- 2 hours ago
Narrowly escaping disaster from a barrage of depth charges, the USS Flier emerges with honors from her maiden war patrol.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykes, retired.
00:29The story we are about to bring you concerns the individual courage of men under the most dire of circumstances.
00:36Their bravery, tenacity, and physical strength brought them through what some might consider the impossible.
00:43It is the story of the USS Flyer.
00:50In October 1943, the USS Flyer was commissioned at New London, Connecticut
01:01and headed farther Pacific to join the submarine forces in their battle against Japanese sea power.
01:06The Flyer skipper was Commander John Daniel Crowley of Springfield, Massachusetts.
01:11Executive Officer Lieutenant Jim Liddell was a former outstanding football player at Northwestern University.
01:17His hometown was Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
01:20Quartermaster Third Class Russo of East Boston, Massachusetts,
01:24was later to prove himself an outstanding and heroic individual,
01:28along with his shipmate, motor machinist mate Third Class Miller, a youth from Vancouver, Washington.
01:33Very pretty.
01:34Thanks.
01:35I got them in the mail at Midway.
01:37That's my girl.
01:38The other's my dog.
01:39Oh.
01:40Well, thanks for telling me.
01:42But I can still tell the difference, you know.
01:44I haven't been away from the States that long.
01:46What is the latest scuttlebutt, Russo?
01:48I hear we're going to the South China Seas, then back to Australia when we wind up the patrol.
01:53Any chance of seeing action?
01:55I don't think we're going on a pleasure cruise.
01:58This your first war patrol, kid?
02:00Yeah.
02:01You know something?
02:03I'm scared.
02:05What's there to be scared of?
02:07We've got a good ship, a great crew, and the best skipper and exec on the whole submarine force.
02:12Yeah, I guess you're right.
02:14But I'll let you in on a little secret.
02:16What?
02:17I'm scared, too.
02:25A little on edge, Skipper?
02:27Yeah.
02:28I hate to go home with an empty bag on our first patrol.
02:31Me, too.
02:32It'll be pretty rough facing the boys of the officers club when we get to Fremantle.
02:35I can't understand what happened to that convoy.
02:36That contact from the plane.
02:37Should be in this area somewhere.
02:38I feel like I did on my first big date at the Academy.
02:40How's that, Captain?
02:41I got stood up.
02:42I got stood up.
02:43I got stood up.
02:44I got stood up.
02:45I got stood up.
02:46I got stood up.
02:47I got stood up.
02:48I got stood up.
02:49I got stood up.
02:50I got stood up.
02:51I got stood up.
02:53I got stood up.
02:54I got stood up.
02:55Captain, contact on radar.
02:57Bearing 090, range 30,000 yards.
03:00Very well.
03:01All ahead, flank.
03:02Got us a course to get us about 15 miles ahead of them.
03:05Looks like my date's gonna show up after all.
03:08Plowing ahead at flank speed, the flyer moved in close to the Japanese convoy
03:12and slipped beneath the surface, making ready for her opening night curtain
03:16in the big Pacific theater.
03:18Now remember, honey, be sure and find yourself a nice home.
03:25Let's go.
03:35Now in position, the flyer was about to make her debut.
03:38Let's get her set up.
03:39Stand by.
03:40With all the poise of a finished performer, she let go a vowspread of four torpedoes.
03:45Her initial attack scored direct hits on a March freighter.
03:51Fire two.
03:52Fire two.
03:53And a merchant tanker.
03:58Then defying the oncoming patrol craft, she continued her aggressive assault
04:05by swinging her stern into position and firing a full spread,
04:09most of the torpedoes finding their way to a target.
04:12Marrowly escaping disaster from the constant depth charges, she slipped away,
04:27leaving four large merchant ships sinking and two others damaged.
04:31The debut was a success.
04:34The flyer was now a fighting lady of the submarine force.
04:38Let's say this calls for a celebration.
04:41No bread pudding for two weeks.
04:43Early in July 1944, the flyer put into a base at Fremantle, Western Australia.
04:52Several of her crew received awards for achieving outstanding success on her maiden war patrol.
05:00Commander Crowley received the Navy Cross.
05:05Having tasted success, the men of the flyer promised to do even better
05:08as she headed for her second war patrol off the coast of Indochina.
05:14Making surface transit through the Balabac Strait between Borneo and the Philippines,
05:19Commander Crowley doubled the watch topside,
05:22anticipating enemy anti-submarine patrols in these restricted areas.
05:35That's Comaran Island to the port. Balabac dead ahead.
05:39It was overcast. No move.
05:42An ideal night for slipping through undetected.
