U. S. Submarines in World War II:
An Illustrated History of the Pacific Submarine War 
By Larry Kimmett & Margaret Regis
Larry Kimmett
and Margaret Regis have produced an outstanding compilation of
facts, figures and harrowing stories which serve to underline
the incredible heroism of our WWII submariners. 25% of the men
and boys who shipped out on sub patrols never came back. Told in
an engaging and well presented fashion, no library without this
book can consider itself complete on the subject. Highly
recommended. You'll finish it in one sitting, but refer to it
again & again. Amazon
Review
The Luck Of The Draw - The Memoir Of A World War II Submariner: From Savo Island To The Silent Service
By C. Kenneth Ruiz,
John Bruning
Click-BANG...Click-BANG...not just another war story. You start
off in an out of control crash dive to your imminent death and
Kenneth Ruiz has you immersed in a Tom Clancy styled epic, the
only difference, this is a real life and death struggle. Not
only does the crew have to battle the Japanese but they are
also fighting the antiquated USS Pollack. You won't have the
author giving you family history like a lot of other military
authors, instead you are with the crew 250 feet below the
surface being depth charged or on the surface , with the spray
in your face, charging after the enemy. For the movie goer
there is 'DAS BOOT', for the reader there is Kenneth Ruiz's 'The
LUCK of The DRAW'
Amazon.com review
In the Course of Duty:
The Heroic Mission of the USS Batfish
By Don Keith
Over
many years, I have read every book on submarines that I could get
my hands on. Without reservation "In The Course Of Duty" is in
the top three of the best. This book takes you through some of
the most daring situations that a reader will ever experience.
And the placing the boat in an Oklahoma Bean Field gives you an
insight on the guts and wisdom of US Navy submariners past and present. Amazon.com Review
U.S. Subs Down Under: Brisbane 1942-1945
By David Jones, Peter Nunan
U.S.
Subs Down Under is an excellent reference work about an
important part of the war in the Southwestern Pacific during
WWII. It is thoroughly researched and the writing is clear and
accessible.
Jones and Nunan sort out the complexities of the two major
operating commands in the Pacific theater; in the Southwest
Pacific, under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur
in Australia, and those commanded in the rest of the Pacific by
Admiral Nimitz from his headquarters in Pearl Harbor. Because
submarines and other forces were constantly moving from one
command to the other, it is sometimes difficult to determine who
reported to whom from one month to the next, and Jones and Nunan
are a great help in keeping track of who was directing submarine
missions.
U.S. Subs Down Under also provides a great deal of detail about
shore-based support of the submarines operating out of
Australian ports; the rest facilities, repair facilities, and of
course the degree to which the citizens and government of
Australia both encouraged, fed, and entertained submarine
sailors. The book also includes many details about the tasks
submarines performed besides sinking enemy ships: in landing
coast watchers, rescuing downed aviators, evacuating civilians,
reconnaissance, and supporting invasions forces.
Jones and Nunan also provide statistics on the patrols and
sinkings of individual submarines (including the dates of their
patrols and the names of the Japanese ships they sunk) and the
dates, names and circumstances of each submarine that was lost
during the war in the Southwest Pacific theater of operations.
U.S. Submarines 1941-1945
By Jim Christley
Osprey's
new Vanguard Series offers an unrivalled illustrated reference
on fighting vehicles, transport and artillery through the ages.
Each volume is illustrated throughout making these books
uniquely accessible to all serious students and enthusiasts of
military history.
Author Jim
Christley retired from the US Navy in 1982 as a senior chief
petty officer, having served on seven submarines ranging from
diesel to nuclear fast attacks to ballistic missile boats. A
student of US submarine technical history, he has written
numerous articles and a book on the subject, in addition to
providing technical illustrations to several notable books on
submarine design and history. He is based in Connecticut, USA
US Submarine Crewman 1941-45
By Robert Hargis
This
book takes a close look at the "Dolphins" of the US Navy
submarine force, it covers recruitment, training, service
conditions and combat experiences, and discusses the effects of
advances in torpedo technology on crew roles. The Japanese
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 battered the
surface fleet, but the submarine force escaped unharmed. It was
up to the "Silent Service" to spearhead the naval war against
Japan, cutting her supply routes and neutralizing her naval
threat. By August 1945, US Navy submarines had made 488 war
patrols. The achievements of the "Silent Service" were not
without consequence - 3,500 American crewmen lost their lives.
The Last Patrol
By Harry Holmes
This
book is not intended to be an exhaustive account of the 52
American submarines lost in WWII, but provides a concise basic
reference. There is a brief chapter, in chronological order, for
each sub giving a summary of its war history, a description of
how it was lost and two and a few photographs of the sub and
perhaps some of its crew and related ships (e.g., Japanese ships
it sank). Appendices include a summary of all the losses in two
pages and a summary by submarine of the losses each one
inflicted on the Japanese. One important missing element in the
submarine loss charts is an analysis of the cause of loss; a
significant number were actually lost to sea conditions (e.g.,
running aground), systems failures or friendly fire, as opposed
to combat. While the precise cause of loss, if known, is
included in each sub's story, it would be enlightening to also
have a summary in the appendix. Also a chart mapping the loss
locations would provide another useful perspective. Recommended
as a reference for looking up the "quick story" of each of these
gallant crews and boats.
