Ghost Ships: The Feat and Tragedy of Arctic Convoys in World War II

In 1941, the first Arctic convoy, sent to the USSR by the allies—Great Britain and the USA—arrived in Arkhangelsk. Its fate turned out to be successful, unlike that of another convoy—the infamous PQ-17. The prehistory, misadventures, and consequences of this convoy's voyage are the subject of William Geroux's book.

On July 4, 1942, when convoy PQ-17 received the order to scatter, four ships from its ranks, separating from the others, headed further north into dangerous Arctic ice. The endless polar day did not give the sailors a break from bomber attacks, enemy submarines followed the ships, and off the Norwegian coast loomed the formidable battleship "Tirpitz," the largest battle ship of the Kriegsmarine—Germany's naval forces. But despite all the risks, the remnants of PQ-17 continued on their way to deliver valuable cargo to the Soviet Union...