
Iron and Fire
The Pacific War Story of Destroyer Captain Bruce McCandless
Bruce McCandless(Author)
Bruce McCandless III(Editor)
Naval Institute Press
Will be published approx. on 26. November 2026
Book
Hardback
284 pages
979-8-89241-045-8 (ISBN)
Description
Iron and Fire is a newly recovered firsthand account of the U.S. Navy's Pacific war, told by a Medal of Honor-winning officer who fought from Pearl Harbor through Okinawa. Offering an unfiltered view of combat at sea-its decisions, costs, and consequences-the memoir preserves the lived experience of naval warfare through one of the most punishing operational tempos in American history.
In 1941, the fire of war met the iron of duty, and a generation of heroes was born. Iron and Fire is the newly discovered World War II memoir of Bruce McCandless-a Medal of Honor recipient, career naval officer, and firsthand witness to the U.S. Navy's most punishing campaigns in the Pacific. Written by an officer who fought from the opening moments of the war through its final battles, this recently recovered account offers an unfiltered view of the naval war in the Pacific.
McCandless was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the fleet burned and the United States was thrust into global war. From that day forward, he served aboard the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA 38), which became one of the most decorated ships of the war, and later commanded the destroyer, USS Gregory (DD 802). The memoir follows a relentless operational tempo-from the uncertain weeks after Pearl Harbor through the grinding campaigns that carried American forces across the Pacific.
McCandless captures both the strategic scope and human cost of the war at sea. The narrative traces his path from a childhood shaped by naval service, through the U.S. Naval Academy, and into sustained combat. He fought in convoy operations, night surface engagements, and survived the violence of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal. As the war progressed, he went on to help force Japanese withdrawals from Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians and faced kamikaze attacks during the bloody invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Following the war, McCandless continued his naval career until he retired in 1952 at the rank of Rear Admiral.
Dictated later in life to his daughter as wartime injuries took their toll and set aside for many years, this remarkable firsthand account offers a unique and authentic voice that, like those of E.B. Sledge or William Leckie, echoes across time.
In 1941, the fire of war met the iron of duty, and a generation of heroes was born. Iron and Fire is the newly discovered World War II memoir of Bruce McCandless-a Medal of Honor recipient, career naval officer, and firsthand witness to the U.S. Navy's most punishing campaigns in the Pacific. Written by an officer who fought from the opening moments of the war through its final battles, this recently recovered account offers an unfiltered view of the naval war in the Pacific.
McCandless was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the fleet burned and the United States was thrust into global war. From that day forward, he served aboard the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA 38), which became one of the most decorated ships of the war, and later commanded the destroyer, USS Gregory (DD 802). The memoir follows a relentless operational tempo-from the uncertain weeks after Pearl Harbor through the grinding campaigns that carried American forces across the Pacific.
McCandless captures both the strategic scope and human cost of the war at sea. The narrative traces his path from a childhood shaped by naval service, through the U.S. Naval Academy, and into sustained combat. He fought in convoy operations, night surface engagements, and survived the violence of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal. As the war progressed, he went on to help force Japanese withdrawals from Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians and faced kamikaze attacks during the bloody invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Following the war, McCandless continued his naval career until he retired in 1952 at the rank of Rear Admiral.
Dictated later in life to his daughter as wartime injuries took their toll and set aside for many years, this remarkable firsthand account offers a unique and authentic voice that, like those of E.B. Sledge or William Leckie, echoes across time.
Reviews / Votes
"Iron and Fire provides a rare and candid perspective from Bruce McCandless, whose manuscript has been diligently brought to life by his grandson. From Pearl Harbor to the end of the war, the McCandless story combines wit and humor with a deep understanding of the war's significance and his role in it, creating a moving reflection of the war in the Pacific." - Kali Martin Schick, Senior Historian at The National Medal of Honor Museum"Vivid and concisely written, McCandless's near-photographic memory paints for us an unstinting portrait of sailors and ships in combat. His wry voice likewise reveals an individual of profound wit, humility, and humanity. Highly recommended." - Jon Parshall, author of 1942: Crux of WarMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Annopolis
United States
Product notice
With dust jacket
Illustrations
6 Maps, 28 B-W Photos
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
979-8-89241-045-8 (9798892410458)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
RADM Bruce McCandless, USN (Ret) was a career U.S. Navy officer and Medal of Honor recipient. Commissioned in 1932, he served aboard two cruisers and destroyers before assignment to USS San Francisco in 1939. He later commanded USS Gregory. He retired in 1952 and is buried at the Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, MD.
Bruce McCandless III graduated from the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. He went on to earn an M.A. from Reading University in England and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He is the author of the memoir Wonders All Around and-with space journalist Emily Carney-Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, From Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between. He lives in West Lake Hills, TX.
Bruce McCandless III graduated from the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. He went on to earn an M.A. from Reading University in England and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He is the author of the memoir Wonders All Around and-with space journalist Emily Carney-Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, From Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between. He lives in West Lake Hills, TX.