Amazon.com review
Red Scorpion
The War Patrols of the USS Rasher
by Peter T. Sasgen
This
book provides a wonderful protrayal of life onboard a WW II
fleet submarine. The essential facts about a submarine's
systems, equipment and operational environment are carried forth
on top of the human experience of a submarine sailor. The author
provides abundant technical detail without ever losing site of
the human aspects of war. Through the use of abundant first
person information from the veterans themselves this book comes
alive and makes you feel as if you are part of the crew. For me
this is WW II history at its best. While this book is a specific
history of a single submarine it also provides a representative
picture of life aboard a WW II submarine. Such unit and ship's
histories are so much more readable than the battle monographs
or big picture campaign histories that the publishers seem to
prefer.
Amazon.com review
Hellions of the Deep
By Robert Gannon
Silent
Victory contains a fair amount of data regarding the torpedo
problems experienced by the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet Submarine
Force during the Second World War. Hellions of the Deep goes
into considerably more detail regarding the background to those
problems and their solutions -- both bureaucratic and
engineering -- and how U.S. torpedo technology literally moved two
generations ahead during wartime. This is truly a magnificently
researched book about the torpedo development in the US Navy.
Mainly focused in the WWII period, the book details all the
problems that plagued US torpedoes and the way they were solved.
This is a great book. Every person interested in WW II naval
technology, submarines or naval weaponry shall be delighted with
it. Amazon.com Review
Gallant Lady:
A Biography of the USS Archerfish
By Ken Henry, Don Keith
She
looked like just about like the other diesel powered, Balao-class
submarines crafted in the '40s. But there the similarity ends.
Because the Archerfish--named for a fish that kills its victims
with a lethal blast of water from below--won a unique, heroic
place in military history and the memories of her crew members.
Here too, is the story of her officers and enlisted men, who
waited years to serve on the Archerfish. In their own words,
these men tell how, against all odds, they sent a Japanese
aircraft carrier to the ocean floor . . . served in peacetime in
the Navy's only all bachelor crew . . . steered their ship into
exotic ports all over the world . . . welcomed B-girls, Japanese
war veterans, royalty, Playboy bunnies and a goat aboard ship,
with equal hospitality. As they helped their sub outlast fires
and even an earthquake, they worked hard, played hard and lived
even harder.
An extraordinary real-life odyssey, Archerfish is a vivid,
unforgettable portrait of submariners' life.
Amazon.com review
Overdue and Presumed Lost:
The Story of the USS Bullhead
By Martin Sheridan
The
USS Bullhead was the last American naval vessel lost in World
War II. This history of the submarine-from launch to
disappearance-is told by the only war correspondent allowed on a
wartime submarine patrol. Narrow escapes from floating mines,
fast dives to avoid enemy aircraft, and a daring sortie to
rescue three badly hurt survivors of a downed B-52 are just a
few of the adventures Martin Sheridan recounts. Trained as a
feature writer, he shares his own experiences as well as the
humorous and poignant incidents of everyday life aboard the
submarine to capture that intangible spirit of camaraderie and
sense of impending danger.
First published
in 1947, the narrative is based on a journal the author kept
during the Bullhead's first war patrol in March and April 1945
and supplemental information from official Navy reports. The
book, supported by a unique collection of period photographs,
describes the perilous undersea war in the Pacific as only a
firsthand account can.
Amazon.com review
The Bravest Man:
The Story of Richard O'Kane
& U.S.
Submariners in the Pacific
War
by William Touhy
The
title of The Bravest Man refers to Richard O'Kane, the most
successful American submarine commander in the Second World War.
While this book focuses on O'Kane's wartime career on the
submarines USS Wahoo and USS Tang, it also examines the careers
and exploits of other successful American submarine commanders
in the Pacific War. A reader might wonder why another book on
O'Kane's career is necessary, given the availability of O'Kane's
own book, Clear the Bridge in 1977, as well as Clay Blair's
Silent Victory and Theodore Roscoe's US Submarine Operations in
World War II. The justification for a new book on O'Kane is
provided both by the style and the manner in which the author
chooses to deliver this story. Unlike other accounts, which tend
to be rather meticulous but dry, the author succeeds in painting
a wartime sea saga on a vivid canvas, with the protagonist
contending not only against the enemy, but the sea itself, an
interfering shore-based naval bureaucracy and even defective
torpedoes. In these pages, O'Kane and his peers appear as human
beings, not just ciphers in a tonnage-sunk chart. Amazon.com review
Slade Cutter:
Submarine Warrior
by Carl Lavo
Slade
Cutter's heroic feats as an athlete and World War II
submarine commander left an indelible mark on the U.S. Navy.
