GLENDALE, Ariz., March 1, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- War veterans with years of service often carry stories of brave acts of courage and sacrifice in multiple wars and military conflicts. However, it is not always war veterans themselves who have a story to tell. Even the ships that carry men to their fates in battle have interesting tales of war service. In his new book, From Stem to Stern: A Fletcher's Story (now available through 1stBooks), Joe Galligan offers a complete and thorough account of the life of the USS Colahan, a U.S. Navy Fletcher destroyer.
Galligan, who served on the USS Colahan DD 658 for four years, offers readers a detailed history of this ship from its creation in 1940 to its retirement in 1966. He offers this history in the context of the events that happened at the time of each deployment, and he explains why this ship was sent where it was. From Stem to Stern is also a testimony to the importance of the Fletcher class destroyer in American warfare history. Galligan documents the history behind this class of ship, including the role they played in the American Civil War blockades.
From the Colahan's mission in the South Pacific during World War II, a deployment to the Korean conflict several years later, a stint outside Thailand to prevent the spillover of the Laotian civil war and many other missions, the Colahan was a strong vessel, whose admirable service ended in 1966 when it became a target for pilot trainees and sunk into glory.
After nine years of intense research, Galligan presents From Stem to Stern, a gem of military history documentation. It is a testament not only to the vessels that turned the tide in many conflicts, but also a salute to the seaman, destroyer escorts, torpedo boats and frigates who served along side the Fletcher class.
Galligan entered the U.S. Navy in 1951 and was later assigned to the Colahan until his honorable discharge in 1955. He later served in the Air Force and completed jet engine school at Amarillo Air Force Base. He repaired engines until his military retirement in 1977, when he moved to Allied Signal Aerospace Corp. Galligan earned a bachelor's degree in management and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. Since his retirement in 1997, he has enjoyed studying naval history, traveling in his RV and fly fishing.
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