Torpedo Junction: U-Boat War Off America's East Coast, 1942 Mass Market Paperback – April 1, 1991

Avoid the paper back edition: see attached - random pages are unreadable due to smudged printing.
The material presented is omitted from most history books, so it is somewhat must-read.
-The book pictures German U Boats as a WWII super weapon, Americans never really found an equal response to. The logs at the end of the book show that less then a dozen U Boats operating at any time by US coast sunk hundreds of ships and killed thousands of merchant marines form virtually all countries.
-Unfortunately bulk of the book are stories from German ship logs about "bagging" the merchant ships and human-interest stories about the U Boat captains and Admiral Donitz. Even the names of these war criminals should be erased. Although there is a story line about US Coast Guard cutter, it is really pathetic compared to description of gallant Nazi U Boat captains, that even manage to mine the entrance to Chesapeake bay.

I really enjoyed reading the history that involved our country. It was something I did not know happened. Homer Hickam does a wonderful job of telling the details. He's not boring at all. If I would have had him for a history teacher when I was in school I would have learned a lot more. I love to read his books. I just found out about him 3 years ago and being from West Virginia my self was what interested me. It's plain to see that he did a lot of research for this book. He writes like his heart is in it. I notice how he prints their name when a lot of authors would just say 10 died. With Mr. Hickam they each have a name and a purpose. I plan on passing this book around to other readers that I am friends with.

What horrendous madness on the east coast of the USA during World War II and the American public was unaware of the near devastation of our country. Where was I during history class that I had not heard of this madness with the German U-boats about to invade our beloved country...years later we heard briefly of this World War II debacle but never in such detail as Homer Hickam brings to life in his novel that was so detailed in research as to bring the battles to life. I live in Virginia and never knew the Chesapeake Bay was so at risk right on our (closer than close) shore line...from Maine to the Gulf shores including Baton Rouge, Tampa, Key West, the Outer Banks, etc....some of the German command knew to win the war, the east coast of USA was the key. Thank God Hitler was not so aware of this. I recommend this book to all history buffs, to World War II buffs, to all Virginians and others living on the east coast. Many thanks to the Coast Guard, US Navy, Civil Air Patrol, involved civilians and others who assisted in stopping the invasion. My book came from Amazon and you got to get yours quick and read Homer Hickam's adventure into TORPEDA JUNCTION. Torpedo Junction: U-Boat War Off America's East Coast, 1942 (Bluejacket Books)

An excellent overview of the submarine war off the coast of the eastern U.S. in World War II, and how America, with the exception of the Coast Guard, was slow to combat the U-boat menace.

Met Homer Hickam Jr at the Aug 2011 Mars Society Convention at Grape Vine Texas. He was a quest speaker. Learned Mr Hickman is a retired NASA engineer that grew up making small rockets as a boy in a small coal mining town in WVA. He was also a decorated US Army officer in Vietnam as well as a celebrated author.

Torpedo Junction takes place on the seas of the East Coast of the US and the Gulf of Mexico during early 1942 WW2. Torpedo Junction is a great action packed history of the German U Boats and their crews that attacked shipping during the early 1942 WW2 era.
The book is a page burner with no boring parts. Each page was action packed and I read the 411 page book in 1 and 1/4 days. There are some great B/W pictures too, as well as charts of the Battle of Torpedo Junction where ships were sunk. There is also a great Appendix, notes and bibliography. Readers are given the opportunity of months of more reading if they prefer that was used in the creation of this book. LOTS of research done. Homer also was a certified diver and dove some of the wrecks to verify the actual torpedo holes in hulls or deck gun damage done.

This is a great book for the naval historian. We learn of the political problems Rear Admiral Andrews went through to try to get any support ships and planes to help stop the incredible massive tonnage sunk by the German U Boats. Seems Admiral King in charge of the entire US NAVY was very stubborn about not giving Rear Admiral Andrews any ships at first. Reluctantly Andrews gets 3 WW1 old destroyers on temporary loan. Admiral King had his own ideas about needing ships to combat the Japaneses in the Pacific and preferred the British Navy to handle the U boat problem. He had little use for Churchill or the British Navy. Churchill sends Andrews 12 old Trawlers to help in ASW....almost useless. But the little ships and crew show their valor to try to fight the U boats and some of the trawlers are easily blasted away. Oil company executives finally hound President Roosevelt to do something to stop their many oil tankers from being sunk. Seems Admiral King only listened to President Roosevelt. Eventually Rear Admiral Andrews gets more destroyers, Coast Guard ships, army planes and blimps to start protected convoys of ships but not until hundreds of thousands of tonnage of ships are sunk and many lives needlessly lost.

The books shows many of the U Boat captains and various stories about them and their crews as well as stories about Coast Guard Cutters and their crews, destroyers, B 29 planes, PBY rescue planes,and much much more. Some of the compassion of the U boat commanders to the survivors in the life boats are shown. Some even gave the survivors food and water and more and MOST waited for the survivors to get in their lifeboats before finishing their attacks on the ships. However there were some commanders that sometimes just blasted away with their torpedoes and deck guns to sink the ships as soon as possible regardless of survivors.

The U boats sunk a total of 259 ships. Many off NJ, NY ,NC FL and even in the mouth of the Mississippi river! Miami Beach gowers in Miami Fl watched tankers being torpedoed and German U boats. The captain of a U boat could even see the Miami Beach gowers on the beach romantically making out and automobiles and department store lights. They were that close. Also German spies/ saboteurs landed in the US from U Boats. They were caught and most executed.

Torpedo Junction is a fantastic account of early 1942 WW2 U boat action around the US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. Also lessons for government leaders to learn and not make again. Anyone interested in early WW2 U Boat, Coast Guard cutters, destroyers, British trawlers, minesweepers, B29 planes, blimps and more will enjoy this book. Also historians trying to find out why it took so long for the US to develop protective convoy measures will find this book fascinating. Great non stop navel WW2 action from beginning to end. I loved this book! 5 stars plus!

I look forward to reading his other books. Homer H Hickam Jr a great action packed author. I ordered Rocket Boys and Dinosaur Hunter and a few others. I'll review them and post.

Hickman's book gets my nod for most informative of the many U-boats-on-the-east-coast books because his is one of the better stories. Most of the eleven books on this topic that I have read are factual and full of details, but Hickman distinguishes himself by placing the events in the broader contexts like the rif between the Navy, Coast Guard, and Army, and the mindset of the American public over black outs and homeland defense.

I lived in Cape May for years...visited the battery there at the point..and now understand the reason for it.....the things you aren't taught in history class