Thomas Michael Dykers, Sr. was a submarine commander during World War II who reached the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. He was also a writer and Television producer. He produced and narrated the 1957–58 TV series The Silent Service.
00:30The destroyer left the scene confident he had sucked.
00:35But several nights later, we heard Tokyo Rose on our radio.
00:40I regret to inform all American submarines that one of their number has recently fallen victim to a destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
00:53You will hear an appropriate recording.
01:00I'll see you next time.
01:59Down, periscope.
02:04Up, periscope.
02:16Down, periscope.
02:18Look, man, this is a jackpot.
02:19We've got the biggest aircraft carrier I've ever seen up here, plus two destroyers.
02:22We're going to shoot our whole wad in the carrier.
02:29Up, periscope.
02:41Bearing, mark, 829.
02:44Range, mark, 6-1-0-0.
02:46Down, periscope.
02:48Angle on the bow, starboard 15.
02:50Right floor rudder.
02:51Right floor rudder.
02:52All ahead, 2-3rd.
02:53All ahead, 2-3rd.
02:54New course, 2-4-0.
02:56New course, 2-4-0.
02:57What's the distance to the tracks?
02:581-7-0-0.
03:00Control, 6-3 feet.
03:01Control, 6-3 feet.
03:02Lower torpedo room, make ready, 0-2.
03:04Lower torpedo room, make ready, 0-2.
03:06Set depth, 12 feet.
03:07Set depth, 12 feet.
03:09Rig for silent running.
03:10Rig for silent running.
03:11Rig for depth charge.
03:12Rig for depth charge.
03:13Steady on 250.
03:19All ahead, 1-3rd.
03:20All ahead, 1-3rd.
03:21How much time I got?
03:22None, sir.
03:22Compete a run, 1-1-0-0.
03:24Range about 1-6-0-0.
03:25Gyro, 0-0-5 increase.
03:28Shoot any time.
03:29Stand by forward.
03:30Stand by forward.
03:30Periscope, check bearing and shoot.
03:37Bearing, mark, 3-4-5.
03:40Down periscope, catch fire.
03:42Fire, fire one.
03:44One fire, sir.
03:47Fire!
03:48Fire two.
03:49Two fires.
03:51Fire.
03:51Fire three.
03:54Three fires.
03:55Fire.
03:56Fire.
03:57Fire.
04:19The trigger, of course, was subjected to another terrific depth charge.
04:23There were moments when no one on board thought she'd come through, but she stood up and eventually got away.
04:28The carrier just managed to crawl back to Tokyo Bay, badly crippled.
04:33The trigger was lost in March 45 off the rear views.
04:38At that time, she was one of the highest ranking subs in tonnage and total number of ships sunk.
04:43The trigger will never be forgotten. Nor will the work of all our other submarines.
04:49In 1943, the 284 Japanese ships totaled 1,341,968 tons.
05:01About 100,000 tons of warships were sunk by American submarines.
05:07Naturally, they got some of our subs too, but our losses weren't excessive when you consider what was accomplished.
05:13In fact, they were quite small compared to the losses of the Jap and German submarine service.
05:19But we felt deeply each individual loss.
05:23For instance, take the case of the sculptor.
05:27On 19 November 1943, we sighted a class convoy and made an attack.
05:39Their screen detected us and immediately subjected us to depth charge.
05:57Things were getting tough when we heard a rain fall.
06:13We headed forward and shook the Jap.
06:16At least we thought we did.
06:18But the moment we regained periscope depth, we found that Jap destroyer sitting right on our lap.
06:28We tried to duck, but he had heard it as well as seen it.
06:34But we learned that medium.
06:36We could see how the ruins are more than manière and reliable.
06:38You know, the prisoners are in this place.
06:40And to move along with a stormwater.
06:41We went through all the lasts a second, but it's not much more than any other kommer.
06:42We did not get to our island.
06:44We did not get to the island, but we did not do anything.
06:46What did we think about that?
06:48The direction of the border is a sea.
06:51At least there was a sea.
06:52You did not get to the shoulder.
06:54I think about this.
06:56You did not get to the sea.
06:58I think about that.
07:00We did not get to your island but we did not get to the land.
07:02After five hours, the batteries were almost flat and the men completely exhausted.
07:13We had a tough decision to make.
07:16The first concern of our skipway was for the life of his men.
07:20We had on board the Wolfpack commander Captain Cromwell, who had heard that the Japs used
07:25a special brand of torture to extract information from their captain.
07:30Suddenly, a decision was reached.
07:33We'd battle service and use our deck gun to fight it out with the destroyer.
08:00Commander Conaway and the next two in command, Lieutenant Al and Lieutenant Freed were killed
08:05almost instantly.
08:07I succeeded in command.
08:09The situation was hopeless.
08:16I gave the order to scuttle ship.
08:23Captain Cromwell chose to go down with the boat because he knew too much.
08:29Henson Max Fiedler also went down with the scuttle ship.
08:36Now this boat goes out.
09:52We took over the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu, lock, stock, and barrel.
