- 4 months ago
U.S. subs are about to close in on a Japanese convoy. What they don't know is that aboard one of the ships are Allied POWs.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykerz, retired.
00:27Submarines in wartime are relentless destroyers.
00:32The tragedy reenacted in this chapter of the silent service involves a heartbreaking miscarriage
00:37of intent.
00:39The destruction had repercussions, harrowing repercussions, which required a submarine
00:45wolfpack to play an entirely different role.
00:48Let's single up the lines and get underway with the USS Pampanito.
00:55In Singapore, in the fall of 1944, the Japanese decided to move some British and Australian
01:06prisoners north to the home islands.
01:09Into the holds of the Rakuyu Maru went 1,350 of our unfortunate allies.
01:15Into another went some 750 of their fellow prisoners.
01:19The conditions on board were so bad they defied description.
01:23There was little room to sit, and the men were literally packed in.
01:27Heat and odors were stifling.
01:29On November the 6th, 1944, they got underway and commenced their perilous voyage north.
01:36It was a voyage that many a ship before them had failed to complete.
01:42The United States Senate écrit in first and in the first and foremost, the shot is
01:49the same, as it looked like about the main threat of their soldiers in front.
01:54The submarine is a threat of the remote control.
01:56The USS Pampanito is a threat of the civilian forces, and the soldiers they are caught at.
01:57It is a threat of the UNIVERSITY of United States.
02:01I think it is the only finding of the military people that make sure it is the same.
02:02This isæ and the local government matters make sure it is the same.
02:03The US.
02:05The United States federal government matters, except the President
02:06to the UNIVERSITY of the United States or United States.
02:08The United States Senate has been Даже全然ес tribalism.
02:11United States submarines were roaming in wolf packs such as Ben's Busters, headed by Lieutenant Commander Ben Oakley, skipper of the USS Growler.
02:20The pack was composed of Growler, Sea Lion, and Pampanito.
02:28Our story concerns a Pampanito, so let's meet a skipper, Lieutenant Commander P.E. Summers from Lexington, Tennessee, in the Naval Academy class of 1936.
02:39Let's go.
02:41Our executive officer was Lieutenant Commander L.L. Davis from Charlottesville, Virginia. His shipmates called him Jeff.
02:48The torpedo officer was Lieutenant Ted Swain from Mineola, New York.
02:53A key member of her crew was Pharmacist Mate First Class M.L. Demas from Manchester, New Hampshire.
03:00Here, then, was the setup for the bitterest irony of any man in uniform. Killing your own guys.
03:08Especially these guys, who had already endured the hell of forced labor on a railroad, during which 20,000 prisoners were reported to have died.
03:18On September the 12th, 1944, the Busters pounced on some ships in the South China Sea.
03:37As far as they knew, it was just another northbound convoy.
03:42All tubes ready, depth set, ten feet.
03:51We'll shoot now. Stand by.
03:54The sea lions just hit them.
04:00They're scattering.
04:12Right full rudder. Secure the tubes.
04:16First the growler, and now the sea lion beats us to them.
04:21It's gonna be slim pickings for us if we ever get a shot.
04:24How many ships left in the convoy?
04:26Two.
04:29Three.
04:30Four.
04:33Four plus the escorts.
04:34Steady on course zero zero zero. All ahead full.
04:39Steady zero zero zero. Ahead full.
04:41The Busters, certainly living up to its name.
04:43There's still four of them left. Can't we get an attack in?
04:45Yeah, I think so. We're running up ahead of them now.
04:47This business of getting ready to shoot and having somebody else snatch the target away is getting kind of stale.
04:52The biggest one's still up there. Just waiting for us, Ted.
04:55I thought we were pretty fast on our feet, but we're sure in good company.
04:58They go after a convoy like this, trying to end the war tonight.
05:01You gotta hand it to them for teamwork.
05:03The growler goes after the escorts. The sea lion moves in after the ships.
05:07The radar shows two of the escorts gone.
05:09Yeah, they look like a destroyer in a frigate.
05:11Yeah, well, there's still three or four up there.
05:13That's plenty to make it interesting.
05:15As my guess, we'll intercept in about an hour.
05:25Fire!
05:31Left full rudder. Stand by the stern tube.
05:46Left full rudder.
05:48Fire!
05:55We got it, Mike. Steady in our round, Jeff, we have one.
06:08There goes the big transport.
