- 4 months ago
A submarine is ordered to slip into Japanese-occupied Filipino waters to spirit out some important passengers from Corregidor.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dyker's retired.
00:30In this chapter of the Silent Service, we bring you the story of an exploit that occurred early in World War II.
00:37We choose to tell it because it is an outstanding example of skill, perseverance, the ability to calculate a risk, and to follow it with a command decision.
00:47I didn't mention nerve. This operation required plenty of it, but the ship's company of the USS Spearfish had that too.
00:59On the day our story opens, the Spearfish had been on patrol off Luzon in the Philippines for 45 days,
01:06under the command of Lieutenant Commander James C. Dempsey from Mystic, Connecticut.
01:11He had been a top flight boxer at Annapolis, and he hadn't forgotten how to mix it.
01:16The executive officer was Lieutenant Charles B. Jackson, Jr. from Van Buren, Arkansas.
01:22The engineering officer was Lieutenant M. H. Austin, from Altus, Oklahoma.
01:29Considering that we've got the states submerged during daytime until we get south of Java, it's going to take us 21 days to make Fremantle, Australia.
01:36I'm commencing to forget what daylight looks like.
01:39Yeah, it's sure going to feel good to get that sun on our backs again.
01:42Yeah, my heart's bleeding for you guys. I notice when you're in port, you never get up till the sun goes down.
01:50How old are you, Captain?
01:53I'm 33. What's that got to do with you?
01:56Well, I thought you might like to go with us sometime. But at your age, I, uh, I doubt if you could take it.
02:01That's for sure.
02:03Why, I could be 20 years older and outlast you dudes at anything.
02:08Oh, now, wait a minute, Captain. Those Aussies have some games down there they don't even have a name for.
02:15You know, every time I look at the chart of Australia, I can just taste that bitter beer.
02:20Message, Captain.
02:23Well, looks like you're going to have to do your tasting by remote control a little while longer, Si.
02:27All right. This orders us into Corregidor tomorrow night to take out some important people.
02:33Rendezvous is set for 10 o'clock.
02:35You suppose it could be MacArthur?
02:38I don't know. Could be.
02:40Let's take a look at the local chart.
02:44Japanese are running a patrol around the rock, but we ought to be able to move in on the surface to a point of about 20 miles before they force us under.
02:50If we can, it'll give us a nice easy run-in tomorrow, submerged.
02:54Yeah, leave enough in the battery to get out again if we don't get a chance to recharge.
02:59We'll dive right here, Charlie.
03:03Hey, Pop, the chief of the boat knows everything. When do we get back to Australia?
03:06We don't.
03:07We what?
03:08All I know is we're headed for Corregidor and we're turning up full speed to get there.
03:12Oh, that does it.
03:14Them apes on the sailfish will beat me to it again.
03:16They headed for the barn yesterday.
03:17Hey, I'm the one who knows what gives. Who told you?
03:21The captain.
03:22All right, all right. If them monkeys and those sailfish beat you to that same redhead in Fremantle,
03:26they'll be doing you a favor.
03:28Now, wait a minute, Pop. I got a great gal there.
03:31So would everybody else.
03:37The spearfish headed for Corregidor under the cover of night.
03:41Since she could cover only about 40 miles submerged without recharging,
03:45Skipper had intended to run the last 20 miles underwater.
03:48However, the enemy had other ideas.
04:03You can't be at the diving point already.
04:04No, it's Japanese. The patrol line will destroy us.
04:06They see us?
04:07I don't think so. Let's take a look.
04:18They're a little on the starboard bow, Captain.
04:22I see them.
04:29It is smelling your own out there.
04:30Well, if they'd seen us, they'd be barreling over this way by now.
04:36Yeah, you're right.
04:37We'll just go deep and ease by them.
04:41Take her down to 250 feet.
04:43250 feet.
04:45Aye, aye, sir.
04:4510 degrees down bubble.
04:47Be daylight in about an hour.
04:54That means we'll have to stay submerged all the way into the rock now.
04:56Well, it'll be about 30 miles instead of the 20 we figured on.
04:59We'll make it in, all right.
