new book on subs

[herakles]

At another forum I frequent, a member was raving about a new book called "A Tale of Two Subs". I've not read it myself to comment. I'd never find it here in Thailand.

It deals with the destinies of the World War II-era submarines USS Sculpin and USS Sailfish. This is no novel but the member says that it certainly reads like one.

For your information.

[astraltrader]

Well that will teach you to frequent other forums...

[Don Boyer]

The tale is well-known, and has unfortunately in my opinion been "strained" by writers trying to get more dramatic effect out of the story than actually existed.

The US submarine Squalus (SS-192) sank due to an operational accident in May of 1939. Most of the crew were rescued using the new McCann rescue bell, but a great deal of the reason for the rescue was the fact that the submarine Sculpin (SS-191) was able to locate Squalus very quickly and pinpoint her location for the rescue effort.

Squalus was raised from the bottom in September of 1939 and completely refitted and repaired. She was also renamed "Sailfish," although sub men had a tendency to refer to her as "Squailfish". She was never considered an ideal shipboard assignment after her sinking apparently.

During WWII both Sailfish and Sculpin made many successful war patrols, but on November 18, 1943 Sculpin was sunk by a destroyer. Many of her crew became prisoners of war. An officer aboard Sculpin who was to serve as a wolf-pack commander elected to remain aboard Sculpin as she sank to avoid any chance of divulging secret information regarding the upcoming Tarawa invasion. CDR John Crommelin was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The 42 Sculpin survivors were brought to Truk for the usual Japanese prisoner of war hospitality and good care, then divided up and put on two Japanese escort carriers for transfer to Japan. One of these carriers was Chuyo, which never made it to Japan, being caught in a typhoon and sunk by none other than the USS Sailfish. Only one man of Sculpin's crew, George Rocek, survived this sinking. All the Sculpin's survivors worked in the copper industry at Ashio in Japan for the rest of the war.

Of course, none of the crews of either submarine in 1943 were crew members who had been on board during the 1939 sinking and rescue, so the story really is not that extraordinary, other than the linking of the two ships in two tales of deadly action and survival.

[Gypsyvannergirl]

The best book I've read to date about the sinking of the USS Squalus is "The terrible hours" by Peter Maas and the incredible effort by not only Swede Momsen, who designed the diving bell I believe, but also the divers who went down to the stricken sub to help with the rescue effort.

You have to keep in mind that diving was not a scientific study back then and they took enormous risks with their own health and safety to try to get the men out of the sub and eventually raise her. I couldn't put that book down because it was so good and it gave a honest glimpse as to what naval wives and girlfriends and other family members go through as they wait for word on the fate of their loved ones.

That book is well worth the effort to read.

Gypsyvannergirl

[Dave Hutson]

Hi All,

Picked up "Tale of Two Subs" from the local library recently but found it quite heavy going - returned it to be read another time. But it will get read one day.

Dave H