—a destroyer escort not designed for heavy combat—and a small fleet were caught unawares in the Philippines by an enormous Japanese armada. Upon spotting the enemy, the outnumbered and out–fire-powered Roberts rushed headlong into battle, determined to inflict as much harm as possible before her time was up. Landing plenty of hits, the Roberts played a crucial role in prompting the enemy to retreat, though damage sustained during the fight forced surviving crewmembers to abandon their sinking ship. Once in the water, men scrambled for life rafts and prayed for a rescue that did not come for 50 hours. Wukovits recounts the battle in harrowing detail, while providing intimate glimpses into the lives of the men on board: the captain who, as a child, played war games in his backyard; the young newlywed whose wife was eight months pregnant when he enlisted; the captain of the high school swim team and Atlantic City lifeguard. An officer on another ship remarked that the Roberts was “the most ridiculous, the most naked... the most superb attack of the entire [battle].” Wukovits makes that much abundantly clear. B&w photos, maps. Agent: Jim Hornfischer, Hornfischer Literary Management. (Jan.)