Título: Intrepid's Fighting Squadron 18: Flying High with Harris' Hellcats
Autor: Michael I. Fink
Sinopse: USS Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 (VF-18) was one of the U.S. Navy’s highest-scoring carrier units of World War II. Despite having only one combat veteran in its roster, its aviators—including Cecil “Speedball” Harris, the Navy’s second-ranking ace—were credited with shooting down more than 170 planes during their 81-day tour of duty, earning the squadron the nickname “Two-a-Day 18” in newspapers nationwide. How did a novice unit with a comparatively short time in theater accomplish such a feat?
To answer this question, Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 follows squadron members through training, into combat, and finally to the end of their harrowing stories—whether they took the return trip home or made the ultimate sacrifice. Drawing extensively on archival and family collections, author Mike Fink reveals the personalities of these men and the binding friendships they built. “Moe” Mollenhauer, Fighting 18’s youngest pilot, had a score to settle with the Japanese. Outspoken “Punchy” Mallory incredibly was reprimanded for shooting down enemy planes. And the squadron’s best-known figure, Cecil “Speedball” Harris, took the lead in preparing his peers for war before they took their place at the tip of the Navy’s spear. Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 is as much about the bonds these young men formed as it is about Pacific War history.
The men of Fighting 18 joined the Navy’s massive fast-carrier force in August 1944—just in time to participate in the last great air and sea battles in the Pacific. They were one of the first squadrons to engage Japan’s massive battleship force during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, racked up incredible scores and suffered devastating losses during the Formosa Air Battle, and bore witness to an unthinkable new weapon—the kamikaze suicide attack—as the war entered its desperate endgame. Ultimately, Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 showcases the powerful impact of war on those who fight it and sheds light on the impact of those men on the war itself.
Contexto da obra
Como livro em inglês, esta obra costuma ganhar também uma camada própria de interesse editorial e linguístico. “Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18: Flying High with Harris’ Hellcats”, de Michael I. Fink, publicado pela editora Naval Institute Press, em 2025 e com 304 páginas, integra a categoria Livros em Inglês. Por isso, o interesse da obra tende a se ampliar quando o leitor considera também a relação com a língua em que ela circula.
Editora: Naval Institute Press
Páginas: 304
Ano: 2025-01-14
Edição:
Linguagem: en
ISBN: 168247321X
ISBN13: 9781682473214
Sobre a editora
A leitura dos livros da editora Naval Institute Press oferece uma imersão detalhada em temas militares e navais, com foco em operações históricas, estratégias e biografias de figuras militares. O catálogo privilegia narrativas que combinam rigor documental e análise técnica, frequentemente ambientadas em conflitos do século XX, como a Segunda Guerra Mundial, a Guerra do Vietnã e operações navais específicas. O tom varia entre relatos minuciosos de batalhas e estudos estratégicos, com ritmo que pode ser tanto tenso e dramático quanto analítico e explicativo. O material de apresentação indica uma preocupação em revelar aspectos menos conhecidos da guerra, como coordenação de fogo, operações secretas e desenvolvimento tecnológico.
