Product Description

Commander O'Kane revoluntionized the offensive use of WWII submarines from that of a reconnaissance and underwater attack vehicle of opportunity, to that of a speedy surface vessel, capable of massive destructive force, and the ability to outrun pursuing Japanese destroyer escorts. His wartime record proves the efficacy of his actions: 49 enemy ships rusting on the bottom of the mighty Pacific. Sinking of the Forty-Nine is the true story of O'Kane and his missions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2488763 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-15
• Binding: Paperback
• 349 pages

Review
There are many men who have served their country proudly, heroically, who we may never have heard of. For me, Navy Commander Richard O Kane would be one of those men. Even though he was a Medal of Honor recipient, I hadn t a clue what this man, and his men, did for our country during the battles of WWII. I recently took a cruise on a Liberty Ship out of Santa Monica, California. On this cruise were actual Navy gunners who protected these ships on their dangerous voyages across the Atlantic and Pacific to deliver goods and materials to our troops. I left this ship with a profound respect for these Navy men. The sinking of the forty-nine (unlucky vessels) by these gallant submariners is a detailed, riveting story of some of these battles that took place from beneath the sea, and often times, uncharacteristically on the surface. If you have ever wondered just how much the Navy contributed to the war effort, this is a must read book. We often have images of the grunts storming beaches at Normandy, but this is the lesser told story. I definitely and highly recommend this book to any war buff. It puts you there with its well written images and doesn t let go. --Military Writers - Jim Stewart

About the Author
After serving as Staff Sergeant on active duty with the USAF, both stateside and overseas during the Korean Conflict, Mr. MacMeekin earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in economics and finance at Michigan State University. He then accepted an offer to enter Michigan State's doctoral program where he also taught Basic Business Finance. In 1960 he left academe and entered Wall Street as a stock analyst, later Partner-in-Charge-Research, and eventually Chairman and CEO of his own venture captial firm. Retired and after the death of his wife of 43 years, MacMeekin taught middle and high school math and English. He has since turned his interest in 19th and 20th century history toward writing. His first book, "Lincoln Laughing", depicts some of the highlights in Lincoln's life, punctuating each with anecdotes, stories and jokes used by Lincoln to emphasize his actions. he is currently working on a book titled, "The Politically Incorrect Notebook."