War at Sea #30

Lt. Tim Loftus and his crew keep the torpedo bomber Gorgeous Gertie II flying dangerous missions across the South Pacific, from escort carrier to fleet carrier, racking up enemy kills while their battle-worn aircraft holds together through relentless combat. As 1942 turns to 1943, the plane that already replaced one lost namesake grows more battered with each sortie off Guadalcanal—and Loftus faces a choice between a well-earned rest and staying with the ship that's brought his men home every time.

During the Battle of the Atlantic, the Royal Navy races to protect merchant convoys from German U-boats and aircraft—and Ensign Milburn finds himself commanding a hastily trained gun crew aboard a Liberty ship bound for England. When a wolf-pack threatens the convoy east of Iceland, Milburn's constant drills suddenly become the difference between survival and disaster. "The Answer" shows how preparation and discipline can transform inexperienced sailors into an effective fighting force when it matters most.

When Commander Tim Lodge takes the helm of a destroyer escort in 1942, whispers among the crew grow darker with each vessel lost under his command—three ships sunk, and sailors whispering he's jinxed. As he prepares to escort vital troop transports toward the D-Day invasion in 1944, Lodge must prove his tactical skill and nerve against a prowling German U-boat determined to strike before the landing begins. With eight thousand lives hanging in the balance and his reputation in tatters, Lodge faces his most crucial test yet in the cold waters off Iceland.

MM2C John Damita, the engine room's greasiest machinist's mate, has spent a year in the South Pacific keeping the ship's machinery running while the deck gunners get all the glory—until a Japanese reconnaissance plane forces him to man the guns during a desperate battle. When a kamikaze crashes into the ship and threatens to destroy the engine room, Damita must choose between his pride and his duty, setting in motion events that will earn him far more than the recognition he's been seeking. This wartime tale explores what real heroism looks like when nobody's watching—and what happens when the truth gets in the way of a good story.