We have driven through Bath, Maine for many years and the sight of the huge cranes and the shipyard spread along the Kennebec River were a unique landmark we looked forward to seeing. What they do in that shipyard is build the finest Naval warships in the world. This book takes you through every step of the process from the arrival of steel plate stock on railroad cars to the launching of a guided missile cruiser four years later. The final chapters take you through trials, testing, and the commissioning of the ship in Philadelphia. You can't help but be amazed by what those five thousand plus people accomplished. It is an great story told by a remarkable author. If you love Maine, ships, our Navy, and the sea, you will enjoy this book.