All the Gallant Men

An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor

De: Donald Stratton, Ken Gire

Narrado por: Mike Ortego

The extraordinary first and only memoir by a survivor of the USS Arizona, published in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

An unforgettable and moving story of tragedy, heroism, resilience, and redemption that is sure to become an enduring document of American history, All the Brave Men is a sailor's moment-by-moment eyewitness account of the Japanese surprise attack that decimated the US Pacific Fleet in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, and his inspiring return to active duty to carry on the Allied fight in the Pacific.

On December 7, 1941, the Arizona was moored in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, alongside seven other American battleships. At 7:55 a.m., the leisurely Sunday morning's serenity was broken by the drone of bomb-laden Japanese Zeros swooping from the sky. The Arizona was the first battleship targeted in a massive surprise attack by the Empire of Japan; 353 imperial warplanes swarmed Battleship Row and neighboring Hickam Airfield in a meticulously planned assault launched to cripple America's Pacific Fleet.

Amid the terrifying chaos of explosions and incessant machine gun fire, 19-year-old Seaman First Class Donald Stratton raced to his battle station on the Arizona. Barely 15 minutes into the attack, a 1,760-pound armor-piercing bomb hit the ship, setting off a million pounds of munitions and 180,000 gallons of aviation fuel aboard. The explosion lifted the massive battleship out of the water, causing the forward deck to buckle, and engulfed it in an enormous 50-foot fireball that tore through the antiaircraft platform where Don and his team were stationed.

Burned over more than 65 percent of his body, Don, with his gunnery team, miraculously escaped the inferno; using their charred hands, they climbed across a 70-foot-long rope stretched 45 feet above flaming, oil-slicked water to reach the Vestal, moored nearby. While Don made it out alive, 1,177 of his crewmates perished - more than half the American casualty total of the attack.

But this remarkable story does not end here. After more than a year of grueling treatment, including learning to walk again, Don recovered and doggedly battled navy bureaucracy to reenlist. Determined to take the fight to the enemy, he participated in some of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific, including the invasions of New Guinea, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Told in remarkable, never-before-revealed first-person detail, this powerful and uplifting memoir of war and survival resonates with the spirit, heart, and undaunted courage of such beloved best sellers as Unbroken and The Boys in the Boat.

©2016 Donald Stratton and Ken Gire (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Amazing!!

This is an amazing account, fantastic book, extremely well researched and presented. A true hero.

Eye opening and wonderful

great listen. it's like sitting down and listening to an old timers account of what happened. I cried a bit and regained a deep appreciation for those gallant men

Remember Pearl Harbor

Dear Lord,

Lest I continue
My complacent way,
Help me to remember that somewhere,
Somehow out there
A man died for me today.
As long as there be war,
I then must
Ask and answer
Am I worth dying for?

For the survivors of the USS Arizona those are words that lived with them since December 7, 1941. It is the question they spent a lifetime trying to answer. This is the story of one of those men who survived.

This is a gripping story of a terrible event that changed the course of history for America and the world. Donald Stratton tells us about himself, his shipmates and his country in this book. If you've got an ounce of patriotic blood in you, you may shed a tear as he describes what so many went through on that day.

He asks that we Remember Pearl Harbor. We need to. We need to remember what happened that day in order to ensure that it doesn't happen again. He draws a parallel to the attacks of September 11, 2001 and mentions how so many others thought the same thing. I believe we need to Remember 9-11 too in order ensure that that sort of thing does not happen again. But I'm afraid that 9-11 has dwindled to just an annual memorial service.

This book also tells of the struggle of the flesh. Donald Stratton wants to forgive the men who murdered his shipmates, but he cannot. Although as a Christian he knows what the Bible says about loving your enemies, he has been unable to do that. And that is true for so many of that generation. I will not pass judgement on him for that, for he Remembers Pearl Harbor.

Is Donald Stratton worth dying for. Yes he is. And so are we all. But Donald knows that. The man who died for him on that Sunday morning in December of 1941 was not the first to die for him. It would appear that Donald Stratton also knew of a Savior who gave his life for him on the cross almost 2000 years earlier. He is the one who died for all men and women and boys and girls. Stratton mentions Him in the book. His name is Jesus Christ.

A great book by one of our WWII heroes.

This book was a very interesting read. It is short enough to finish in one sitting . It gives a first hand account of the attack on Pearl Harbor that includes personal experiences and a point of view from a veteran that lived it. Thank you, Don Stratton, for this book and for your service to our nation.

Amazing but history by a brave man

“Have I lived a good life?” Why yes sir, it seems you did. It was an honor to hear your story and that of all of the brave men lost that day. This is a hard story to have end. I couldn’t quit listening.

best book I've read in years!

best book I've read in years. excellent narration. I felt like I was right there.

Very moving story

After hearing Mr. Stratton’s granddaughter interviewed on a podcast, I immediately wanted to hear his story. Worth every second invested in the hearing. Moved me to tears more than once. Recommend to anyone who is a lover of history but even more so, a lover of courage and resilience. Just a remarkable memoir.

A lot more than just a history lesson

Great story telling with incredible insights. The story teller dives into other areas of how survival looks and feels. Highly recommend

The strength of a nation summed up in one man

Fantastic, if the Axis powers knew the country was made up of these kinds of individuals they would've never contemplated going to war with the U.S.

Eye opening.

This memoir lets you look through the eyes of an amazing man that experienced something most will never. I’m grateful for Mr. Stratton for sharing his memories. Great man and great story. I will definitely be suggesting this to others. Thank you.