How Carriers Fought

Carrier Operations in WWII

By: Lars Celander

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

In November 1921, the first purpose-built aircraft carrier was launched by the Japanese, followed a year later by the launch of the British Hermes. The conversion of battle cruisers into aircraft carriers after World War I required the consideration of issues including handling aircraft on the flight deck and the techniques of attacking enemy ships, and the evolution of carrier operations was ongoing when World War II broke out. With a focus on the conflict in the Pacific between the US Navy and the imperial Japanese fleet, this title examines how aircraft carriers fought during World War II by first considering all the tools and building blocks of carrier operations, and then discussing the various battles that involved aircraft carriers to explore how carrier operations evolved during war.

Every aspect of carrier operations is covered; from the technology used on the carriers and in aircraft for navigation and communication, to what life was really like in the cockpit for the pilots. A world of tactical dehydration, amphetamine pills, and illegal smoking is explored, as well as the measures pilots implemented to reduce their risk of death in the event of being hit.

©2018 Lars Celander (P)2019 Tantor

Very informative

Takes a different perspective than other WWII Naval histories I have read. More detail oriented.

Overall interesting and informative

I enjoyed this, good info not usually part of history books.
A bit too many acronymns, and constant switching between metric and imperial units of measure seemed unnecessary, but it was a good book if you like technical aspects of military history.

excellent first part, too technical toward the end

the narrative focusing on WW-II carrier v. carrier combat was exceptional. the second half, with tables and charts, doesn't "read" as well. a great book for those who care about the minutia of carier warfare.

Interesting but not mandatory

This book has some interesting details. It’s fairly well researched. It does a good job of consolidating information that is widely dispersed.

However it reads more list like than an organized thesis. The conclusions it does draw, aren’t organized well in a reasonable thought process. The old argument between armored and unarmored carrier flight decks was “solved”, when most experts say is really arguable either way depending on what is considered important.

Unless you are well versed in ww2 carrier operations this book will be problematic.

Good story, monotone delivery

The story is interesting, but it can be very technical, which puts a lot of pressure on the performance. Unfortunately it’s dry and monotone. They could’ve also rewrote the more technical parts to be more understandable when you don’t have the benefit of seeing the numbers. I listen to it to go to sleep.