09:56We said to the submarine men, it's all yours.
09:59Other operating forces also had quarters at the Royal, where it held about 150 officers and 1,000 men.
10:05But the majority were always submarine men and aviators from the carrier groups.
10:09We were on a coastline.
10:19We were on a coastline.
11:23In 1944, 429 merchant ships were totaling two million, 387,708 tons were destroyed by U.S.A.F.
11:33In addition, about 500,000 tons of all ships were sunk.
11:38Unreached figures for merchant ships include only ships of 1,000 tons or larger.
11:44The smaller ships sunk by your sub, cheaply by Goffar, were total must to count.
11:50Yes, the Jap fleet was just about shot.
12:09In fact, by 1945, targets were getting awfully scarce and awfully small.
12:14What was left of Jap shipping tried desperately to crawl home, hugging the coast.
12:18But our subs went right after them, right into the dangerous shallow water, right along the
12:23China coast and into the mine-filled Yellow Sea.
12:26We gave them no rest.
12:29This was about the time of the big carrier strikes and the B-29 raids in the homeland, which brings
12:34up another interesting phase of submarine work, lifeguard use.
12:37That is, the picking up of our downed aviators.
12:41We had quite an air-sea rescue system worked out.
12:44It didn't get much publicity because we didn't want the Japs to know about it.
12:51Electricians make second flags.
12:53Of course, that means I don't get to see much topside action, so the other day I says to
12:59the chief, I says, um, hey chief, how about me getting on the gun first?
13:04He thought I was kind of crazy wanting to be topside with the others, but he finally gave
13:08in, and here I am.
13:10Hey, this is beginning to be more likely.
13:40That's one load of fish that won't end up in Jap bellies.
13:47How about this?
13:49Prisoners.
13:53Welcome aboard, boys.
13:56You'll find conditions a little cramped, but you'll treat you right, feed you well, even
14:01though you don't deserve it.
14:03I'd always heard that Japs would rather die than be taken prisoner, but these guys don't
14:08seem to object to our rescue efforts.
14:11Wait a minute.
14:14We've got something.
14:16A bit 29 is in trouble.
14:18We've got them on radar, but the lookouts haven't surprised them yet.
14:22Hey, this lifeguard stuff is new to me, but it has its exciting moments.
14:34Brother, am I glad I'm not on that plane?
14:38Well, here's a couple that were lucky enough to jump.
14:43We're going over to pick them up and then survey the wreckage to see if there are others
14:47we can rescue.
14:48Maybe we'll find some still alive.
14:51This job of gradually tired and half-drowned parts aboard a sub looks easy, but it takes
14:57careful handling and a certain amount of risk on the part of our own boys.
15:01Climbing up the side of a slippery outer hull and super-stretcher in a choppy sea isn't
15:06easy, even for one of our own men.
15:09So, it gets a bit complicated when these zoomies drop in on it.
15:15Say, these guys look like they're battling a shot up.
15:20Doc is up here now, and first aid is being given to those who need it right away.
15:24There isn't time for treating for shock and exposure on deck because we're in enemy waters
15:30and subject to attack at any moment, so the skipper says to get them below as soon as possible.
15:37Here we are now, down in the chief's quarter.
15:40Doc has made this compartment into a first-class operating room.
15:46Looks like we're going to have more company in a few minutes.
15:49You know, this picking up of fliers is getting to be quite a habit of that.
16:03Of course, most of the guys here in the south would rather be flying fish or the deck guns,
16:08but it's a great feeling to be able to rescue a small bunch of thaws like these,
16:12and it's a relief to have somebody new to swap yarns with after being out here for so long.
16:19Sometimes a kid you and I used to know back home isn't so lucky.
16:28We're doing all we can.
16:30No sign yet, but we're not giving up.
16:36Well, we tried, but he didn't make it.
16:40But we'll make it up to him.
16:42We'll save as many of these buddies as we can.
16:45Yes, many of that boy's buddies were saved.
16:52At one time, we had 22 submarines on station whose primary duty was lifeguarding.
16:58All in all, we rescued more than 500 Army, Navy, and Marine aviators.
17:03The submarines were proud of that work and eager for the assignment.
17:06But in the last months of the war, it didn't supply enough action to satisfy them.
17:10So, as you'll see, they figured out some special assignments for themselves.
17:15And very interesting, too.
17:19During the summer of 45, Cerati was in the same fix as all the other subs.
17:24No targets really worth wasting the taxpayers' torpedoes on.
17:27Before we managed to amuse ourselves, we shot up the picket boats and other small craft.
17:34And I thought the sea truck would turn them.
17:37We played some mild hell in the general way.
17:40We played pirate and boarded some junks.
17:43Scared the crews half out of their yellow skins and gave the deep six to a lot of dried peas bound for Japan.
17:48We took a few prisoners.
18:11Exploded some mines.
18:13But there was nothing to write home about.
18:15Even if we could have written home.
18:16There in one morning, we sighted a ship in the distance.
18:21It looked like it was tied to a dock alongside a cargo.
