Hidden Warships ─ Finding World War II's Abandoned, Sunk, and Preserved Warships

Read about and see the unique stories of the combat history, recovery, and preservation of World War II-era combat ships from around the world.

World War II produced many epic naval battles and technologies. The many resulting shipwrecks from this immense war unintentionally created a record of new warfighting technologies that today's armchair explorers and shipwreck hunters can participate in. In an accessible format with over 200 illustrations, Hidden Warships details the combat, recovery, and preservation of combat ships from World War II--beginning with the Japanese midget submarine attacks on Pearl Harbor--to the sinking of the postwar aircraft carrier USS Oriskany.

In addition to the many combat ships that were sunk across the globe and have been located, a number of submarines once lost in action have recently been found, including the aircraft carrying Japanese sub I-401, the USSGrunion, and the combined fleet sunk while testing atomic bombs at Bikini Atoll, including the German cruiserPrince Eugen. Author and naval history expert NicholasVeronico also profiles the extensive postwar "mothball" fleets and many others.

Hidden Warships concludes with a list of preserved World War II ships, an Internet resource guide, and bibliography and suggested reading list for the enthusiast to continue the exploration. By the end, you will be able to explore many "Hidden Warship" wrecks without getting your feet wet.

Nicholas A. Veronico has written extensively on US naval operations in World War II on the sea and in the air. He is the author ofHidden Warbirds (Zenith, 2013), Hidden Warbirds II (Zenith, 2013), Battlestations: American Warships in WWII (Motorbooks, 2001), and World War II Shipyards of the Bay Area (Arcadia Publishing, 2007), as well asF4U Corsair (Motorbooks, 1994) and Convair PB4Y-2/P4Y-2 Privateer (Ginter Books, 2012). In addition, he appeared on the TV seriesLife After People in the 2010 episode "Take Me To Your Leader," providing history and commentary on the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard near San Francisco, California.