05:45The watch strained to spot patrol vessels in this area
05:48as the flyer moved ahead at a speed of 18 knots.
05:51Then it happened.
05:57The flyer struck a mind.
05:59A blast of compressed air saturated with fuel oil
06:02came rushing up through the conning tower hatch,
06:04confirming that both the inner and outer hulls had been ruptured.
06:07All hands in the below deck spaces were trapped.
06:10In less than 30 seconds after the blast,
06:13the flyer dove beneath the waves,
06:15taking all hands with her who were not on the bridge
06:17or in the conning tower.
06:18A total of 69 men.
06:20Commander Crowley was pinned to the bridge
06:22and carried down at least 50 feet before he was able to free himself.
06:26Are you okay, sir?
06:38Yeah.
06:39We'd better strike out for that island in the north.
06:42It's less likely to be occupied by the Japanese.
06:45I'll stick by you, sir, just in case.
06:47No!
06:48Every man gets there as best he can.
06:50Don't worry, Jim.
06:52I'll make it.
06:53Aye-aye, sir.
06:54Seventeen hours later, Captain Crowley and Jim Liddell reached the beach.
07:04They had ridden partway in style on a palm tree.
07:10They found Russo waiting for them.
07:12He had swum 12 miles without a life jacket or any kind of flotation gear.
07:16When's the last time you saw Miller?
07:20Just before dawn.
07:24I tried to stick with him,
07:26but he got a cramp, said he wanted to float for a while.
07:32Doesn't look like any Pacific paradise.
07:39What island is it, do you know?
07:41I think it's Managula.
07:43It was occupied by Filipinos.
07:47Let's hope it isn't the tourist season.
07:55Four more survivors, Tremaine, Baumgardt Howell, and Ensign Jacobson,
07:59had also caught a floating palm tree
08:01and succeeded in reaching the beach at Mandaguli Island.
08:06You guys placed third.
08:07It wouldn't have made if it hadn't been for a palm truck.
08:10Any sign of Miller?
08:11No, sir.
08:12We've paddled around for a while looking for him,
08:15but I'm afraid that's him.
08:18You and Russo, look around the island for fresh water and food.
08:21The rest of you stay here with me.
08:23We'll build a name through all these palm leaves
08:25and protect ourselves with boiling sun.
08:27Come on Russo, let's bring over the bacon.
08:30The first day's search proved hopeless, no fresh water or food.
08:40The island was a dense mass of jungle.
08:43Few drained coconuts that had drifted ashore
08:45were cleaned of meat by the ants that infested the area.
08:48Captain.
09:03Captain.
09:05Captain.
09:06We couldn't find any food or water, but we found something much better.
09:20Miller!
09:21Miller!
09:22Boy, am I glad to see you.
09:24Don't know what you're so happy about, Captain.
09:26Just another mouth to pee.
09:29Sit down.
09:30Of the 14 men who got off the flyer, six never reached land.
09:39The survivors determined to keep up each other's morale.
09:42Exhausted from their weary day, they collapsed in the lean-to,
09:45hoping for a brighter tomorrow.
10:09Your foot took quite a beating, sir.
10:12Yeah.
10:13I gashed it on the coral reefs coming into shore.
10:17How are you feeling, Junior?
10:18I was hoping it was a nightmare.
10:21It was.
10:24Let's search this area thoroughly.
10:26There must be food and water somewhere.
10:29Wake up that big halfback.
10:31We're gonna need some weight to back up the line.
10:36Wake up, sir.
10:43The men continued their struggle for survival.
10:52Their pace slowed down by thirst and hunger.
11:03The second day, still no solution in sight.
11:05Although the tropical sun was almost unbearable by day,
11:24their greatest enemy was the cold of night,
11:27accentuated by their sunburned bodies.
11:28The third day without food or water.
11:29The men grew weaker.
11:30Their hopes of survival fading.
11:31As they reached the eastern end of the atoll, they saw a new hope.
11:44Another island about six miles away to the east.
11:46What I remember of our intelligence reports,
11:50that should be Bug's New Pilot.
11:52Well, it doesn't look as desolate as this place.
11:55We gotta make a try for it.
11:56It's our only hope.
11:58We're all pretty weak, sir.
12:00Even in a slack tide, it's a long, rough swim.
12:03You, uh, think we could build some kind of a raft?
12:05I saw some driftwood down on the beach.
12:08I'm not much of a carpenter,
12:09but, well, what are we standing around here for?
12:12Well, slack tide will be in in a few hours.
12:13Let's go.
12:18Well, that's the end of the driftwood.
12:21Don't think it'll hold all late of it.