From a humble upbringing on a Depression-era farm in
Illinois, he became one of America's most formidable and
decorated officers of the war, earning four Navy Crosses and
a Presidential Unit Citation as the commander of a submarine
in the Pacific that sank twenty-three ships. His brilliant
tactics and unusual exploits are the stuff of legends, yet
no biography has been previously published about him. Now,
with complete and exclusive access to Cutter, who lives in
Annapolis, journalist Carl LaVO presents a remarkably candid
portrait of the storied captain. He draws on countless
interviews with Cutter and with many of his shipmates and
admirers, as well as a few detractors. Cutter's own views
about his naval career and the inner ticking of the Navy's
hierarchy are always forthright and make a unique and
memorable contribution to the official record.
Amazon.com review
United States Submarines
By David Hinkle
The
submarine, first introduced to America’s fleet in 1900, is today
a 300-foot-long, 30-foot-wide vessel filled with some of the
world’s most sophisticated technology and courageous, skilled,
all-volunteer personnel. In each submarine, over 100 crew
members work together for months at a time to protect U.S.
interests around the world. Written by an outstanding team,
United States Submarines contains essays on submarine history
and today’s submariners, focusing not only on the subs,
torpedoes, and related technologies but especially on the people
who make it all work. Full-color and vintage photography,
portraits, recruiting posters, and historically inspired
paintings complement the riveting text.
miAmazon.com
reviewlitary
history
The Navy
by W.J. Holland
Honor,
courage, and commitment are more than just words to those who
serve the nation as sailors in the United States Navy; they are
core values. Written by an outstanding team of historians,
authors, experts, and distinguished retired naval officers, The
Navy is a riveting account of the U.S. Navy experience. Essays
focus on naval history, today's fleet, ships and weapons, and
the people who make it happen. Full-color and vintage
photography, portraits, recruiting posters, and historically
inspired paintings accompany the text. Past and present sailors,
their families and friends, and the countless others who have
been inspired by the exploits of the U.S. Navy are sure to
cherish this handsome volume.
Amazon.com review
Wolf Pack:
The American Submarine Strategy
That Helped
Defeat Japan
by Steven Trent Smith
A
valuable addition to anyone's naval library. Information gleaned
from much research by the author. Details of each pack's patrol
never seen before. Also of interest were the many trials and
tribulations that Admiral Lockwood faced in getting the proper
equipment for his submarines. The FM Sonar (Hell's Bells)
enabled the subs to get into Japan's backyard (Sea of Japan) for
the first time. The first wolf pack there sank some 28 ships and
were only able to get into the Sea by using the untested in
combat, FM Sonar. Other details were uncovered by the author
such as the Navy's use of a grid system in numbering the areas
of the Pacific and the publication of a doctrine for submarine
commanders which was a document similar to the German "The
U-Boat Commander's Handbook."
The terror felt by crew members when undergoing an attack or
transversing a minefield was well described by the author as was
the real comradship only felt by elite units of the military in
times of danger. Humor was added as well to make the book real
as were many direct quotes from commanding officers and Admiral
Lockwood.
A sure bet and a must have for all historians. Amazon.com
Review
The Submarine: A History
By Thomas Parrish
For
centuries people dreamed of navigating under the sea, but it was
not until the beginning of the twentieth century that inventors
succeeded in developing practical submarines. With the coming of
World War I, nations saw something entirely new in war: the
deadly effectiveness of underwater craft, with German U-boats
threatening to starve Britain and bringing the United States
into the war, thus proving underwater battles more important
than the great battles fought on land. A generation later
U-boats repeated the struggle in the Atlantic, while in the
Pacific U.S. submarines literally put Japan out of business.
Then in the nuclear age, the true submarine became the most
powerful weapon of war ever created—the weapon that
paradoxically kept the peace.
Now, military
historian Thomas Parrish tells the story of those who first
dreamed of underwater ships; of the practical and ingenious
inventors and engineers who created and developed the submarine;
of visionary naval strategists; of famous skippers on all
sides—steel-nerved men like America’s Dick O’Kane, Germany’s
Reinhard Hardegen—who wielded this weapon; of the famous and
infamous deeds of boats like the U-20, the Wahoo,
and the nuclear-powered Nautilus and George Washington;
and of the tragedies that befell boats like the American
Thresher and the Russian Kursk. Parrish’s compelling
narrative blends strategy, high policy, technology, heroism, and
perilous adventure.
