The novel, Mister Roberts, was an instant hit after being published in 1946 and was quickly adapted for the stage and screen. The title character, a Lieutenant Junior Grade naval officer, defends his crew against the petty tyranny of the ship's commanding officer during World War II. Nearly all action takes place on a backwater cargo ship, the USS Reluctant, that sails, as written in the play, "from apathy to tedium with occasional side trips to monotony and ennui." This irreverent, often hilarious story about the crew of the Reluctant has enjoyed wide and enduring popularity. Heggen based his novel on his experiences aboard the USS Virgo in the South Pacific during World War II, and began as a collection of short stories. It was subsequently adapted as a play, a feature film, a television series, and a television movie. The film version with Henry Fonda, James Cagney and Jack Lemmon is one of the most well-known movies of WWII. About the Author Thomas Heggen wrote Mister Roberts as a young naval officer on board the USS Virgo in 1944. After the war, he struggled with writing after his early success and died tragically in 1949.

The men of the U.S. Navy's brown-water force played a vital but often overlooked role in the Vietnam War. Known for their black berets and limitless courage, they maneuvered their aging, makeshift craft along shallow coastal waters and twisting inland waterways to search out the enemy. In this moving tribute to their contributions and sacrifices, Tom Cutler records their dramatic story as only a participant could. His own Vietnam experience enables him to add a striking human dimension to the account. The terror of firefights along the jungle-lined rivers, the rigors of camp life, and the sudden perils of guerrilla warfare are conveyed with authenticity. At the same time, the author's training as a historian allows him to objectively describe the scope of the navy's operations and evaluate their effectiveness.
Winner of the Navy League's Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement in 1988 when the book was first published, Cutler is credited with having written the definitive history of the brown-water sailors, an effort that has helped readers better understand the nature of U.S. involvement in the war.

The 26th edition of The Bluejacket's Manual continues the tradition of previous editions of this iconic work by serving as both an introduction to neophyte U.S. Navy Sailors and as a career-long reference work for all who wear the Blue and Gold. Readers of previous editions will note two significant changes in this latest rendition.     The first recognizes the U.S. Navy's current emphasis on warfighting. While routine and administrative guidance--such things as uniforms, honors, and ceremonies, pay and benefits, standards of conduct, etc.--remain, this latest edition places greater emphasis on those aspects that Sailors are likely to encounter and must prepare for in the event of combat.   The first chapter is titled and focused on warfighting, reflecting the emphasis on "Warrior Toughness" in the training curriculum at Recruit Training Command (AKA "boot camp") at Great Lakes, Illinois. Readers will find that this training emphasizes the psychological as well as practical aspects of preparation, providing a kind of "philosophy" that is tailored to Bluejackets who may well find themselves facing the challenges inherent to combat operations. Other chapters in the book--such as Weapons and Damage Control--complement this emphasis.     The second major change to the book is its organization of information. The result is a more user-friendly book  As always, the major purpose of revision is to bring the included information relevant and up to date. Readers will find coverage of those aspects of the Bluejacket's world that are evolving. Such things as cyberwar and drones are now included with the emphasis on warfighting.     The Bluejacket's Manual, 26th Edition is a comprehensive yet manageable reference that will continue to serve the needs of the Navy and those who serve.