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The Eagles Claw A novel of the Battle of Midway by Jeff Shaara, published by Ballantine Books is the winner of the 2022 W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction.

Shaara’s novel is a very well-researched account of the Battle of Midway which occurred June 4-7, 1942, between the naval forces of the United States and Japan. The Battle of Midway was the most crucial naval battle of World War II in the Pacific.

The author had done extensive research and provided the reader with an excellent overview of the actions of both sides during the battle. He has interviewed and researched five American individuals from Admirals to pilots to Gunnery Sergeants to a code breaker( who alone changed history). The Japanese side is represented by three Admirals who had very different roles. They too changed history.

When the battle was over the Japanese Navy was devastated by the loss of four aircraft carriers, one cruiser, several supply ships, 292 aircraft and over 2500 men killed. The American Navy lost one carrier (the Yorktown) and one destroyer, 145 aircraft and 307 men killed. The American victory inflicted a devastating loss to the Japanese Navy and Japan’s ambitions to defeat America and continue its expansion in the Pacific.