Amazon.com review
The Rescue:
A True Story of Courage and Survival in WW
II
by Steven Trent Smith
By
1944, forty Americans--missionaries, escaped POWs, and sugar
growers--had been hiding from the Japanese for nearly three
years in the mountainous Negros Island. They moved frequently
from one primitive hideout to the next, ever in danger,
subsisting on what little the locals could spare. When word came
that a U.S. sub, the Crevalle, was on its way to save them, they
endured a hundred-mile trek through jungle and swamp to the
rendezvous point. But their rescue was just a cover for a
mission of much greater strategic importance. As MacArthur and
Nimitz pushed the Japanese back, island by island, they put to
flight Admiral Koga Miniechi, commander of Japan's powerful
Combined Fleet. Miniechi carried with him the detailed plans for
the "decisive battle" at sea that Japan had been working on for
decades. But his plane crashed and the plans washed up on a
Philippine beach. They soon found their way to an extraordinary
American guerrilla leader, who risked everything to get them to
the rendezvous with the Crevalle. Now all that remained was for
the sub to survive a harrowing 1,500-mile voyage through
enemy-infested waters with the Americans and secret plans
aboard. Amazon.com review
history submarine, submarines
U.S. Submarines Through 1945:
An Illustrated Design History
by Norman Friedman
A highly illustrated (b&w) account
of the development of US submarines that begins with small
submarines such as David Bushnell's Revolutionary War Turtle
and the Civil War Hunley, which weak navies hoped could
help them face down their far more powerful enemies, and ends
with the big fleet submarines that sank the Japanese merchant
fleet and contributed mightily to winning the war in the
Pacific. Appendices describe the development of two vital
technologies that helped determine the course of submarine
development: engines and periscopes. Annotation copyright Book
News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Amazon.com
reviewmilitary
history submarine, submarines
Silent Victory:
The U.S. Submarine War Against
Japan
by Clay Blair
At
long last . . .
The re-release of the definitive resource of the US submarine
operations in World War II. This edition is the softcover
version of the acclaimed study of one of deadliest of all naval
conflicts. The appendix contains all records regarding the
skippers, submarine patrols by location and date as well as
total tonnages. A must have for any student of the subject.
Wahoo : The Patrols of America's Most Famous World War II Submarine
by Richard
O'Kane
WAHOO
tells the story of USS Wahoo (SS238) as told by her former
Executive Officer. This is the story of the life and death of
one of the best submarines and Commanding Officers that served
in the Pacific Theater of Operations.Written by a man who would
go on to glory as Commanding Officer of his own boat (USS TANG),
Richard H. O'Kane tells a gripping and factual tale of how the
boat went from being a nondescript boat to the best in one
patrol. Dudley W. Morton, who took command of the Wahoo after
her second patrol threw away the book of instructions and
rewrote submarine doctrine for all the others to follow.
Amazon.com review
US SUBMARINE OPERATIONS IN WW II
by Theodore Roscoe
UNITED
STATES SUBMARINE OPERATION IN WORLD WAR II is the first book in
the US Naval Institute's WW II history series, planned to give a
full account of naval operations by officers who were
participants, both in the Allied and Axis navies.
"Sub Ops" was
prepared by Theodore Roscoe from official records, patrol
reports, and material assembled by submarine force historians
under the supervision of RADM R.G. Voge, US Navy. Here is a
complete and dramatic story of how US submarine crews fought in
and helped win the greatest undersea war in history, holding the
deep sea line in the Atlantic and sweeping enemy shipping from
the Pacific Ocean.
Amazon.com review
military
history submarine, submarines
United States Destroyer Operations in WW II
by Theodore Roscoe
Clear the Bridge!
The War Patrols of the USS Tang
by Richard O'Kane
By
the time of Tang's launch in 1944 most of the early war torpedo
problems had been solved and better radar and tactics were in
place. Submarine technology was state of the art, and the
bright, aggressive officers like Dick O'Kane were the remaining
element to gain ultimate success."Clear The Bridge" provides a
well written and concise chronology of the operations of the USS
Tang. O'Kane personalizes Tang's history by including some of
the stories of the men who served on her.
Amazon.com review
Final Dive
The
Gallant and Tragic Career
of the WW II Submarine USS Snook
By Rick Cline
This is a well
written story of the life and times of the Submariners on the
USS Snook. I found it difficult to put down. Original letters
from sailors on the Snook gave it a personal flavor and a since
of what the men went through while at sea. Their thoughts and
hopes and dreams of life after the war and during their tours,
one going so far to to say that the real heroes were the Marines
and soldiers that fought in the jungles and in Europe, never
once thinking that he too was one of the heroes of this war to
end all wars. The story of the Snook is a tragic tail of the
life of underwater warriors and it gives the readers an insight
to life aboard a US submarine and the hell that is war.
Amazon.com review
U.S.S. Tang (SS-306):
American Submarine War Patrol Reports
By J.T. McDaniel
U.S.S. Wahoo (SS-238):
American Submarine War Patrol Reports
By J.T. McDaniel
U.S.S. Cod (SS-224):
American Submarine War Patrol Reports
By J.T. McDaniel
U.S.S. Barb (SS-220): American Submarine War Patrol Reports
By J.T. McDaniel
Individual
editions of submarine patrol reports
from four of America's
fightin'est boats of the silent service to ever prowl for enemy
shipping in the Pacific during World War II. These books are a must have
for any serious student of World War II submarine warfare.
Thunder Below!
The USS Barb Revolutionizes
Submarine Warfare in WW II
by Eugene Fluckey
If you read but one
WWII submarine memoir, be it this one. Far from a dispassionate
account of the exploits of a successful submarine skipper, with
Thunder Below, you are there. I've read many a book about
submarines; but Fluckey's lively and coherent style makes it
much easier to understand life aboard a WWII sub. Most other
books, O'Kane's for example, I'd recommend for students of
history or submarine warfare. Not this one. Anyone who likes a
good tale, be it fiction or non-fiction, could like this one.
