USS Franklin: Honor Restored

USS Franklin: Honor Restored tells the extraordinary story of a hellish chapter in World War II naval history, centering on the titular ship, an aircraft carrier so large it made many members of its crew feel invulnerable. Known as “The Ship That Wouldn't Die,” the relatively new vessel was also a special target for Japanese dive-bombers, who attacked it relentlessly while it was stationed less than 100 miles off the enemy's coast, busily launching air strikes against the mainland. On March 19, 1945, a Japanese plane slipped through Franklin gunfire and successfully dropped a bomb, setting off the carrier's own explosives and flammable fuel, turning the enormous craft into an inferno, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of men. This account includes the still-shocking sidebar of the Franklin captain's accusation of desertion aimed at the many seamen and officers who were forced into the ocean by flames and smoke. Directed by Robert Child, this compelling documentary—narrated by Capt. Dale Dye—deftly mixes archival footage shot aboard the carrier and surrounding ships with recent interviews of surviving veterans of the conflagration. DVD extras include a conversation with Dye. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)