- 7 weeks ago
Gato (SS-212) Rescuing downed fliers from the Sea of Japan was one of the less-publicized, though frequently valiant, chores of U.S. submarines during World War II. The USS Gato braves repeated air attack to recover airmen from the sea. In the process, one of her crew members learns his true mission in the war.
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00:00Aroha! Aroha! Aroha!
00:12Take her down and hop in line
00:16Through the deep blue underneath the ocean
00:20We'll control the ocean's wide
00:24From down, down underneath the sea
00:28I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykes, retired
00:31Ask any seaman for a description of the vessel in which he served
00:35And the word fighting will usually appear in the answer
00:38Particularly the submarine
00:40For if ever a vessel could be described as a valuable offensive weapon of warfare
00:45The submarine is that vessel
00:47It is hardly surprising, therefore, that few people think of a sub as a life-saving vessel
00:53That, however, is exactly what many of them turned out to be
00:57The 12th patrol of the USS Gato proved it beyond all doubt
01:03In 1945, the desperate struggle for Okinawa was at its height
01:08Hundreds of kamikazes hurled themselves at Admiral Sprunt's Fifth Fleet
01:12And an all-out suicidal attempt at victory
01:14And an all-out suicidal attempt at victory
01:16So, let's go.
01:46Our own planes plunged into the battle in retaliation, attacking the remnants of the Japanese fleet.
01:59The Bungo Suido, entrance to the Inland Sea, became a prime example of a hot spot.
02:06This was the patrol area for which the USS Gato headed on her 12th patrol.
02:10A job was lifeguard duty, the rescuing of any American airman forced to hit the silt.
02:20The Gato's captain was Lieutenant Commander Richard Holden of Rutland, Vermont.
02:25He was an experienced submariner in his first command.
02:28Executive officer was Lieutenant Lloyd B. Young of Eureka, California, on his first patrol in the Gato.
02:34I don't know. So far, so good. Maybe we're beginning to get a break.
02:40I wouldn't bet more than a quarter on it.
02:43Night planes have forced us down for seven out of the past nine nights. I don't see why they should stop now.
02:49Wishful thinking, Captain.
02:50I just hope they stay away long enough for us to get a battery charge.
02:53You know, I've never been so tired of diving in my life.
03:01What is it, Captain?
03:05Nothing.
03:07You know, even the clouds are starting to look like Betty's to me.
03:11Still another newcomer was Seaman Second Class Vincent Lewin.
03:18What's with you?
03:20A little lacy-ducy handy.
03:23That you a stock answer any time you don't want to talk, kid?
03:27Talk, talk. What good is it going to do?
03:31You know, man's first patrol on a boat, he ain't entitled to as much griping as you've been doing.
03:36Patrol?
03:37Twelve days out and seven of them under the water? That's patrol?
03:42Join the Navy and see the world.
03:44When you get back, maybe.
03:46You sure it's a skipper for wanting to make sure you get back?
03:49An area like this full of Betty's, what else can you do but stay down?
03:53Kid, we're out here to save zoomies, not to get saved ourselves.
03:56Yeah, that's another thing. Lifeguard duty.
04:01Now, there's a bundle of action.
04:04You bucking for hero, kid?
04:06No, it ain't that.
04:08Someday I'm going to get married, have kids.
04:10Kind of rushing things a bit, ain't you?
04:12The point is, they're bound to get to that daddy.
04:14What did you do during the war pit?
04:16I'll be very big saying,
04:19fishing fellas out of the water, Junior.
04:21Kind of a one-sided way of thinking, ain't it?
04:25How'd you feel if he was one of them guys in the water, huh?
04:27If you're going to spend your life up here,
04:36I thought you might want this for company, Captain.
04:40Thank you, Lord.
04:41You know, I was...
04:42Plane bearing 035, Captain.
04:49Clear the bridge.
04:51Clear the bridge.
04:52Dive.
04:53Dive.
04:54What were you saying about things getting dull?
05:18There's the point, Haley.
05:19I want her to do the shoot, not the duck.
05:22Oh, I'm glad I'm not that young.
05:30She might be one of ours.
05:33Sure.
05:35You bet on Long's house at the track, too?
