Descent into Darkness: Pearl Harbor, 1941-A Navy Diver’s Memoir by Edward C. Raymer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A memoir of the first year of the war, written by a veteran after the fact. Does a great job of filling in some of the “day in the life” of being a sailor at that time. This is the second book I’ve read by someone stationed in Pearl Harbor, and it’s odd to hear how the place was universally hated by military personnel. It wasn’t yet the paradise it is today.

The strength of this title, and the reason I sought it out, lies in fleshing-out the specifics of the life of a diver. The gear, the conditions, and the unique problems of diving on the wrecks of Pearl Harbor, such as hazards of jagged metal, poisonous gases, floating bodies, etc.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting information on those who did the preliminary work of resurrecting the battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor and returning them to the fight.

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