Customer Reviews

The Raft: The Courageous Struggle of Three Naval Airmen Against the Sea

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first read it in junior high school 35 years ago. Took me about two seatings to read it . Very engrossing for a seventh grader.
It is a straight ahead narrative about three ordinary but resourcefull sailors whose plane went down & they were marooned in a rubber raft on the vast ocean during World WarII. They fought off starvation, heat, boredom & all the dangers the ocean affords. Boys will like it even though it doesn't have the violence of most war stories. Tom Parker delivers the telling in a good tight reading style that captures the tone of the story with out adding or detracting from the natural drama. Easy to stay with on a long drive.

This is an account of 3 crewmembers of a ditched bomber surviving for 34 days in a very small, ill-equipped raft. The story is interesting enough to tell itself, so I felt that the straightforward writing style was quite appropriate.

Although the book was actually written by a journalist, it is written in the first person as if the pilot, Harold Dixon, were telling the tale.

The events occurred in early 1942, and the book was also published in 1942. The edition I read was the original, and did not mention John M. Waters anywhere, so I don't know why his name is listed as an author in the 1992 reprint.

The fact that this book was written shortly after Pearl Harbor is borne home by the fact that there are several details (such as the location of the island where they washed up) that the author omits "for reasons of national security". Also, the jacket of the original 1942 edition says "When you have finished reading this book, don't just place it on a shelf. Our men need books as well as guns. Books build morale. Send this book today. Average book requires 6 cents postage." They give the address of the 4th Corps Area Headquarters in Atlanta.

If you enjoy this sort of tale, you'll probably also like "Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea", by Steve Callahan, a bit more philosophical account of his more recent lone ordeal in the Atlantic.

I am a high school English teacher and have used this book in my classes for over twenty years. This is a story that will capture the most reluctant readers and transport them to the South Pacific of 1942 where, along with Harold Dixon, Gene Alrich, and Tony Pastula, they will fight for their lives in a seemingly hopeless situation: adrift at sea in a four by eight foot rubber life raft for thirty-four days and nights -- an inspiring and memorable read!

A couple of things to consider:

As a 22-plus year Navy man, I beg to differ with some points;

1. Chief Harold Dixon was a 22-year Navy veteran, and nearly 20 years older than Tony Pastula and Gene Aldrich.

In those days, he would have referred to them as "boys" in either the vernacular, or because of his age difference, or that he held a senior rank. This used to be a term of friendship.

The "boys" became fast friends -- speaking from the 1942 version, what do you know that I don't about their later association (or lack of association with Chief Dixon)?

2. Dixon's navigation errors did lead to their ditching -- This has little to do with his credit for their survival.

He displayed leadership that led to his being awarded the Navy Cross, one of our country's highest honors. This was awarded not on his word, but with considerable input from his fellow survivors. The Navy does not give out the Navy Cross lightly.

3. I don't think he comes off any better than the other 2 Sailors, in regards his actions. He had 20 more years of experience and had nearly the same amount of leadership experience, but Tony and Gene acquitted themselves well.

The story remains one of the most powerful tales of survival ever told. I also highly recommend it!

John Bayer

I first read this book over 20 years ago as a book-of-the-month paperback selection in jr high school. It is still a fascinating, true life survival story. But rereading it as an adult I find some interesting questions arise that I had not considered back then. Such as, it seems that Dixon is given too much credit for their survival when in fact it was his navigational errors that led to the ditching of the plane in the first place. The story was told by Dixon to a reporter and it is not surprising therefore that he comes off the best of the three. In the story for instance he always refers to the others as "boys" and tends to downplay their contributions. It is interesting that the "boys" became lifelong friends and had little to do with Dixon after the rescue. I think it would have been interesting to hear their version of the story and compare it with Dixon's. Nevertheless, what these three sailors managed to live through and triumph over, is truly inspirational and fascinating reading. I definitely recommend this book.

Thanks everyone for the great reviews!! I must however point out that being the neice of Anthony Pastula and Gene Aldrich that this book is somewhat misleading, basically because it is from one person's viewpoint that had to be the hero. The plane, btw, didn't exactly crash. After being told several times by both my Uncles that they were running out of fuel, IT RAN OUT OF GAS!!! Not something the hero of his book would confess to I suppose. My Uncle's were also not helpless, uneducated, weaklings as they are sometimes made out to be either. They weren't that GREEN. They also had nothing to do with this book, because obviously, their recounts of their time at sea didn't match Dixon's. They both chose to step out of the spotlight and go on with their lives. For those that did wonder in the other reviews, they not only remained the closest of friends but they became brother-in-laws! Gene married Tony's sister. To add to that, Gene's sister married Tony's brother and that's where I come from! It is truly by the grace of God and Gene's strong personal believe in the Lord that he shared with the other two men that saved them.