05:00But if we can't find a way to charge batteries, we're going to have trouble getting out.
05:04It may not be so bad in there.
05:06They might even meet us with a brass band.
05:09Ever occur to you they might not meet us at all?
05:11What do you mean by that, Captain?
05:13Suppose the Japs captured the rock last week,
05:15or last night, or even today.
05:18They'd have a reception for us, but it wouldn't be the kind we'd like.
05:21That's right.
05:22If our codes have been captured, the Japanese could have sent the message
05:26requesting that we pick up these people in the first place.
05:29It's not likely.
05:31It's possible.
05:32We'll know better when we get closer to Corregidor.
05:39Captain to the conning tower.
05:43Captain to the conning tower.
05:48Captain, the Japanese patrol boat's up ahead.
05:59They're more than five miles from Corregidor.
06:03Seems to me if the rock was still in our hands, the guns would keep these buzzards further away.
06:08Those guns have got a range of over twice that far.
06:11Maybe that patrol line this morning let us by on purpose.
06:14It's closing in behind us.
06:15If this is a trap and we fall into it, we'll be the biggest suckers of the war.
06:20I've been doing a lot of thinking about this the past couple of hours.
06:23What you boys say is true, but it's not conclusive.
06:26The patrol boats are no threat to the people on the rock.
06:29And if they're running low on ammunition, they can use it better someplace else.
06:32Well, that's sure right.
06:34But if we get in there and they jump us before we have a chance to recharge the battery,
06:38we're going to have some fun getting past these patrol lines on the way out, right?
06:42Well, there's one thing you've got to remember, Charlie.
06:44If they hadn't needed us, the force commander wouldn't have ordered us in here.
06:48But we've got to take a chance.
06:49Well, I just hate to look so fat, dumb, and happy, that's all.
06:53We're not going to get caught that way.
06:55We'll just go deep now and under this next patrol line.
06:58When we get to the rendezvous point, we'll settle on the bottom.
07:02I just hope the Japanese have in mind the area.
07:05Me too.
07:11I have men standing by to destroy all the secret papers and equipment.
07:14Prop Anderson's rigging some extra bunks in the torpedo room.
07:16Fine.
07:19Sai.
07:22You know the arrangements for destroying the secret matter.
07:25Yes, sir.
07:26Now look, no matter what happens up there, I don't want you to come topside.
07:31If the people who board us turn out to be Japanese, or if we get shot up,
07:36I just want you to close the hatches and die.
07:38This ship must not be captured.
07:40Aye, aye, sir.
07:42Now, how much battery have we got left?
07:45No, it's well over half gone.
07:46It'll never take us past the outer patrol line.
07:48We've got to charge.
07:51Start in the control room in Conning Tower.
07:53Aye, aye, sir.
07:53Get the gun crews ready.
07:56I can't hear anything, Captain.
08:08It's all clear.
08:09Very well.
08:10Everything's ready, Captain.
08:12All right, let's go, Julian.
08:13All right, let's go, Captain.
08:28I don't know what to do, Captain, but it's still a little early yet.
08:43Blink-a-light on the port beam.
08:48They're making a recognition signal.
08:50Not the right one.
08:51Are you sure?
08:52Yes, sir, positive.
08:54Stand by on the gun.
08:57Hey, you all.
09:01Is that the spearfish?
09:03If that all's a Japanese, he's from South Nagasaki, boy.
09:07Come alongside!
09:09You can start the battery charge now, Charlie.
09:12Right, Captain.
09:14Up forward here, gentlemen, down his hatch here.
09:19Watch your step.
09:27Hey, a date.
09:30Oh, it can't be.
09:31It's just the army.
09:33Army.
09:34Hello.
09:35Hello.
09:36Hey, you know something?
09:38This is just like hitting a jackpot.
09:39You're telling me.
09:40Where do we go?
09:41You know, we've been preparing for you girls all afternoon.
09:44Now, here's a nice bunk right here.
09:45Yeah, right here.
09:46Yeah, right here.
09:47Yeah, right here.
09:48You gentlemen will find your bunks in here.
