The Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance (Classics of Naval Literature) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was perplexed at the lack of available information on Admiral Spruance, considering the astonishing list of accomplishments: lieutenant during Teddy Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" world tour, commanded Halsey's cruiser escorts for Jimmy Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, tactical (and decisive) command during the Battle of Midway, Nimitz's Shief of Staff, Commander of the US Fifth Fleet (the largest, most powerful battle fleet in the history of the world) including Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam and Okinawa, President of the Naval War College and Ambassador to the Phillippines. Buell presents a good account of his life and career without delving into the psychological aspect (including a somewhat troubled relationship with his son, a WWII submarine commander). I believe this to be an important work for any serious amateur historian. Nimitz and Halsey may receive more name recognition, but Admiral Spruance's tactical command at Midway did more to turn the tide of the Pacific War than any other single commander. While many books have been written concerning Midway, this is the only book I have found that tells the story from Spruance's point of view.

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Regarded as the standard biography of World War II naval hero Adm. Raymond A. Spruance, this work is now available in trade paperback for the first time. Spruance, victor of the battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea and commander of the Fifth Fleet in the invasions of the Gilberts, the Marshalls, the Marianas, and Okinawa, is one of the towering figures in American naval history. Yet his reserved, cerebral personality did not make good copy for correspondents, and until the publication of The Quiet Warrior he remained an elusive figure. Thomas Buell has succeeded in evoking the nature of the man as well as recording the achievements of the admiral in this brilliant biography, which won the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement the year of its publication.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty Review

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(More customer reviews)I always feel reverence for the service given by the veterans of our armed forces. For me, it matters little what they did because they spent a portion of their life supporting the defense of our freedom. Everyone in the military matters.
Even so, those who have faced the rigor of combat have earned an even deeper gratitude. What they face in battle changes their life forever. It can never be the same. An evidence of this is how difficult it is for combat veterans to describe their experience of the war to those of us who have never shared in that experience. The closest most of us get is watching documentaries on The History Channel or reading serious books on the history of the various conflicts that have required so much of our soldiers.
This is a wonderful and serious book. Our country has awarded the Medal of Honor, our highest military award, to only about 3,400 recipients since the award was created. Of that number, fewer than 140 are alive today. This book provides portraits of those still living. One page provides a current photograph of each man and another page briefly tells about what was done to merit the award. Each story causes me to shake my head in disbelief. These stories describe acts of selflessness, of duty, of courage that inspire a deep gratitude and admiration for these men and the thousands like them who have passed on.
As I turned the pages of this book, I felt I was in a sacred place. I looked at the picture of the young man who became a hero, read the words of his heroism, and then look in the face and eyes of the older man who has lived so long after those acts, and yet I suppose that day is ever with them. I do not know, but from my own life I know that there are certain pivotal events that are never far from the surface.
Millions of soldiers have faced combat and each has my gratitude. In know that there are countless acts of service and heroism that are never recognized. Those included in this book are only representative of the heroism so many have shown in combat. To all of them, I say thank you. To each of the men included in this book I also offer my deepest gratitude. Your stories inspire us and provide examples of the highest qualities for future generations.
We can all aspire to such selflessness, duty, and courage if and when we are called to face an extreme challenge. It is good to document and remember these acts of heroism even if they are only representative of the truly large number heroes who have served our nation. Those honored here are indeed special men with special stories. As we hold these to our hearts with thanks we also need to think about the millions of stories we do not know and remember them as well.
It was wonderful to read about the heroes from World War II and Korea that are still with us. However, I was especially gratified to read about those whose heroic acts were given in Vietnam. It is past time for us to take seriously our neglect of these veterans and realize all that was given in service on our behalf. We owe then a debt and we need to pay it. A first step is to get to know what was done for us and learn the truth instead of simplistic anti-war propaganda.
You owe it to yourself to take a tour through this book and think about what these men, and so many like them, were asked to do and what they did to answer that call.

