No Higher Honor: Saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf [Hardcover]

Bradley Peniston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2006

Like its World War II namesake of Leyte Gulf fame, USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) was a small combatant built for escort duty. But its skipper imbued his brand-new crew with a fighting spirit to match their forebears, and in 1988 when the guided missile frigate was thrust into the Persian Gulf at the height of the Iran-Iraq War, there was no better ship for the job. Forbidden to fire unless fired upon, Captain Paul Rinn and his crew sailed amid the chaos in the Gulf for two months, relying on wit and nerve to face down fighter jets and warships bent on the destruction of civilian vessels. Their sternest test came when an Iranian mine ripped open the ship's engine room, ignited fires on four decks, and plunged the ship into darkness. The crew's bravery and cool competence was credited with keeping the ship afloat, and its actions have become part of Navy lore and a staple of naval leadership courses ever since. This is the first book to record the Roberts' extraordinary tale. After years of research and interviews with crewmembers, journalist Bradley Peniston chronicles the crew's heroic efforts to save the ship as they fought flames and flooding well into the night. The author also describes the frigate's origins, its operational history, and the crew's training. Peniston's personal approach to the subject not only breathes life into the historical narrative but gives readers an opportunity to get to know the individuals involved and understand the U.S. retaliation to the mining and the battle that evolved, setting the stage for conflicts to come.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In one of the most inspiring books about modern naval history, Peniston details the story of how Cmdr. Paul Rinn and his crew prepared, trained, and executed dangerous Persian Gulf missions and describes their harrowing ordeal as the Roberts is crippled by a sea mine. This is a marvelous true tale of leadership, training, discipline, damage control, and crisis decision-making -- fight fires or control flooding? -- amid the threat of attack." --Military Officer, March 2007

About the Author

Bradley Peniston is managing editor of the weekly newspaper Defense News. He has covered the U.S. military in more than a dozen countries and spent time aboard more than fifty warships. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Moscow Times, Naval Institute Proceedings, and elsewhere. He is also the author of Around the World with the U.S. Navy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 275 pages
• Publisher: United States Naval Inst. (July 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591146615
• ISBN-13: 978-1591146612
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,062,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A detailed study of a ship, it's crew and battle damage, July 5, 2006

By 

xformed - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Higher Honor: Saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf (Hardcover)

"No Higher Honor" is written in the mold of two other fine books about the bravery of sailors in action during severe damage control situations: [...]. The book is a multi-faceted study of the history of the procurment and design of the OLIVER PERRY CLASS frigates, the formation of a crew to commission a ship, command philosophy and leadership, a detailed, gripping description of the mine explosion and the response of the crew, and the national response to the attack on a Naval Combatant, closed out with a tribute to the engineering skills of the shipbuliders of Bath Iron Works during the repairs that put a ship back to sea in time for DESERT STORM. Covering many levels, from the personal views of crew members, to the decisions carried out at the highest levels of the Government, there is good reading for anyone who would like a greater knowledge of what the Surface Ship Navy is all about. It is a fast read, with plenty of engaging details, but not bogged down with "navy-ese." The progession of the story is well laid out, with the major components of the discussion neatly encapsulated.

A "must read" for any ship's company in or enroute to a leadership position. I thought to type a list of who should read this, but the ROBERTS was saved by officers and men of all types and ratings, which is the core message of life at sea: Everyone is part of the dmage control effort, like it or not. This book brings that point home clearly.

This book is also good reading for anyone studing the details of routine life at sea; for marine engineers and architects; for military leaders; for leadership instructors, both military and non-military; and historians studying the conflict in the Middle East in the late 1980s.

Having commissioned one combatant, been a shore based instructor for the FFG-7 crews, deployed to the Persian Gulf on one of ROBERTS sister ships, and later a ship readiness inspector, I can attest to the accuracy of this book. As I read the book, the descriptions of the places were so detailed I could place exactly where the action was, or at the pieces of equipment Brad described, easily recalling the details of the environment.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story that needs to be told and a book that needs to be read., July 12, 2006

By 

Thomas Mowry - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Higher Honor: Saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf (Hardcover)

No Higher Honor: Saving The USS Samuel B Roberts In The Persian Gulf is a "sea story". As any sailor will tell you a good "sea story" has to be bigger then life, full of adventure, and have an unbelievable outcome. Most sea stories start with a kernel of truth that is embellished over countless beers and countless years in waterfront taverns and bars. You can always tell a sea story by how it starts; "this is a no xx!!//**" (if your a sailor you know what that means if your not ask one.) Unlike most sea stories No Higher Honor does not begin like that. And unlike most sea stories No Higher Honor is true. This is the story of a ship and the people who built and later repaired her. It is the story of her crew and how they came to love and depend on her. It is the story of a ship that did not want to die and how her crew fought to save her and themselves.

No Higher Honor was written by Brad Peniston. Brad is an excellent author and dedicated researcher. He knows the Navy, it's ships and its traditions. Most importantly he knows its sailors. He skillfully takes all of this knowledge and understanding and guides the reader on a journey that goes back almost twenty years and half way around the world. Brad has done a wonderful job of taking a long and complex yarn with thousands of threads and weaving a tight, readable and fast moving tale. You do not have to be a sailor to enjoy or understand this book. You just have to want to read a good sea story.

This is a good sea story. It is bigger then life, full of adventure, and has an unbelievable outcome. After you have read it you will know what the Navy of the 20th and 21st century does. You will know the dangers that sailors face, the moments of utter boredom and the moments of fear. You will know what a mail call and a liberty call are like. You will feel the closeness of the ship and the tensions and camaraderie that closeness creates. You will feel the loneliness of being away from home and the excitement of new adventures in foreign lands. You will understand what it is like to sit in the middle of a war zone while others fight around you. You will know what it feels like when your ship hits a mine and you wonder if you will ever see your family or friends again. You will understand what it means to be a sailor in the United States Navy. You will understand what it meant to be a sailor on the USS Samuel B Roberts. However that is not why you should read this book.

You should read this book because it more than just a sea story. It is the story of young men who did not sit down when they were growing up and say "I want to join the Navy and be on ship that hits a mine so I can save it". It is the story of ordinary guys who worked hard, trained hard, lived hard, played hard and just wanted to go home when it was over. It is the story of the kid down the street, the neighbor next door, your father, your mother, your son or your daughter. This is the story of everyone and anyone who has ever made a difference in this world without meaning to. It is our story. Thank you Brad for telling it.

No Higher Honor is a story that needs to be told and a book that needs to be read.

Thomas Mowry
Operations Specialist 1st Class
USS Samuel B Roberts (Plankowner)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all FFG sailors, July 15, 2006

By 

Thomas P. Reinert - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Higher Honor: Saving the USS Samuel B. Roberts in the Persian Gulf (Hardcover)

If you have ever served on a Perry class frigate or just have a love of the sea this is a must read. No Higher Honor is about a ship and crew from commissioning to their tour of duty in the Persian Gulf. Brad Peniston did not use just official records but used information gather from interviews with the crew as he has created the picture of what it was like to serve on this type of ship. This book is about a well-trained crew that would not give up in anything they did. Second place was never an option.

As a crew member at the time this takes place, reading the book I could picture everything that was going on in the pages of this book and found it amazing how well Bradley pieced together all of the facts. Brad not only captures the facts but the crew's real feelings and how they felt about serving aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts or how we call her the (Sammy B).

To see if you should read this book you have to go no further then the foreword written by Admiral William J. Crowe Jr., USN (Ret). This book does offer something for everyone who has an appreciation of the sea.

Thank you Brad you did a great job telling our story.

Gunner Reinert
No Higher Honor