{"product_id":"three-years-behind-the-guns-the-true-chronicles-of-a-diddy-box-paperback","title":"Three Years Behind the Guns: The True Chronicles of a \"Diddy-Box\" - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJohn B. Tisdale\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Commodore George Dewey's Asiatic Squadron sailed into Manila Bay on May 1, 1898 to defeat the Spanish fleet, it marked a major turning point in American history. Aboard Dewey's flagship, \u003cem\u003eOlympia\u003c\/em\u003e, one very young sailor with a keen eye and agile pen was writing it all down.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Having run away from home to join the navy in 1895, Jack Tisdale hoped that he would be lucky enough to land a berth aboard the \u003cem\u003eOlympia\u003c\/em\u003e--a modern steel protected cruiser and flagship of the US Asiatic Squadron. He ended up getting his wish, and a lot more than he bargained for. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Originally published in 1908--a decade after the events described--\u003cem\u003eThree Years Behind the Guns\u003c\/em\u003e is an amusing, gritty look at life aboard a man-o'-war at a time when the United States was on the cusp of becoming a great power. Though a memoir, the author writes with all the youthful exuberence of the age, describing his experiences with good humor and verve, even when they sound suspiciously apocryphal. There are literal fish-stories here, such as when Jack captures a two-foot long flying fish on the deck, or when his shipmate nearly loses a toe while doing some illicit angling. But there are also descriptions of more somber events, such as the death of a shipmate during gunnery practice, or the midnight wreck of a Chinese steamer. Stories of his adventures at various ports of call are myriad, crowned by his unique perspective on the Battle of Manila Bay as a member of the crew of \u003cem\u003eOlympia's\u003c\/em\u003e main guns.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Tisdale's ship, \u003cem\u003eUSS Olympia\u003c\/em\u003e, still exists to this day as a museum in Philadelphia, PA, where visitors may see how the decorative wood paneling and furniture in the officers quarters contrasts sharply with the painted steel and spartan decks of her crew quarters and engineering spaces. Like the ship, \u003cem\u003eThree Years Behind the Guns\u003c\/em\u003e is a hybrid--part solid fact, part work of art. Such beautiful mementos of our bygone history deserve to be maintained if for no other reason than as concrete reminders of how we got here.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e A portion of the sales of this edition of \u003cem\u003eThree Years Behind the Guns\u003c\/em\u003e will be donated to the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia for the continuing upkeep and maintenance of \u003cem\u003eUSFS Olympia\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 244\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.55 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 28, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49188470128792,"sku":"9781935228172","price":35.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8830\/4024\/files\/UklnVnlhdVY5SURSRmpqWHUxWW8wdz09.webp?v=1780430047","url":"https:\/\/thepinkflamingobooks.myshopify.com\/products\/three-years-behind-the-guns-the-true-chronicles-of-a-diddy-box-paperback","provider":"The Pink Flamingo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}