Lucky Lady

Steve Jackson’s Lucky Lady chronicles the saga of the aircraft carrier Franklin, the light cruiser Santa Fe, and their tragic encounter on March 19, 1945, when a Japanese bomber broke through U.S. air cover and dropped two 500-pound bombs on the Franklin. Fires were set off as ammunition and fuel exploded. The Franklin was near sinking, with all her 2,500 sailors in mortal danger. To the Japanese high command, American aircraft carriers represented supreme power. If several could be sunk, it might vanquish America’s resolve. Against this backdrop, the Santa Fe, nicknamed the “Lucky Lady” for its unparalleled record of avoiding casualties throughout the war, came steaming to the Franklin’s aid. In a maneuver heralded as one of the greatest feats of seamanship in naval history, the Santa Fe bellied up alongside the listing tinderbox of the Franklin, rescuing more than 800 sailors who were ferried across rope catwalks as flames on the burning sea licked at them from below. Despite the risk of being swamped by the much larger ship, the Lucky Lady remained alongside the Franklin, helping to shepherd the crippled vessel toward safety. Meanwhile, in the skies above, a vicious battle was fought, as the Franklin was stalked by Japanese planes eager to finish off their kill. In a haunting conclusion, Jackson measures the sacrifices and the triumphs of the two ships. This book is a fitting memorial that will move readers everywhere. 8 pages of black-and-white photographs heighten this dramatic saga.