Examining how naval warfare has developed and unfolded during the past century, this collection of essays blends the importance of individual acts of maritime valor and ingenuity with concise explanations of pivotal naval battles to arrive at a vivid picture of how naval war has taken its current shape. Emphasizing the multidimensional nature of modern nautical combat, this book investigates the ways in which technological advances have changed the wartime experience of sailors as well as the shape that navies will likely take in the 21st century. The experiences of sailors in a number of important 20th-century conflicts are taken into consideration, with special attention given to individual accounts of fighting in World War II, the Korean War, and the Gulf War.