From rubber landing boats to picket boats to minesweepers, smaller support vessels did much of the work of the Korean War, and endured many of the dangers and hardships. Rarely mentioned in histories of the war, they served functions essential to keeping the United States Navy and the United Nations partners in active duty. This volume delivers an overview of the various kinds of vessels involved, the difficulties of mobilizing the aging American fleet at a time when a significant downsizing had been expected, and the design and specification considerations of the support vessels needed for the new war effort. It lists the individual support vessels and details the degree of their involvement, often providing photographs as well as comments from men who served aboard the ships.

Paul M. Edwards is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of the Korean War at Graceland University’s Independence, Missouri, campus. He is a Korean War veteran and author of 13 works on military history. He lives in Independence.

Paul M. Edwards
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 260
Bibliographic Info: 19 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2008
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2930-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2134-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Preface      1
Introduction      5

1. A Brief History of the Naval War      15
2. Ship Identity and Designation      30
3. Little Brothers      41
4. Command and Convalescence      57
5. Submarines      62
6. The Landing Ships: Men and Equipment      70
7. Feeding the Fleet      94
8. Tenders and Tugs, Rescue, Repair, and Salvage      127
9. Attack Transports      139
10. Minesweepers      151
11. Merchant Marines      166
12. Other Ships in Action      199
13. Allied Nations      208
14. Analysis of the Other Ships      222

Bibliography      227
Index      233

“careful and scholarly detail…provides a virtual mine of facts and personal accounts”—Proceedings; “thorough…useful and welcome…detailed and comprehensive”—Work Boat World.