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My Hundred Years, 1894-1994 + Review

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(More customer reviews)Dr. William Edel's life leading up to his 100th birthday on March 16, 1994 has been colorful and varied. He spent thirty years as a Navy chaplain and thirteen years as the president of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He is the inventor of the "three-way" altar, providing for Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish worship.
His duties have brought him personal friendships with people great and small - from members of the British Royal Family and the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commision to a Catholic teaching brother on a Pacific Island. His opportunities have been broad and varied, from participation in the first Boy Scout summer camp ever, to the first Flag Day Celebration of the first officially-elected government of American Samoa. During his 99th year, he wrote his memories of these wonderful duties and opportunities that have filled his hundred years.
This book covers William Edel's memories from his earliest years into his 100th year. It details his school days; his unusual college activities; his duties on U.S. cruisers, battleships, and other craft; his service with the U.S. Marine Corps and his life on the South Pacific Islands. His life and memories include his service through two world wars, with a Chinese revolution between them, and his experience as senior chaplain of one of the largest training stations and the largest Naval hospital. He has published in various magazines since 1915 and, as the historian of the Navy Chaplain's Corps for twenty years, he has published in such places as the Naval Institute Proceedings.
He has recently sold as article about his early scouting experiences to Scouting Magazine. He lives quietly in El Cajon, Ca, where he is active in his church.
--- from book's dustjacket

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Brute: The Life of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine Review

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(More customer reviews)Robert Coram is a national treasure and the recent release of BRUTE confirms his position as one of America's premier military biographers. Mr. Coram took the straight and true method of portraying a genuine great man, but not in absence of his humanity. As Norman Maclean observes in his classic A River Runs Through It, man is a "damned mess;" even the great and the hero has flaws, and General Krulak was no exception. Coram correctly observes in the Acknowledgements:
"Some aspects of Brute Krulak's early years are disturbing. I elected to take an explanatory stance toward those years. Some will say I should have replaced the frail reed of sympathy with the righteous sword of judgement. But my sins as a young man were scarlet, and they were many. I do not consider those green actions the defining moments of my life and if I am to be measured, let it be by the deeds of my later years. Here I afforded Brute Krulak what I would ask for myself."
Wow! It would be nice if more biographer's used such a perspective; as a great man once said to me, "It is not how you start, it is how you finish."
General Krulak did his Corps proud and sometimes it was not pretty, but he held a passionate love for his country and his Corps. Mr. Coram presents a man of single minded purpose, who kept his Corps relevant because he knew that is what America wanted and continues to need. Mr. Coram traces the life story of a man driven to achieve and contribute. From General Krulak's contributions to the development in the years leading up to WWII of amphibious warfare as a core competency to his largely rejected ideas of counterinsurgency warfare in Vietnam, Mr. Coram paints the portrait of a man of substance, intellect, and passion. Our country needs more senior officers who have the courage of their convictions and tell the truth to their civilian leaders---especially when what needs to be said isn't pleasant.
I read BRUTE in two sittings and enjoyed it thoroughly.
If you enjoyed Mr. Coram's biographies of John Boyd and Bud Day, get this book and read it! Highest recommendation!!

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Nimitz Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book at the Navy Exchange on a whim. Two pages into this book and I was hooked. After 20 years in the Navy after reading this book, I can see Nimitz's impact everywhere I look.
Most biographies are written by hero worshiping sychophants, or worse written by the subject of the biography whose recollection of events are always flattering. Potter tackles the single most important man in U.S. Naval history with appriciation, but not at the expense of his detachment.
You begin with the Admiral's family history, how his grand father came to America. You then follow his lack luster school performance that explodes into focused determination to pass the Naval Academy's entrance exams. Because the Admiral's claim to fame was his leadership during WW II, the lion's share of the book covers his assumption of command U.S. Forces Pacific and follows it through his presence at the signing of the Japanese surrender at Tokyo bay. However; the last few chapters covering his dedicated work to maintain the U.S. Navy as a seperate and powerful force is eye opening and gives the reader (especialy if your a sailor) a scare at how close the U.S. Navy came to being dismantled like it had been after every war.
The thing I took away from the book was as you look around the Navy, many officers are detail minded. The higher the rank, the more of a bean counter they become. I used to be disappointed that we no longer had officers like Perry or John Paul Jones, that they had all become accountant politicians. However; reading this book, I now see that men like Jones, Perry, and Halsey might win battles. It was the detail minded officers like Nimitz that win wars. It is very obvious that in today's Navy officers are trained in the shadow of Nimitz. Many of our ceremonies are now patterned after the way that Nimitz conducted ceremonies. The way we refuel, the submarine, the way we detail sailors, so much of the Navy was forged by Nimitz.
This book covers not only his triumphs but his defeats, his short commings. It deals honestly with the subject, with out elevating him to super human. You see a man. This book should be mandatory reading for every sailor on earth. I highly recommend this book!

