The Original Tomcat a Fletcher Destroyer Goes to War By Jackson Sellers (496 pages, photos, drawings, maps) Reviewer:  Bernie Ditter Overall Rating: Two Stars--Some readers would enjoy it but many would not. This is the history of the Colahan (DD-658), a Fletcher Class Destroyer, during WW II.  The author, having served aboard her during the Korean War, was moved to learn more about her earlier exploits. With the help of numerous conversations and correspondence with officers and crew, diaries of certain crew members, review of ship’s logs and prodigious research of naval archives a living history of those times resulted. The author acknowledges that the book was “written in fondness and published privately for her fans”, thus limiting it’s interest to a broad readership.   While the product might be seen as something only a mother could love (although in this case only a former shipmate could love would be more appropriate), this reviewer admits a certain bonding to the result. Having served on both the Stembel (DD-644) and the Wedderburn (DD-684), both Fletcher class destroyers, during the Korean War and being a member of the Tin Can Sailor’s Association,  I will admit a bias to things pertaining to the destroyer navy. Ergo, other readers of this review may be similarly biased.  A gathering of generic information about the Fletcher Class will be of interest to many readers and the shared experiences of the former crew of the Colahan will be reminiscent of every tin can sailor’s tour of duty.   The history of the Colahan from her first battle at Kwajalein to her role as gatekeeper for the ships entering Tokyo Bay for the signing of the surrender documents (perhaps documents delivered by the Colahan herself!) places her in the middle of historic events. And, while the author also acknowledges a leaning towards emphasizing the negative, or not so positive, in this book, I would hope that the readers would come away, as I have, with a great respect for the crew and the officers who served during extraordinary times.