Captain Sheppard McCloud, an American naval hero from the attack on Pearl Harbor, struggles to overcome both his physical and psychological injuries when he is selected for a new command on a vital mission. He must tackle the demons in his mind and the painful, lingering, injuries he suffered when Japan attacked on December 7. McCloud's been tapped to command the US Navy's latest capital ship, the Argonne, in the early phases of World War II. He needs to follow his new orders while keeping his fears secret.

A commander's life isn't easy; McCloud faces a host of challenges and decisions as he assumes total responsibility for the ship and crew. He's aware that his every move, behavior, and decision influences the men he leads in battle; for it is their performance as the sum total of the ship's character that is the weapon deciding outcomes. Carefully researched to accurately depict the US Navy during World War II, Sheppard of the Argonne follows the exploits of Sheppard McCloud during a hypothetical war at sea. It presents rare insight into the command of a capital ship at war, showing how it tests the captain's leadership as enemy submarines and aircraft attack, culminating in that rarest of historical actions, a gun duel between capital ships.