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MWSA Review
For those who don’t know much about the United States Coast Guard, All Present and Accounted For fills a void by explaining some of the history of the branch of service as well as detailing the harrowing near-death experience of the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Jarvis in 1972 when it was in danger of sinking with all hands.
The Preface sets the stage by adding context to the time frame in which the story takes place. Part One tells the story of the man for whom the cutter was named, an interesting side trail that could be a book in its own right and shows the kind of heroics that result in a ship being named for you. Introductory chapters in Part Two include information about Frederick Wooley, who captained the ship during its time of near annihilation, and a general discussion of Coast Guard history along with the particulars of the building of the high-endurance cutter that became the subject of this book. Those of us who know little about the Coast Guard also get a glimpse of the commissioning ceremony for USCGC Jarvis in Hawaii, before the cutter leaves for its first Alaska Patrol in September of 1972.
What follows, however, is the type of sea tale that can keep you on the edge of your seat as Craig tells the hour-by-hour account of the blinding snowstorm, high seas, and tempestuous winds that result in damage to the ship—leaving it without power and being driven toward the rocks of Akutan Island, Alaska. Although the final result (spoiler alert is the book’s title) was known, I found myself caring about the crew members, following their thoughts, cringing at their hardships, and wondering if the cutter itself would survive or sink.
History buffs will find plenty of footnotes, documentation, and appendices. More casual readers will enjoy the well-written account which includes quotes and remembrances of the men who served on the Jarvis during this ordeal. Although the maps were somewhat small, I enjoyed using maps online to zoom in on particular areas and follow the voyage in its larger context.
Review by Betsy Beard (February 2020)
Author's Synopsis
IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER – one of the coldest periods to be on a ship near Alaska. The Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis had run aground during a severe storm and was taking on water. The engine room flooded, disabling the engines. Mountainous seas and gale force winds pounded the Jarvis, and to make matters worse, the ship was floating toward a rocky coastline that would surely destroy it and probably kill most, if not all, of the men. The ship’s captain ordered an emergency message be sent to the Seventeenth Coast Guard District Office in Juneau requesting Coast Guard assistance. But there were no Coast Guard assets near enough to provide immediate help. At 7:04 pm, for one of the few times in Coast Guard history, a MAYDAY call for help would come from a Coast Guard vessel. This is the incredible story of the grounding and near sinking of the USCGC Jarvis and how her crew fought to save their ship – and themselves – from disaster.
ISBN/ASIN: 9781555719647
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 278