Crossing the Line

A Bluejacket's World War II Odyssey

By: Alvin Kernan

Narrated by: Ted Stoddard

From Pearl Harbor to Midway to Tokyo Bay, Alvin Kernan's career in the U.S. Navy spanned the entire war in the Pacific. Kernan joined the U.S. Navy in March 1941 at the age of 17, and his war came to an end when he went ashore at Tokyo Bay in 1945 and saw the devastation of the atomic bombs. In between, he witnessed and participated in some of the most significant events in naval history. A gifted storyteller, Kernan gives a candid account of his experiences, providing shrewd observations about the culture and ideology of an important era in naval history.A Naval Institute Press Audio Book (P)1997 by the Naval Institute Press; From the Book Crossing the Line: A Bluejacket's World War II Odyssey by Alvin Kernan ©1994 by the United States Naval Institute

Critic reviews

"One of the most arresting naval autobiographies." (John Keegan)
"The best war narratives tell you not only what happened but how it felt, and not only the great events but the ordinary ones. Crossing the Line is like that." (Samuel Hynes)

Good, But I Prefer Silent Running

This account of submarine life during WWII has an amazing scope in that the author was there for many momentous events. If you enjoy submarines and WWII, this is a good listen. However, by all means listen to Silent Running first. It is written more as an adventure WWII submarine story and is wonderful.
The narration for this book is OK, but not my favorite. Listen to the sample. It gets better, but that will give you a flavor.

Detail of a common navy sailor

Great book with many details of life at sea for a common Navy sailor in ww2