18:24We kept it under observation for about an hour.
18:35It looked like a two or three thousand ton freighter taking on coal by conveyor.
18:39We held a war council.
18:53It would be risky.
18:54Entering a harbor full of rocks and shoals.
18:57Should we try it?
18:58Well, we didn't come out here to sit on our duffs.
19:03We changed course.
19:06Then the skipper, as he always did, spoke to the crew.
19:10What?
19:10I think you might like to know what we're up to.
19:13There's a two or three thousand ton freighter in the harbor town to a colliery dock, taking on coal.
19:18That's the biggest ship we've seen so far.
19:20It's targeted to scare these days to let any pass.
19:23On the good side of the ledger, I can mention these two items.
19:25One, there seems to be a lack of patrol craft in this spot.
19:28And two, I don't think there are any mines, because there's an awful lot of patrol craft around.
19:33Now, when the best are the ledger, the harbor's full of rocks and shoals.
19:37Navigation's going to be tough.
19:39We'll make a submerged attack, but then we'll have to serve us and have all of it out.
19:43If we're caught in here, submerged, it'll be just too bad.
19:46However, we have the best navigator in the business.
19:49So what are we waiting for?
19:50Let's go.
19:51Battle stage is submerged.
19:53We got into position.
19:54Went through the preliminaries.
19:58Let me tell you, right here and now, when the real thing comes up, it's like nothing you ever went through in your life.
20:08When that scope goes up in this harbor, you're playing for keeps.
20:12Your blood pressure tells you that.
20:20The sweat on your hands and the butterfly on your chest keep reminding you that when you get within a thousand yards of your target,
20:26you're going to let go with everything you've got.
20:28Then get, if you can.
20:39The exact slip confirms it.
20:41We're dead on.
20:43I'm coming closer.
20:45Closer.
20:46Nothing's a small crab, crisscrossing overhead.
20:56If one of them sights our scope while the skipper's taking cuts to keep us off the rock,
21:00you can make like the song and kiss the boys goodbye.
21:03Now, coming on a thousand yards.
21:09Twenty to go.
21:11Ten.
21:14Five.
21:14Look at them scramble.
21:32Nuts.
21:33She's listing to port and down by the bar, but still afloat.
21:37Hey, wait a minute.
21:38They manned their deck gun there on the right.
21:41Looks like they think a plane got them.
21:43But we can't surface while that gun's still in business.
21:46All right then, let her have another fish.
21:48Just ahead of the stack.
21:50Hollish off ship and gun crew both with one blow.
21:52Swing left again.
22:05Sonar reports.
22:06Fish ran true, but suddenly stopped.
22:08No explosion.
22:09Must have buried itself in a mud bank or a torpedo net.
22:12But there's not time to speculate.
22:14The Nip gun crew spotted our periscope.
22:17They're taking pot shots at us.
22:19Better slip in another fish and quick.
22:20Steady on two-eight-zero.
22:24Torpedo run, seven-five-oh.
22:26Death set, two feet.
22:28Gyro angle, zero-three-eight.
22:33Tire three.
22:45Bullseye.
22:50And now, as Shakespeare said, let's not stand upon the order of our going.
22:58But let's go.
22:59They've got a nerve shooting at us.
23:06What kind of hospitality do they call that?
23:09All right, now let's show some speed.
23:14Wait a minute.
23:15They must have surfaced too fast.
23:16The bow plane should have folded up like a fighter plane's wings.
23:18Stuck out like that, they'll drag our speed down until the Japs can catch us with a rowboat.
23:24And that's not all that can catch us.
23:25Come up, come up.
23:26There.
23:27Steady as you go, sweethearts.
23:27Now we can highball for deep water.
23:31But the Japs fire's getting closer.
23:33I'm beginning to sweat again.
23:34They'll drag our speed down until the Japs can catch us with a rowboat.
23:38And that's not all that can catch us.
23:41Come up, come up.
23:44There.
23:46Steady as you go, sweethearts.
23:49Now we can highball for deep water.
23:53But the Jap fire is getting closer.
23:55I'm beginning to sweat again.
24:04Well, here we are, getting the decorations.
24:08So I guess we made it all right.
24:10But believe me, it was close.
24:12It was months ago, but I've just about now stopped sweating.
24:16The Power and Light Company is going to seem awfully beautiful in a few weeks when they hand me that ruptured duck.
24:22But brother, how I'm going to miss this boat.
24:24And the boys.
24:28We rewarded our men in the submarines.
24:31Tried to honor them for the heroic things they had done.
24:34But nothing we can do, nothing we can say can properly express our gratitude to these men of the silent service.
24:43And of the men who did not come back.
24:46The men who went down with their ships.
24:48What can we say?
24:50How can we repay them?
24:52Shall we not echo their prayer?
24:55May God grant that there be no next war.
24:58But they know, and we know, that if there is, and whether it be fought with weapons we now know, or with weapons of whose nature we can only guess,
25:07you will find submarines in the thick of the combat, fighting with skill, determination, and matchless daring.
