The Depths of Courage: American Submariners at War with Japan, 1941-1945
Flint Whitlock
Language: English
Pages: 448
ISBN: 0425223701
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Chosen by WWII History magazine as one of the Best Books of the Year.
In the dark days after Pearl Harbor, the small, illequipped arm of the Navy known as Submarine Force would stand between the shattered U.S. Pacific Fleet and the might of the Japanese Navy. Unfortunately, the spirit and courage of the Submarine Force is being forgotten as the veterans of that force pass into history.
To preserve their heroic tales of war beneath the sea, critically acclaimed author and military historian Flint Whitlock, in collaboration with decorated World War II submarine veteran Ron Smith, set out on a journey of more than two years to interview submariners and to record their accounts before the memories of their endeavors are lost forever. These are their stories.
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Japanese were present as “honored guests” at the surrender.2 In a very brief ceremony at which no smiles or handshakes were exchanged, the Japanese representatives dutifully signed the instruments of surrender, followed by the American witnesses, and then MacArthur said, “I now declare these proceedings closed.”3 Seaman Bernard Schwartz, who had been in a submarine relief crew and would soon be known as the actor Tony Curtis, recalled viewing the ceremonies through binoculars from the nearby
forward torpedo room with its four or six torpedo tubes (and, when armed for a combat patrol, sixteen torpedoes), fourteen hinged bunks suspended by chains from the walls, or bulkheads, and an overhead hatch leading to the forward escape trunk, or compartment; during combat operations the bunks were swung out of the way to maximize working space. Submarine battery. (Whitlock photo) Near the center of the boat was “officers’ country”—the cramped living quarters and dining area for the
sailors absorbed everything the Japanese could throw at them in an all-day battle but refused to yield; each man knew the importance of denying the strait to the enemy. There was no rest for anyone that night as Yamamoto’s ships returned after dark on 13-14 November for what they hoped was the final thrust. Japanese cruisers and destroyers closed in and blasted Henderson Field and the American ships, but with the dawn, the Yanks were still fighting back with unbroken resolve, unleashing once more
himself a nice Mohawk haircut), and went to the Base Exchange to buy the brightest, loudest Hawaiian swim trunks they could find. Smitty also saw a doctor for his leg wounds, then limped down to the beach, chased some aggressive gooney birds out of the shade of a war-scarred palm tree, and stretched out on the white sand. He gave some thought to writing some letters home; his dad, his grandmother, and Shirley had all written to him and asked why he hadn’t replied. What do I say? he thought. If I
matériel. Sixteen American submarines had been lost during 1943—up from just a half dozen the previous year—but Lockwood’s force had reported sinking 422 enemy vessels during that twelve-month period.38 The United States was gearing up to push deeper into Japanese-held territory. On New Year’s Day 1944, aircraft from Rear Admiral Frederick C. “Ted” Sherman’s carrier task group bombed a Japanese convoy escorted by cruisers and destroyers off Kavieng, New Ireland; the next day U.S. Army troops
