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 enlarge | Author: William Benedetto
Publisher: Citadel
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $8.95
You Save: $7.00 (44%)
New (20) Used (10) from $7.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 68437
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 254
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 0.8
ISBN: 0806526467
Dewey Decimal Number: 623
EAN: 9780806526461
ASIN: 0806526467
Publication Date: March 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Serviceable Accounting of a Tragedy August 27, 2006
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Very few people are likely to have heard of the loss of the American merchant ship Badger State at Christmas of 1969. She was carrying a load of bombs to resupply the Air Force in Vietnam, and a chain of unfortunate events--poor stowage of the explosives, carrying an insufficient amount of cargo so that the ship rode high, bad weather--combined to lead almost inevitably to tragedy.
Benedetto, in very simple and unadorned prose that is not bogged down by a great deal of nautical jargon, provides a workmanlike rendition of the last days of the ship and crew. He draws heavily upon the documented testimony of survivors before a Board of Inquiry and received very significant input from Charles Wilson, the captain of the late vessel.
He also throws in a great deal of material (which at times verges on simple padding) about the tragic experiences of many other ships of the U.S. Merchant Marine over the last two hundred years, particularly about their destruction by, or, in some cases, escape from, Axis forces in WWII.
A small number of black and white photos are included. The diagrams of the ship and of the bomb pallets would have been better placed at the beginning of the book for easier reference.
This is not a lyrical and haunting masterpiece of man's struggle against the hostility of nature, but it's a serviceable enough rendering of an otherwise forgotten disaster and a nice primer about the sacrifices of the merchant marine.
True Life May 31, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I recently sailed with a person who was a crewmember on the S.S. Badger State when this tragic incident occurred. Your book brought the story full circle, thanks for writing such an illuminating account.
Paul J. Gunis
Sailing into the Abyss May 14, 2006
Mr. Benedetto has brought history alive with his accounting of the horrific journey of the S.S Badger State. One feels the struggle and dispair of the Captain and crew as the drama unfolds. Sailing into the Abyss is a compelling real life story that would rival any fictional tale.
Review of Sailing into the Abyss May 1, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a historian, I am always interested in learning new things about past events. Mr. Benedetto's book, "Sailing into the Abyss," has been one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time. Not having previously read anything about the saga of the S.S. Badger State, I was glued to the pages from beginning to end. The book is a great reminder of how things at sea can go terribly wrong very quickly and serves as a great tribute to the men whose story this represents. Fascinating reading.
Ray Charlton
Here's the Reason they are Called the "High Seas" April 29, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A wonderful read. I have recommended it to several nautical friends and all agree. Thrilling from start to finish.
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