Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine [Mass Market Paperback]

Douglas C. Waller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2002

Taller in length than the Washington Monument, wider at its center than a three-lane highway, the 18,750-ton Trident nuclear submarine is the most complex war machine the United States Navy has ever produced: a $1.8 billion marvel crammed with more modern military technology than any other vessel in the world. Deep beneath the ocean it can sail for months, undetectable to enemies.Now for the first time, veteran "Time magazine correspondent Douglas C. Waller -- granted more access to one of these awesome submarines than any journalist before -- penetrates the silent, secret world of nuclear subs, taking you on a tension-packed, three-month patrol under the Atlantic Ocean inside the U.S.S. "Nebraska, fondly nicknamed Big Red. In chilling detail, witnessed through the eyes of the men on board and told in their own words, Big Red reveals the top-secret procedures for starting World War III, including secret codes, elaborate fail-safe mechanisms, and highly classified battle tactics for nuclear combat. It's a ride you'll never forget.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Very exciting, very authentic, and very realistic. As a former submariner, I consider it a must-read." - John Dalton, former Secretary of the Navy; "A must read for military buffs, and so well written that the rest of us will be unable to put it down." - Roanoke Times & World News; "Riveting." - Sea Power

About the Author

Douglas C. Waller is the diplomatic correspondent for Time magazine, where he covers foreign affairs. Before that, he was a defense and foreign policy correspondent for Newsweek. He has also served on the legislative staffs of Senator William Proxmire and Congressman Edward J. Markey. He is the author of five previous books on foreign policy and defense, including The Commandos: The Inside Story of America's Secret Soldiers and Air Warriors: The Inside Story of the Making of a Navy Pilot. Author Home: Annandale, VA

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: HarperTorch (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380820781
• ISBN-13: 978-0380820788
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ever want to sail on a submarine? Read this book..., February 19, 2005

By 

Eric Hobart (La Center, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine (Mass Market Paperback)

For so many young men, submarines are the things of fancy - objects of awe that create dreams. Many people are members of the Submarine corps, but for those of us that are not, we have to rely on people like Douglas Waller to help us understand all that goes on during a "regular" patrol.

Waller was granted uncommon access to spend a patrol on board the USS Nebraska (SSBN-739), and gives us a wonderful account of those three months.

Starting with the challenging departure from home port (this particular submarine is not based at a shore port like some ships; instead, it is based slightly inland, which requires travel down a lengthy channel before reaching the ocean), Waller engrosses the reader from page one.

I enjoyed the entire book - I felt as though Waller was giving me the opportunity to spend three months on patrol (although I did it in a few days, reading through the 400+ pages that he has written for us). I never once found myself wanting less - I do not think that he included any non-relevant information or extraneous details.

After reading this book, I have a better understanding of how tough the life of a submariner can be, and why these men demand our ultimate respect. Three months sitting underwater with virtually no human contact except for your shipmates must play havoc with a sailors' psyche, but they all perform admirably.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the United States Naval Submarine Corps.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's hope we never need them........, April 18, 2002

By 

Mike "Squirrel Nutkin" (Fairfax, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine (Mass Market Paperback)

The USS Nebraska is one of the best submarines out there. It is almost constatly on duty, sailing underwater for months at a time, its crew at the ready to launch a horrific death upon whomever the President of the United States tells them to. This is the story of how they do what they do, and how they cope with life in cramped quarters, no natural sunlight, 18 hour days rather than 24 and the pride these men take in doing their job.

Waller spends little time trying to editorialize what the men of the USS Nebraska do while underway, rather he lets them tell their stories through interviews and stories. By using this no nonsense approach Waller allows the men speak for themselves and let you look into a world very few outsiders have ever been able to peer into. I felt honored just to have read Big Red and I hope I never have to have the crew do their job.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As close as you'll get to being there..., August 25, 2004

By 

MICHAEL Urban "galt2112" (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Red: The Three-Month Voyage of a Trident Nuclear Submarine (Mass Market Paperback)

As a former submariner on U.S. fast attack submarines, I was skeptical as to how accurate this book could be.

I was hooked before the end of the first chapter -- in fact, I was blown out of the water, pardon the pun.

The author must have not only gotten immense cooperation from the navy, but also from many of the sailors. The level of candor in this book is unparalleled.

The book started to read like a glowing review of submarines, where no one was less than 100% gung-ho navy. But you soon start to see some of the attitudes of real people -- not everyone is happy in their job, many people become exhausted, lonely, and scared -- it's not all medals and photo opportunities.

I can't wait to have my family and friends read this book -- it discusses the life I had lived in subs in detail and clarity that I could never hope to achieve -- you won't get a more accurate picture without signing on the dotted line.