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. In the eighteen months between the spring of 1943, when the escort carriers began to prowl the Atlantic to November of 1944, the average number of U-boats in daily operation was reduced from 108 to a mere 31.

Written by World War II historian William Y’Blood, the book includes a discussion on the CVE’s development and construction as well as an examination of the ship’s tactical and strategic uses. Though land-based aircraft, various support groups, and the convoy system itself helped win the Battle of the Atlantic, the author shows beyond a doubt that the escort carriers groups’influence was profound and notable.

William T. Y’Blood, a former USAF B-47 pilot and historian for the Office of Air Force History in Washington, D.C., is the author of Red Sun Setting and The Little Giants.