I'm a retired Navy man who has been reading, among other things, the history of the 2nd World War.  Quite by chance I picked up the book written by Richard F. Newcomb titled "Abandon Ship".  Though I've always heard references made to the sinking of this great ship I had not made myself familiar with the circumstances surrounding that tragic event.  It was heart breaking from beginning to end.  The greatest fear most sailors have at sea is having to go over board and most of all at night; on top of that "no one is looking for you".  This is a book that needs to be read by everyone.  It was full of sadness, greatness, survival, heroic acts by many and tragedy.  This book brought me to a point of tears on several occassions before the rescue and those events following the rescue. The struggles those valant men faced during their time adrift and the absolute disrespect and dishonorable way they were treated at the hands of this government and US Navy is beyond my comprehension. Those men and their families have my Profound Respect for their unwillings to give up during the ordeal, before and after. Thank you to all of the crew members of that great ship and to 9 year old Hunter Scott who helped bring this unjustice to light. Maybe now some of them will beable sleep in peace. God bless you all.