And it's not just his account he presents either; it's also
richly filled with accounts from the Japanese, other American
subs, and an illegal diary kept by one of his crewman. So a
balanced, all around perspective is given that is lacking in
other memoirs. Fluckey's presentation of an American wolf pack
attack that decimated a Japanese convoy unknowingly filled with
Allied POW's (and some of their subsequent rescue) is one of the
most moving stories I've ever read. Amazon.com review
Silent Running
My Years on a WW II Attack Submarine
by James Calvert
Calvert's
memoirs of his early career in submarines make excellent
reading. Fresh out of Annapolis and submarine school, he began
his long underwater hitch as an ensign aboard the USS Jack
and finished World War II nine patrols later as executive
officer of the USS Haddo. During this service, he made a
name for himself as a torpedo shooter, helped train dozens of
new officers and men in the intricacies of submarine warfare,
married his Annapolis sweetheart and fell in love with an
Australian girl, and at war's end (which was nearly that of his
naval career, too) took an unauthorized sight-seeing jaunt to
Tokyo in September 1945. All of this he describes vividly and
with what can best be called the qualities of an officer and a
gentleman, which he certainly is.
Amazon.com review
Submarine!
by Edward L. Beach
Welcomed as the first book about
American submarines in World War II to be written by a man who
actually fought them, this compelling personal account of the
war beneath the sea firmly established Edward L. Beach's
reputation as a writer in the early 1950s. Given the survival
rate of those in the silent service, it is a story many
submariners did not live to tell. In fact, most of the crew of
Beach's boat, the USS Trigger, were lost soon after he left for
another assignment. A veteran of twelve war patrols, Beach's
luck held out, and he authentically recaptures the moments of
elation, desperation, and numbing fear that were part of the
daily lives of these warriors as they hunted down the enemy in
the Pacific.
Beach helped
sink the Trigger's first ships and survived more than his share
of exploding depth charges from avenging warships. In the book,
he weaves the story of his own boat with equally thrilling tales
of other battle-hardened submarines and the brave and determined
men who fought them against the Japanese. Beach's readers share
in the destruction of five destroyers in four days and join in
the deadliest game of all--stalking other submarines. They also
come to understand the terror and uncertainty of being at the
other end of the pursuit, silently sweating out depth-charge
poundings in a leaking boat. For an authentic account of what
went on under the waves, this book remains one of the very best.
Amazon.com review
Take Her Deep!
A Submarine Against Japan in WW II
by I.J. Galantin
This
work doesn't challenge "Run Silent, Run Deep" as the classic of
submarine warfare even though Commander Beach writes the book's
foreward, but it makes a good attempt. Cdr. Gallantin deserves
five stars not only for his account of battle but also for all
the other contemporary background information he provides about
U.S. submarines in general, about Navy personnel (both officers
and enlisted men), about submarine customs, about submarine
tracking equipment, submariners' family life as well as onboard
life, and so on. For those readers interested in World War II
submarine action, this is a very good book, probably the best
currently in print. The only problem I had was the size of the
book, which is one of those economy pocketbooks which snaps shut
on you if you loosen your grip, and also makes you stretch the
tight book open to read to the end of lines on the left page; I
would have much preferred reading it in a larger format, say a
softbound 6x9" on quality paper. But, despite all this, the
Commander wrote a good story backed up by some post-war
analysis/information which fortunately is now declassified and
available to Gallantin and other World War II authors.
Amazon.com review
Wake of the Wahoo
The Heroic Story
of America's Most Daring WW II Submarine, USS Wahoo
by Sterling
J. Forest
Wake
of the Wahoo by Forest Sterling is a great read! Reading this
engrossing book is actually more like sitting down with the
author, and listening to him as he relates the five patrols he
experienced on the Wahoo. We should be thankful that he received
his orders for transfer before the 7th and fatal final patrol.
Forest Sterling
was an enlisted sailor- the 'yeoman' aboard the Wahoo. His
descriptions of long, sometimes very boring days on patrol,
broken only by the tense, gut-wrenching episodes of discovering
the target, tracking, stalking, and finally attacking, and
evading, draws the reader into the clamy, sweaty, smelly,
claustrophobic innards of a fleet submarine. No details are left
to the imagination; Sterling recounts eating a particular
sandwich at a moment in time; he describes his 'yeoman's' shack
in minute detail. The yarns he spins on the personalities of his
shipmates (including officers), is worth the read alone. His
colorful insights of 'Mush' Morton, Dick O'Kane (also author of
another Wahoo book, and Skipper of the Tang - the sub that sank
the most tonnage in WWII), among others, is just plain fun to
read about.
Footnote;
Forrest Sterling also served on another sub after Wahoo, along
with George Grider, who ALSO wrote a very good book on WWII
subs; 'WAR FISH'. Sterling 'mentions' Grider in his book, but I
don't recall if Grider ever re-called Sterling.
