A Blue Sea of Blood

February 15, 2009
The World War II disappearance of the U.S. Navy destroyer "Edsall" under, until now, mysterious circumstances would make a good read in and of itself; but in recounting the vessel's far-ranging, prewar career, military historian Kehn creates a fascinating tale of atrocity, murder, unpreparedness, and, ultimately, deliberate cover-up. Launched at Philadelphia on July 29, 1920, and commissioned that November, the "Edsall" trained in the Pacific Ocean before being ordered to the Mediterranean as part of the U.S. naval detachment in Turkish waters in 1922. There she was a witness to the mass murder of Greeks by the Turks at Smyrna. Subsequent service in the Far East, as a charter member of the U.S. Asiatic fleet, put the ship in harm's way following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Lack of Allied preparedness and planning led to needless loss of men and matériel, and such was the case with this destroyerlost in an uneven battle on March 1, 1942. Kehn's persistence in uncovering the facts surrounding her disappearance and the murder of her surviving crew makes this a compelling read. Recommended for all public libraries.David Lee Poremba, Cagan Crossings Community Lib., Clermont, FL

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