UPDATE: SECOND EDITION - WITH ADDED CONTENT So much time is spent discussing the heroics and battles fought on the ground and in the air during World War II and the battles fought in the water are nearly forgotten. They were real and they were brutal, often resulting in the loss of thousands of lives in a matter of minutes. The battles on the high seas were just another front that we had to win in order to win the war. .First take a look into the merchant marines. Contrary to their name, they were not military men but they gave their lives throughout the war just the same. Find out who they were and why so many lives depended on the precious cargo they carried. In a time when racism was not only prevalent but accepted as part of life, read about two of the African American men who rose to the challenge and went beyond the ordinary. Find out what was done, and what wasn't, to honor these heroes. Were their acts of bravery downplayed because of the color of their skin or were they given their due reward? Finally, venture into the true horrors that await some sailors at sea. Drowning isn't the only worry. Death come slowly to some or is a quick mercy for others. Read about the nightmarish horrors that the men on the USS Indianapolis endured. Immortalized in pop culture, this ship's disaster is a true story steeped in some of the greatest horrors that you can imagine. Find out what happened to the beleaguered Captain. Why did a ship that started with 1,196 men only bring home 317? From high adventure to the depths of horror, the sailors of World War II have a story to tell. Pick up this book today and see what it is for yourself. Comments From Other Readers "This book really takes me back to my childhood. I was in grammar school when the war broke out. My older brother enlisted in the Navy and thankfully, lived to come home to us at the end of the war. Too many other boys weren't as lucky. He wouldn't talk much about what he saw so I knew it was pretty bad. I've read other books on the war but this one really takes it." Robert A - Maryland (US) "At times this book is rather intense. War isn't a pretty thing though. I appreciate how the author chose to not gloss the whole thing over like some Hollywood melodrama. I find this to be one of the more realistic accountings for the conditions in which our Navy men serve. All too often they sign up looking for adventure but knowing the nitty gritty needs to be an option." Cally P - Alberta (Canada) Tags: sharks, USS Indianapolis, US Navy, African American, Dorie Miller, Leonard Roy Harmon, Admiral Bulkeley, merchant Marines