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Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet in World War II, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful warriors such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality to help readers appreciate the contributions he made as the principal architect of Japan's defeat. The book covers his full life, from a poverty-stricken childhood to postwar appointments as Chief of Naval Operations and U.N. mediator. It candidly reveals Nimitz's opinions of Halsey, Kimmel, King, Spruance, MacArthur, Forrestal, Roosevelt, and Truman.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Ernie, the Autobiography SIGNED Review

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(More customer reviews)"Ernie" is ninety-one year old Ernest Borgnine's lighthearted account of his more than five decades on the stage, in film, and on television. What has sustained this versatile character actor in a business that often grinds people down is the strong "old-fashioned work ethic" that he inherited from his Italian immigrant parents. Borgnine boasts that he has appeared in quite a few of the "100 Most Enjoyably Awful Movies of All Time" as listed in "The Official Razzie Movie Guide." Not all of his movies were classics, but he claims that "every one of them was a learning experience."
"Ernie" is a nostalgic autobiography in which Borgnine revels in his love of acting and especially of old-time moviemaking. He worked with many of the greats, including Helen Hayes, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, Montgomery Clift, Betty Davis, Jimmy Stewart, and Kirk Douglas. In addition, he appeared in a variety of genres, including comedies, westerns, war dramas, horror films, Biblical epics, and even a musical! He portrayed "good guys, cops, crooks, murderers, mob bosses, western villains, and an Amish farmer," and became Asian, Jewish, Irish, Swedish, or Mexican, when the part called for it. Much to his delight, his films were directed by such notables as Delbart Mann, Robert Mulligan, Fred Zinnemann ("From Here to Eternity"), and Michael Curtiz.
In an informal and conversational style, Borgnine emphasizes his critically acclaimed performances in "From Here to Eternity" and "Marty," but does not neglect to mention his less artistic films, such as "The Poseidon Adventure" and "Demetrius and the Gladiators." He also describes his stint in the popular "McHale's Navy," in which he played the Commander of a PT Boat in the South Pacific during World War II. Borgnine spends little time on his five marriages, only one of which endured. Ernie and Tova Borgnine have been together for thirty-five years.
Ernest Borgnine is a down-to-earth and affable tour guide who provides an entertaining overview of the last half century of show business. For those old enough to remember Borgnine in his heyday, this book will bring back fond memories of a bygone era. Although he is in no way a polished writer, the author's self-deprecating style, unabashed love for his craft, and colorful anecdotes make "Ernie" a treat for movie buffs.

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Seal of Honor: Operation Red Wings and the Life of LT. Michael P. Murphy, USN Review

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(More customer reviews)SEAL of Honor is a compelling read chock full of lessons learned for military and civilian alike. It is a tearjerker from the very beginning and Gary Williams does an excellent job of capturing the duality of our everyday peaceful lives here in the United States and the exceptional heroism and harrowing tragedies that occur overseas. He does this by highlighting the daily rhythm of the families involved that remain relatively unchanged until the news seeping out of Afghanistan provides a clue that Michael Murphy might have been near the action. All of the key figures in the book had continued on their daily regimen, worried, certainly upset that warriors had been killed and wounded, but of course thinking it had to be someone else. Then, with the news that Michael was involved, the world stopped for his loving parents, fiancé, friends, peers, and extended family around the Long Island and the Naval Special Warfare communities. This book works on many levels. First, it is an evenhanded account of a young man's drive to become a Navy SEAL despite several other life path opportunities. Some men and women just want to serve their country and Michael Murphy was of that noble gene pool. Second, SEAL of Honor captures the agony of those on the home front as they pine for their loved ones in harm's way and pray that the government vehicle doesn't stop in front of their house and officers in full dress uniform don't appear on their doorstep. Importantly, SEAL of Honor is also a trove of leadership lessons that future generations of service men and women can read, debate, and study as they formulate their own unique leadership styles. As an author of thriller fiction I always study heroes, real life and fictional, and the best heroes are humble, selfless, hard working, and determined. Michael Murphy is a true American hero in the finest sense of the word. Williams artfully captures the legacy he leaves behind that will help educate and train young leaders in our country. Williams captures well Murphy's upbringing in the Patchogue and Long Island communities and how his family, friends, and community helped shape his character and values. SEAL of Honor is more than an account of a military action. Rather, it is an examination of one man's life, his maturation, his service, his combat experience, and the actions that led to Michael Murphy being awarded the Medal of Honor. SEAL of Honor should be on every leader's short list of must read books.
Reprinted from [...] with permission.
Brigadier General Anthony J. Tata (USA, Ret)

