- 4 months ago
Tigershark (Fictitious Submarine) For reasons that become obvious, the names of the submarine and its crew members have been changed for this episode of the "Silent Service". The story is one of personal heroism by a Chief Petty Officer who, when his submarine is badly damaged on the ocean floor, braves death by asphyxiation to get the engines running again.
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00:00A-ha! A-ha! A-ha!
00:30I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykes, retired. The silent service story you're about to see actually happened in World War II. For reasons that will become obvious, the names of the submarine and the men who sailed her have been changed. It is the story of two extraordinary achievements, one by the submarine, the other by an individual member of her crew.
00:52Our story starts early in 1944. The ship we will call the Tiger Shark was in for a routine overhaul. This was her last day in port before taking off on a patrol into the San Bernardino Straits area. And some of her crew are at a ship service store aboard a submarine tender for a little last minute shopping.
01:17Can any stopwatches?
01:21My so little you didn't see me.
01:23I'm in a hurry.
01:24Excuse me, sir. Go right ahead.
01:26Can any stopwatches?
01:28He saw the last one just a few minutes ago. Huntley beat you to it.
01:41Did you just get yourself a stopwatch?
01:44Yeah, I got a stopwatch.
01:47I need it.
01:49You need it.
01:50That's right.
01:51I'm real interested in hearing that, Mac.
01:53I'll give you five bucks more than you paid for it.
01:56It's a downright friendly of you, Mac, but it ain't for sale.
02:02Ten bucks more.
02:06Who do you think you are?
02:07Come on, come on. I want it. I want it.
02:09Oh, shove off, Mac. Why are you bothering me?
02:12I want it.
02:15Are you going to give me that stopwatch?
02:18Negative.
02:19Now beat it. Go join the Japanese Navy.
02:22All right, you guys, lay off.
02:24Why don't you be a good Joe and let him alone?
02:25I'll open him ten bucks extra.
02:28Look itty bitty, buddy. He don't want cash. He wants the watch. Just like you do.
02:35Only he got to it first.
02:37You read me?
02:38Me and Geisel Navy, I had to draw him for a shipmate.
02:49Ah, forget it, Henley.
02:51He's a good Joe, really.
02:53Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.
02:55He's just got an elephant on his back for some reason.
02:59I don't know.
03:04Within a few hours, Tiger Shark was underway.
03:08You wanted to see me, sir?
03:09Yeah, about Tompkins.
03:11Oh, did you break the news to him yet?
03:13I wanted to talk to you first, Tom.
03:15You know the man better than I do.
03:16What about him?
03:18He's not the easiest person in the world to understand.
03:21One thing for sure, though, he's a first-rate sub-mariner.
03:24Subs seem to be the one interest he has in life.
03:27Aside from harassing his shipmates, you mean.
03:30You heard about that stopwatch incident at the ship's store.
03:35Oh, who made this?
03:36I did?
03:39I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know.
03:42Have him come in. He should be waiting out there now.
03:45Tompkins?
03:49Tompkins?
03:50I think you know we've recommended you for a promotion.
03:54Yes, sir.
03:56I was wondering whether you fully understand the responsibility that goes with being a chief in charge.
04:00I think I do, sir.
04:02No, I mean in a broader sense.
04:05Stirring up resentment among the crew, it reduces their efficiency.
04:09The energy of every man on board has to be directed toward one thing licking the enemy.
04:14Not 99% of the time, but 100%.
04:16Permission to say something, sir?
04:19Granted?
04:21Well, sir, I've always tried to, well, try to do what you're telling me.
04:28But, sir, I know it just doesn't come out that way.
04:32It won't affect my promotion, will it, sir?
04:37Your promotion's already come through, just before it got underway.
04:41You made chief. Congratulations.
04:44Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.
04:45Well, you're a chief now.
04:47It's a big opportunity for you now, see? You make the most of it.
04:50Yes, sir.
04:56Well, I hope I got through to him.
04:58We might be needing especially clear heads on this patrol.
05:02He's always had a big urge to be chief.
05:05Now he's made it, somebody paid attention to him, gave him something.
05:08He didn't have to take it.
05:10Might just be the turning point.
05:13Oh, I hope so.
05:16Expecting a rough one, sir?
05:18Well, the Japanese are riding a lucky streak.
05:22Making the San Bernardino Straits area pretty hot for submarines.
05:37Hey, you get the hot skinny young Tompkins?
05:39He made chief. I'm shook.
05:40That don't bug me.
05:42I got some hot skinny on the patrol, though.
05:44It's gonna be a doozer.
05:45Oh, yeah? Where'd you hear? Where'd you hear?
05:48Skipper and me. We're like that.
