I served aboard an ammunition ship from 1958-61 and did quite a bit of steaming in the North Atlantic. Mr. Poyer's description of the drudgery and effort of working in rough weather and 15-25 foot seas is vividly described. Almost every character on the "Ryan" had a twin on the AE19, USS Diamond Head, right down to the whale boat crew and stewards. I certainly can relate to the collision having lived through one with, coincidentally, the aircraft carrier USS Independence. The shock, the terror, the confusion, every emotion that the mind can conjur up came crashing from the pages. It literally brought me to the seat of my chair. I could feel the power of the carrier and frailty of our ship through Mr. Poyer's words. This is a gripping novel writen by a man that obviously has been there before. For anyone who has respect for the sea, this is a must. I can't wait to begin "The Med". Thank you Mr. Poyer.