[1] James Fahey lived in the Bronx working as a cab driver and merchant marine sailor while he wrote for various publications on the subject of military ships and aircraft.

His disappointment at editors "butchering" his manuscripts caused him to self-publish the first edition of Ships and Aircraft of the United States Fleet in 1939.

[1] He carefully compiled data from unclassified sources and had a unique talent for presenting a great deal of information in compact, tabular format.

His softbound 48-page booklet sold for fifty cents, and gained public interest as World War II unfolded.

[5] Significant quantities were ordered by the United States Navy to train the officers and sailors mobilized to man the new ships.