The Saltiest Ship in the Fleet By: John Kieft (111 pages) Reviewer:  Bernie Ditter Overall Rating:  Three Stars--Recommended. A solid effort. This book is one of easiest reads that I have been asked to review. I sat down on my sun porch with a glass of sweet tea to scan the book before reading it only to find that an hour later I was reading the bibliography on page 111. Every tin can sailor will step into John Kieft’s shoes as he walks for the first time the decks of his new home, the USS Morton (DD-948). I could visualize his first walk through even though I had been on a Fletcher Class. For many the Navy’s involvement in the Viet Nam war will come as a surprise, not because they were unaware of the action, rather because there was little or no coverage by the media nor many books written about it afterward. Kieft writes with little emotion about the day to day drill of being at sea, whether in battle of not and the occasional liberty. The weariness of almost two straight months of shore bombardment and the realization that there was no return fire almost gives him pause as he considers the fairness of it all. Many will appreciate his sensitivity as he recalls a shipmate lost at sea and his remorse that such a lost life was not considered a casualty of war, also his angst when learning that a prostitute is working to support her baby. Every war has its warts and Viet Nam was no exception. The author seems to have emerged with a better frame of mind than many; much to his credit and much to the fact that he was met with a heroes welcome upon his return. This book is a real story about real people and not intended to be a saga about great battles or heroic efforts by ordinary men. It is easy to accept that someone with this motivation and dedication would become the driving force for organizing the first reunion of the shipmates of the Saltiest Ship in the Fleet. Congratulations to the author for both. Book may be ordered through Amazon.com for $18.00 plus shipping.