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Title: S.S. Leopoldville Disaster: December 24, 1944 by Allan Andrade, Richard Rockwell ISBN: 1-890309-54-0 Publisher: Tern Book Co. Pub. Date: July, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.8 (25 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: A compelling story of courage in the face of disaster
Comment: This book is a compelling memorial to the men of the S.S. Leopoldville. Mr. Andrade describes the lives, the loves, the hopes and dreams of some of the young men who found themselves on the ship that fateful day. He describes the self-interest of the crew and the self-sacrifice of many of the soldiers. He details the terror as the vessel slowly began to sink and soldiers had to leap from the Leopoldville to rescue ships, only to jump at the wrong time and fall to their deaths in the frigid and choppy Channel that evening. The book brings home the terrible price of that tragedy and reminds us of the lives that were given in the struggle to enable us to continue to live in a free country.

Rating: 5
Summary: A Book that is a Serice to the contry as well as a good read
Comment: "'Hey, I'm alive!' Drew blacked out. When he came to, he found himself on a beach, naked protected only by a raincoat thrown over him. He heard a faint voice 'Throw him in there too.' Drew, realizing that they thought he was dead, yelled." This is just one of many harrowing tales of a life and death struggle resulting from the sinking. "SS Leapoldville Disaster, December 24, 1944" is the story of this troopship loaded with American troops being rushed to the help in the Battle of the Bulge. It was sunk barely five miles from shore taking with it 763 American servicemen. The book consists of many short stories detailing individual accounts of the disaster. Even the Introduction has 38. These were compiled from hundreds of interviews and research. Andrade includes many actual copies of letters. Perhaps the most moving are letters from parents to their sons before they knew they were dead. One story in particular is very moving: "Lt. Gene Barwick died that night. They never recovered his body. Each Christmas Eve reminded Barwick's parents of his death. His young bride eventually remarried and had two children but 20 years after her first love's death, she took her own life on a Christmas Eve." Many who died were only 18 to 21 years old and came from 47 of the (then) 48 states. All are listed by state in the In Memoriam Section at the end of the book as are the survivors.

This disaster was kept secret for many years. It was understandable during the war but not so afterwards. Allan Andrade has done a service to the nation and to the families of those lost with his book. It is well done, and an easy read - well worth your time!...

Rating: 5
Summary: Superb
Comment: This true story of the souls lost and those who lived on from a World War II disaster is unequalled in military history. There is probably no other single incident in WW2 that compares to or involves so many lives in so many states, stories that continue on to this day. The stories Andrade provides, and his writing ability place you on the Leopoldville on Christams Eve, 1944, the day it was lost.