09:49You girls follow me.
09:50We're gonna give you the chief's quarters all to yourselves.
09:51Oh, that sounds nice.
09:52But will we be taking up too much room?
09:53Well, now, you haven't seen the chief's quarters, miss.
09:55Hmm, hmm.
10:00If you haven't seen the chief's quarters, miss.
10:02Oh, that sounds nice.
10:04But will we be taking up too much room?
10:07Well, now, you haven't seen the chief's quarters, miss.
10:09Oh, that sounds nice, but will we be taking up too much room?
10:13Well, now, you haven't seen the chief's quarters, miss.
10:26They're all below decks, Captain. The hatches are closed.
10:29Fine, Anderson. Thanks.
10:31Tell the exec to stay right here for a couple of hours while we'll put a charge in the battery.
10:36Some of them army guys move around like my Aunt Fanny.
10:39What do you mean?
10:40Well, they wouldn't lift anything heavy, and they sashayed around like dolls.
10:43Well, they had a good reason to. They are dolls.
10:46They're nurses, over half of them. The rest of them are army and navy officers.
10:49Women in a submarine? That's bad luck.
10:52Yeah, and we got 13 of them. 12 army and one navy.
10:55Oh, we'll never get out of here.
11:05Control boats, we gotta get out of here.
11:07Secure the charge.
11:09Clear the bridge.
11:10Guys!
11:13Guys!
11:13What's that?
11:37What's that?
11:39Feels like we're sinking.
11:41Japanese gun. We dive now.
11:44I wish I'd stayed on Corregidor.
11:49Having picked up a cargo,
11:51the submerged submarine now had to work her way past the evening patrols.
11:56Bring her around to course 235.
11:59You're heading for our own minefield, Captain.
12:01That's right, Charlie.
12:02When we get there, we're gonna go right along the edge of it.
12:05I guess the Japanese know exactly where it is,
12:07and they won't come anywhere near us now.
12:09I just hope it's where we think it is.
12:14I'm just as frightened as the rest of you.
12:16But there's nothing we can do about it.
12:18There's only four bunks.
12:20Now how can 13 of us possibly sleep?
12:23Hey, Stuart.
12:25Aren't there some other bunks for us?
12:27No, lady. Bunks all full.
12:29Captain say all nurses stay here.
12:31Well, there's nothing we can do about it.
12:35We'll divide the day into three eight-hour periods,
12:39with four of us sleeping at a time.
12:42That only makes 12. There's 13 of us.
12:44Oh, well, we'll draw lots.
12:46And whoever gets number 13 has to sleep on the floor.
12:50I'm so tired I could sleep standing up.
12:53We ought to turn right now, Captain.
12:57Well, what's the course to run parallel to the edge of the minefield?
13:00Uh, 285.
13:03Bring a right to 285.
13:05The patrol boats have stopped their propellers.
13:17It's working.
13:18They won't come any closer.
13:20Now, I want you to rig the ship for silent running.
13:23Shut down the air conditioning, ventilation blowers, fans,
13:26whatever else you can to save electricity.
13:28We're still going to have to be lucky to get out of here.
13:31Aye, aye, sir.
13:35Are you girls getting along all right?
13:37Oh, yeah, we're just fine.
13:39I'm sorry.
13:40We just can't spare the electricity to run the air conditioning.
13:43Well, we can stand it if you can.
13:45Well, there's one thing I can't stand,
13:47and I'm going to do something about it right now.
13:50Where are those shears I saw?
13:52Ah.
13:54You know that's an idea.
13:56Here, let me help you.
13:58Well, as soon as you're through, Miss, would you please come forward?
14:01I've got some gadgets in the torpedo room I've got to explain to you girls.
14:04Oh, thank you. We'll be with you in a minute.
14:06Good.
14:09So you shouldn't have any trouble with the shower or the wash basins
14:11or any of the rest of those gadgets.
14:13I know it must seem like an awful lot of valves and gauges,
14:16but they're all plainly marked.
14:18Any questions?
14:19Yeah.
14:20How long did you say it would take us to get to Australia?
14:23I don't see a thing, Charlie.
