Books About USS Franklin Or Its Crew

Recently I read a story about actor Sean Connery. He was asked what moment played a critical role in helping him become an actor. He responded, “When I learned to read.” Well, I have one thing in common with Sir Connery, we both know how to read. I also like to share recommendations for good books with my friends, especially books about USS Franklin.

Several months ago, in one of the Facebook groups devoted to remembering the ship and its crew, someone asked which books about the ship’s events would be best to read. Since Christmas is coming up, here are the books I recommend. I’ll start with a book I just finished last week which deeply affected me. Other than that, the books are in no particular order.

So Long For Now

I don’t know why So Long For Now: A Sailor’s Letters from the USS Franklin, affected me so much. Perhaps it’s because I am from a small farming town as was the author and his brother, Elden Rogers. Elden is the sailor referred to in the title and he died in the 19 March attack. Or perhaps it’s Jerry’s storytelling ability. I finished the book one day last week realizing that this book affected me more than any other book I have read about USS Franklin.

I purchased the book more than a year ago thinking it might provide some background on the daily life of a sailor onboard a carrier. Elden couldn’t describe his duties due to wartime censorship and he certainly didn’t want to worry his family so that was largely absent. But Jerry had scores of letters written from him to his family and from them to him. He also had letters written to and from Elden’s girlfriend.

My intention was just to speed-read the book and highlight the information I needed, then move on to the next resource. But I kept running afoul of Jerry’s storytelling and my reading speed would drop below Mach 2 in order to give the stories my full attention. I finally gave up and read the book at a more enjoyable pace.

If you have had a family member serve on Franklin or any other ship, you may want to read this book to get a sense of what life was like during World War II for both the sailors and their families. Jerry also discusses the events that occurred on Big Ben as Elden served on both combat tours in the Pacific Theater. The book is impeccably researched as well as being an entertaining read.

Inferno

The finest oral history of USS Franklin is Inferno: The Epic Life And Death Struggle of the USS Franklin In World War II. Written by Joseph A. Springer, I refer to it as my desk reference. (The book must be out of print as the prices on Amazon are steep. But you can find it on used book sites such as abebooks.com for much less.) Springer did many interviews with crew members and covered both of Big Ben’s cruises.

Lucky Lady

Another excellent book is Lucky Lady: The World War II Heroics Of The USS Santa Fe And Franklin, by Steve Jackson. Full of first-person accounts, it also includes the perspective from the cruiser Santa Fe, which came to Big Ben’s assistance. The ship’s captain would be awarded the Navy Cross for his actions that day. Very well written.

Saving Big Ben

Saving Big Ben: The USS Franklin and Father Joseph T. O’Callahan, by John R. Satterfield, focuses on one of the two Medal of Honor awardees, Father Joseph O’Callahan. Father Joe, as the crew called him, was an intensely private man, who preferred to give others credit, was reluctant to be interviewed about his heroics, and gave instructions that his Medal of Honor was not to be displayed. Overcoming the Father’s private nature, the book is meticulously researched and well-written.

A Call To Duty

A Call To Duty: The Life And Times of Leslie E. Gehres, by William J. Stewart, is a biography that is unapologetic in its support of Captain Gehres’ actions on 19 March. While it glosses over the controversies of 19 March, it does provide background on Admiral Gehres. I cannot find a copy for sale, but one may crop up on a used book site such as abebooks.com.

Trial By Fire

Turning to fiction, P.T. Deutermann is a retired US Navy Captain who has written many novels. Trial By Fire is a novelization of Big Ben’s story. Deutermann’s father also served in the Navy and fought during World War II. His book is well-researched and may be of interest to those wanting to learn more about Big Ben.

If you have recommendations for books about USS Franklin, or a documentary, article, or something else of interest, please feel free to mention it in the comments.

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Did you arrive here via a search engine? I am the author of the forthcoming book, Heroes By The Hundreds: The Story of the USS Franklin (CV-13). In addition to writing about the bravery of the crews that saved her, I will be writing about the lessons we can learn in leadership and crisis management. I’ll also write about the changes the US Navy made as a result of those lessons learned.

I send out a monthly newsletter, Glenn’s After-Action Report, writing about subjects I find interesting in my research. You can sign up for it below. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. Thanks for reading.-Glenn