by James Scott
All told some 288 submarines: Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, p. 493; Blair, Silent Victory, p. 883.
the 1,570 war patrols: Facts and Figures for the Admiral, Size and Growth of Submarine Force, Oct. 20, 1945; Charles A. Lockwood and Percy Finch, “We Gave the Japs a Licking Underseas,” part 1, Saturday Evening Post, July 16, 1949, p. 116.
American submarines over the course of the war: USSBS, The War Against Japanese Transportation, 1941–1945, p. 134.
A postwar comparison: JANAC, pp. vii, x.
Japan had counted: USSBS, The War Against Japanese Transportation, 1941–1945, p. 52.
America lost fifty-two: Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, p. 493.
The Japanese plucked: Moore, Presumed Lost, pp. vii, 290.
Of the 16,000 sailors: Lockwood, Sink ’Em All, pp. 350–51; Naval History Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, United States Submarine Losses, p. 1.
The casualty rate: Blair, Silent Victory, p. 877; Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, pp. 493–94.
In comparison to the enemy: Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, p. 494.
rotted loads of cereals: Parillo, The Japanese Merchant Marine in World War II, pp. 219–21.
“The war against shipping”: USSBS, The War Against Japanese Transportation, 1941–1945, p. 6.
Japanese military leaders: Ibid., pp. 6–7.
“It must be stated”: Interrogation of Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukudome, Dec. 9–12, 1945, in USSBS, Interrogations of Japanese Officials, vol. 2, p. 530.
“The torpedo scandal”: Blair, Silent Victory, p. 879.
O’Kane saluted: Felix Belair, Jr., “World Leadership Ours, Says Truman,” New York Times, March 28, 1946, p. 12; Medal of Honor Citation, included in Richard O’Kane Navy Bio, March 15, 1967.
“The Medal of Honor”: Richard O’Kane letter to Paul Crozier, Nov. 2, 1990.
“This, in my opinion”: Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to Commander Richard H. O’Kane, USN, and Master Sergeant Charles L. McGaha, USA, March 27, 1946, Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Independence, Missouri.
INDEX
A-4, 35
Accardy, John, 232
acetone, 257
Adams, Troy, 229
African Americans, 4, 9, 20, 241
Aguijan Island, 144
air-conditioning system, 9
aircraft carriers (flattops), Japanese, 38, 59, 64, 105–6, 107, 138, 196–97, 223
escorts for, 29–32
as prized targets for submarines, 26–27, 29, 126–27, 196–97
see also specific vessels
aircraft carriers (flattops), U.S., 63, 138–39, 152, 203, 221, 222–24
as absent from Pearl Harbor, 60–61
Japan’s strategy for, 178
see also specific vessels
air forces, Japanese, 25, 37–38
air raid sirens (“music”), 294
air strikes:
on Japan, 286, 293–95
at sea, 55, 62, 143, 152, 154, 195, 220, 224, 255, 258
Akagi, sinking of, 63–64
Alabama, 236
Alaska, 23
Albacore, 196
Albany, Australia, 42, 68
alcohol:
Burlingame’s proclivity for, 1, 4–5, 43, 76
for calming nerves, 158, 160
distilling of, 171–72
medicinal, 5
in practical joke, 81
sailors’ proclivity for, 76–77, 84, 171–72
as torpedo fuel, 29, 171
used by prison guards after surrender, 301
alcoholism, 281
Aleutians, 59, 61, 137, 173
Allen, James, 131–32
Aloha shirts, 109
Alzheimer’s disease, 314
Amberjack, 87
Annapolis, see Naval Academy, U.S., at Annapolis
anti-circular run devices, 272
Apamama, 139
appendicitis, appendectomy, 45–54, 56, 63, 164, 242
