EDITOR'S NOTE

--S.E. Smith, 1966

     More than twenty years have passed since the conclusion of World War II, and in that time a new generation has grown to manhood--a generation which, there is ample evidence to believe, has little knowledge of those epic events which culminated in the Japanese surrender aboard U.S.S. Missouri.  One feels concern--and did three years ago when this book was first conceived--that this should be so.  Then, as now, it seemed wholly incongruous that a war which produced not only awesome Allied battle casualties, but the incineration of six million persons by the Third Reich, should be so little known by men of, or nearing, the age of combat in Vietnam.  This history has been assembled, therefore, with the hope that it will enlighten them about one vital aspect of that war--the role of the U.S. Navy during America's four long years of participation.
     My guidelines were long and firmly established by the distinguished historian, Rear Admiral Samuel E. Morison, whose multi-volumed History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II and written shortly thereafter; by Captain Walter Karig's Battle Report; and by the U.S. Naval Institute's volumes, Destroyer, and Submarine.
     The substance of the history is largely personal narrative with running commentary and connective.  Should the reader detect any flaws--if indeed flaws there are--they are the imperfections of men whose personal involvement took precedence over mere battle technicalities.  Although an old Navy hand might take me to task for omitting nostalgic touches, I believe that what happened in the wardroom and living spaces should be relegated to one's memories rather than included in a serious work.
     I owe a profound debt of gratitude to several persons for their selfless efforts on my behalf.  First, to my good friend Rear Admiral Ernest M. Eller, Director of Naval History, for his enthusiastic cooperation and assistance in rounding up otherwise unobtainable permissions and for spending long weekends studying the material as it was being integrated into a manuscript; without his assistance it would not have been possible to accomplish my mission.  My gratitude is also due Mr. Dean Allard of the Naval History Division for liberal use of the Navy Archives; Lieutenant W.F. Rope, USN, who chose the photographs; Lieutenant Commander D. K. Dagle, USN, who served not only as coordinator with the Navy Department and Department of Defense, but in addition found time to serve as cartographer of the volume; and Mr. Walter Greenwood and Mr. Fred Meigs of the Navy Department Library, Washington, D.C. for their always available consultation services; and to Mr. L. HArry Brague, Mr. Robert D. Loomis, Mr. Alfred Rice and Mr. Noah Sarlat for their unstinting efforts in the roundup of permissions; and to Mr. J. C. Willey, Editor-In-Chief of Wm. Morrow & Company for his esprit and stout heart in helping make a difficult undertaking a reality.

S.E. Smith
New York, N.Y.
1966

From: The United States Navy in World War II
Editor's Note
Compiled and Edited by S.E. Smith