12:23The captain of Miller can ride,
12:24and the rest of us can hang on the after end
12:25and kick with our feet, can't we, sir?
12:27We'll all take turns.
12:29Well, Miller, looks like you and I take first watch on the bridge.
12:32Yes, sir.
12:33We'd better take it easy on the main engine.
12:36They look pretty sad to me.
12:39All ahead, ready.
12:56Two days later, the weary men moved in on Bug Sook Island.
12:59They had spent the two previous nights on intervening islands,
13:03Bayan and Gabon,
13:05but neither had provided the food and water they needed.
13:08Suddenly, they became aware of approaching aircraft.
13:10Looked like a zero, sir, had a meatball on her side.
13:25Well, I don't think we were spotted.
13:26Maybe our luck's changing.
13:27Let's hope so.
13:29Come on, we can't relax now.
13:30We do, it might be for the last time.
13:32At this point, maybe that's the best idea.
13:34Come on, Junior, you can make it.
13:43Look.
13:46Think we could be held by the enemy?
13:48It's possible.
13:50We might be walking into a trap.
13:53We'd better not approach it right away.
13:55Let's watch it till dark.
13:58Let's watch it till dark.
14:15All right, boys.
14:25Let's watch it.
14:53Hey, water!
14:56The water.
14:58It was poisoned.
14:59For the Japanese invaders.
15:00We did not expect Americans.
15:01You're a guerrilla?
15:03Bug-Zug bullet battalion.
15:05I saw you come ashore of us.
15:06I was not sure you weren't Japanese.
15:08Are there any Japanese on the island?
15:10Yes.
15:11But not many no more.
15:13Only snipers.
15:14We kill most of them.
15:15How about your men? Any casualties?
15:17Only sore trigger fingers.
15:18Where are the rest of your group?
15:20Our camp is about five miles north of here.
15:22I'll take you in morning.
15:23Tonight you rest.
15:25Can you get us any food and drink?
15:27We've been without for five days.
15:28I have coconuts.
15:29Wait.
15:37I caught some fish last night.
15:38You need strength to make it to camp.
15:44How long have you been on Bug-Zug?
15:46Only three days.
15:48We came from Palawan looking for you.
15:51For us?
15:52Yes.
15:53Had report of submarine sinking in this area.
15:55Have been looking for survivors.
15:58Do you have any means of communication at the camp?
16:01No.
16:02We have small radio on Palawan, but it won't work.
16:05Maybe you'll fix it.
16:07Good.
16:08Howell, here's your chance to work with the radio.
16:10I'll do my best, sir.
16:11It's going to be kind of tough getting to the camp.
16:14None of us have shoes.
16:17After what you've been through,
16:18be thankful you have feet.
16:21I guess that is the better way to look at it.
16:24Rise and shine, you tender feet.
16:25We're going for a little hike.
16:42How much further?
16:44Only about one more mile.
16:46You want to rest for a while?
16:48No, no. Let's keep going.
16:50What are they going to do when we get to camp?
16:52I don't know, Junior.
16:53They'll take us on an orientation tour of the island.
16:55On foot?
16:56What else?
16:57Why are we going to get a cab this time of day?
17:00Come on, Junior. Don't give up now.
17:01We're on the homestretch.
17:16At 1800, they reach the camp,
17:18being greeted by a group of six more gorillas
17:20from the Bug Soup Bullo Battalion.
17:23They would rest for the night and start out by boat for Palawan in the morning.
17:34The next day, they shoved off for Palawan.
17:36Four days later, they arrived at Sir John Brook Point and started for the camp.
17:50After a few hours' work, Howell, Chief Radar Technician, was successful in repairing the radio set and began the attempt to contact Command of Submarine Southwest Pacific in Australia.
18:03You know, I never did find out what your name is.
18:20Just call me Mike. My name is too hard for you to say in Filipino.
18:24Okay, Mike. Thanks for everything.
18:27Don't thank me yet. I've still got to get you back to American base.
18:31If he makes contact, the code book we have may have been changed.
18:34Say, how are we going to get out to the sub if they do show up?
18:37We have a man guarding our boat at the northern tip of the island.
18:40He'll take you out.
18:42How far is this boat?
18:44About six miles.
18:46My aching feet.
18:52I got them, sir.
18:57Commander Crowley notified Commander Submarine Southwest Pacific of the situation.
19:02He requested a submarine to rendezvous with them five miles off Sir John Brook Point, Palawan.
19:08Captain Crowley was told to stand by for further orders.
19:16No offense to your island, Mike, but I sure would like to get off.
19:26I don't blame you. So would we.
19:29Well, if we do make a rendezvous, can't you come with us?
19:32No. We are the home guard now.
