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LEFT TO DIE: The Tragedy of the USS Juneau
LEFT TO DIE: The Tragedy of the USS Juneau
Author: Dan Kurzman
Condition: New
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Left to Die: The Tragedy of the USS Juneau examines the mystery and controversy surrounding the 1942 sinking of the U.S.S. Juneau during the Guadalcanal campaign, a torpedo attack that claimed nearly seven hundred lives. Dan Kurzman recounts the ship’s role in Pacific naval operations, the torpedo strike and sinking, and the harrowing ordeal of sailors left adrift—probing failures of communication and delayed rescue, the human endurance of survivors, and the wider operational and moral questions raised by one of the most devastating single‑ship losses in U.S. naval history, including the poignant loss of the Sullivan family.
This edition is a non‑fiction narrative history published by Pocket Books in 1994 (ISBN13: 9780671748739; ISBN10: 0671748734) and focuses on ship and crew‑level detail, convoy and rescue operations around Guadalcanal, and the technology and tactics of surface naval combat and anti‑aircraft defense. Kurzman, known for his narrative World War II histories, frames the account with survivor testimony, archival research, and profiles of officers and crew, making it valuable to readers interested in Pacific naval battles, sea disasters, and the human costs of war.
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Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Basic Bibliographic Information
Title: Left to Die: The Tragedy of the USS Juneau
Author: Dan Kurzman
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication year: 1994
ISBN: 0671748734
Format: Non-fiction narrative history
Type of Book
World War II naval history
Shipwreck / disaster history
Battle narrative
Survival narrative
Unit / ship history (single-ship focus)
Theater(s) of War
Pacific Theater
Operations, Battles, and Campaigns
Convoy operations around Guadalcanal
Rescue and non‑rescue of survivors after the battle
Main Nations and Sides Involved
United States Navy (Allies)
Imperial Japanese Navy (Axis)
Focus of the Book
Branch of service: U.S. Navy
Surface naval combat and anti‑aircraft warfare
Torpedo attack and sinking at sea
Survivors adrift in the ocean
Failures of communication and delayed rescue
Human endurance, exposure, and death at sea
Weapons, Ships, and Technology
U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers in the Guadalcanal action (task force context)
Japanese submarine torpedoes (torpedo strike that sank Juneau)
Naval gunfire and anti‑aircraft guns (as part of Juneau’s role)
Key People and Historical Figures
Officers and crew of USS Juneau (survivors and casualties, as profiled in the narrative)
U.S. Navy command and rescue decision‑makers involved in post‑sinking response
Themes and Subject Keywords
USS Juneau (CL‑52)
Juneau (antiaircraft cruiser)
World War, 1939–1945 – Naval operations – American
World War, 1939–1945 – Campaigns – Solomon Islands – Guadalcanal
Naval warfare – Pacific Ocean
Battle of Guadalcanal – naval actions
Sea disasters
Survival at sea
Rescue at sea – delays and failures
Sailors – United States – biography (collective / group focus)
Casualties of war
Combat fatigue, shock, and trauma (as depicted among survivors)
Family loss in war (Sullivan family)
Military decision‑making under uncertainty
Geographical Keywords
Guadalcanal
Solomon Islands
South Pacific Ocean
Potential Visual / Structural Content
Classification-Oriented Tags
WWII – Pacific naval battles
WWII – individual ship histories
WWII – U.S. Navy cruisers
Military naval disasters – 20th century
War casualties and survivor accounts
United States – military history – World War II
Book Condition: New
Book Condition: New
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Before you enlist a new title into your personal library, check the Condition Report below to see how much action these volumes have seen:
New: Fresh Out of Bootcamp
Flawless and untested. This book is in pristine, new condition and ready for its first assignment.
Like New: Light Combat Experience
Almost new and in great shape. It has clearly been read before and is ready to fight again, but it shows very little wear from its time in the field.
Good: A Few Scars or Shell Shock
A reliable veteran. The book might have some bent corners or a dust cover with a few scratches, but it’s still sturdy and standing tall.
Fair: Battle-Hardened
Visible signs of a long campaign. Expect some stains, bent pages, and perhaps some minor tears on the cover. It’s seen the trenches, but the intel inside is still solid.
Poor: Survived Iwo Jima
This one has been through the meat grinder. It carries noticeable damage, heavy staining, or significant wear—but like any old soldier, it would love to be read one last time before it retires.
