Flush Decks and Four Pipes [Hardcover]

John D. Alden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1989

The famous American flush-deck destroyer, that hardy and versatile class of ships which made its dramatic entrance on the stage of war in 1917 and remained active for more than three decades, is fully examined in this lavishly illustrated history by warship expert John Alden. Each page of text is accompanied by a full facing page of photographs. Drawing on a lifetime of study he presents a fascinating view of these unique destroyers, often called "four pipers" because of the four tall funnels most of them carried. Alden not only highlights the individual careers of many of the ships, but also traces the ways in which they were adapted to perform a variety of duties as the navy's needs changed. As escort ships in hunter-killer groups, minelayers, minesweepers of flying boats, they served in nearly every theatre of war in World War II. The fifty flush-deckers involved in President Roosevelt's "destroyers for bases" trade with Winston Churchill are examined and their service in other navies chronicled. In addition, the book includes a complete statistical summary of the destroyers. All 273 flush-deckers are listed by hull numbers and cross-indexed by name and number. Dates of commissioning and decommissioning, as well as final disposition, are given along with information about conversions, renamings, reclassifications, transfers to other countries, and citations awarded. John Alden has written "The Fleet Submarine in the US Navy", "The American Steel Navy" and US Submarine Attacks during World War II".

Product Details

• Hardcover: 108 pages
• Publisher: Naval Inst Pr (November 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870211862
• ISBN-13: 978-0870211867
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,627,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Flush Decks and Four Pipes, November 6, 2001

By 

C. Pendleton (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flush Decks and Four Pipes (Hardcover)

John D. Alden is a retired U. S. Navt Commander with an eye for detail and the ability to make Naval history come alive.

In his book "Flush Decks and Four Pipes", Mr. Alden examines the early class of U.S. destroyers known as 'four pipers' or 'four stackers'. He follows them from their inception in 1917 through all their service, including World War II. Not only that, Mr. Alden provides a record of each of the 273 four stackers (indexed by hull number and name), including its commissioning and decommissioning dates and its ultimate fate.

The book is filled with black and white photographs and stories of particular four stackers, including illustrations of several that were overhauled or converted as time went by.

This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the old four piper destroyers. The only thing it lacks are some color plates which would help modelers and others to visualize paint schemes.