Battleship Missouri: An Illustrated History

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding accuracy of dates & places
Review: I was part of the original crew aboard the Missouri from Commissioning Day, June 11, 1944 until March, 1946 as a Radioman in the CR Division. Paul Stillwell did an outstanding job of giving an accurate account of dates and places involving the USS Missouri from the first bolt installed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard until the present time. I use this book quite often to refresh my memory of the exact dates of various things that happened while I was aboard. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing an accurate history of the USS Missouri = BB63.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding accuracy of dates & places
Review: I was part of the original crew aboard the Missouri from Commissioning Day, June 11, 1944 until March, 1946 as a Radioman in the CR Division. Paul Stillwell did an outstanding job of giving an accurate account of dates and places involving the USS Missouri from the first bolt installed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard until the present time. I use this book quite often to refresh my memory of the exact dates of various things that happened while I was aboard. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing an accurate history of the USS Missouri = BB63.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Documentary
Review: Perhaps I am a bit prejudice since I am also one of the contributors to the book.Before retiring from Civil Service (Navy) I was the configuration manager for the reactivations of the four Battleships. I was familiar with the author's previous works and was very impressed with his attention to the personal stories of the ships. After retirement, I was then free to provide the author any and all personal knowledge of the ship's reactivation period at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Paul selected the best memories I documented and included them superbly into the book. The author does not go into the technical aspects as to how a Battleship is built, leaving that up to other authors more inclined to include how many rivets were driven, etc. Though I wish he had the space to include the TRUE story of the origin of the cracked armor panel in the turret of barbette III. No, it was NOT caused by the grounding in Hampton Roads but was a heat treating surface fracture that occured during manufacture. But technical manuals are not the author's style and I am glad they are not. After all, a ship is really the culmination of dedicated and skilled human beings who built her and the ship's success is the dedication and bravery of the men who sailed her. Paul Stillwell brings this human interest across very well. And, I'm sorry, but I did not buy the book. I was sent an autographed copy by the author which I will treasure forever. Richard A. Landgraff. DREADNAUGHT CONSULTING. Long Beach, Ca.