Amazon.com review
Salt and Steel
Reflections of a Submariner
by Edward L. Beach
The
latest volume by this outstanding American naval writer is both
a collection of essays and the closest thing to autobiography
Captain Beach is likely ever to give us. He writes with his
usual freshness, grace, compassion, and well-informed opinions
on his own life, his father's career, Admiral Rickover (who was
indispensable to the nuclear propulsion program but impossible
to deal with on the personal level) and the intrigues that cost
him his promotion to rear admiral, and the role of the U.S. Navy
in the twenty-first century, concerning which he also suggests
reforms. Along the way, he tells anecdotes about his marriage of
more than 50 years, his wartime service, the origins of several
of his novels and of the characters in them, and the
complexities of having the nuclear submarine Nautilus
christened by Mamie Eisenhower. If this should be Beach's last
book, it fittingly concludes his career as writer and seafarer.
We can most sincerely say, "Sailor, rest your oar."
Amazon.com review
Unrestricted Warfare
How a New Breed of
Officers Led the
Submarine Force to Victory in World War II
by James F. DeRose
DeRose
has a unique skill that transports the reader to a time and
place that he or she can not imagine. When I entered the armed
forces in WWII, serving on a submarine was easily on the bottom
of my list. After reading "Unrestricted Warfare" I now better
understand the rational for my decision. DeRose draws a stark
and honest picture of unrelenting stress, anxiety and
vulnerability for the officers and enlisted men as they embark
on their submarine patrols. The heroic stories of the lives of
several submarines and their crews left me engaged, exhausted
and thrilled. These men had to have been half-crazy to volunteer
for such service. We do, however all owe them an undying debt of
gratitude for their contributions to the defeat of the Japanese
in the Pacific. DeRose's book is a must read.
Amazon.com
review
Pigboat 39
An American Sub Goes to War
by Bobette Gugliotta
This fine book,
written by the wife of a submarine officer who served on S-39,
provides a unique look at the lost world of late-1930's
submarine duty in the US Navy's *Asiatic Fleet* as well as early
war patrols. Tales of pre-War submarine training and Navy life
and liberty in the Philippines and China set the backdrop for
the story. Unlike some WWII submarine books this one includes
lots of perspective from the sailors, and their wives and
sweethearts, as well as the ship's officers.
I recommend
this book highly to everyone interested in naval and submarine
history. It's a chance to look beyond the *big picture* of
strategies and admirals to recall the importance of the
day-to-day struggle to persevere and succeed even when
circumstances or equipment are not ideal. Even though S-39 was
not the ideal vessel to aggressively pursue the Imperial
Japanese Navy in early 1942, her officers and crew lived by a
code articulated, many years later, by none other than Miss
Piggy: *You gotta go with whatcha got.*
Amazon.com review
War Beneath the Sea
Submarine Conflict During
WW II
by Peter Padfield
Peter
Padfield is the best British naval historian of his generation
now working. [This] book . . . will now become the standard work
on the subject.––John Keegan.
A fascinating and great contribution to the entire lore of
submarines.––Capt. Edward L. Beach, USN (ret.), author of Run
Silent, Run Deep.
War Beneath the Sea is
the definitive account of one of the most turbulent—and
crucial—chapters of World War II. This is the first book to
cover all the major submarine campaigns of the war: British,
American, German, Japanes, and Italian. Padfield's
suspense-filled battle accounts vividly capture the tension and
challenge of war beneath the sea. Amazon.com review
USS Pampanito:
Killer Angel
by Gregory Michno
There
have been many books written about individual US Navy submarines
during World War Two in the Pacific, but almost invariably they
are written from the viewpoint of the commander or executive
officer. "USS Pampanito: Killer-Angel" is different. This is a
book which, for the most part, tells the story of a submarine at
war through the eyes of her crew, the men who kept her engines
running, who scanned the skies for enemy aircraft when surfaced,
who strained to load the torpedoes into her tubes during convoy
attacks.The book is well illustrated with maps of the combat
operations plus numerous photographs of crewmembers, both as
impossibly young men during their war and as elderly veterans
visiting their boat during a recent crew reunion."USS Pampanito:
Killer-Angel" is an excellent look at ordinary men on an
ordinary submarine during an extraordinary time. Amazon.com
review
Nothing Friendly in the Vicinity
My Patrols on the Submarine
USS Guardfish During WW II
by Claude C. Conner
Conner,
who served as a Radar technician aboard the USS Guardfish,
weaves a compelling tale of his service during several war
patrols in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese. His
detailed account spans the spectrum in detail and emotion, from
the thrill of sending an enemy ship to the bottom of the sea to
the terror of being depth-charged by enemy destroyers. A
significant portion of Conner's account describes the friendly
fire sinking of USS Extractor, which came about then Guardfish's
skipper mistook the ship for a Japanese submarine. In addition
to the tragic sinking, Conner offers significant information
about Extractor and her crew, numerous first hand accounts by
survivors, and a detailed accounting of the Court of Inquiry
which followed and for which Conner testified as a witness.
Nothing Friendly in the Vicinity is a fresh and compelling
firsthand account of an enlisted man's experiences during the
hellish submarine war against Japan. Claude Conner enlisted in
the United States Navy during WWII and spend much of his time
aboard USS Guardfish. After the war, he spend the next forty
years working in engineering and management positions.