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Lt. Michael Patrick Murphy, leader of a reconnaissance squad from Navy SEAL Team 10, posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 28 June 2005, during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters in the remote mountains of eastern Afghanistan. Michael was the first recipient of the nation s highest military honor as a result of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. He was also the first naval officer to earn the medal since the Vietnam War, and the first SEAL to be honored posthumously. A young man of great character, he is the subject of Naval Special Warfare courses on leadership, and an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, naval base, school, post office, ball park, and hospital emergency room have all been named in his honor. In his bestselling book, Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of Operation Red Wings, called Michael the best officer he ever knew, an iron-souled warrior of colossal, almost unbelievable courage in the face of the enemy. SEAL of Honor tells the story of Michael s life and how he came to be that man of selfless courage and honor. This biography argues that his heroic action during the deadly firefight with the Taliban revealed his true character and attempts to answer why Michael readily sacrificed his life for his comrades. SEAL of Honor is the story of a valiant young man, who was recognized by his peers for his compassion and for his leadership, because he was guided by an extraordinary sense of duty and responsibility. Tracing Michael s journey from a seemingly ordinary life on New York s Long Island, to that remote mountainside in Afghanistan, SEAL of Honor portrays how he came the moment of the extraordinary heroism that made him the most celebrated Medal of Honor recipient since WWII. Moreover, the book brings the Afghan war back to the home front, focusing on the tight knit Murphy family and the devastating effect of his death upon them as they watched the story of Operation Red Wings unfold in the news. The book attempts to answer why Michael s service to his country and his comrades was a calling faithfully answered, a duty justly upheld, and a life, while all too short, well lived.

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Blue Water Patriots: The American Revolution Afloat Review

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(More customer reviews)"Blue water Patriots', an aggravating book fit only to be used as a fly-swatter, repeatedly insults American patriots' motives, thoughts, and opinions before and during the ARW without any basis in facts in the form of quotes from letters or speeches of specific persons of that time. This is a "take the names and dates" collection, that's more "BNA Tory" in attitude than Whig, (British or American). The author would have been liberally coated in 78 degree F. tar, and feathers, rather than winning a B. A. for scholarship, had he written this mulch in Boston in 1775.
In the same sentence in which he calls groups of British sailors "jack-tars", (customarily armed for 1774 impressment duties in Boston with wooden cudgels the size and weight of Babe Ruth's baseball bats), he calls the unarmed colonial farmers and sailors confronted by them "thugs". He mentions that colonials were upset about the actions of certain British Navy ships patrolling the waters near isolated communities; but never says why. He never mentions that at least one of the captains whose ships were burned to the waterline by angry Americans made it his barely-legal habit to send bands of his ship's "jack-tars" sweeping into isolated farms, where they took part or all of a year's hard-earned winter food stores, paying with paper script which could only be redeemed in cities hundreds of miles away by sea.
The book is derivative, however it appears to have derived only the attitudes of British Tories during their most foolish period of British rule, not the reasoned opinions of the men of time, British or American.
He writes of the Stamp Act and the Intolerable Acts as if they were good things that the colonials just didn't understand. This book is a sly slam on our cash-poor, hard-working, brave, long-dead ancestors, long after the fact. Don't waste your money, time, or emotional peace-of-mind on wanting to rip it up with your bare hands. SKIP IT!