14:33Maybe this is our chance.
14:35It's an hour and a half before daybreak.
14:37If we can charge the batteries that long,
14:39we can thumb our noses at them tomorrow.
14:41Yeah.
14:42The propeller noise is bearing one, zero, five.
14:45Up, scope.
14:58Take her down, 200 feet.
15:00200 feet.
15:01Aye, aye, sir.
15:02Ending for his down boat.
15:11He started up his search gear.
15:14He's passing overhead.
15:16The destroyer apparently never knew that she had passed right over the spearfish.
15:31But for the submarine, the chance to surface and revitalize her air
15:35and depleted batteries before sunrise was lost.
15:38And to surface in those waters in daylight was suicide.
15:42It was bad enough on the old hands.
15:45And the passengers were having a rough initiation.
15:50I haven't had a chance to welcome you girls aboard.
15:52My name is Dempsey.
15:53I'm the commanding officer.
15:55Are you comfortable?
15:57Comfortable?
15:58This heat?
16:00I've just never been so uncomfortable in my life.
16:05I wish those Japanese would just come and get it over with.
16:08Well, it won't really hurt you to be uncomfortable for a little while.
16:11You don't look like you've had any sleep for a week.
16:20Have you?
16:24Please forgive me, Captain.
16:26You've risked your lives to take us out of there,
16:28and I sound like I don't appreciate it.
16:32When was the last time you did sleep?
16:36Well...
16:37It's pretty rough out there on the rock.
16:41None of us have slept much for ten days.
16:45Well, you'll feel better when you get your turn in the bunk.
16:48I don't get one.
16:50See, there's four bunks, thirteen of us.
16:54I'm the lucky one.
16:55I threw the floor.
16:56Threw the floor? Why didn't you say so?
16:58Well, I'm not a sissy.
17:03Not all the time.
17:06I'll tell you what we'll do.
17:07I have to be up when we're on the surface in enemy waters.
17:10So I won't be using my bunk at night. You're welcome to it.
17:13You need your rest?
17:14You just be out of it by seven.
17:17I'll sleep in the daytime.
17:21You just don't know how good that sounds.
17:24Now, until we're able to get clear of these patrol boats,
17:28we're able to surface and recharge our batteries,
17:30I won't be using that bunk at all.
17:32It'll take at least another eighteen hours.
17:34So you're welcome to it as of right now.
17:37Come on, I'm sure.
17:38The wash face is there, so just make yourself at home.
17:49At last, the welcome cover of darkness descended.
17:53I don't know how we made it.
17:55It doesn't figure.
17:57The battery company must have built in some good gremlins.
18:00God bless them.
18:02Well, let's get some air.
18:04Surface!
18:08This fresh air sure feels great.
18:29Yeah, it doesn't smell so good though, does it?
18:32I'm willing to get used to it.
18:34We'll just mark it down to unexpected pleasures.
18:36All right, folks!
18:39Yes, who is it?
18:40Stewart, lady.
18:41Oh.
18:43You want coffee?
18:45Oh, thank you.
18:47Here are clean clothes.
18:49Oh, nice!
18:51Whose are they?
18:52Crew, send all ladies.
18:54Oh.
18:56You want coffee?
18:58Oh, thank you.
19:00Here are clean clothes.
19:02Oh, nice!
19:04Whose are they?
19:05Crew, send all ladies.
19:06They take a shower now.
19:07Oh, shower!
19:08That's for me!
19:10What's the can for?
19:11We're on surface now.
19:12Maybe I get seasick.
19:13Oh.
19:25Hi.
19:26Hi.
19:27Permission to come on the bridge?
19:29Permission granted.
19:30My pleasure.
19:31My, it's a pretty night.
19:32So quiet.
19:34It sure is a fine night, all right.
19:35Real quiet.
19:37No sign of trouble.
19:38It's the best kind.
19:39You know, I'm awfully ignorant, but just how does trouble show itself?
19:40Well, I keep a sharp eye out for smoke, for masks, planes.
19:44Usually the first warning comes from the lookouts.
