"As the captain of the USS MidwayI was never more proud of the young men, mostly teenagers, under my command. USS Midway:America's Shieldtells their story, straight from the flight deck. It's real American history everyone should know." --Rear Adm. Riley Mixson, U.S. Navy (Ret.), former captain, USS Midway "USS Midway:America's Shieldcarries the reader along from one great event of the latter twentieth century to another.

An odyssey fueled by remarkable young men from every corner of America. An inspiration to us all!" --Lou Reda, documentary filmmaker, History Channel The USS Midwayfirst set sail in 1945, with thousands of young men aboard. When it made its final return to port nearly fifty years later, approximately 200,000 sailors--with an average age of nineteen--had served on the aircraft carrier. The crew witnessed such significant events as nuclear threats during the Cold War, confrontations with Mao Tse-tung, espionage battles with the Russians, a fire that nearly sank the carrier, and the liberation of Kuwait. This collective memoir of the brave Americans who faced these threats while at sea provides a compelling story of empowerment and optimism. The book includes a memorial list of the 213 young Americans who were killed during forty-seven years of service. Scott McGaugh is the marketing director of the USS MidwayMuseum and a spokesman for MidwayUniversity, the museum's education program. In addition to discussing the subject on documentaries for the History Channel and other media outlets, he has written several books about the Midway.

McGaugh is a member of the Public Relations Society of America's Counselors Academy and has received the society's highest national award, the Silver Anvil. He earned a BS in political science from Arizona State University and studied international relations at Uppsala University in Sweden. An avid gardener and fly fisherman, McGaugh lives in San Diego, California. Cover photograph: Courtesy of USS MidwayMuseum.