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America's Fighting Admirals: Winning the War at Sea in World War II Review

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(More customer reviews)The American naval actions of the second world war were some of the most dramatic in the history of sea warfare, taking place over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans alike with an admiral overseeing each action and battle. The battles are here described from the perspective of American admirals who fought them and comes from a World War II navy veteran who not only covers all major campaigns and admiral leaders, but analyzes strategy and decision-making challenges during battle. Serious World War II military collections, particularly those with strong naval history sections, need AMERICA'S FIGHTING ADMIRALS: WINNING THE WAR AT SEA IN WORLD WAR II.

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The Reluctant Admiral: Yamamoto and the Imperial Navy Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a wonderful book which went into alot of detail about the life of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. He was a much more complex person than most people think. He was no ranting imperialistic flunky. In fact, he held most of those types in contempt. So much so, that he had to maintain constant vigilance because of death threats. However, he did his duty, as he was ordered to do, even though he knew the futility of it. He was also totally against the building of the Yamato and Musashi battleships. Utter "folly" he called them and a waste of time and money. He truly believed that the future of war would be aviation. He was proved right. Its really too bad that he was killed, he would have been of great benefit to the restructuring of the new Japanese government. Anyone interested in a more "personal" look of one of the greatest Admirals in the world, will love this book, like I did.

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Gideon Welles: Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy Review

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(More customer reviews)It was 34 years ago I first picked up this book and have been a fan of John Niven ever since. This book is the best in the distinguished list of Dr. Niven;s writings. Gideon Welles moves from editor to politician to powerful figure in the Lincoln administration and we follow him as fellow travelers on this voyage. This is one book well worth the price for your library.

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The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident Review

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(More customer reviews)"The Finishing School" is a terrific book, and every bit as fascinating as "The Warrior Elite." Dick Couch shows exceptional tenacity in following every twist and turn of training that these incredible warriors go through, and he handles the narrator's job superbly--giving us a personal reaction every now and then from his perspective as a SEAL in the Vietnam era.
Couch provides insight into what makes SEALS succeed (or fail) and enriches our understanding of how crucial training is to their complicated missions. I felt like I was there in the classroom and on the range with them at all times. Yes, the training evolutions do seem to go on without end, but that's one of the book's points: these guys are the best trained, toughest warriors the world has ever seen, and they will come after you from the sea, the air, or on land.
I particularly enjoyed the sections dealing with the SEAL weaponry; the choices they have are fascinating and scary. If you're a Navy buff, or in the least bit interested in what force America can project almost anywhere on earth, then this book is for you.

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Admiral "Bull" Halsey: The Life and Wars of the Navy's Most Controversial Commander Review

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(More customer reviews)Admiral "Bull" Halsey is your typical by the number biography on one of our navy's great fighting admirals. A good comparison can be made to E.B. Potter's biography "Bull Halsey" that came out quite a long time ago. Both books covers the same portions of Halsey's life and career. The author of this book hopes to correct the imbalance he thought recent military history had on Halsey which is to magnify his errors instead of his greatness. But the book is fair in assessing Halsey's achievements and his flaws as a commander. Author makes no excuses to some of Halsey's mistakes but he conclude correctly that his achievements easily overshadows his errors.
I thought this book was well written and well balanced as biographies goes. But like E.B. Potter's book, this is a military biography and after reading it, you still don't have a slightest idea who Bull Halsey was outside of his military career. A good example would be this: We know that Halsey was avid racist specially toward the Japanese and this was even before Pearl Harbor. This book, like Potter's, gave us NO clue to why he dislikes the Japanese people so much. I suppose it would be simplistic to say that he hated all non-whites but this biography tells us nothing about the man, only about his career.
Overall, this book is worthy read if you haven't read E.B. Potter's book or if you didn't like Potter's book on Halsey. Otherwise, you can pass on it and wait for a more in-depth book at Halsy if there ever will be one.