06:10We got three of them, including the transport.
06:16Hey, we got three of them, including that big baby.
06:19Let's go ahead this way the escorts are headed this way all ahead
06:40Oh
06:46Japanese got their feet wet tonight
06:57Look, there's some of our lives are up on deck when we got here. They'll open the hatches. They'd better hurry. We're going down. They'll get to me lad. Just hang on a bit longer
07:07Hurry the hatch open the forward hatch
07:10Thank God
07:17Open our hatch. Why don't you open our hatch?
07:24It's Campbell. John Campbell. We're coming mate. Give me a hair.
07:28Give me a hair.
07:36The busters had decimated the convoy
07:38But for the next 36 hours they comb the ocean looking for the remnants before they reluctantly retrace their steps
07:46On September the 15th, 1944
07:48Three days after the attacks
07:50The Pampanito was again passing through the area
07:54Looks like men on a raft
08:04I hate to leave them but we don't have space on here for survivors
08:08Well, I don't feel bad about it
08:12They sure wouldn't fish our people out of the water
08:14Left full rudder
08:16Left full rudder
08:17Left full rudder
08:18Left full rudder
08:19You hate
08:25Don't leave us
08:27Don't leave us
08:28Don't leave us
08:29Don't leave us
08:31You hate
08:32Don't leave us
08:33They're British, you're Aussies
08:34Right full rudder
08:35Right full rudder
08:36Steady on original course
08:38Right full rudder
08:39Demers, you better be ready for anything.
08:41These people have probably been in the water at least three days now.
08:43Do you think we put them there, Mr. Davis?
08:45I don't know, but somebody in the wolf pack did.
08:47I have a full medical kit on deck.
08:49Yeah, let me know if you need anything.
08:51Aye, sir.
08:53The rescue operation started.
08:55These were the poor wretches who were taken aboard the Pampanito.
09:22You could hardly call them men.
09:25These were the hardy, and still possessed of enough life when they left Singapore
09:33to be useful in the mines of Honshu.
09:362100 had been in the holds of ships in the convoy.
09:40They had been weakened by many ordeals.
09:43And after three days in the water, their condition was desperate.
09:50Good for you, Yanks. I knew you'd pick us up. I'm all right.
09:54Here. This will remove the oil.
10:00Use a soft cloth and be careful, or the skin will come right off.
10:04Don't use anything rougher than this.
10:06This man's in critical condition.
10:08Get him below decks as soon as he's cleaned up.
10:10Handling carefully.
10:12Handling carefully.
10:18This man's in critical condition.
10:20Get him below decks as soon as he's cleaned up.
10:22Handling carefully.
10:24Handling carefully.
10:26We got them all on deck, Captain.
10:28Nice going, Jeff.
10:32Keep your rescue crew on deck. There's plenty more out there.
10:46Right 20 degrees rudder. All ahead standard.
10:50Right 20 degrees rudder. All ahead standard.
10:52Better get your first group below.
10:54We'll move as fast as we can, Captain.
10:56Demer says in addition to exposure and salt water sores, they got pellagra, bari-bari, malaria.
11:00Practically anything else you can get in the tropics.
11:02It'll take us five days to get them to the hospital in Saipan.
11:04If we can keep them alive that long, the doctors may be able to pull them through.
11:06We'll take them to the hospital in Saipan.
11:08If we can keep them alive that long, the doctors may be able to pull them through.
11:10It's going to be a rough job.
11:27We can't do too much for them, Jeff.
11:29It may have been our torpedoes.
11:31I know what you mean.
11:40Now, here's a little water. Just suck on this gauze.
11:48Get these men below right away. There's lots more coming.
11:56The growler left for home night before last. She'd be too far away.
11:59Yeah, but we shouldn't have too much trouble raising the sea lion.
12:02Let's try it.
12:04Buster 2. Buster 2. Buster 3 calling. Over.
12:08What's our position?
12:101838 North, 11102 East.
12:12Buster 3, this is Buster 2. Go ahead. Over.
12:16Many British and Australian survivors in water. Latitude 1838 North, 11102 East.
12:23Need earliest possible assistance. Repeat, earliest possible assistance. Over.
12:28Roger, Buster 3. This is Buster 2 saying roger and out.
12:32Get off a report to the Force Commander. We'll need all the help we can get.
12:35Aye, aye, sir.
