War at Sea #25

May 1958 · Charlton · 0.10 USD

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"War at Sea" #25 is an anthology featuring multiple naval combat stories set during World War II. The opening story depicts a tense encounter between Allied naval forces and a Japanese vessel in the South China Sea in October 1943, with dialogue referencing Japanese air superiority in the region. The main featured story is "The U-Boat Nemesis," which follows Kapitanleutnant Hans Sturm commanding the German submarine U-198 on its first patrol, including an attack on the British freighter Dorchester carrying supplies to Liverpool; the narrative details submarine warfare tactics and the ship's sinking. Additional stories include action involving cruiser operations and encounters with damaged vessels attempting to reach their destinations while under threat of attack.

Contains 5 stories

You May Abandon Ship

6 pp

A mighty aircraft carrier takes a beating from enemy fire in the Central Pacific—bombs rock her decks, torpedoes tear holes in her hull, and Captain Kegan faces the impossible choice of ordering his crew to save themselves. When the captain gives the order to abandon ship, the men of the carrier must decide whether to leave her to sink or stay aboard and fight for her survival against overwhelming odds. This is the story of a ship and crew tested to their limits, and the loyalty that binds them together when everything hangs in the balance.

Surrounded by Targets

4 pp

Commander Hudkins pilots the submarine Shiner deep into Japanese-controlled waters on a dangerous hunt for enemy capital ships, but when a Japanese destroyer closes in after a successful torpedo strike, he finds unexpected salvation in the presence of nearby Japanese submarines. With enemy forces surrounding him on all sides, Hudkins devises a bold strategy to use the confusion to his advantage and slip away undetected.

On Target

4 pp

A spotting team holds a crucial hilltop position, calling naval gunfire down on Japanese attackers—but when the enemy assault becomes overwhelming, Seaman Farrel faces an impossible choice: abandon the post or direct the cruiser's guns directly onto his own position. With only moments to spare and his comrades counting on split-second timing, Farrel must trust that the men aboard ship understand what he's asking of them.

Will He Chicken Again ?

5 pp

A squadron of jet pilots questions their sortie commander Haycraft's nerve when he orders them to climb away from their target and later dumps their bomb load before reaching it—but the skipper reveals there's far more to the story than meets the eye. In this Korean War tale from *War at Sea* #25, what looked like cowardice was actually a carefully orchestrated counter-intelligence operation that saved lives and struck a real blow against the enemy. Sometimes the hardest orders to follow are the ones that make the most sense.

Noncombat Vessel

5 pp

The USS Railton, a converted merchant vessel assigned to supply duty, discovers itself trapped between a Japanese cruiser, destroyer, and ammunition ship when a power failure causes the crew to miss a crucial message redirecting the American task force. With no escape route and surrounded, the Railton's captain makes a desperate gamble—threading the ship through a narrow island channel to launch a surprise attack on the anchored enemy vessels. What unfolds is an unlikely battle that transforms a supply ship's reluctant crew from spectators into combatants.