1. USS UTAH by Larry Anderson

USS UTAH: Forgotten Warrior of Pearl Harbor

By Larry Anderson
$17.00
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The USS Utah was one of the first ships torpedoed and sunk on December 7, 1941, in Pearl Harbor. She received three torpedoes and capsized within minutes, trapping crew members below the surface. Today, she still lies in her resting place with those members inside her. In the history books, shows, and movies of Pearl Harbor, the USS Utah does not get the recognition afforded to the USS Arizona, but she played a vital part in preparing many ships and men for World War II. She was a converted battleship, made into an auxiliary training ship used for bombing and gunnery practice.

USS Utah: Forgotten Warrior of Pearl Harbor explores the rich history of the Utah, including her earliest battles, her assignments to carry presidents abroad, and her final role, sinking in Pearl Harbor.

About the Author

Larry Anderson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1969 while in college and stayed in until 1978. He reenlisted in 1984 and stayed until 2005. Anderson was a crew chief on CH-46 helicopters with the rank of staff sergeant until 1990, when he became a warrant officer, later retiring as the assistant maintenance officer, chief warrant officer 4, in 2005.

In 1973 Anderson became a police officer, until retiring in 2005, the same year he retired from the Marine Corps after returning from Iraq. As a police officer, he held many positions: detective, motorcycle officer (traffic and accident investigation duties), SWAT member (twenty-six years), hostage negotiator (three years), crime scene investigator, and field training officer.

In his spare time, he enjoys camping, fishing, hunting, and traveling with his wife. Anderson assists with the 4-H firearm training program. The program teaches juveniles how to handle firearms safely, as well as target shooting techniques and competition shooting.

Published: 2025
Page Count: 184

Customer Reviews

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Michael D. Becker, Ph.D., Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (ret.)
A wonderful book, simply outstanding. The USS Utah is a must-read of true human drama.

There are few moments in American history in which the course of events tipped so suddenly and so dramatically as at Pearl Harbor on morning of December 7, 1941.

Thanks to Anderson and the USS Utah, we now have a complete and accessible story of this ship and the actions that engulfed her on December 7, 1941.

Anderson captures the culture of the Navy and the feelings of love and admiration of sailors for the ships on which they served.

Anderson’s early history of the USS Utah reflects the history of our nation as a whole, and its many changes that derived in large part from the changing role of the United States itself in the international community. The early portions of the book illuminate the changes--technological, institutional, and functional--of the 40 years that battleships dominated the U.S. Navy fleet.

In this absolutely riveting account of a key moment in the history of World War II, naval historian Larry Anderson paints an unforgettable portrait of ingenuity, courage, and sacrifice of the crew of the USS Utah.

His descriptions of the actions of the crewmembers during the morning hours of December 7 made me see the canted ladders below decks tilting, hear the water rushing in as Japanese torpedoes impacted the port side of the ship, and feel the explosions deep inside her.

This book is a gripping and engaging tale that describes the actions of ordinary men demonstrating extraordinary courage, presence of mind, and devotion to their ship and their shipmates in the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service as the ship capsized within mere minutes of the beginning of the attack on December 7, 1941.

Anderson’s account of the few moments from the beginning of the attack until the Utah capsized is masterful, weaving together the many disparate threads of actions of the sailors to both save their ship, which failed, as well as their lives and those of their shipmates.

Anderson’s work is an invaluable single-volume naval history of the USS Utah, her crew, and their final mission to save her.

A wonderful book, simply outstanding. The USS Utah is a must-read of true human drama.

His publisher is lucky to have him.