USS Midway

"As the captain of the USS Midway I was never more proud of the young men, mostly teenagers, under my command. USS Midway: America's Shield tells their story, straight from the flight deck. It's real American history everyone should know."—;Rear Adm. Riley Mixson, U.S. Navy (ret.), former captain, USS Midway

"USS Midway: America's Shield carries the reader along from one great event of the latter twentieth century to another. An odyssey fueled by remarkable young men from every corner of America. An inspiration to us all!"—;Lou Reda, documentary filmmaker, History Channel

The USS Midway first set sail in 1945 with thousands of young men on board. By the time it made its final return to port in 1992, approximately 200,000 Americans had served on the carrier. During those years, the crew—;whose average age was nineteen—;witnessed significant world affairs, such as Cold War espionage missions, an attack by an Israeli aircraft, confrontations with Mao Tse-tung, and the liberation of Kuwait.

Beginning with World War II, this collection of memoirs chronicles individual accounts of sailors who served on the Midway. All of the stories offer a glimpse into the early days of the sailors' lives and detail the contributions that they made at sea. This collective biography relates their compelling tales of empowerment and optimism, while presenting America's past. One hundred pictures provide a visual reference.