Destroyer Squadron 21 (Desron 21) was the most decorated Navy destroyer squadron of World War Two. The ships of Desron 21, particularly the O’Bannon, were well known on the US homefront for their bravery and holding the line against Imperial Japan in those desperate, early days of the Pacific War and after the destruction at Pearl Harbor.
Largely unknown or forgotten today, author John Wukovits’ Tin Can Titans restores to their former glory the incredibly brave, if initially inexperienced, young men who stopped the Imperial Japanese juggernaut and gave the “arsenal of democracy” time to produce enough vessels to eventually turn the tide of the war.
Life on board the destroyers was very different to those who served on the larger carriers and battleships. The tight, cramped living and fighting quarters were closer to those on German u-boats that the destroyers hunted with depth charges and sonar than the vast expanse of a United States battleship.
Tactically, Wukovits explores the initial reluctance of the senior brass to adopt the use of the destroyers as offensive units instead of using them mixed in with other vessels or as escorts for cargo. Over time and through proving their mettle in battle, destroyers, called the “the cowboys of the fleet”, were allowed to go on the attack as complete units and were very successful in doing so.
While the story can at times get bogged down in 
naval terms and descriptions that may not be familiar to the lay reader, the action scenes are so vivid that one can taste the salty seawater, hear the screaming of kamikazes and smell the burning oil. This is where Wukovits’ writing really shines. Descriptions of men standing tall on the bridge one moment only to be tossed around, oil covered, badly burned and desperately trying to avoid drowning the next gives a dramatic feel for the very thin dividing line between life at sea and a watery grave. It was “A hell of a way to die” as the articulate yeoman of the Howorth, Orvill Raines, puts it in one of the most moving stories in the book. Nothing shows the bravery and courage of the men of Desron 21 more than their ardent desire to continue despite knowing the fate the could befall them and for all too many tragically did.
Through telling the story of the destroyers and men of Desron 21, Wukovits takes the reader on a tour of nearly every major action of the Pacific War. At times their duties were mundane and at times hellish but they were ever present. As Wukovits points out, Admiral “Bull” Halsey insisted Desron 21 be at the head of the naval party at the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay for this reason. Their dogged action and seemingly endless participation in the war against Imperial Japan from start to finish makes them a fine example of the bravery and excellence that the US Navy became known for in the Pacific and beyond. Wukovits’ account certainly does their memory justice and it is an important read about a vital contribution to US victory in the Pacific.