05:36What's the matter?
05:50Um, you were saying...
05:53What I should have been saying is...
05:56I'm glad their bomb rack isn't any bigger.
05:59Mm-hmm.
06:04Left 110 feet.
06:05Take us straight on down to 200.
06:11Sit it out for a while.
06:13We may have some friends in the area.
06:16Captain Holden pursued the only course open to him.
06:19He took the gate O.D.
06:21Held her there for almost an hour.
06:23Then he headed up towards the surface again.
06:26Stand by to service.
06:35There was no way of knowing the problems had only just begun.
07:03How's the battery?
07:04Coming up.
07:06It's still on the starting rate.
07:07We were pretty low, Captain.
07:09Yeah, I know.
07:10Our friends will just leave us alone for about an hour.
07:12Contact.
07:13Torpedo bearing 280.
07:17Take it down.
07:18Emergency.
07:18Play the bread.
07:19Right.
07:20Die.
07:20Die.
07:29Read it.
07:31Bearing steady on the fork beam.
07:33Bearing steady.
07:34Keep bearing steady.
07:55Thank God.
07:55That's a good one.
07:57That's a good one.
07:57That's a good one.
07:57That's a good one.
07:58But where'd it come from?
08:02Funny.
08:03No subcontact.
08:04No screws.
08:06Just suddenly that fish out of nowhere.
08:07What do you make out of it, Captain?
08:09I don't know.
08:12But I think it's time we got out of this area.
08:14Level off 100 feet.
08:18Make your course zero, nine, zero.
08:21Zero, nine, zero.
08:22Keep ourselves a little thinking room.
08:29An hour later, the gate towed once more surface to complete a badly needed battery charge.
08:34And once more, the unknown pursuer made his deadly presence known.
08:37A new county you heard from.
08:56Yeah, or maybe the same county twice, huh?
08:59You know, uh, I got an idea of what it might be.
09:07Maybe they're midget subs, and we just happen to lay our base course along their scouting line.
09:13Well, they don't like it.
09:14That's for sure.
09:16Yeah.
09:18Keep her at 100 feet.
09:22Set new course of one, one, zero.
09:24New course, one, one, zero.
09:25You know, Lloyd, I got a hunch that we just might rescue more than our share of zoomies.
09:34Any particular reason, Captain?
09:37Well, I don't know.
09:37It just seems to me that when you miss two of them that close,
09:41there must be a special purpose.
09:47On 22 April, Gato reached a lifeguard station,
09:50seven miles off Cuyushu and Van Diemen Strait.
09:53Though no more of the mysterious torpedoes had appeared,
09:56Gato was still being forced down by Japanese aircraft almost daily.
10:01High overhead now, but too far away to be visible,
10:04range the three aircraft serving as Gato's air cover.
10:08The time was used to get it necessary topside repairs.
10:12You men finished on that event?
10:13Just now, Mr. Young.
10:15It's all freed up and working fine.
10:17Very well.
10:18Dixie 2, Dixie 2, this is Cloud Hopper 4.
10:20Go ahead, over.
10:21Go ahead, Cloud Hopper.
10:24Over.
10:25The chicken is down in your area, but that's all we've got.
10:28We can't see him.
10:29Have no further information on him.
10:30Over.
10:33Well, it's a big ocean, Cloud Hopper.
10:36We'll get back to you the minute we get anything more.
10:39Out.
10:41Sure, not much to go on, huh?
10:44Now, the A-tool's in the area.
10:45Well, there's not much chance, but...
10:48Radio.
10:50Contact the A-tool.
10:51Ask them if they got any information on that chicken.
10:54Aye, aye, sir.
10:56Poor devils, they could be almost anywhere.
10:59Yeah.
10:59Like he said, the big ocean.
11:05What do you think, Hayley?
11:07About whether we find a chicken?
11:08I don't know.
11:10I'll tell you one thing that's for sure.
11:12First time I've seen you worry about anything but yourself.
11:15Interesting.
11:16And little information as to his location.
11:24The number one nightmare of a submarine on lifeguard news.
11:28The A-tool is having a taste of it.
11:31A-tool hasn't heard anything.
11:32Not a word, Captain?
