Greyhounds of the Pacific: U.S. Destroyers in the War Against Japan

Greyhounds of the Pacific is a comprehensive historical overview of American destroyer operations in the Pacific during World War II. While destroyers initially served in convoy protection roles in the Atlantic, their function in the Pacific shifted as they became independent forces that played a vital part in the war's outcome. This book examines their transformation from prewar support ships to key players in the Pacific theater, highlighting their adaptability and contributions.

Throughout the early years of World War II, U.S. Navy destroyers played a central role in the Battle of the Atlantic. Assigned to convoy escort, antisubmarine patrols, and fleet screening, they operated across wide ocean areas in prolonged contests against German U-boats. As naval operations expanded into the Pacific, destroyers were reassigned to a theater defined by carrier warfare, amphibious landings, and sustained air attacks. There, success depended on different tactical priorities, including anti-aircraft defense, surface action in confined waters, and close coordination with larger fleet formations.

Greyhounds of the Pacific traces the wartime service of American destroyers from the opening months of the conflict through the final campaigns of 1945. The narrative begins with the scattered and often improvised actions of U.S. destroyer forces in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and follows their expanding role in early battles in the Netherlands East Indies, the Coral Sea, and around Guadalcanal. As the war progressed, Fletcher-class ships were increasingly called upon to screen carriers and battleships, conduct shore bombardments, escort amphibious forces, and fight enemy surface units in confined waters, often at night and at close range.

From operations in the Solomons, the Central Pacific drive, and the Philippine campaign, including actions off Leyte and Samar, author Andrew Faltum explores the role of the destroyer in the evolution of surface naval warfare. He also examines the growing threat posed by Japanese submarines and aircraft, culminating in the kamikaze campaign and the demanding radar picket duties off Okinawa. Across the Pacific, the Fletcher-class adapted to new tactical demands through changes in weapons, radar, command-and-control practices, and employment.

In addition to combat operations, Greyhounds of the Pacific addresses the technical and organizational aspects of destroyer warfare, including antisubmarine tactics, fighter direction, and the integration of destroyers into larger task forces. Photographs, maps, and technical data supplement the operational narrative, providing context for how these ships were built, modified, and employed. The result is a detailed account of Fletcher-class destroyer operations in the Pacific War, illustrating how these ships and their crews met a wide range of missions across a complex and evolving maritime campaign.

Andrew Faltum served as an air intelligence officer aboard USS Midway, homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, before joining the Navy Reserve and retiring as a commander. He is the author of several naval history books, including The Essex Aircraft Carriers, The Independence Light Aircraft Carriers, and The Supercarriers: The Forrestal and Kitty Hawk Classes.