Since the beginning of the 20th century, destroyers have been all-purpose ships, playing vital roles in the war effort: from passing the mail at sea to screening larger ships from hostile torpedo attacks.

This book covers the 175 ships of the 2100-ton Fletcher class plus the 67 Allen.M Sumner-class destroyers commissioned during war, as well as the five vessels of the 45-strong Gearing class which saw action.

These were the definitive destroyers of the Pacific War, taking part in action from Guadalcanal through the concurrent occupation of the Central Pacific islands and New Guinea, to the recovery of the Philippines and the taking of Iwo Jima, and which bore the brunt of the kamikaze onslaught which reached its peak at Okinawa.

The author, Dave McComb, is the president of the Destroyer History Foundation.