Scattered Far and Wide tells the war stories of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen from the Class of 1938. Commissioned on the eve of World War II, they faced the trials of combat as new officers from the early days of American involvement and as ships captains, pilots in leadership positions, and submariners in charge by VJ Day. Tested as young leaders, they bore the new burden of command while at the fore of the Pacific War’s largest and most pivotal campaigns. They felt the wind and spray in their faces and the percussion of ships’ guns and depth charges at the pivotal moment in their lives and careers, making their experiences unusually compelling, heartbreaking, and—most assuredly—instructive.  

From Pearl Harbor through the end of the war, these men fought and struggled for survival as part of the U.S. Navy’s Asiatic Fleet. In the early months of the conflict, they tried to stem the onslaught of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Some were captured and sent to brutal prisoner-of-war camps. Others took to the air from aircraft carriers as members of torpedo, bomber, and fighter squadrons during the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Later in the war, a number served aboard submarines, experiencing some of the most legendary patrols in the history of the Silent Service. 

Author Justin Laborde’s grandfather, Alden Laborde, was a member of the Class of 1938. Upon his death, Justin obtained a 1938 edition of The Lucky Bag, the Naval Academy’s yearbook. Reading the memoirs of Alden’s classmates, Justin realized he was well placed to tell the fascinating and unreported story of this class's experiences in World War II. He spent five years gathering primary materials and researching the histories and wartime tales. The young men who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1938 left Annapolis on the eve of war and faced its perils around the world. In the process, these junior officers earned medals and fame, left legacies of heroism and loss, and sparked tales of renown and bravery that reverberate today.

“If you visit Annapolis and walk into the Academy’s Memorial Hall, you will encounter plaques with the names of graduates who have been killed in action.  Nearly every class has lost someone, but most of those KIA lists are less than twenty inches in size from top to bottom.  The list of those lost from the Naval Academy class of 1938 would be measured in feet.  Maybe even yards.  There may have been classes that sacrificed as much.  But none sacrificed more.  Justin Laborde’s reflection on that class is stunning in its precision and scope, and belongs on the bookshelf of anyone truly interested in the most horrible war in human history."—Capt. William Toti, USN (Ret.), USNA ’79 and Co-host of The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast

"Capturing the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of the Class of ’38, Scattered Far and Wide is a tribute to the resilience of those who served in the Pacific War. Their stories of determination and leadership under extreme conditions exemplify the fighting spirit of our naval forces.  A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the true essence of heroism at sea."—Vice Admiral Ted "Slapshot" Carter Jr., USN (Ret.), USNA Class of ’81; 54th President of the United State Naval War College, 62nd Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy, President, Ohio State University 

"The United States Naval Academy has a long, proud history of classes replete with warriors rising to the occasion and defending this country's ideals and freedom when duty calls. The USNA Class of 1938 is not only an example of that, but a shining example. Thrust into the forefront of America's involvement in World War II, the Class of '38's graduates contributed mightily to the successful outcome of history's greatest war.  Author Justin Laborde expertly conveys the service and sacrifice of the Class of 38 by highlighting a handful of those brave men who were at the tip of the spear from Pearl Harbor and Midway to Okinawa. The author, Justin Laborde, is intimately aware of the service and sacrifice of the Class of '38, and thus the perfect person to convey their story, as his grandfather Alden, was a member of that storied class. Laborde expertly weaves the overall history that we do know with the personal stories of the grads of '38 that we don't know giving this illuminating and fascinating book a uniquely personal voice.  All of the graduating classes from Annapolis are deserving of our admiration, but the Class of 1938 stands above most, and this exciting new book does that class—and their sacrifice—justice."—Seth Paridon, Deputy Director, Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, co-host of The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast, and former Chief Historian at The National WWII Museum

"A nostalgic and intriguing read about a cadre of United States Naval Academy graduates during the interwar period, young men who commissioned into a world that would soon be on fire. From their days on the grounds of Annapolis, to the skies and seas of the second World War, Justin Laborde provides an intimate look at the lives of the USNA class of 1938 as midshipmen and officers, their triumphs and tragedies, and a perspective into some of the most critical events of the naval war that you not find anywhere else."—Capt. Stan Fisher, USN, PhD, Author of Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of Naval Air Power to the Pacific

"Justin Laborde is to be commended for researching and writing the story of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1938. This was one class of 438 Midshipmen who made up part of the “greatest generation.”  Little did they know on graduation day in Annapolis in June of 1938 that the next few years would test each and every one of them. Laborde chose a select group of men from the Class of 1938 and through a series of vignettes, starting with each subject’s biography and photo from the Lucky Bag, followed by a well-researched description of each individual’s contribution to the war effort in the Pacific. Most saw incredible combat and many experienced the horror of losing their ships and their shipmates. Some were terribly wounded, a few were taken as prisoners of war, and many died in defense of their country. The others fought on in many campaigns until the defeat of Imperial Japan. All exhibited the valor and courage that we wish to instill in all graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy.  Of the 438 midshipmen who graduated that June day in 1938, 86 served through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and 78 served thirty years or more in the United States Navy. A truly moving tribute to the Class of 1938 and worthy of a spot on your bookshelf."—Adm. James Foggo, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1981, former Commander EUCOM