11:34I just spoke to Cloud Hopper.
11:35Nothing there either.
11:38It'll be dark pretty soon.
11:39That's not going to make it any easier.
11:41Not much point in there trying to search on our own, is there?
11:44No, we might be working in the wrong direction without knowing it.
11:47There's no alternative.
11:49We stay here.
11:50Wait for amplifying data from the plane.
11:53It'll be a long night, Captain.
11:55Waiting.
11:57It'll be even longer out there.
12:02It was a long night.
12:03And being once again forced down by the usual nightly visitor
12:07did nothing to shorten it.
12:14Nothing from the airboys yet on any circuit, Captain.
12:19Well, what's keeping them?
12:19They ought to know something by now.
12:21Dixie 2, Dixie 2, this is Cloud Hopper 4.
12:24Over.
12:26Go ahead, Cloud Hopper 4.
12:28Over.
12:29Information on that chicken.
12:30He's down in Charlie 2 area.
12:32Approximately 56 miles southeast of you.
12:35He's all yours.
12:36Over.
12:37Thanks, Cloud Hopper.
12:38We're on the way.
12:39Out.
12:41That puts him off to Saki Hanna.
12:45All ahead, flank.
12:46Right full rudder.
12:47Come to course 2-0-0.
12:49All engines answer ahead, flank.
12:51Coming right to new course 2-0-0.
12:54Man the bridge guns, Lloyd.
12:56All of them.
12:57This is one time we're not going to be forced down.
12:59At 1,300, with Cloud Hopper playing the dual role of air cover as well as long-range guide,
13:06the Gato headed straight for the position of the downed chickens.
13:11At 1,430, Gato had reached scene zero.
13:14It was a very happy moment for a sergeant of the United States Army Air Corps.
13:20Shortly afterwards, another sergeant and a lieutenant were also pulled from the water.
13:26Nice work.
13:27They knew you've got them all.
13:28Over.
13:29Sure, Cloud Hopper, just three of them?
13:33There won't be any more, Captain.
13:35I just talked to the first pilot.
13:39Well, that's it, Cloud Hopper.
13:41Thanks for the fine conning job.
13:43Out.
13:45He says only four men had time to jump.
13:47One chute didn't open.
13:49The plane exploded on impact.
13:51The rest of the crew never had a chance.
13:54Just three, huh?
13:55Captain, without the Gato, there wouldn't have been any.
14:03With the three survivors safely below decks, Captain Holden put the Gato on course for a next lifeguard station.
14:10You want me to cut that up for you?
14:11Oh, I can manage, thanks.
14:14Sure.
14:18You know, I think the chow on this pipe is getting better.
14:22Well, I got a watch coming up.
14:26Hey, checkers later, huh?
14:28Sure.
14:29Nice kid, huh?
14:33Yeah.
14:35He is now.
14:36I never saw such a change in a guy.
14:38He used to be the griper of the world.
14:39Right till we fished you guys out of the water.
14:42Sure hard to buy that.
14:44He hangs around all the time.
14:45Can't do enough for us.
14:47You saw.
14:48Yeah.
14:49That's what makes it so hard to figure.
14:52See, uh, what does he, uh, talk to you guys about, Frank?
14:57Well, now that you mention it, he don't.
14:59He, uh, listens.
15:00Best listener you ever saw.
15:03That's the biggest miracle of all.
15:04At 0735, 29 April, Gator arrived on a new lifeguard station.
15:11She didn't have long to wait.
15:13Dixie 2, Dixie 2, this is Blue Sky 1-1, over.
15:18Blue Sky 1-1, this is Dixie 2.
15:20Go ahead, over.
15:21Chicken is down in your area.
15:23Position approximately 31-11 north, 122-26 east.
15:31Roger, Blue Sky.
15:32Thanks.
15:33Out.
15:33Be sure you keep your blue eyes wide open, baby.
15:36These woods are loaded with bandits.
15:38Out.
15:41All ahead, flank.
15:43New cars, 2-1-0.
15:48You're ready to man all the guns on short notice.
15:52Where our luck's been running, we might need them.
15:55Putting all four main engines on the line,
15:58Captain Holden raced towards the given position of the downed chicken,
16:01again determined not to be forced down.
