Authors on Deck: John J. Domagalski

In the March edition of the United States Navy Memorial’s  “Authors on Deck” book lecture series, author John J. Domagalski will read from his latest work, Sunk in Kula Gulf: The Final Voyage of the USS Helena and the Incredible Story of Her Survivors in World War II  (Potomac Books; September 2012). Using a wide variety of sources, including previously unpublished firsthand accounts, Domagalski brings to life this amazing, little-known battle of Kula Gulf from World War II.

The early morning hours of July 6, 1943, found the USS Helena off the Solomon Islands in what would later be known as the Battle of Kula Gulf; however, the ship’s participation in the battle came to a swift end when three Japanese torpedoes suddenly struck.  One hundred and sixty-eight sailors went down with the ship, many never surviving the initial torpedo hits. As the last of the Helena disappeared below the ocean’s surface, the remaining crewmen’s struggle for survival had only just begun. Sunk in Kula Gulf tells the epic story of the Helena’s survivors.

Following his presentation, Domagalski will be available for a Q&A session and book signing.