The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Her story spans 51 years (1961-2012) of active service from the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis to the first global cruise by nuclear-powered ships to the first strikes during the Vietnam War, battles against the Iranians and Iraqis in the 1980s and 1990s, a pivotal role during 9/11 and the Global War on Terrorism, and hunting pirates off the Horn of Africa. More than just an operational history of Enterprise, this book recounts the experiences of the men and women who served on board--the pilots who flew from the flight deck, the men who fought to save the ship during a fire in 1969, the sailors who brought retribution against Al-Qaeda terrorists--with detailed descriptions of sorties through flak-filled skies and harrowing escapes from capture behind enemy lines.

This is the compelling story of the most exciting and decisive battles fought under harsh Arctic conditions during the Second World War. Each battle is described in detail, with discussions of the various weapons and strategies that led to victory or defeat, and an analysis of how the battle affected the overall course of the war. The failure of early attempts to supply the Soviets with vital mat DEGREESD'eriel would eventually give rise to tensions among the Allies that would continue long after the end of the war, and would ultimately lead to the Cold War. Despite the fears of many men on both sides that they were being sacrificed for political expediency, their brave and heroic actions became an integral part of the war effort for each coalition.

The Arctic was a difficult and costly theater where battle was often characterized by massive convoys and lurking U-Boats. Some of the worst weather in history hit the Arctic in the midst of the war, making the elements as tough an opponent as any human enemy. The enormous scope of the war, combined with political and economic limitations to restrict the available resources of both sides. Evans's access to recently declassified documents and his use of the personal accounts and reflections of the men who fought there sheds an entirely new light on this often-neglected theater.