This story was written back in 1942, so it is rather dated as far as WWII history is concerned. The U.S.S. Lexington was a battle cruiser converted to an aircraft carrier while still in the shipbuilding process. This famous aircraft carrier was one of the handful the U.S. kept in the Pacific to hold back the Japanese onslaught at the beginning of World War II. Johnson details the life of the ship prior to her sinking. He interviews the crew and gets the feel for life aboard an aircraft carrier. Since he is writing in 1942, he details the force formation the Lex was sailing with, by saying Cruiser I, or Carrier II. Carrier II is obviously the Yorktown. References to the enemy are in a derogatory and rascist manner, so this sets the book back. This book gives a good feel to what is was like in 1942. The U.S. was battling for its life, and the enemy were evil. News was censored, so journalists couldn't not report everything. A nice read for a WWII era book.