Casten has a goal he shares with many writers before him and many that will follow: a desire to show the heart of the story. USS Helena was a cruiser used in the US military during World War II. It fought many battles and won and lost and retreated. Its rounds killed enemies and enemy rounds killed its crew. But all of this can be found in military records, newspapers, and in historians' works. What you can't find there, and what Casten attempts to bring to the fore, is the emotional turmoil, the camaraderie, and the bonds forged on this formidable vessel.

By means of personal memoirs of his time on the cruiser, Casten uses USS Helena to show the reader the joys and pains he, his crewmates and his friends experienced in those turbulent times. The work is, unabashedly, subjective, and written like hearing the story from the man himself. Casten gives us an inside look at the people, machinery, and events that are the heart and soul of the cruiser.

Casten invites us all on a personal walk through the history of a historic cruiser, and does it with friendly style. Whether you are learning about the war second hand or using this to reminisce about your own time in the war, USS Helena has a lot to offer and is worth the read.

TB Koskie
T&R Reviews

Author Biography

Ray J. Casten

Author Biography Coming Soon!