Through the dark, night-hung waters off Rendova Island in the Solomons crept a sleek Navy PT boat, hoping for a crack at Japanese shipping. Suddenly shore batteries discovered the craft and opened up.
Bracketed, the PT weaved desperately to escape, then came to a grinding halt on the cruel edge of a coral reef which held the thin mahogany plywood hull like a bear trap. Jap fire was creeping closer. The youthful skipper ordered men to destroy secret devices and papers, gave the word to abandon ship. One enlisted man was killed on deck; the others swam through shark-infested waters to...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
