[eibwarrior]

Glad you're enjoying Hammell's book Yu. Hey, when he gets into the night of November 12-13 pay special attention to how the US sailors describe Hiei moving through the night in the shadows. Her massive pagoda superstructure was quite menacing looking at night. Compared to the ships in the USN line, they were like ants attacking a bull. It's these descriptions that have left a long lasting impression on me for what it must have been like to fight in this point-blank nighttime naval engagement.

You're really going to like Tully's book on Surigao Strait. As Nimitzfan pointed out, it's a ground-breaking work. Very good read.

As far as the LSM goes, I got a call from Mr. Strader again last night. He's been staring at his old ship for the last several days and having many flashbacks and memories that he had long forgotten. Last night he shared a story with me of a Kamikaze that came in on their bow in a strafing/crash run at the LSM. His action station was at the bow 40mm, which he has informed me was a double and not a single like I modeled. Mr. Strader was working the director for that gun and he commented on how they clipped the wing of the incoming Kamikaze with their 40 mm fire. He said he could remember looking the pilot in the face as he passed at high speed to the starboard side and into the sea. It must have been a really hair-raising experience. Yet he remembered in great detail so many years later.