| The, USS O Leary never existed. No destroyer ever had thatname nor the hull number DD 200. However, the O Leary s storyis based on the experiences of the thirteen destroyers of theAsiatic Fleet during the first months of World War II. The de-scription of the battles and the ships that fought in them are asauthentic as possible, based on battle reports, the sources listedbelow, eyewitness accounts, and the memories and notes of oneof the authors, who served on the destroyer John D. Ford. TheO Leary has been added to the forces that actually took part inthe various engagements in such a way as not to alter accuratedescription of the battles. In most cases, the Allied forces were so inferior that the presence of the extra destroyer would havebeen of little consequence. The officers and men of the O Leary are fictitious, with person- alities and problems created by the authors. These characters are similar in many respects to the real men who manned the Asiatic Fleet destroyers. Those officers and men were a varied lot, mostly veterans, who made the most of their old ships. Their courage was above that required in the line of duty, their endur- ance under difficult weather and living conditions was outstand- ing, and their devotion to their country and to their Navy was deserving of the highest-honor. Two destroyers, the John D. |
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