Amazon.com review
War in the Boats
My WW II Submarine Battles
by Capt. William J. Ruhe USN (Ret)
In
1942, fresh from the U. S. Naval Academy, young ensign Bill Ruhe
went to war in the Pacific in submarines, or "boats" as they
were called by the men who sailed them. War In The Boats: My
WWII Submarine Battles grew out of a journal he surreptitiously
kept, recording eight tense, action-filled patrols against the
Japanese in the South Pacific. With the variety of his missions
and types of boats he served on, Ruhe's experiences encompass
those of almost every U. S. submariner in the Pacific theater.
War In The Boats chronicles not only the progress of the war,
but also the effect submarine warfare had on a tightly knit
group of men. While War In The Boats is one of the most detailed
descriptions of factual naval warfare, the combat actions never
overshadow the impact they had on the combatants themselves. War
In The Boats is a unique "window in time" into one of the
fiercely fought, critically important, yet largely unknown,
aspects of war in the Pacific.
Amazon.com review
Back from the Deep
The Strange Story of the Sister Subs Squalus and Sculpin
by Carl Lavo
Many
naval buffs know the outlines of this story. The submarine
Squalus sank off the New England coast in 1939 but was found
by her sister ship Sculpin. More than half the crew was
rescued, and the ship herself salvaged and renamed Sailfish.
In World War II, Sculpin was sunk by the Japanese, and
her survivors sent as POWs to Japan aboard an escort carrier
that was sunk en route by Sailfish. Half the American
survivors were killed. Culling from an abundance of primary
source materials, Lavo fleshes out this unusual story to produce
a well-written narrative educing many new details; for example,
the Sculpin survivors' captivity in the Ashio copper
mines is here told for the first time. This is one of those
World War II naval volumes that perhaps did not cry to be
written yet is worthwhile and certainly profited from being
written while living survivors remained to tell the tale.
Amazon.com review
Steel Shark in the Pacific : USS Pampanito SS-383
By Walter W. Jaffee
Powerful. Formidable. Sinister.
The World War II fleet submarine was a near perfect blend of
design, form, and function. This is the story of the USS
Pampanito (SS-383): enemy attacks, crash-dives, depth charges,
missed targets, "kills" -- and a daring rescue. Part of a U.S.
Navy wolf pack that sank a Japanese convoy, she returned later
and discovered thousands of Allied prisoners of war abandoned by
their captors to die. At great risk, Pampanito's crew rescued as
many POWs as they could.
Today, part of San Francisco's
museum fleet, she is a portal to World War IIs "Silent Service."
Pampanito earned six battle stars.
Amazon.com review
Bowfin
The True Story of
America's Fleet Submarine in WW II
by Edwin P. Hoyt
I've read many sub books from WW2 to present and this one stands
out. It takes you from one end of the Pacific all the way to the
Sea of Japan on nine patrols. I especially liked the detailed
accounts of what went wrong during the sub war. The author is
not shy to admit that we weren't perfect especially with the
mark XIV torpedoes that most of which never hit the targets!
Easy to read and understand making the story flow smoothly. I
highly recommend this one. Amazon.com review
Submarine Grayback
The Life and Death of the WW II Sub USS
Grayback
by Rick Cline
I
have always been fascinated by submarines, and am particularly
interested in the stories of those subs lost during WWII, as
was Grayback. At first I was somewhat put off by the amount of
daily minutia Cline includes, but eventually I fell into the
rhythm of what life must have been like for her crew. I also
like how Cline made each war patrol a single chapter, and my
interest grew as I neared that final patrol. The account of her
final days--and the speculation as to how she was lost--is both
poignant and fascinating. However, I was dismayed to find
typographical errors, incorrect punctuation and capitalization,
misspellings, and/or bad grammer on nearly every page. I regret
to say that is not an exaggeration, and it kept distracting me
from the story. I'll admit to having majored in English and
Writing, so perhaps others might not find this as bothersome I
did. As is, I had to read most of the way through the book
before the strength of the story overcame my tendency to come to
a halt at the errors. That the story shines through in the end
is a testament to the valor of the men of Grayback. I applaud
Rick Cline for bringing their heroic tale to life, and I would
recommend the book.
Amazon.com review
SUBS AGAINST THE RISING SUN
by Keith Milton
An
encyclopedia of U.S. submarine activity in World War II Pacific
Theater. Each of the 249 U.S. submarines that operated in the
Pacific is represented by a photograph and charts detailing
their Pacific patrols and victories. Tables ranking boats and
captains for number of vessels and tonnage sunk are part of the
Appendix. An extensive index provides easy reference to boats,
captains, and names of Japanese vessels sunk. A must for every
submariner and a valuable resource for researchers.
