HERO SHIPS

HERO SHIPS is a series of one-hour documentaries broadcast on the History Channel. Each episode tells an exciting, heart-rending, eye-opening, patriotic story of one of the great naval vessels in America’s history and her brave crew.

Of course, what makes a vessel great is the men who made her and the men who sail her. For instance, the U.S.S. Constitution out-fought and out-maneuvered all of the British and other ships that came against her. She did not have the biggest guns or the greatest size, but the Yankee shipbuilders and the Americans who sailed her made her such a legend that she not only survived, but she is still used today to train the best and the brightest in the United States Navy.

Unlike modern ships where computers do all the work, sailing the Constitution takes tremendous skill and teamwork. If one person fails to pull on the right sheets, anchor lines or other piece of equipment, it could cause harm to everyone else. So, it takes muscles, coordination and intelligence to sail her.

Some of the other ships honored are one that battles against incredible odds, had no defenses and yet supplied American troops, suffered extraordinary damage and continued to fight.

This series will delight history buffs and action movie fans. Quite frankly, although I have studied history, I did not realize the overwhelming odds these ships faced. Japanese battleships with much bigger guns, equipment and training, German U-Boats with numerical superiority, British admirals and their ships that ruled the waves, these are incredible stories. In fact, each one could make a terrific movie. One captain decides to let his ship continue to burn so he could continue to fight. Who does such a thing? These are men of strong faith and values. Men who pray for deliverance andtake care of one another.

This is a rewarding series worthy of commending and much more worthy of watching.