05:50He's my adopted son. You know that.
05:53Well, I just hope Mr. Big don't start pulling rank on us.
05:55That's all we need if we start catching it.
05:58What are you worried about, anyway?
06:00Tompkins made chief, so the world's coming to an end?
06:03It could. For us on this boat.
06:05Who's to say it's not gonna be good for him?
06:08Look at me. Before I made chief, I was nobody.
06:10Joe Blow, then boom.
06:12One of the fleet wrestling champions.
06:13Now meets somebody senior grade, Phil Wilson.
06:16Yeah. You made chief. It gave you confidence. See what I mean?
06:20With Tompkins, there's nothing but a license to be a real heavy.
06:22You don't like that. He still thinks it's funny.
06:26I ain't gonna say you're wrong, Ernie.
06:28I just ain't gonna bet either way.
06:30Well, take a look at Ernie Lapchick, bookmaker senior grade.
06:33I'm giving six to an even. This guy gives us nothing but trouble.
06:40For the next few days, the tiger shark sailed towards her assigned patrol area without incident.
06:46Then on the morning of the 7th of April, she approached the Japanese-held San Bernardino Straits.
06:50What do you got, Walker?
06:53I don't know for sure, sir.
06:56Well, it could be, Smoke.
06:59And again, it could be one of those little rain squalls.
07:02What do you think, Tom?
07:03A little too far away to be sure, sir.
07:06Well, we'll know soon enough.
07:12Oddly.
07:16Hi.
07:17Uh, Fox schedule come in here?
07:20Uh-huh.
07:21Hey, look, uh...
07:23Dang latest news like they're, uh, having a rough time back home.
07:26Yeah, real rough.
07:28Hey, look, Huntley.
07:30I mean...
07:32Look, I, I, I, I, uh...
07:35I shouldn't make such a federal case out of the stopwatch, you know.
07:38It's all right.
07:39Um, no kidding, I mean...
07:40I said it's all right.
07:41Forget it.
07:46Okay.
07:54How about that?
07:55Trying to bury the hatchet.
07:56He's a phony.
07:57Inside, he's still a stinker.
07:59You know, I don't dig it, Ernie.
08:00All this milk and honey all of a sudden.
08:02What do you got, spaghetti for brains?
08:04He's been playing Mr. I Love Everybody ever since he made Chief.
08:08Maybe the skip will recommend him for warrant officer.
08:11See the picture?
08:12Yeah.
08:13Anybody fall for it?
08:15You kidding?
08:21Smoke, all right?
08:22Move it!
08:26Dive, dive!
08:30Battle station.
08:34Ready and forward, pressure in the boat.
08:36Level up, periscope depth.
08:5060 feet.
08:51Let's go.
09:06Uh-oh.
09:07Bad boy, three ships.
09:09Squirted by tin can.
09:12Here we go.
09:13Down, let's go.
09:22Up scope.
09:30Bearing.
09:31Mark.
09:32Zero, three, three.
09:34Range.
09:36Mark.
09:37Fifty-three hundred.
09:39Time scope.
09:47Message came in.
09:48Up before you do, sir.
09:49Been decoded, surgeon.
09:53Orders to evacuate the area immediately.
09:56They say why, sir?
09:58Didn't say no contact, though.
10:00Setting it for the senior prime or something.
10:02Secure from battle stations.
10:05Secure from battle station.
10:07Up scope.
10:08Have a last look.
10:09You monkeys must have luck up your smoke stack.
10:16But...
10:18You got something, sir?
10:20It's a whole task force.
10:21Hey, looks like the whole Japanese Navy.
10:31Cruisers.
10:33One, two, three, four.
10:35Four columns of two heavies each.
10:38Screened by tin cans.
10:40One, two, three, four, five.
10:43Six of them.
10:44Jackers.
10:45I'll bet they're headed for the Marianas, Tom.
10:48Down scope.
10:49The Marianas, sir?
10:51Yeah, we've got a task force for our own there.
10:52There's a big battle going on.
10:54Those monkeys are going in there.
10:55Hit them from the rear.
10:59If we obey orders and evacuate,
11:02they'll murder our ships.
11:05If we stay here,
11:07surface in daylight,
11:09I don't warn them by radio.
11:11I'll have to tell you, Tom,
11:12we may be signing our own death warrant.
11:21The captain of the Tiger Shark
11:22found himself in a position
11:23no commander would envy.
11:25Face to face with the choice
11:26between sacrificing the Tiger Shark
11:29or exposing our ships and the Marianas
11:31to an undetected attack from the rear.
11:34Up scope.
11:35See what they're doing.
11:36Changing course, maybe I doubt it.
11:41No.
