A Good and Favorable Wind

📖 The Scoop

Submarine drama, maritime tragedy, innovation, unique circumstances, resilience in adversity, leadership, teamwork, wisdom and personal growth-this book has it all.

In May 1921 the submarine R-14 departs Pearl Harbor on an emergency mission to search for the US navy ship Conestoga, lost at sea with 56 souls aboard. But in a harsh twist of fate, the rescuers themselves fall into peril, stranded 140 miles from the nearest port with no fuel. Now young Annapolis grad Alexander "Dean" Douglas, the submarine's Acting CO, must rally his tired and discouraged crew to return safely to port.

In a stirring burst of ingenuity, the crew of R-14 rig sails to makeshift masts and set sail for home. The journey is painfully slow and conditions on board early submarines were cramped, hot, and uncomfortable. But the crew perseveres, and R-14 makes it home to Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii, where the crew is greeted with surprise and national news coverage. As far as is known, R-14 is the only submarine in modern times to have completed a deep-ocean voyage under sail.

Now Douglas and his crew face a searching inquiry into the responsibility for an embarrassing failure. Navy ships aren't supposed to run out of fuel at sea! The evaluation is in the hands of the talented, conscientious and demanding Commander Chester W. Nimitz, later to lead the US Navy to victory in the Pacific in World War Two and still revered as the greatest admiral in US history. The identification of root causes, and how Nimitz handles the resulting fallout, is an instructive model for effective leadership in any organization in any era.

A fast, compelling read that would make a fabulous movie, this is a must-buy for a dozen different audiences: naval history buffs, submarine enthusiasts, military professionals leadership and management thought leaders, innovation experts, fans of adventure and wilderness stories, and anyone who enjoys a good story well told.

Contains nearly fifty high-resolution original photographs of R-14, her crew, and her sister boats, including many never previously in print. A map shows R-14's track, and two full-color diagrams by renowed submarine illustrator Jim Christley illuminate the boat's design (see above and inside).

Genre: History / Military / Naval (fancy, right?)