protocol for, 46–47
Apra Harbor, 166–67
Archerfish, 153
Argonaut, 126, 185
Arisan Maru, 252–55
sinking of, 263–65, 267–68, 279
Arizona, 2, 172, 205
Arkansas, 34–35
Army, U.S., 2, 62, 303
Air Corps, 10–11, 90
Army Distinguished Service Cross, 130
Ashley, James, Jr., 262
Ashmun, George, 281
Asiatic Fleet, U.S., 20, 33–34
submarine, 39, 41
Aspro, 143
Asukazan Maru, sinking of, 187–90
Atago, sinking of, 221–22
Atlantic Fleet, U.S., 19
submarine, 39
atom bombs, dropping of, 297–98
Australia:
Japanese threat to, 33, 37, 38, 59, 86
Silversides refits in, 76–77, 85
U.S. Navy based in, 38, 39, 42, 45, 47, 68, 72, 73, 83, 87, 203, 256, 258
Aviation Information Center, 155, 159, 161
“baby flattops,” 223–24
“Back to Asia” slogan, 25
Balao, 93–97, 197–99, 220
Bali, 38
Ballale, 89
Ballinger, Bill, in Tang explosion, 237–38, 244–46
Banister, Alan, 259
Banister’s Beagles, 259–61
Barb, 217
Barber, Rex, 90
Barbor, Robert, 159
Bashaw, 153
Bataan Death March, 26, 252, 266, 292
Bataan Peninsula, 26, 34, 38
batteries, battery power, 8, 261
charging of, 49, 54, 176
problems of, 31–32, 167, 188, 227, 238, 240, 249
“bear walk,” 284
Benevolence, 304, 307–10
Ben’s Busters, 259
Bentley, Richard, 161
Bergman, Edwin, 176
in Tang explosion, 235
beriberi, 275, 286, 287, 290, 295, 305, 308, 309
Bermuda, 73, 75, 78
Berry, Harry, 301, 302, 305, 308
berths, 7, 8–9, 172
Bienia, Alpha, 44, 73, 77, 91–92, 123
Bienia, John “Johnny Bananas,” 43, 44–45, 73, 77–78, 81–82, 83–84, 85–86, 117, 122–23, 163–64
Bishop, Walter, xv
Bismarck Archipelago, 77, 101, 111
Bitchu Maru, 118
Black Code, 104
Blackfish, 153, 262
blackouts, 2
Black Sheep Squadron, 281
Blair, Clay, Jr., 317
Blakely, Edward, 263
Blanchard, James, 196
Blueback, 8
Blue Code, 104
Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, 293–95, 297, 302
Bonin Islands, 192
Boone, Joel, 303–4, 306–7
Borneo, 38, 39, 212, 221
Boston Globe, 293
Bougainville Island, 89
boxing, 74
Boyington, Gregory “Pappy”:
brash and heroic exploits of, 282–83
as prisoner of war, 279, 281–83, 284, 290, 295, 300, 302, 305, 308
“bridal suite,” 8–9
Brisbane, Australia, 72, 83, 85, 162, 164, 258
British Far Eastern Fleet, 67
Brockman, William, Jr., 66
Brodsky, Philip, 252, 264
Bronze Star, 230, 263
Brown, George, 260–61
Brown, John, Jr., 115
Browning, Robert, 74
Bruning, Alice, 307
Buddha, 4, 43, 76
Bullard, George, 277
Bunker Hill, 225
Bureau of Ordnance, 317
burials at sea, 15–17
Burlingame, Creed Cardwell “Burly”:
alcohol use of, 1, 4–5, 43, 76
appearance and pe
rsonality, 3–5
Coye vs., 73, 75, 85–86, 115, 162, 163
crew’s reverence for, 4, 17, 43–46, 72–73, 76, 85–86, 114
as division commander and trainer, 72
education of, 2, 3–4, 101–2
egalitarian nature of, 4, 21, 73
farewell gift to, 73
first Silversides patrol of, 1–5, 10–17
humor of, 56
leadership style of, 4, 17, 21, 48–49, 54–56, 72–73
miscalculations of, 16
perseverance of, 3–4, 17
previous military experience of, 1
as skipper of Silversides, ix, 1–5, 10–17, 21, 22, 43–46, 48–49, 54–56, 72–73, 76, 83, 85–86, 108–9, 114–15, 162, 163, 314
success record of, 72–73, 108–9, 114, 314
as training officer, 165–66
wartime tragedies of, 10–11
Burlingame, Paul, 10–11, 16
Burma, 2, 24
Burma Railway, 255
Burma Road, 26
Burns, John, 157–60, 172
Burrfish, 143
Butcher, Grant, 282, 286–87
Buyo Maru, 132
Cabot, 222