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The Heart and the Fist: The education of a humanitarian, the making of a Navy SEAL Review

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(More customer reviews)This book should be required reading for anyone with an interest in service--from the Peace Corps to the Marine Corps. It is a riveting true life tale of a modern day renaissance man. From humanitarian intervention in post-genocidal Africa to hunting al Qaeda in coastal villages in the Philippines, The Heart and the Fist explores the depths of our world and a young man who has served it in many ways.
"The world needs many more humanitarians than it needs warriors, but there can be none of the former without enough of the latter," are the words of this Rhodes Scholar and Oxford PhD as he makes his decision to join the US Navy SEAL Teams. Rhodes Scholars are meant to contribute to "the world's fight", and none have demonstrated a willingness to do so more than Eric Greitens. Described elegantly and with integrity in Greitens' memoir are his humanitarian missions to Rwanda, the Balkans, India, Gaza, and many other of the world's most oppressed and unfortunate regions. These pursuits of the heart are juxtaposed poignantly against SEAL training and four combat deployments with Naval Special Warfare.
Greitens lives the life of a humanitarian and a warrior, and for both roles he is able to extract unique insights by virtue of his extensive study of Greek philosophy, American history, and modern-day saints like Mother Teresa. It is a defining work for our next generation of heroes.


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It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy Review

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(More customer reviews)This book and its author have received a lot of media exposure, so I decided to check it out. While Abrashoff espouses proven leadership techniques, the only really new learning is how one man applied the principles on a Navy ship with a complement of 311 sailors. This is more a story of one man's awakening to how leadership is considerably more effective than management; how getting out of people's way is wiser than micromanaging them.
Leadership is emphasized in the book, and in every endorsement quote on the back cover. Yet, the subtitle says "management techniques," not "leadership techniques." Leadership did not come easy to Abrashoff; he had a lot of learning to do...and undo. As he moves through the chapters, this retired Navy Captain talks about his experiences in leading by example, listening, communicating purpose and meaning, creating a climate of trust, focusing on results, taking calculated risks, building people and unity, and strengthening quality of life.
Good leaders can tell you all about these concepts and how they are applied in their organization. Aspiring leaders and those who have not yet seen the light will be awe-struck by what Abrashoff accomplished. Solid, experienced leaders will see this book as more of a case study and a reinforcement of what they're already doing. As I have observed today's military leaders-as a citizen and as a consultant who has had the privilege of working with military leaders, the "system" is not as counterproductive as the author would lead us to believe. Bureaucracy is still bureaucracy, but Abrashoff is not alone in his practice of leadership skills.
Abrashoff applied leadership skills on his ship to achieve significant measurable results. I'm glad he documented his achievements so others might be inspired. I noted that he compared and linked his military experiences and perspectives to civilian applications. Through relationships with Fast Company magazine and other organizations, this author is now giving speeches and probably consulting. This book and the attendant publicity could be viewed as effective tools to position him as a sought-after speaker.
In all fairness, while the leadership principles and anecdotes from the USS Benfold are certainly present, this book struck me as more of an autobiography of the growth of a leader. For a treatise about leadership and considering the title, I was surprised to see such heavy use of first person pronouns in the writing.
Company owners and senior executives will find the book valuable as a case study of one man's experience. Managers will learn principles and techniques that can substantially improve their performance. Some readers will feel reinforced; others will feel discomforted by the heavy sense of ego and rationalization. It's a shame that Abrashoff did not choose to stay in the Navy to effect those changes he says are so needed; instead he left the service to write a book focused on two years of his work and hit the lecture circuit.

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The story of Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and his command of USS Benfold has become legendary inside and outside the Navy. Now Abrashoff offers this fascinating tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today's uncertain business seas. When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, a ship armed with every cutting-edge system available, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and take responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. How did Abrashoff do it? Against the backdrop of today's United States Navy-Benfold was a key player in our Persian Gulf fleet-Abrashoff shares his secrets of successful management including: * See the ship through the eyes of the crew: By soliciting a sailor's suggestions, Abrashoff drastically reduced tedious chores that provided little additional value. * Communicate, communicate, communicate: The more Abrashoff communicated the plan, the better the crew's performance. His crew would eventually call him "Megaphone Mike," since they heard from him so often. * Create discipline by focusing on purpose: Discipline skyrocketed when Abrashoff's crew believed that what they were doing was important. * Listen aggressively: After learning that many sailors wanted to use the GI Bill, Abrashoff brought a test official aboard the ship-and held the SATs forty miles off the Iraqi coast. From achieving amazing cost savings to winning the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, Captain Abrashoff's extraordinary campaign sent shock waves through the U.S. Navy. It can help you change the course of your ship, no matter where your business battles are fought.

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