Thomas F. (hardtack) -
I've always been fascinated by submarines, although I would never willingly serve on one. I guess I like the outdoors too much. And I've read many books about submarines. I even remember watching "The Silent Service" on TV in the late 1950s, and have enjoyed numerous movies about submariners.
One of the strengths of this book is it describes in easy-to-understand detail the various parts of a World War II American submarine and what went on there. This is probably filler for the story line about some individuals, but I found it valuable filler.
I've known for a long time that the casualty rate for American submariners in World War II was the highest of any branch of the American armed forces, even the Marines. It's one reason why you had to volunteer for submarines, you weren't just ordered to join a submarine crew.
While the story of a certain submarine captain and his inability to command, and the cover-up about his actions, may seem somewhat unbelievable, I found it reasonable. I remember several senior officers I served under in the Marines whose ability to lead was not only non-existent, but was covered up. For example, one of my battalion commanders was a drunk who got into fights with enlisted personnel, while another suffered from dementia.
The author also repeats the true story of how American submarines contributed significantly to winning the war by sinking so much of Japan's merchant fleet, depriving that resource-poor country of the essential supplies it needed to wage war.
Finally, I would like to quote one sentence from the book I found amusing, even if it was deadly serious.
"The goal of all submariners is to dive and surface the same number of times."
One of the strengths of this book is it describes in easy-to-understand detail the various parts of a World War II American submarine and what went on there. This is probably filler for the story line about some individuals, but I found it valuable filler.
I've known for a long time that the casualty rate for American submariners in World War II was the highest of any branch of the American armed forces, even the Marines. It's one reason why you had to volunteer for submarines, you weren't just ordered to join a submarine crew.
While the story of a certain submarine captain and his inability to command, and the cover-up about his actions, may seem somewhat unbelievable, I found it reasonable. I remember several senior officers I served under in the Marines whose ability to lead was not only non-existent, but was covered up. For example, one of my battalion commanders was a drunk who got into fights with enlisted personnel, while another suffered from dementia.
The author also repeats the true story of how American submarines contributed significantly to winning the war by sinking so much of Japan's merchant fleet, depriving that resource-poor country of the essential supplies it needed to wage war.
Finally, I would like to quote one sentence from the book I found amusing, even if it was deadly serious.
"The goal of all submariners is to dive and surface the same number of times."