19:35I hate to sound corny, but you sure are a great bunch of guys.
19:39You are corny. Got to get you off before you eat up all the fish and rice.
19:47Rendezvous, your requested position, 2300, 31 August.
19:57Good. That gives us eight hours.
20:00We've got six miles of heavy jungle to go through.
20:02We better get started.
20:04We'll get there before dark, have a few hours leeway.
20:07Let's go.
20:08The group started out for the northern tip of the island, led by their guide, Mike, and two other gorillas.
20:26Sir, you've got to stop and rest for a while.
20:29No, Jim, forget it. I'm okay.
20:31No, you're going to get those feet fixed.
20:33We'll rest a while. I'll fix your foot, Captain.
20:34I'll fix your foot, Captain.
20:35We'll never make it on time.
20:37We'll make it, sir. And you're going to be with us.
20:44I've heard of people giving you the shirt off their back, but this is the first time I've ever seen it.
20:50Thanks, Mike. We've only got a few hours left. How much further is it?
20:54About three miles. We've got to hurry.
20:56Let's go.
21:04At 1930, the survivors reached a small craft that was to take them to their rendezvous with the submarine Redfin, and were ready to give their prearranged all-clear signal to the south.
21:31Wait. Looks like trouble.
21:38The Japanese patrol boat. We can't risk showing the light now.
21:43Right where the Redfin should be. Looks like they know our plan.
21:46If they did, they'd have more than that out there.
21:51We'll shove off and try to contact the sub by radio.
21:54You'd better hurry.
21:56Mike, I can't tell you how much we appreciate it.
21:57Thank you. Good luck.
21:59Hello, Redfin. Hello, Redfin. This is Flyer Group. This is Flyer Group. Over.
22:15Hello, Redfin. Hello, Redfin. This is Flyer Group. This is Flyer Group. Over.
22:21I can't figure out why they don't answer, sir. I'm sure the set's working.
22:24Maybe they aren't sure it's us. They can't risk the chance the Japanese didn't pick up our first message.
22:35Who is the skipper of the Redfin, Captain?
22:36Cy Austin. He and I were classmates at the Academy. Let me have that set, Howell.
22:47Maybe he'll recognize my voice.
22:50My Bonnie lies over the ocean. My Bonnie lies over the sea.
22:59Cy and I used to sing in a barbershop quartet.
23:01My Bonnie lies over the ocean. My Bonnie lies over the sea.
23:06Bring back, bring back, oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
23:10Bring back, bring back, oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
23:14Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me.
23:22Okay, Jack. You've convinced me. And you still can't sing that last note right.
23:26Hello, Cy. Cy. Cy, we're at rendezvous point.
23:30Stand by. We'll be with you.
23:33Ah, I never thought my singing voice would come in that handy.
23:36It's a good thing you didn't take any singing lessons after you left the Academy, sir.
23:39We'd be sitting out here for the duration.
23:44Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
24:06I'll be back in a moment with our special guest.
24:14We're very fortunate to have with us Captain John D. Crowley, the Flyers' commanding officer.
24:20Jack, the sudden and unexpected loss of your ship was a tragic event.
24:25I wish we had time to eulogize every man of the fine crew who went down in her.
24:29When you found yourselves in the water, did you head for the nearest land?
24:32No. We knew the Japanese held an island about eight miles away, so we chose one four miles further.
24:38We were in the water seventeen hours.
24:40I'm sure I'd never made a swim of twelve miles without a life jacket.
24:44Of course, some of the boys didn't make it.
24:46But you'd be surprised how far you can swim if you have to.
24:49You've had one of the most remarkable experiences I've ever heard of.
24:53And it's been most interesting to have you tell us about it.
24:56Thank you very much.
24:57Please be with us again for another true story of the silent service.
25:04Take her down, there's often life
25:09Through the deep blue underneath the ocean
25:13We'll control the ocean's wide
25:17From down, down, underneath the sea
25:21Save the force for past the world
25:25In the future's yet to be
25:29And we'll stay
25:31And we'll stay
25:32As long as there's
25:34A submarine there underneath the sea
25:38So wait for time
25:40And take her down
25:42Down, down, down, down
25:43Down, down, down
25:44Down, down, down
25:45Underneath the ocean
25:46Fearless men
25:48Will find freedom
25:50In the deep blue underneath the sea
25:54For the deep blue underneath the sea
25:55Earth
25:57another
26:02King of the sea
26:03Ain't consolidating
26:04With it
26:05With it
26:07It's a där
26:08La
26:12The
26:15Detanno
26:17Dawn
26:19Hit
26:20Cause
26:21Get
26:21It's a
26:22The
26:04
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