11:43Holding course right for the Marianas.
11:48Uh-oh. Trouble.
11:52Take it on.
11:53150 feet.
11:54Rigged for depth charge.
11:55150 feet.
11:56Rigged for depth charge.
12:10The depth charge has started to come thick and fast.
12:28No time now to think about making decisions.
12:31There was only one thought about the Tiger Shark.
12:33Survival.
12:34As the explosions came closer and closer,
12:48Tompkins tried once again,
12:49perhaps for the last time he thought,
12:51to make peace with his shipmates.
12:53Ernie?
12:54Yeah?
12:56Look, I've been thinking, you know,
12:59maybe we won't come out of this over.
13:00So take it with you, the kind of guy you've been.
13:03Let it eat you.
13:05You don't come to me for any pass to heaven.
13:07Ernie.
13:08I'm just trying to...
13:09I mean...
13:10I...
13:11Why don't you dry up, huh?
13:14All right, drop dead.
13:16And that goes through the rest of you too,
13:17you understand me?
13:19I don't need any of you.
13:20So don't talk to me anymore.
13:21You hear me?
13:23You hear me?
13:30I don't know.
13:31I don't know.
13:32I don't know.
13:33No.
13:35Okay.
13:37You hear me.
13:38No.
13:40Finally the Death Charge attack eased off,
13:42and with it, the tension.
13:43But now the need to make that decision
13:45stared the captain in the face.
13:47And if you'd have asked him,
13:48he would have told you
13:49he'd prefer the Death Chargers.
13:52Well, the planes are gone.
13:54There are three airfields in the area.
13:56They'll be gone for very long.
13:57gone for very long. We're staying, Tom. Aye, aye, sir. I don't mind telling you I don't
14:05like sending men up to die without a fighting chance. This is one, Tom, I'm glad I'm not
14:10the captain. Well, the least I can do is tell them what the score is. This is the captain.
14:16We sighted a big task force up there. I guess you know their air cover spotted us and sent
14:21down its regard, but what I wanted to tell you is this. That task force is sneaking up
14:27behind our ships at the Marianas. They'd wipe them out unless we can get a message through,
14:33warn them what's coming. Now, when we surface, it's going to be rough, very rough. In fact,
14:40if any of you pray, we can use all the help we can get. Planer up 60 feet. Here's a message
14:49for the force commander. Urgent. Large enemy task force sighted. Latitude 1250 north. Longitude
14:57124-45 east. Course 085. Speed 16 knots. Finally headed Marianas. Now, have them code that get
15:06it off as soon as we surface. Aye, aye, sir.
15:10And so the target shark made her first move towards the surface. It wasn't going to be that
15:16easy, however. High-speed screws, bearing 337. Turn on your speaker sound. 60 feet, sir.
15:23Out the scope. Free destroy. It's coming on fast. 100 feet. Emergency.
15:33Directly over us, sir. Checking out the prescope, Defts.
15:5260 feet, sir.
15:53Checking out the prescope, Defts.
15:58Listen to you, Norton. Hang it on again at 100 feet.
16:07Radio will start sending as soon as we surface. If we have a surface, they're pinning us down.
16:10Bombers and destroy us. I see screws coming back, sir.
16:13If we don't get the message off soon, it'll be too late.
16:16For the target shark's crew, the deadly game of Captain Mouse was harrowing.
16:21So much more so because there was little hope at the game's end.
16:24All right. We'll try again. Periscope, Defts.
16:4360 feet, sir.
16:49They're not so dumb. What is it, sir?
16:51Guess what I was afraid of. Task force going on to the Marianas.
16:55Left the planes and cans to pin us down here.
16:59Downs go.
17:05Well, I've had it. Radio, ready with the message?
17:08Coded and ready, sir.
17:10And here we go.
17:11Surface.
17:12And so at 0946 on the 7th of April, 1944, the die was cast.
17:23The tiger shark started for what, by all odds, had to be eternity.
17:27There would be no turning back this time.
17:29Whatever there was to meet her on the surface, so it would be.
17:33She was a sitting duck.
17:34The coded message of warning went out the moment the tiger shark's antenna saw daylight.
17:40Once, twice, and again and again.
17:43Because for some reason, there was no acknowledgement, no answer from headquarters, no word to indicate they had heard.
17:49The crew waited, 72 men holding their breath.
17:57Time was running out, but still no answer from headquarters.
18:00To make the sacrifice to save their ships was one thing.
18:04But to die without being able to warn them, to give your life for nothing, that was a bitter pill.
18:10Topside, however, the situation was surprisingly quiet.
18:13It seemed the enemy destroyers and bombers were suddenly convinced they'd scared the tiger shark off.
