Under the Red Sea Sun

By: Edward Ellsberg

Narrated by: David Baker

A gripping first-hand description of the salvage operations at the port of Massawa on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea during the early days of World War II. When forced from the region, Italian troops had scuttled many ships to block the important harbour, which was vital to the British war effort. Ellsberg, an American salvage officer, was placed in charge and a small group of workers under his direction accomplished an almost Herculean task with virtually no resources. The book paints a realistic picture of confusion and incompetence in the early days of the war.

©1946 Edward E. Pollard and Ann P. Heilakka (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Ellsberg was brilliant.

The entire story of Ellsberg in Massawa is true. He was a brilliant salvor of cranes, docks. naval bases
and ships

Ellsberg 's grace under pressure.

BZ Radm Ellsberg, Bravo Zulu.

I will read/listen every one of your books.

I only wish I had been part of your team in Massawa.

The drama

Very dramatic telling of salvage operations in the Red Sea during WW II despite the highly technical descriptions.

Best Book I Have Ever Read!!!

This is a very interesting book describing the hardships encountered by very tough and brave men at the beginning of WW II. The author, Admiral Edward Ellsberg puts you right in the middle of a nightmare of a situation with such an amazing description of his adventures that you feel like you are right there. This has been my all time favorite reading book for over 40 years and now that I have had an opportunity to hear it, I love it even more. I can't believe that they haven't made a movie out of this true life adventure but I guess if they did, no one would believe it.

An unknown American Hero

I must say I am a little biased- I have read everything Edward Ellsberg wrote years ago. Few men tell a tale like the Commander. He has written outstanding historical novels on John Paul Jones and other American adventurers, as well as recorded his own Marine salvage exploits. Ellsberg has the gift of explaining very technical jargon in an easy to understand language that allows you to follow along with no problems. While Patton, MacArthur and Eisenhower were in the newspapers, Ellsberg was in the trenches. If Rear Admiral Ellsberg were not the man who wrote the book on Naval savage, and willing to serve his country when he was needed, the D-day invasion and North African campaigns may have turned out very different in deed. In this book, he nearly single handedly stood up an American Naval base in Massawa and restored the English war ship fleet as well as their merchant ship fleet supplying the North African campaign. The narrator does a great job and relaying the story in an easy to follow narration. I see only four of his books are recorded thus far, keep them coming, because my favorite "Captain Paul" is not listed as yet.