Admiral Dan Gallery: The Life and Wit of a Navy Original [Hardcover]

C. Herbert Gilliland (Author), Robert Shenk (Author), Daniel V. Gallery (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

Best known for his dramatic capture of U-505, Gallery was a man of strong character and sharp wit who never shied from controversies during his brilliant naval career.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Almost as entertaining as its subject, this is the story of a true twentieth-century navy original, Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery. Mixing conventional biographical narrative with excerpts from Gallery's abundant writings, fictional and nonfictional, the book makes it abundantly clear that, although capturing the German U-505 in 1944 and lobbying to have it preserved in Chicago in 1954 were the admiral's finest achievements, they weren't the only ones. Gallery was an Olympic wrestler; an early naval aviator; a charismatic and effective commander of units of many sizes, including a carrier task group; a gifted writer, especially of humor; and a stormy petrel on behalf of his beloved navy and, particularly, its carriers--and the foreword by novelist Herman Wouk, Gallery's friend, cites a few additional dimensions. A welcome portrait of a man who added much to the effectiveness of the U.S. Navy and to the amount of fun in the cosmos. Roland Green

Product Details

• Hardcover: 332 pages
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557503370
• ISBN-13: 978-1557503374
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Admiral Dan Remembered, August 15, 2000

By 

Dale F. Williams (The Woodlands, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Admiral Dan Gallery: The Life and Wit of a Navy Original (Hardcover)

This bio covered much of his early life, career and family that wasn't covered in Adm. Gallery's autobiography, Eight Bells. In writing about Adm. Dan's early life, Mr. Gilliand shows how he became the leader that he became. It delves into his defense of the post WWII navy against the politics of those who would have depleted our country of a means to secure the seas with anything less than nuclear deterance and how his continued defense of our Navy may have cost him further promotions. It touches on his struggle against alcoholism. Best of all, it shows how this hero handled the problems of his various commands in war and in peace. This was an excellent book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating book, July 16, 2011

By 

Marghi Hopkins - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Admiral Dan Gallery: The Life and Wit of a Navy Original (Hardcover)

This is an excellent read. It's a well written book about one of the founders of Naval Aviation. Admiral Gallery was an amazing man who stood behind his beliefs, willing to buck authority to support his men and do his job. You cannot help but cheer at some of his antics. I have loaned this book to several of my friends in Naval Aviation. They are equally enthusiastic about it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Navy Story, July 22, 2010

By 

Fred - See all my reviews

This review is from: Admiral Dan Gallery: The Life and Wit of a Navy Original (Hardcover)

Truly an epic of WWII, Tells of the life of a fascinating man, not just the Commanding Officer of the only Aircraft Carrier to capture a German Submarine during WWII but a skilled writer who can make history as interesting as a sea story.