12:38The Pampanito's stirring dispatch was received by the Submarine Force Headquarters at Pearl Harbor.
12:43And urgent orders were sent to the Queenfish and the Barb on patrol around Formosa to assist in the rescue.
12:53They race towards the Spud.
12:59Alright, right over there.
13:00How is it?
13:14How is it?
13:16He's almost gone.
13:18Maybe we can bring him around.
13:21Let's have a look at his dog tags.
13:24John Campbell of the Gordon Highlanders.
13:31Do you need anything?
13:33Well, we have some penicillin, but not nearly enough.
13:36We're gonna need it badly.
13:38There's not much we can do about that now.
13:40I guess not.
13:41The narcotics are in the captain's safe. We're gonna need them all.
13:46I'll get them.
13:47Good.
14:01We'll need another one.
14:02There's no more room down here.
14:03We'll make room.
14:04There's lots more coming.
14:05If we have to, we'll stand up all the way to Saipan.
14:07This one's ready to go below.
14:08This one's ready to go below.
14:38How many minutes does that make, Ted?
14:41Uh, 61, sir.
14:43As long as we can. We'll take him aboard.
14:45We'll never find him out there at night.
14:47I know. We haven't much time.
14:49Right, 10 degrees rudder.
14:52Right, 10 degrees rudder.
15:01Before dark, the Pampanito took aboard 73 pitiful survivors.
15:06Hundreds were still in the water.
15:10But with a crew of 89 officers and men,
15:13she no longer had room for a single additional man.
15:18The sea lion arrived in the area in continued rescue operations.
15:27The Pampanito left for Saipan at a best speed in a race against time.
15:33The problem now was to keep them alive.
15:36How are they, dear?
15:37I don't know, Captain.
15:39Many of the time I wish I were a doctor.
15:41I never felt so inadequate before.
15:42Look at all.
15:43Completely dependent on me.
15:44And I don't even have the medicine they need.
15:45There are not many full-fledged doctors that could do better.
15:47I've always thought you were the best pharmacist.
15:48I've always thought you were the best pharmacist made in the Navy.
15:53Thank you, sir.
15:54What they need now is luck.
15:56Oh, we've got to have that penicillin.
15:57If we don't get it in the next few days, we're going to lose a lot of these boys.
16:03So, in each 12-hour period, we'll stand and watch for four hours, nurse for four hours, and sleep four.
16:09Each man will be assigned three survivors to nurse.
16:10We've pulled out of the combat area, and our objective now is to save these lives.
16:11So, let's give Demas all the help we can.
16:12All right, sir.
16:13The men worked in shifts in a continuous nursing watch.
16:15They gave them water a little bit more than a few hours.
16:16I'm going to have a penicillin.
16:17I'm going to have a penicillin.
16:18If we don't get it in the next few days, we're going to lose a lot of these boys.
16:20So, in each 12-hour period, we'll stand and watch for four hours, nurse for four hours, and sleep four.
16:26Each man will be assigned three survivors to nurse.
16:29We've pulled out of the combat area, and our objective now is to save these lives.
16:33So, let's give Demas all the help we can.
16:35All right, sir.
16:36The men worked in shifts in a continuous nursing watch.
16:41They gave them water a little at a time, but often.
16:45Then a little soup in an effort to overcome their critical dehydration.
16:50They even donated their own clean clothes.
16:53And after 36 hours, the system set up by Demas and Lieutenant Swain commenced to pay dividends.
17:00Some were better, but others were worse.
17:04It was a grim fight for Demas.
17:06Possessing the only medical knowledge on board, he couldn't stop.
17:10Fortified with medicines and coffee, he carried on.
17:23Thanks, Ed.
17:25Campbell still hasn't reacted to the shot.
17:29If anything, he's weaker.
17:31Better start massaging his arms and his legs.
17:38That might help some.
17:40Request earliest practical medical assistance.
17:59Change practical to possible.
18:01Request earliest possible medical assistance.
18:03Including penicillin for 73 men.
18:05Right. Send it out urgent priority, Ted.
18:07Aye, aye, sir.
18:09After all you've been through, we hate to feel responsible for making things worse.
18:13Can Atenby left town?
18:15All the way from Singapore, we were praying it would happen.
18:17All of us were.
18:19How'd you get out?
18:20They let some of the lads on deck for a few minutes of fresh air.
18:23When the torpedoes hit, they overpowered the guard and they released us.
