Storm Center

Book excerpt: The tragic shootdown of a commercial Iranian airliner by a U.S. Navy cruiser in 1988 drew worldwide attention and became the subject of a heated debate that continues even today. The man at the center of the controversy, the captain of the Vincennes, has until now avoided public discussion of the tragedy. With this book, however, he breaks his silence and gives a full accounting of what happened. Captain Will Rogers details shipboard events that led up to the firing of the Aegis missiles and describes the Navy's investigation of the incident. His wife, Sharon, tells about the upheaval at home in San Diego, and together they reveal the events that followed, including the March 1989 bombing of the van and the community's reaction. In telling his story, Rogers brings into sharp focus the cold realities of the speed, complexity, and ambiguity of modern high-tech warfare and the stresses placed on those who must instantly react to life-and-death situations while operating state-of-the-art electronic equipment. On a more intimate level, the book presents a vivid picture of an ordinary couple thrust into the midst of extraordinary circumstances: A skipper boosting the morale of his crew while privately struggling with his own despondency and facing the scrutiny of the media and the judgment of his peers and superiors. A devoted wife, mother, and teacher trying to hold her family together while coping with threatening phone calls, aggressive reporters, and a frightened administration at the school where she taught. Epic in scope, Storm Center is a story of love and terrorism, laughter and tears, fear and courage, and of the inner strength of two determined people who weather every storm and learn how to carry on with their lives. -- Inside jacket flap.