Cacciola, Dante “the Dago,” 175
California, 48, 51, 310
see also Mare Island Navy Yard
Canopus, 34, 39
Cape St. George, 282
Caroline Islands, 30, 40, 101, 111, 116, 137–38, 153, 165, 194, 203, 217
Carpender, Arthur “Admiral Chips,” 36
Carr, Ed, 87
Carswell, Patrick, 12–15, 53
Casablanca, 235
Catalina bombers, 125
Cavalla, 195, 196
Caverly, Floyd, 143, 145, 171–72, 186, 188, 206, 207, 209, 212
as prisoner of war, 270, 280, 286
in Tang explosion, 232–33, 242–43, 249, 251
Cavite, 34, 107
Celebes, 38
central force (Japanese), 221
Ceylon, 24
Chicago Daily News, 47
Chikuma, 224
China, 20, 117, 206, 207, 209, 218, 219, 249, 267–68, 302, 314
Japan’s campaign against, 24–25, 26
shipping routes from, 173, 187, 210, 259, 273
China Sea, 20
Chinese junk, 185
Chitose, sinking of, 223
Chiyoda, 126, 196
sinking of, 223
chlorine gas, 74, 240
Choan Maru No. 2, sinking of, 168
Chokai, 224
Choko Maru, sinking of, 151
Choppeki Point, 189
chopsticks, 272
Chosen, 173
Christmas, 1942, 59, 70
aboard Drum, 57, 70–71
1944, in Ofuna, 285
Churchill, Winston, 36
Cichi, Anton, 267
cigarettes, 32, 285, 289, 292, 296, 301
Claggett, Bladen, 222
Clarke, Jerry, 45, 81–82, 91
clean sweep, 130, 152, 214
Clear the Bridge! (O’Kane), 124
coal dust, 253
Cobia, 260
codebooks:
Japanese, 103–4, 105
U.S., 238
Coe, James, 68
Cold War, 314
Cole, James, 159
Colnett Strait, 174
combat insignia, 256
“Combustable, Vulnerable, Expendable” (CVE), 223
communications intelligence, 105–9, 310
conning tower, 7
Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers, 110, 152, 276
contraband, 292
control room, 7
“Convoy College,” 259
Coolidge, Calvin, 20, 303
Coral Sea, 39
Battle of, 59–61, 86, 87, 116, 153, 196
Corregidor Island, 1, 26, 38, 40, 59
Corsair, 281
Coucal, 77, 78, 80
Cox, Gordon, 72, 269
Coye, Beth, 218
Coye, Betty, 75–76, 218
Coye, Johnny, 218
Coye, John Starr, Jr. “DeCoye”:
accolades and respect for, 120, 162, 230
background and personality of, 73–74, 86, 114, 120
Burlingame vs., 73, 75, 85–86, 115, 162, 163
cautious risk assessment of, 78, 97, 163
commendations of, 75
determination of, 114, 162
errors of, 85, 93, 97, 163
inexperience of, 73, 114, 217
keen intellect of, 74–75, 86, 114, 162
leadership style of, 75, 86, 113
reserve and stoicism of, 75–76, 113, 163
as skipper of Silversides, ix, 72–84, 85–86, 92–100, 113–22, 162–70, 193, 217, 225–30, 256, 314, 315
success record of, 94–95, 98–100, 114, 119–20, 162, 193, 217, 230, 314
Coye’s Coyotes, 219, 225–26
croton oil, 171
cryptology, see encryption
Curtis Institute of Music, 74
Cutter, Slade, 58, 125, 191, 217
Dace, 143, 221–22
Danjo Gunto, 175, 183
Danko, Robert, 50–51
Darter, 143, 221–22, 279
Darwin, Australia, 38
DaSilva, Jesse:
as prisoner of war, 285–86, 295, 305, 309, 310
in Tang explosion, 239–40, 248–49, 251
Davenport, Roy, 13, 16, 43–44, 50, 52–53, 73
D-Day invasion, 171, 205, 218
debris fields, 94–95, 99, 189
Decker, Clay, 231
postwar experience of, 313
as prisoner of war, 283, 295, 305, 306
in Tang explosion, 237–39, 244–45, 247, 248, 249
deck guns, 12–13
depth charges, 31–32, 55, 79, 80, 83, 93, 94, 98, 110–12, 114, 118, 133, 142, 143, 150, 151, 166, 167–68, 169, 179, 181, 188, 196, 213, 227–28, 242, 243, 246, 260, 268
depth settings, 81
faulty, 68–69
desalination, 9
Desecrate, Operation, 153
Destination Tokyo, 130
destroyers, 29–32, 54–55, 78, 146
Detmers, Robert, 50
