Carrier Strike The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands October 1942

By Eric Hammel
Zenith Press ISBN 0760321280

It was a Japanese victory-but it spelled the end for Japan in the war at sea. In Carrier Strike, critically acclaimed military historian Eric Hammel gives a blow-by-blow, edge-of-your-seat account of this crucial naval battle-a turning point in the bitter Guadalcanal Campaign. Drawing on American and Japanese battle reports and the recollections of aviators and seamen who were there, Hammel recreates World War IIs fourth - and last - carrier versus carrier battle, the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942. Written in the heart-stopping style that Hammel's readers have come to expect, Carrier Strike offers the only up-to-date, up-close, in-depth look at the battle that cost Japan any hope of winning the war in the Pacific.

The first chapter of the book has a thorough overview of US and Japanese naval aviation. Much has been written on US Naval Aviation but much less on Japanese. The author, Hammel, is to be commended for his efforts here.

Hammel shows an incredible ability to give his readers a feel for being at the scene. 

Carrier Strike and the previous work Carrier Clash were originally one work. Publisher Zenith Press has done a good job splitting these two works into readable and affordable trade paper sized editions.

Both of these books are highly recommended.