Amazon.com review
Hell Above, Deep Water Below
by Dale Russell
Dale
Russell's thoughtful biography is one of several World War II
recollections recently written in an apparent attempt to finally
lay the ghost of that great conflagration to rest. It covers
just a year in the author's life, but one in which - like many
young men of his generation - he was plucked from his family to
fight an unknown enemy in the alien and dangerous environment of
a fleet submarine in the Pacific. Unlike most naval biographies,
written by retired officers, this is written from the point of
view of an ordinary, enlisted seaman, sweating away in the
filthy, slimy stench of a tiny torpedo room. It takes the reader
into the drama and danger of battle and creates a cinema-screen
picture of life aboard a submarine in the brief tension of
battle and the much longer bouts of boredom, frustration and
claustrophobic conditions. But this is not a book about war, it
is a book about survival - survival against all the odds of
missions into enemy waters, depth charges, and treacherous seas.
But more important, it is about the survival of ordinary,
decent, gentle manhood despite conditions that you might expect
to create degenerate animals. This book should be read by all
who are interested in the human experience in war and peace.
Amazon.com Review
The Terrible Hours
The man behind the greatest submarine rescue in history
by
Peter Maas
Though
ostensibly about the first successful deep water submarine
rescue in American History, "The Terrible Hours" is really the
heroic story of Swede Momsen, the dedicated U.S. Naval officer
who overcame reams of red tape and mountains of bureaucratic
ineptitude to develop the equipment that allowed the successful
operation to take place. His story is an inspiring one for any
American. Author Peter Maas first reported on Momsen's story
nearly thirty-five years ago, and this project was a labor of
love for him. His account of the sailors aboard the trapped
submarine is quite harrowing. And the rescue is detailed with
the right amount of white knuckle suspense. Overall, this
well-written book is an excellent and informative piece of
reporting.
Amazon.com
review
Combined Fleet Decoded
The Secret History of American Intelligence
and the Japanese Navy in WW II
by John Prados
This book
starts off by describing both sides' codebreaking efforts prior
to WWII, something not available elsewhere, certainly not in
such stunning detail. With the onset of the Pacific War, though,
there's a new thread to follow: naval operations (hence my
review's title). John Prados certainly excels at describing
naval operations in the light of knowledge gained through
intelligence, all the while throwing in an amazing amount of
detail, but there are other books describing operations
(although minus the recent codebreaking informations), and
better ones at that. Sadly, by switching to operational history,
Prados almost forgets about the war behind the scenes, the
sleepless nights in crowded rooms, during which some
"super-brains" solved incomplete puzzles, which were to prove
vital in the war effort, without earning themselves the honors
they deserved. Only this reason keeps me from awarding 5 stars -
there are 4 for being one of the most detailed and fascinating
to read operational histories of the Pacific War.
Amazon.com review
Allied Submarine Attacks of World War II
European Theatre of Operations 1939-1945
by Jurgen Rohwer
This is a
data-book, pure and simple. It contains details of each attack
made by Allied submarines in the ETO (as the title suggests).
Information on each attack is: Date and time of attack (reported
by submarine and target); Nationality of attacking submarine;
Number or name of attacking submarine; Name of commanding
officer of submarine; target type (as reported by the submarine,
and actual); Tonnage of target (reported and actual); Result of
the attack (reported and actual); Weapon used in attack;
Position of attack (as reported by submarine and target);
Nationality of attacked ship; Name of attacked ship. There are
also short notes on many of the attacks, expanding on the raw
data. The chapters are divided in to region (Arctic, Black Sea
etc), and an index is provided of all submarines, commanding
officers and attacked ships.
This book is a
must-have for those interested in the raw data. If you're after
a narrative then this book is certainly not for you.
Amazon.com review
History of United States Naval Operations in WW II
15
Volume Set
by Samuel Eliot Morison
Now
approaching 50 years old (Some volumes are older than that)
Morison's epic history of the U.S. Navy's participation in World
War II is still well worth having on your shelf. The Order of
Battle information alone justifies the investment. Some may find
the prose dated but I like the style. Yes it was written before
the complete disclosure of Ultra and Magic and that needs to be
taken into account when using it. This still provides an
excellent foundation for any naval investigation of WW II.
Amazon.com review
Submarines of World War II
by Erminio Bagnasco
Submarines of
World War Two is excellent overview of pretty much every
submarine type of the war. There is a large amount of
information crammed into this medium sized soft bound book. Be
prepared to read in good lighting however; as the print is quite
small and some of the section plans will have you looking for a
magnifying glass. Mr. Bagnasco covers Eighteen different navies
as well as some neutral forces. Each section includes a wealth
of statistics and production data on each class of submarine
(and its variants), as well as line drawings and photographs
(all B&W). Major types are given additional space and many
extras such as wartime conning tower modifications and section
drawings are covered.
If you need to
know about every WWII sub ever built; and don't have room in
your shelf (or budget) for a four volume set, this is the book
for you. Amazon.com
review
Find
’Em, Chase ’Em, Sink ’Em is the first book to recount the tragic
and the mysterious loss of the World War II submarine USS
Gudgeon.
Originally
published in 1946 by the US Navy to explain American submarine operating
principles, technologies and systems. It uses the late war time
USS Perch SS-313 as an example of the then modern fleet type
submarine. At the time of its original publication, this
document was classified. 
