"During World War II, a few oceanographers created the science of wave forecasting. Their efforts saved the lives of many servicemen who participated in surf landings on D-day and on Pacific islands. Thomas M. Mitchell was the student of one of those pioneers and had long interviews with several others. Those memories add to Mitchell's own knowledge of waves to make a personal and accurate account of a little known episode in the history of science and warfare."--George Forristall, co-founder of Forristall Ocean Engineering