Fighting Amphibians!

At 17, Thomas Howard, an Irish kid from the streets of San Francisco's Mission District joined the United States Navy at the height of World War Two. He went through the rigors of Navy Boot Camp, trained on Diesel engines, and was assigned to the engine room of one of the Navy's newest vessels, the LSM (Landing Ship Medium.) This is his story and the story of the thousands of young men who went to war in 1944. Prepared to land on hostile beaches and deliver Marines in the face of the enemy, these Sailors took pride in being known as "Fighting Amphibians.'" Using original deck logs and archive documents, this is the story of LSM 250 and the men who made her an effective fighting ship.

Using original U.S. Navy deck logs, historical newspapers, and numerous source documents, this is an extensively researched personal story of my father, Thomas B. Howard, who served as a Motor Machinist Mate 1st Class aboard Landing Ship Medium (LSM) 250 which deployed to the South Pacific during World War Two. It is simultaneously the authentic account of one vessel of the mighty Pacific Fleet. LSM 250 represents the thousands of lesser-known ships that operated at the height of the conflict. This is not a tale of Admirals or Battleships, but of very young officers and sailors who did the unglamorous, but vital work that ultimately brought victory.

Colonel (Retired) Bart Howard, US Army, is a native of California. He earned a B.A. in history from Santa Clara University, a M.A. from American Military University and the U.S. Army War College. He is a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College. He has commanded at every level from Platoon (16 Soldiers) to Brigade (3500 Soldiers). He has served in combat in Desert Storm and Afghanistan. In his final assignment, he was a Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. After the military, he was an Emergency Management professional in Europe and the USA. He has published in professional journals and has lectured at the Institute for International Strategic Studies, Cornell University, Santa Clara University and the US Air Force Academy. He is married to a USAF officer and has three sons.