Diamond Head, 106, 124
diarrhea, 45, 88, 275, 295
dive-bombers, 63–64
dives, 8, 27, 30, 49–50, 55, 77–78, 133, 142
depth tests for, 134–35
pressure danger in, 112, 134–35, 174, 188, 227
“donkey diesel” engines, 27
Donk’s Devils, 259
Doolittle, Jimmy, 57
Tokyo raid of, 59, 61, 87, 104, 294
Dori Maru, sinking of, 190
Dornin, Robert “Dusty,” 125
Douglas B-18 bombers, 10
Dowdle, John, 158
draft registration, 2
drowning, 8, 13
Drum, 44, 126, 204, 315
aborted first mission of, 26
in Battle of Midway, 66
Christmas aboard, 57, 70–71
crew of, 20–21
eighth patrol of, 101, 109–12, 192
eleventh patrol of, 255–56, 258–59, 261–63
first battle of, 27–32
Japanese prisoners of war aboard, 199–200, 255
McMahon as skipper of, ix, 57–58, 70–71, 101, 192–93
Nagoya mission of, 18, 22, 26–32
ninth patrol of, 192
refit of, 191–92
Rice as skipper of, ix, 18, 20, 22, 26–32, 57–58, 67–68, 70–71, 101, 139, 192–93
Rindskopf as skipper of, ix, 192–94, 197–200, 255–56, 258–59, 261–63, 315
success record of, 69, 262–63, 314
tenth patrol of, 194, 197–200, 255
torpedo failures of, 67–68
and Ultra messages, 109
Williamson as skipper of, ix, 101–3, 109–12, 192–93
in wolf pack, 259–61
Dutch East Indies, 2, 24–25, 28,
33, 37, 38, 173, 179, 259
Dutch Harbor, 69
Dye, Ira, Jr., 70–71, 313
dysentery, 253
East China Sea, 172–74, 230, 272
Eastern Solomons, Battle of, 126
Ebara Maru, sinking of, 212–13
Ebishu Maru No. 5, 11–14, 16
Echizen Maru, sinking of, 149–50
Ed’s Eradicators, 259
Eiko Maru, sinking of, 262
electric fish, 103, 186, 204, 207, 209, 214–16, 261
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 74
Empire Moonbeam, 142
encryption:
breaking of Japanese, 61, 88–89, 105–9
World War I, 19, 103
engine rooms, 7
English, Robert, 39, 127
Eniwetok, 138, 153
Enola Gay, 297–98
Enos, Mel, Jr., 147–48, 232
in Tang explosion, 238, 243
Enterprise, 61, 63–64, 157, 222
Ernst, Richard, 4
erratic torpedoes, 215–16, 272
escape hatches, 237, 244
Essex, 222
ethanol, 257
ether, 51, 53
Eurayle, 165
Fairbanks Morse diesel engines, 8, 79, 120, 215, 283
Fais Island, 197
Fanshaw Bay, 225
Farragut, David, 131
Farrell, Carrol, 159
fatalities, Japanese, 30, 64, 88, 91, 109, 138, 150, 151, 168, 169, 186–87, 196, 199, 208, 209, 210–11, 213, 222, 259, 261–63, 264, 268
from bombing raids of Japan, 293, 295
at Hiroshima, 298
fatalities, U.S., 6, 8, 60, 88, 138, 156–57, 160, 193, 198, 268, 315–16
of prisoners, 255
report to families of, 16
on Silversides, 14–16, 73
in Tang explosion, 231, 234, 235, 238, 241, 242, 244, 246, 249, 250, 272, 311
“Fat Man” bomb, 298
FBI, 103
Feni Island, 92
Fife, James, Jr., 68–69, 73, 85, 128
Fiji, 67
Finch, Donald, 50, 91
fire, 121, 136, 243, 247
fire storms, 293
fish, see torpedoes
Fitzgerald, John, as prisoner of war, 274, 277, 280, 282–83, 285, 289
flag officers’ code, 105–6
flagships, 19, 41
Flanagan, Hank, 185
as prisoner of war, 272, 290
in Tang explosion, 244, 246–47, 248, 251
flattops, see aircraft carriers
Fleming, Victor, 21
flies, cigarettes exchanged for, 289–90
Flintlock, Operation, 125
floatplanes, 28, 78, 96, 157–60
Fluckey, Eugene, 217
Fluker, John, in Tang explosion, 244, 247, 248
flying boats, 48
Flying Fish, 195
Flynn, Errol, 130
Formosa (Taiwan), Japanese control of, 24, 40, 203–4, 206–12, 255, 259, 263, 266, 270–71, 302, 310
Formosa Strait, 233, 237, 259
Forrestal, James, 218, 313