18:18And they were heading to rejoin their task force.
18:21It looked like a prayer from the submarine had been answered.
18:24But the enemy must have prayed, too.
18:30Fail of it!
18:34Die, die!
18:35Take her deep, break for depth charge.
18:45Left full rudder.
19:05The enemy bomber scored a rare direct hit, and the tiger shark was settling fast.
19:30I'll take a look through the boat, sir.
19:35But Lieutenant Hadley got no further than the control room.
19:40With Lieutenant Walker, the diving officer, too badly injured to carry on,
19:44the executive officer took over his station.
19:47By the time the tiger shark was passing a depth of 280 feet,
19:50the damage report started to come in.
19:53All compartments report damage, sir.
19:55Forward engine room pressure hull dished inboard.
19:58Rudder jammed hard to port.
20:01Motor room taking water fast.
20:02Pressure hull on the crew's watch room dished inboard.
20:06Main induction drain show a full stream.
20:08By all the standards of logic and engineering,
20:10that should have been the end of the tiger shark.
20:13But somehow she managed to cling tenaciously to life.
20:16While the crew fought valiantly,
20:18keeping their heads as they did their jobs.
20:21Watch your bubble.
20:22Watch your controls.
20:24Particularly Lieutenant Hadley,
20:26who had accomplished the impossible by leveling off the boat.
20:29Then another report came through,
20:43and it had the sound of doom.
20:47Fire in the maneuvering room.
20:49All power lost.
20:50Fire in the maneuvering room, sir.
20:56All power lost.
20:57Without power, the tiger shark could only change her buoyancy
21:00and hope that she would neither sink to crushing depths
21:03nor pop into view on the surface.
21:05There seemed to be no possible chance of regaining power.
21:08The maneuvering room where the repairs had to be made
21:10was filled with a thick phenolic smoke.
21:13Poison.
21:13But the poisonous smoke didn't stop Tompkins.
21:16With complete disregard for his own safety,
21:19he insisted on staying in the compartment alone
21:21to make the repairs.
21:22At least to try.
21:24No man should have been able to stand it.
21:26But chief electricians mate Tompkins did.
21:29Somehow.
21:30Though actively and violently ill,
21:32Tompkins kept working.
21:33Repairing and replacing burned-out wiring.
21:36Doing whatever was necessary
21:38to regain power on the shafts.
21:39The maneuvering room reports.
21:58Ready to go ahead.
22:00Gonna stop.
22:01Stop it, sir.
22:03Tompkins, are you?
22:05Yes, sir.
22:07Good boy.
22:08No, no, no, no.
22:38With power on one of the shafts,
22:42the Tiger Shark was able to crawl away
22:44from the scene of the disaster
22:45and head for home.
22:49How are we doing, Captain?
22:52Make it back to port.
22:53With a little luck.
22:56This is a good ship.
22:58Tough.
22:59The captain's recommending you
23:01for the Navy Cross, Tompkins.
23:02Me, sir.
23:04Me, sir.
23:06Well, you save the boat
23:07and everybody on board.
23:09A couple of the boys here
23:11would like to see you.
23:12me and Huntley, we're, uh...
23:16we're a committee chosen to represent the crew.
23:31We want to say that we appreciate thee.
23:38All we want to say is that
23:39you're a pretty great guy.
23:41No kidding.
23:44We've got a present for you.
23:49Stop watching.
23:49Get better fast, kid, huh?
24:07Looks like he might be all right now, Tom.
24:10He's gotten a tension.
24:12And something he didn't have to battle for.
24:14And it came from where it comes, Captain.
24:16The crew.
24:24I'll be back in a moment.
24:32The action of the man we call Tompkins
24:34is considered one of the most outstanding examples
24:36of selfless devotion to duty
24:38in the annals of our Navy.
24:40Those who knew the conditions
24:42under which he worked
24:43considered them virtually
24:44beyond human endurance.
24:46His action will serve as an inspiration
24:48and a guide
24:49to generations of future submarinas.
24:52Please join us again
24:54for another true story
24:55of the silent service.
24:56The night of the night
25:06and the night
25:07and the night
25:08through the deep
25:09and beneath the ocean
25:11will destroy
25:13the ocean's wide
25:16run down, down,
25:18underneath the sea
25:21safe and cold
25:23and the world
25:25in the future
25:26in the future
25:26It is yet to be
25:29That will say
25:31I want to say
25:33A submarine
25:35Underneath the sea
25:38So rigs were dry
25:40And they were done
25:42Down, down, down
25:44Underneath the ocean
25:46They'll stand
25:48And find free time
25:50In the deep blue
25:52Underneath the sea
25:56Underneath the sea
25:58Underneath the sea
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