This book was written to honor the author's uncle who served on the USS. Plunkett during WWII in the Mediterranean. The ship was part of the Casablanca, Sicily, Anzio, D-Day, and Southern France. The stories that go along with this book are from the men who served but who never talked to their families about their time like so many WWII vets. I really enjoyed this book.

This book is a descriptive look at the USS Plunkett and its crew during World War II. The story closely follows the lives of 5 sailors who served on the Plunkett during this time. It allows the reader to understand their lives before, during and after they served in World War II. The author did an excellent job of sharing the rich history of the ship as well as the lives of the men. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a more in depth look at the impact war has on the men who fight.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley for an honest review of the materials.

This is a book into what happened to his Uncle who was killed while in the Navy when the US Army landed at Anzio Beach. His Uncle John Gallagher had four brothers (three who fought in the War) but except to celebrate his memory little was ever mentioned about their experiences in the War. This wasn't unusual about these Members of the Greatest Generation, they fought, they came home and went on with their lives.

Sullivan spent years going through ship archives and tracking down men who had fought along side his Uncle. Most of the men had never spoken to their own children about the two times that their ship the Destroyer (DD-431) Plunkett was bombed or its' involvement in the five major invasions in the European Theater of Action. They brought in troops and protected the landings in North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, Normandy and Southern France.

At Sicily and Anzio, they lost over fifty men each time they were attacked, but were back in action soon after Sicily and longer after Anzio where they incurred major damage. They took a real beating at Anzio and that's where Sullivan's Uncle was killed. He decided to concentrate on five men who had served on the Plunkett through most of the War. One of his other Uncles had fought on Anzio beach and actually saw the Plunkett bombed.

Talking to some of these men, fifty years later, they were like my dad (who was in North Africa, Italy and South France) they were reticent to ever speak about what happened and what they saw.
It's well written and without any exaggeration.

Well written, and a nice read. Not my favorite WW2 book, but it's always nice to read a new story about such a major historical event.

A deep book, lyrically written. A piece of history touched with romanticism of a ship that changed many lives. Have a little patience with this book, as there is a lot to take in, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

Unsinkable by James Sullivan

James Sullivan has done a remarkable job researching details about the destroyer USS Plunkett. This WWII ship and sailors aboard faced many battles, took hits, saved ships and lives while doing their jobs full out.

The author focuses on five men: John Gallagher, Jack Simpson, Ken Brown, Ed Burke and Jim Feltz. There is humor in the fun they had off ship, while paying dutiful attention to their tasks while onboard. The responsibilities they faced, some as young as 17 years old, and the jobs they executed are remarkable.

You feel the author’s affection in his writing about the years of service of these men and this ship. It is a worthy read for anyone interested in the navy, war battles, and ships from WWII.

The title effectively sums up the narrative of the book. The USS Plunkett was one of the most decorated destroyers of World War II serving primarily in the European theater and took part in every major invasion task force. The story is told through five men who served on the ship. The narrative is engaging and interesting with first and second person recollections of what happened aboard ship. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in World War II and especially those with an interest to the action in the Mediterranean and D Day.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

The book is a slow start but an interesting read for those interested in military history. I definitely hadn’t heard of the Plunkett and was interested in reading more about a ship, especially when the title calls it “I sink”-definitely know it’s not going to end well.