So close to home: : a true story of an American family's fight for survival during World War II

Resource Information

The work So close to home: : a true story of an American family's fight for survival during World War II represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Jericho Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.

Label

So close to home: : a true story of an American family's fight for survival during World War II

Title remainder

a true story of an American family's fight for survival during World War II

Statement of responsibility

Michael J. Tougias and Alison O'Leary

Creator

• Tougias, Mike, 1955-

Contributor

• O'Leary, Alison
• Alexander, Elijah
• hoopla digital

Author

• Tougias, Mike, 1955-
• O'Leary, Alison

Narrator

• Alexander, Elijah

Subject

• World War, 1939-1945
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations | Submarine
• Downs family
• Shipwreck survival -- Mexico, Gulf of
• Survival at sea -- Mexico, Gulf of

Language

eng

Summary

A true story of men and women pitted against the sea during World War II?and an unforgettable portrait of the determination of the human spirit. On May 19, 1942, a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey fifty miles away from New Orleans. Captained by twenty-nine-year-old Iron Cross recipient Erich Wپrdemann, the submarine set its sights on the freighter Heredia with fifty-nine souls on board. Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there were also a handful of civilians, including the Downs family, consisting of the parents, Ray Sr. and Ina, along with their two children, eight-year-old Ray Jr., nicknamed "Sonny," and eleven-year-old Lucille. Fast asleep in their berths, the Downs family had no notice that two torpedoes were heading their way. When the ship exploded, Ina and Lucille became separated from Ray Sr. and Sonny.An inspiring historical narrative, So Close to Home tells the story of the Downs family as they struggle against sharks, hypothermia, drowning, and dehydration in their effort to survive the aftermath of this deadly attack off the American coast

Accompanying matter

technical information on music

Cataloging source

Midwest

Dewey number

940.545/1

Form of composition

not applicable

Format of music

not applicable

Literary text for sound recordings

other

PerformerNote

Read by Elijah Alexander

Target audience

adult

Transposition and arrangement

not applicable