Utley (history, U. of Tenn.) presents an intimate history of "The Big T" from its launching in 1920 as the world's most powerful fighting ship through her survival at Pearl Harbor and service in WWII. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. Commissioned in 1921, too late for World War I, the battleship Tennessee' s massive steel armor and 14 guns made it the most formidable warship afloat. By World War II the ship was obsolete. Damaged at Pearl Harbor, the Tennessee was rebuilt and modernized in time to earn a remarkable combat record; including a Presidential Unit Citation and ten battle stars for services in Alaska, the Central and South Pacific areas, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. At Surigao Straits, in October 1944, the Tennessee and seven elderly colleagues destroyed a Japanese fleet in what proved to be the world's last battleship action. Utley has given us a history of the ship, the era in which it served, and the story of the 10,000 sailors who sailed on the ship in war and peace. The author's highly readable text, his vast knowledge of the subject, and the lavish use of illustrations make this a unique work. There are many ship histories, but this should serve as a model of its kind for future naval historians. It is an essential acquisition for all naval and World War II collections. - Stanley Itkin, Hillsdale P . L . , New Hyde Park, N . Y . Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. Jonathan G. Utley, associate professor of history at the University of Tennessee, is the author of Going to War with Japan, 1937-1941 . Used Book in Good Condition