19:45They can't afford to take their eyes off the ocean for a second.
19:46They're up there.
19:47Under normal circumstances.
19:48Under normal circumstances they can.
19:49Normal circumstances.
19:50I guess it was pretty rough back there, wasn't it?
19:51I guess it was pretty rough back there, wasn't it?
19:52I guess it was pretty rough back there, wasn't it?
19:53Well, I'm awfully ignorant, but just how does trouble show itself?
19:55Well, I keep a sharp eye out for smoke, for masks, planes.
20:01Usually the first warning comes from the lookouts.
20:04They can't afford to take their eyes off the ocean for a second.
20:07They're up there.
20:09Under normal circumstances they can.
20:15Normal circumstances.
20:18I guess it was pretty rough back there, wasn't it?
20:22It was just horrible.
20:27I can't seem to stop thinking about those guys we left there.
20:31Yeah.
20:32How close we came to.
20:37Look, how do you get used to a thing like that?
20:40You don't get used to it.
20:42It's the same way for all of us.
20:44You just have to learn to live with it.
20:45All right, you guys won't see any smokestacks down here.
20:57I don't have to wait, do I?
20:58Dig right in.
21:01Oh, a header letters.
21:03I've been waiting six months for this.
21:08This is heaven.
21:15Corregidor has surrendered.
21:27Corregidor has surrendered.
21:28When the spearfish reached the relative safety of the Indian Ocean, two phenomena occur, both natural.
21:47The weather was cooling off, and the eternal feminine emerged.
21:55Every time I look at my face, I shudder.
21:58Give me the lipstick, will you?
22:00I'm sorry, it's all gone.
22:02All gone?
22:03Well, how long do you think one lipstick can last with 13 of us using it?
22:07Well, don't worry.
22:08I'll have the auxiliary men make you some out of red lip.
22:10It's no joking matter.
22:12It's bad enough to go ashore with cut-off gongery shorts and field shoes.
22:16And now no lipstick.
22:18And they say it's cool in Fremantle at this time of the year, too.
22:21Yeah, I know.
22:22And Mr. Jackson says the breezes blow up the rivers.
22:25That's right, they do.
22:27I tell you what, maybe we can sneak ashore when it gets dark.
22:30Now, how can you disappoint a thousand men?
22:34You mean a thousand men will be on that dock when we get there?
22:37Why, sure.
22:38Maybe more.
22:39Oh, no.
22:40Have the communications officer send that out right away.
22:53Aye, aye, sir.
22:59Dresses!
23:02Hey, look, Doc.
23:04Oh, hi, his shoes.
23:07We'll be alongside the dock in one hour.
23:09All hands shift the clean uniform of the day.
23:12The clean uniform of the day.
23:14You heard him, girls.
23:16Let's get into it.
23:18With our passengers now properly uniformed,
23:21the spearfish finally entered the great allied base at Fremantle.
23:36Goodbye, Captain.
23:37We'll never forget you.
23:39That's from all of us to the whole ship's company.
23:52Captain M. H. Austin, United States Navy,
24:05who is the engineering officer of the USS Spearfish, is with us.
24:08And it is with a great deal of pleasure that I introduce him to you.
24:11Hello, Cy.
24:14It must make you feel good to think that your ship saved those 25 people from the rock.
24:19Yes, it was one of the most satisfying things we did in the whole war.
24:22They must have been a really fine group.
24:25They were a fine group.
24:26After hearing what those women went through on Batan and Cregidor,
24:28I felt like the submarines were having it easy.
24:31The women were enduring the same hardship the men were,
24:34washing out of a helmet and working around the clock when it was necessary.
24:38The nurses had such a nice life in peacetime
24:40that we used to wonder whether they could take it when the going got rough.
24:44They showed they could throughout the whole war,
24:46and my hat's off to them.
24:48Yes, and I'm sure the nation's hat is off to you
24:50and the fine crew of the USS Spearfish.
24:53It has been a real honor to have had you with us.
24:58Please be with us again
24:59when the USS Spearfish brings you another exciting submarine story.
25:29The USS Spearfish.
25:59The USS Spearfish.
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