The Jersey Brothers : A Missing Naval Officer in the Pacific and His Family's Quest to Bring Him Home

The extraordinary, real-life adventure of three brothers at the center of the most dramatic turning points of World War II and their mad race to change history?and save one of their own. They are three brothers, all Navy men, who end up coincidentally and extraordinarily at the epicenter of three of the war's most crucial moments. Bill is picked by Roosevelt to run his first Map Room in Washington. Benny is the gunnery and anti-aircraft officer on the USS Enterprise , one of the only carriers to escape Pearl Harbor and by the end of 1942 the last one left in the Pacific to defend against the Japanese. Barton, the youngest and least distinguished of the three, is shuffled off to the Navy Supply Corps because his mother wants him out of harm's way. But this protection plan backfires when Barton is sent to the Philippines and listed as missing-in-action after a Japanese attack. Now it is up to Bill and Benny to find and rescue him. Based on ten years of research drawn from archives around the world, interviews with fellow shipmates and POWs, and primary sources including diaries, unpublished memoirs, and letters half-forgotten in basements, The Jersey Brothers is a remarkable story of agony and triumph?from the home front to Roosevelt's White House, and Pearl Harbor to Midway and Bataan. It is the story, written with intimate, novelistic detail, of an ordinary young man who shows extraordinary courage as the Japanese do everything short of killing him. And it is, above all, a story of brotherly love: of three men finding their loyalty to each other tested under the tortures of war?and knowing that their success or failure to save their youngest brother will shape their family forever Documents The Extraordinary Story Of Three Brothers In World War Ii, Describing The Rescue Mission Launched By The Elder Two When Their Youngest Brother Was Declared Missing In Action In The Philippines. They Are Three Brothers, All Navy Men, Who End Up Coincidentally And Extraordinarily At The Epicenter Of Three Of World War Ii's Most Crucial Moments. Bill Is Tapped By Franklin D. Roosevelt To Run The First Map Room In Washington. Benny Is The Gunnery And Antiaircraft Officer On The Uss Enterprise, One Of The Only Ships To Escape Pearl Harbor And, By The End Of 1942, The Last Aircraft Carrier Left In The Pacific To Defend Against The Japanese. Barton, The Youngest, Gets A Plum Commission In The Navy Supply Corps Because His Mother Wants Him Out Of Harm's Way. But This Protection Plan Backfires When Barton Is Sent To The Philippines And Listed As Missing-in-action After A Japanese Attack. Now It Is Up To Bill And Benny To Rescue Him. Based On Ten Years Of Research Drawn From Archives Around The World, Interviews With Fellow Shipmates And Pows, And Letters Half-forgotten In Basements, The Jersey Brothers Whisks Readers From America's Front Porches To Roosevelt's White House, From Pearl Harbor To Midway And Bataan, And From The Pacific Battlefronts To The Stately Home Of A Fierce New Jersey Mother. At Its Heart The Jersey Brothers Is A Family Story, Written By One Of Its Own In Intimate, Novelistic Detail. It Is A Remarkable Tale Of Agony And Triumph; Of An Ordinary Young Man Who Shows Extraordinary Courage As The Enemy Does Everything Short Of Killing Him; And Of Brotherly Love Tested Under The Tortures Of War.--jacket. April 1942, Luzon, The Philippines -- Benny -- Helen -- Bill -- Cabanatuan, Spring 1942 -- White House Map Room, April 1942 -- This Force Is Bound For Tokyo -- Barton, 1930-1941 -- The Perils Of Escape-and A Little Baseball -- A Brother's Burden: The Search -- Midway -- Under Siege: Jn-25 -- To Davao: En Avant! -- And Then There Was One: Uss Enterprise Vs. Japan -- The Other War: Army-navy Football -- Happy Days At The Penal Colony -- Winter's Grief -- Escape: Crime And Punishment -- Farewell To The White House -- A Tale Of Atrocities -- August 1943: Allied War Summit, Quebec, Canada -- Revenge On The Innocent And A Covert Plan -- Secrets Inside The Oxygen Tent -- Hero Of Bataan Vs. The War Department -- Bad Tidings -- Politics In Brisbane -- Proceed To Kwajalein -- The Best-laid Plans -- Initiation At Saipan -- Decampment -- September 1944, Lilac Hedges -- Hopes Dashed -- Setbacks -- Through A Prism: Macarthur's Return -- What Benny Knew -- The Oryoko Maru -- End Game In The Pacific -- A Sailor's Nightmare -- In The End, A Question Of Casualties -- And Sea Power -- No Peace At Lilac Hedges -- Final Hours. Sally Mott Freeman. Maps On Lining Papers. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 565-574). This extraordinary adventure of three brothers at the center of the most dramatic turning points of World War II is "liable to break the hearts of Unbroken fans, and it's all true" ( The New York Times ). They are three brothers, all Navy men, who end up coincidentally and extraordinarily at the epicenter of three of the war's most crucial moments. Bill, a naval intelligence officer, is tapped by FDR to set up and run his secret map room in the White House basement. Benny is the gunnery and antiaircraft officer on USS Enterprise , one of the few ships to escape Pearl Harbor and, by the end of 1942, the only aircraft carrier left in the Pacific to defend against the Japanese. Barton, the youngest, gets a plum commission in the Navy Supply Corps because his mother wants him out of harm's way. But this protection plan backfires when Barton is sent to Manila and listed as wounded and missing after a Japanese attack. Now it is up to Bill and Benny to find and rescue him... Based on a decade of research drawn from archives around the world, interviews with fellow shipmates and POWs, and half-forgotten letters stashed away in attics, The Jersey Brothers is "a captivating tour-de-force" ( San Antonio Express-News ) that whisks readers from America's front porches to Roosevelt's White House to the battlefronts of the Pacific. But at its heart The Jersey Brothers is a family story, written by one of its own in intimate, novelistic detail. It is a remarkable tale of agony and triumph; of an ordinary young man who shows extraordinary courage as the enemy does everything short of killing him; and of brotherly love tested under the tortures of war. " The Jersey Brothers shines in singularity. A blend of history, family saga and family questions, Freeman's book [is] a winning and moving success, and adds an authoritative entry to the... vast canon of war literature" ( Richmond Times Dispatch) . April 1942, Luzon, the Philippines Benny Helen Bill Cabanatuan, Spring 1942 White House Map Room, April 1942 "This force is bound for Tokyo" Barton, 1930-1941 The perils of escape-and a little baseball A brother's burden: the search Midway Under siege: JN-25 To Davao: en avant! And then there was one: USS Enterprise vs. Japan The other war: Army-Navy football Happy days at the penal colony Winter's grief Escape: crime and punishment Farewell to the White House A tale of atrocities August 1943: Allied War Summit, Quebec, Canada Revenge on the innocent and a covert plan Secrets inside the oxygen tent Hero of Bataan vs. the War Department Bad tidings Politics in Brisbane "Proceed to Kwajalein" The best-laid plans Initiation at Saipan Decampment September 1944, Lilac Hedges Hopes dashed Setbacks Through a prism: MacArthur's return What Benny knew The Oryoko Maru End game in the Pacific A sailor's nightmare In the end, a question of casualties and sea power No peace at Lilac Hedges Final hours Epilogue Afterword.