Hunter Killer US Escort Carriers in the Battle of the Atlantic

by William T Y'Blood
This book, first published in 1983, has been brought back under the Naval Institute Press Bluejacket Series.The pursuit of German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic has long been considered one of the most exciting stories of World War II. This definitive study takes readers into the cockpits and onto the flight decks of the versatile and hardy U.S. escort carriers (CVEs) to tell of their vital, yet little-known contribution to the anti-U-boat campaign. Sailing apart from the Allied convoys, the CVE captains had complete freedom of action and frequently took their ships on "hunt and kill" missions against the enemy. The German submarines were allowed no respite and no place to relax without the fear of discovery.
World War II historian William Y'Blood explains that in the eighteen months between the Spring of 1943, when the escort carriers began to prowl the Atlantic, to November 1944, the average number of U-boats in daily operation was reduced from 108 to a mere 31. Though land-based aircraft, various support groups, and the convoy system itself helped win the Battle of the Atlantic, the escort carrier groups' influence was profound. In addition to documenting the escort carriers' exciting operational history, the author also traces the CVEs development and construction and examines its tactical and strategic uses. 332 pages. 45 photographs. 26 line drawings. Paperback. 6 x 9 inches.

During the 1980s, Mr Y'Blood wrote three definitive works on naval history, this being one of them. 
The author's writing style has a very polished feel, making his work eminently readable. The narrative in this book is excellent, with the reader feeling they have received both an education and a enjoyable read.
The only disappointment on Mr Y'Blood is that the Naval Institute Press has not been able to have him write more works of naval history. 
This book is available through your local book store on a number of online services. An attempt to locate it on the difficult to navigate Naval Institute Press website was unsuccessful. It is hoped that the Naval Institute will come up with a more user friendly website. The existing site is probably driving away book buyers.