The story is an astounding tale of survival - 3 Navy airmen completely lost ast sea, bobbling in a tiny rubberized raft before the development of more advanced navigational equipment, and more attention to survival kits that came about later in the war.

While the narrative does touch on moments of anger and doubt, it is told with a staunch 1940s, WW II bravado that concentrates more on the bravery and resourcefulness of the 3 protagonists. Whereas today, a story of this sort would probably include the psychological and philosophical issues that arose, and the deep thoughts that men in this predicament would undoubtedly experience, the tale comes across instead like a John Wayne movie. The courage and fortitude of Dixon (the narrator) putting the morale of his raftmates above the secret truths he knows - that things might be worse than they appeared (and one has to wonder how much worse they could possibly get!) seems to come up a few times, for example. Very little weakness, very little disagreement, very little real fear is described, or even acknowledged during the ordeal these men suffered.

It's a fascinating story, and a tale of resroucefulness that is inspiring, but I'd agree with one of the earlier reviewers that "something is missing." I think it's what's hidden under the shroud of what was the style of the day. Bravado. It lacks the vulnerabilty that might might make the story more human, more firightening, more true to life. I believe this is what ultimately keeps you from getting as involved in the characters and events as you might, and feeling that you are really experiencing what happened on that tiny raft, adrift as sea.

My ten year-old son and I looked forward to story time every night for three weeks until we finished this book.

The tale takes you from beginning to end, one day at a time. It traces the emotional and physical waves along with endless waves of challenges. Protection from the sun, wind, and storms, struggling for every drop of water and scrap of food, and overcoming the hopelessness of being adrift, day after day after day after day - it is sobering, but tremendously entertaining.

It was astonishing that these men were given little choice of survival gear. They had to make use of the few things they could grab from their sinking plane and the contents of their pockets. To read of the grief over their loss of a safety pin vividly punctuated the dire nature of their situation. Their ingenuity proved who is the "mother of invention" without a doubt.

The book was not stiff or sloppy, like many historical accounts of adventure (Kon Tiki comes to mind). It was also a good discussion starter for topics like teamwork, values, and God.

Fighting the earth to save your frail, floating, flesh is a timeless story line. There are no human villians, moral complexity, or social considerations outside of their bobbing 8-foot raft. It's a classic.

Check it out, or buy a copy for yourself, your kids, and generations to come.

...

In 1942, the American military was heavily engaged in fighting the Japanese in the Pacific theater. After the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, U. S. and Allied military forces were in full retreat everywhere. The U. S. aircraft carriers regularly sent up patrol plains searching for the enemy. At that time, navigation was not yet precise and radio silence had to be maintained. Therefore, a plane sent out sometimes had difficulty finding their way back.
Such a plane was piloted by Chief Petty Officer Dixon and his crew of two, Tony Pastula and Gene Aldrich. Losing their bearings while on patrol, the plane ran out of fuel and splashed down, sinking quickly. It sank so fast that there was no time to recover their emergency rations, so they had little more than the blowup boat and the clothes they wore.
For thirty-four days, they floated, drinking the rainwater they could capture and eating what raw fish and bird meat they could catch. Finally, they drifted to a small, inhabited island where the leader had a radio. They were able to send a message out and were rescued shortly after.
This book is the story of their ordeal, how they managed to keep everything together as they floated across the Pacific It is a story of survival against the odds and is an uplifting story, one that was badly needed in 1942 when it appeared that the Japanese forces were unstoppable.

These three men held on to a hopeless cause and came out victorious. They were without food and water for much of the 34 days they were afloat. The answer to how they did it is probably at the heart of man's will to survive and stay alive. This book is easy to read and the kind of story that motivates one to do the best he can and never give up. It also makes one appreciate what he has a little more. We see that everything can be lost very quickly, as in the case of the downed plane in this book, and that we have to have the mental willpower to survive. Read this book and give it to everyone you know.