Destroyers at War

A Personal Retrospective of the Pacific Theater

By: David F Winkler (Editor), James L. Holloway III

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25 June 2025 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

No. of Pages
330

Edition Type
New edition

Dimensions(cm)
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.8

RRP $64.99

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In Destroyers at War Adm. James L. Holloway III, the twentieth Chief of Naval Operations, recalls his early life and service on destroyers during the final campaigns of the Pacific War in World War II. As the assistant gunnery officer in USS Ringgold (DD 500) and the gun boss on USS Bennion (DD 665), he took part in shore bombardment and anti-air radar picket missions during the assaults on Saipan, Tinian, Peleliu, and Leyte. He provides detailed explanations of how gunnery systems worked on small combatants as well as gripping accounts of combat events, including the climactic battle of Surigao Strait—the last battleship-vs-battleship clash in history—where a Bennion torpedo scored a fatal blow against the Japanese battleship Yamashiro.

This book also explores the relationship between Holloway and his father, James L. Holloway Jr.—the only father-son combination to serve on active duty as four-star admirals—and highlights the senior Holloway’s career as his son worked his way through the ranks. Holloway will be one of the last members of the Greatest Generation to publish a firsthand account of World War II.

Industry Reviews

"Dr. Winkler has skillfully crafted this memoir/biography of two four-star admirals whose active naval service totaled 81 years. Both father and son recorded their memoirs. Winkler has shaped their recollections and additional research into a narrative that makes for compelling, page-turning reading. The heart of the story lies in the son’s first-person accounts of his destroyer service in World War II. The action is so vivid that the reader is figuratively right beside the young officer as his ships face one grim wartime challenge after another." —Paul Stillwell, author of Battleship Commander: the Life of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr.

"Destroyers at War is an excellent, engaging, informative, and often spell-binding account of destroyer service and destroyer combat in the Pacific War by one of the Navy's most important flag officers of the 20th century. Skillfully edited by Dr. David David Winkler, Admiral James L. Holloway III's memoir is a very valuable addition to the Navy's history."—Thomas Hone, author of The Battle of Midway: The Naval Institute Guide to the U.S. Navy's Greatest Victory

"Destroyers at War, the recollections of Admiral James L. Holloway III, expertly edited by Dr. David F. Winkler, details Holloway’s early life, education at the U.S. Naval Academy, and service on board Fletcher-class destroyers during World War II. While known to many as a champion of the U.S. Navy’s aviation arm during the Cold War, Holloway describes in detail his experiences as a junior gunnery officer during the pivotal Battle of Leyte Gulf and other actions of the Pacific Campaign. We learn how this wartime service in 'tin can' destroyers helped mold the character and professionalism of a later Chief of Naval Operations and iconic naval leader of the late 20th century." —Edward J. Marolda, Author of Admirals Under Fire: The US Navy and the Vietnam War

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