18:26Johnny Campbell here was one of them.
18:30Did the destroyers pick anybody up?
18:32Just snips.
18:34Just snips.
18:56He's gone.
19:04God bless you, Johnny.
19:06God bless you.
19:08And may the Lord rest his soul.
19:10Amen.
19:12Captain, the survivors want to know if you'll come into the after torpedo room.
19:18Okay.
19:20Take over, Jeff.
19:24Okay.
19:25Take over, Jeff.
19:29Captain, the survivors want to know if you'll come into the after torpedo room.
19:32Okay.
19:33Take over, Jeff.
19:34I've never made a speech before, but since the Almighty has given me a little more strength than the others, I'm going to try.
19:48A few days ago, we were drifting on rafts with all hope gone.
19:52Many of our friends took their own lives to end the agony.
19:54Then along came this good ship, the Pampanito, with a wonderful crew and a skipper with a heart of gold.
20:00And Doc Deemer's here.
20:02He may not have his diploma, but he'll always be the greatest doctor in the world to us.
20:07It's been a long time since we've seen a friend.
20:09The Lord must be trying to make it up to us.
20:11The Lord must be trying to make it up to us.
20:13I'll try.
20:14A few days ago, we were drifting on rafts with all hope gone.
20:17Many of our friends took their own lives to end the agony.
20:20Then along came this good ship, the Pampanito, with a wonderful crew and a skipper with a heart of gold.
20:25It's been a long time since we've seen a friend.
20:28The Lord must be trying to make it up to us.
20:30We've never had a friend like Doc Deemer's.
20:33No one has.
20:35We want you to know that even if the medical supplies don't get here in time,
20:40and more of us follow Johnny Campbell, that we know you've tried your best.
20:47Thank you for all of us whose lives you've saved,
20:51and also for our wives and families who we thought we'd never see again.
20:55God bless you, gentlemen.
20:57God bless you.
20:58I have heard a lot of speeches, but never one to compare with that.
21:12None of us will ever forget it.
21:14It was a heartbreaking thing to learn that we had torpedoed our own people,
21:19but the fact that we managed to save you will help.
21:23The day after tomorrow we'll be in Saipan,
21:26and I can only promise you one thing,
21:28that you'll have more room to move there.
21:31We won't know what to do with it, Captain.
21:33Captain, we've sighted a destroyer from Saipan.
21:47He's sending over a doctor and medical supplies.
21:50You all know what that means.
21:52Hooray!
21:55For he's a jolly good fellow!
21:57For he's a jolly good fellow!
21:59For he's a jolly good fellow!
22:02And nobody can deny!
22:05Hooray!
22:07Hooray!
22:08Hooray!
22:10Hooray!
22:12Hooray!
22:15I'm so happy!
22:16He's a jolly good fellow!
22:18I'm so happy!
22:22It's a jolly good fellow!
22:54I'll be back in a moment with our special guest.
23:16I imagine that you're anxious to learn what happened to the rest of the prisoners, and I'll try to give it to you in a few words.
23:23About the time the Pampanito left the area, the sea lion came in and started picking up more survivors.
23:30Next day, the queenfish and barb arrived and continued the operation.
23:35The weather then deteriorated very badly, and winds up to 60 knots washed the remaining weakened survivors from their rafts.
23:43Further rescue was impossible.
23:45All together, 159 were picked up by the four submarines.
23:50I'm very pleased to present to you the captain of the USS Pampanito, Captain P.E. Summers, United States Navy.
23:59How are you, Pete?
24:00Good seat.
24:00Pete, the fact that the prisoners were in the convoy was one of those unfortunate twists of fate.
24:08Yes, and one of those that you'd rather have happen to someone else.
24:11As I remember, there was another ironical factor connected with the incident.
24:15There was.
24:16Some of the prisoners were in a ship that was formerly ours.
24:19She was the old President Harrison, which had been captured by the Japanese in the Orient at the start of the war.
24:25The rescue and nursing of these men was a great job by the whole ship's company.
24:29I was very proud of every one of them.
24:31It must have been a source of great satisfaction to have a man like Demers in your crew.
24:35He's one of the finest men I've ever known.
24:38He accomplished what we thought was physically impossible, and it broke his heart that he lost John Campbell.
24:44Pete, it's been a great privilege to have had you with us.
24:46Thank you, Ed.
24:48Be with us when the silent service reenacts another thrilling submarine story.
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