John Domagalski
Author
Books
The eerie silence of the South Pacific night of August 2, 1943 was shattered when a Japanese destroyer suddenly emerged from the blackness to slice the small wooden PT-109 in half. The surviving crewmen and their boat captain – a young John F. Kennedy – began a desperate struggle for survival. The sinking marked the final episode of what would become one of the most famous warships in American history. Behind the well-documented account of the future president and the boat’s sinking, is the little-known story of the two officers who first commanded PT-109. The book brings to life a riveting World War II story of combat and survival.
"John Domagalski demonstrates in this thoroughly researched narrative, there was far more to the boat's achievements in the South Pacific than the terrifying night when a Japanese destroyer cut her in two. This account crackles with intensity."
- Paul Stillwell, author of Battleship Arizona
The early morning hours of July 6, 1943, brought the sinking of USS Helena off the Solomon Islands in what would later be known as the Battle of Kula Gulf. As the last of the light cruiser disappeared below the ocean’s surface, her remaining crewmen’s struggle for survival had only just begun. The book tells the epic little-known story of Helena’s survivors, including a group of sailors trapped on a Japanese-held island behind the front lines.
“Sunk in Kula Gulf is a thrilling account of one of World War II’s most dramatic episodes.”
- Alex Kershaw, author of The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II
The dramatic account of two American warships in the South Pacific, the book follows the last days of USS Astoria and USS Chicago when both warships participated in the critical battle for Guadalcanal during World War II. Readers are transported inside the gun turrets, behind the lookout binoculars, and below deck as the battle rages. Individual stories of heroism, sacrifice and survival unfold as lives become intertwined and both vessels meet their fates in the South Pacific.
"An absorbing and poignant narrative."
- Nautical Research Journal
A small group of American sailors in the Philippines were propelled into the forefront of the fighting during the opening days of World War II in the Pacific. They were armed with six small wooden torpedo boats and led by a courageous larger than life character in Lieutenant John Bulkeley. The book tells their story through the intertwined accounts of Bulkeley, his second in command Robert Kelly, and young naval reserve officer Iliff Richardson. It is a saga of courage under fire and of brave men making the most of a desperate situation.
"Under a Blood Red Sun balances scholarly research with accessible storytelling to preserve and illuminate the story of Lieutenant Bulkeley and his men. Highly recommended."
- Midwest Book Review
Escape from Java: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the USS Marblehead tells the little-known account of an American warships fight for survival during the opening days of the Pacific War. The old light cruiser Marblehead was badly damaged in a Japanese air attack during the Battle of the Flores Sea on February 4, 1942. She made it to a small port on the island of Java after a heroic effort by her crew kept the vessel from sinking. The warship could not stay long on Java – the doomed island was in the crosshairs for an enemy invasion. The Marblehead eventually made a remarkable 13,000-mile voyage back to the United States. However, not all of her crew were aboard for the journey home. A small group of her wounded sailors – deemed unable to travel on the long voyage - were left behind under the care of an American navy doctor. Faced with a desperate situation, the men staged their own a daring escape to Australia during the last days of the Japanese invasion of Java.
"... Domagalski chose his subject matter well. He is to be commended for bringing the Marblehead back to life."
- Naval History
