Ship Disasters
(Updated December 2006)
The sinking of the Titanic is an event familiar to most of us, but it is only one of many disasters that have taken place at sea or on lakes. These books from Wolfner’s collection, compiled by Reader Advisor Ginny Ryan, document some of these disasters.
To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!
Abandon Ship! The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the Navy’s Greatest Sea Disaster by Richard F. Newcomb.
Originally published in 1958. Newcomb describes the ordeal faced by survivors of the USS Indianapolis, which was sunk by a Japanese torpedo in 1945. He also recounts the court-martial of the ship's captain, Charles McVay. In an afterword, journalist Peter Maas describes later research that cleared McVay of all charges. RC 51773.
Batavia’s Graveyard by Mike Dash.
Relates the historical events following the shipwreck of the Dutch merchant vessel Batavia on a coral reef near Australia in 1629. Describes how a mad heretic wreaked havoc and slaughter on the survivors, on a waterless island known now as Batavia's Graveyard. Some violence. RC 55626.
The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise by Edward P. Stafford.
History of the battles fought in the Pacific by this naval aircraft carrier and its crew during World War 2. Reports on participation at Santa Cruz, Kwajalein, Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, among other sites. RC 52020.
Blind Man’s Bluff by Sherry Sontag.
Accounts of the development of Cold War-era submarine spying on the Soviet Union by Americans. Tales about the people who made it happen, like the naval officer who figured out how to tap underwater communication cables. Includes new information on the mysterious sinking of the USS Scorpion in 1968. RC 47258.
Death Raft: The Human Drama of the Medusa by Alexander McKee.
Horrifying, true story of the ill-fated Medusa, a French ship enroute to Senegal with 400 men, women, and children aboard when it foundered off the African coast in 1816. Describes in harrowing detail the fate of those left on a flimsy raft without provisions. RC 11155.
Fatal Storm: The Inside Story of the Tragic Sydney-Hobart Race by Robert Mundle.
Harrowing account of the 1998 Australian yacht race that encountered hurricane-force winds. Details the havoc wreaked on the fleet of 115 entries, only 44 of which finished in Hobart, while five sank. Describes the heroic search-and-rescue effort that resulted in winching 55 sailors to safety. RC 52376.
50 North: An Atlantic Battleground by Alan Easton.
A Canadian naval officer recounts the drama played out on the North Atlantic between the Allied fleet and German U-boats during World War 2. The battles wore many faces: confrontation with the enemy; personal frustration with equipment failures; loneliness, fear, and sorrow over human loss; and powerlessness in the face of bad weather and turbulent seas. Easton reveals the fortitude and endurance of the heroic seamen. RC 34146.
In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton.
Recounts the events of July 30, 1945, when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Indianapolis, and the subsequent failure of the navy to begin a timely rescue of its crew. Relates the survivors' tales of the ordeal and the tragic destiny of its captain years later. RC 52097.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
by Nathaniel Philbrick.
Relying mainly on the cabin boy's journal discovered in 1960, the author recounts the disastrous 1819 voyage of the whaling ship Essex. He describes the attack of an 85-foot bull sperm whale, and the ensuing starvation, dehydration, and cannibalism that befell the shipwrecked survivors. RC 50271.
Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy by Diana Preston.
British historian and author recounts the sinking of the English passenger liner Lusitania by a German submarine on May 7, 1915, off the coast of Ireland. Describes the catastrophe that caused the death of almost 1,200 men, women, and children and the subsequent political consequences. RC 55923.
Sailors to the End: The Deadly Fire on the U.S.S. Forrestal and the Heroes Who Fought It by Gregory A. Freeman.
On July 29, 1967, off the coast of Vietnam an errant rocket on the USS Forrestal hits the plane piloted by future senator John McCain. Describes the crew's heroic efforts to save the ship (although 134 sailors died) and the reasons for the disaster. Some strong language. RC 55661.
Shipwreck: The Strange Fate of the Morro Castle by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts.
The Morro Castle was destroyed by fire in 1934. After the mysterious death of her captain, the acting captain and chief engineer were charged with and found guilty of negligence in the disaster, which cost 134 lives. The authors believe the fire was an act of revenge by the chief radio engineer. RC 10093.
Strike Able-Peter: The Stranding and Salvage of the USS Missouri by John A. Butler.
An account of the January 1950 grounding of the USS Missouri, the ship aboard which the Japanese surrendered in World War 2. At the time the mishap was a major news event and naval embarrassment. Reconstructs the cause of the Chesapeake Bay stranding and the subsequent salvaging effort. RC 50726.
The Terrible Hours: The Man behind the Greatest Submarine Rescue in History by Peter Maas.
On May 23, 1939, the Squalus submarine failed to resurface from a test dive and settled 243 feet down on the ocean floor off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Maas provides accounts of the 33 survivors and their families, and of Charles Momsen, who created the device used in their rescue. RC 49223.
A Time to Die: The Untold Story of the Kursk Tragedy by Robert Moore.
British television correspondent recreates the sinking of a Russian nuclear submarine in the Arctic Circle on August 12, 2000, and the disastrous subsequent rescue efforts. Analyzes the failure of Vladimir Putin's government to enlist timely outside help. RC 57027.