16:04The enemy was equally determined.
16:07Play it on the floor, B.
16:12That's all we needed.
16:14Look out below.
16:16Stand by on the guns.
16:21Both the Gator and its air cover saw the oncoming plane at the same time,
16:25and both opened fire at the same moment.
16:29Convince, firing!
16:30The 20- and 40-millimeter tracers were meeting him nicely.
16:41The pilot continued to bore in.
16:43Submarine fighting a plane.
16:56It ain't exactly done.
16:58Sometimes it is.
16:59You want to get where you're going.
17:05Looks like he's heading up for another try.
17:06Wing over. He's going to straight.
17:13Clear the deck.
17:14He's on yours, Blue Sky.
17:20Clear the bridge.
17:21Dive.
17:22Dive.
17:23Leaving his air cover to handle the plane,
17:26Captain Holden pulled the plug.
17:28There was still that downed chicken to find.
17:30He intended to get the job done.
17:31But it was not to be that simple.
17:35A few hours later, the Gator had reached the reported area,
17:38only to find lonely, open sea.
17:41With no one able to give him further information on the downed plane,
17:44Captain Holden knew there was only one course left open to him.
17:49For hours, he labeled over a detailed search plan,
17:52taking into account all of the factors involved.
17:55Current, wind, state of the sea, and the time element.
17:59Included were factors he could only guess at,
18:02such as the estimated drift of the life rafts he hunted.
18:05And still he remained dissatisfied, unconvinced.
18:09Oh, I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to intrude.
18:15Oh, I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to intrude.
18:18Oh, I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't mean to intrude.
18:33That's all right, Lord.
18:35Listen.
18:36You, uh, believe in punches. I mean,
18:40well, one that's so strong it's almost, uh,
18:42vision.
18:44Look, for hours I've been over these estimates,
18:53and I can't get them to match up with
18:55something that I'm
18:57hearing,
18:59feeling, or
19:01I don't know.
19:08Look, tell the OOD to bring her around
19:10after course 3-3-5.
19:14We'll see them at 08-15.
19:19I think we will, Captain.
19:22Prayers came a long time before navigation.
19:24At exactly 8-12, the first of the survivors was sighted.
19:36Before one bell of the forenoon watch,
19:38Gato had pulled from the water six survivors.
19:41All had been picked up without changing course
19:43one degree.
19:56How are they?
19:58Pretty good shape for being out there so long.
20:00Oh, except for a waste gunner.
20:03Well, from your home state, as a matter of fact.
20:05Oh, yeah?
20:06Combat fatigue case.
20:08His buddy says he hit the water without a life raft.
20:11He kept hitting himself over the head with a shoe,
20:13trying to put himself out.
20:15Must have been pretty rough.
20:18Yeah, well,
20:19we'll give him a couple of days to pull out of it,
20:21and if he doesn't, we'll, uh,
20:25we'll think of something.
20:32Permission to speak to the captain, Mr. Young?
20:36Well, the captain's pretty busy, Lewin.
20:38I think you'll see me, sir.
20:39It's about the waste gunner.
20:41Well, he ain't been getting better,
20:43and I think I got an idea.
20:57Seaman Lewin's plan was simple.
21:00Conveniently near the disturbed waste gunner,
21:02he pretended to have trouble with a machine gun.
21:04The trick worked.
21:05The trick worked.
21:05You, uh,
21:17you used to be a real fast player.
21:34You used to be the griper of the world,
21:39but a man's got a right to change, hasn't he, Vince?
21:43Sure.
21:46You gonna move?
21:49You kill me, kid.
21:50I'm fishing, and you know it,
21:52but you still won't give up.
21:54Come on, you're a much nicer guy now.
21:56What's to be ashamed of?
21:58I thought it wouldn't be human if I didn't want to know why.
22:01It's got something to do with flying, hasn't it?
22:04It's got to go the way you hang around them zoomies.
22:09Come on, Vince, don't hold out on old Haley.
22:11Vince?
22:13Vince?
22:14Well,
22:15I want a naval air first.
22:19I've always been crazy for flying.
22:22Trouble is, they don't like me.
22:25I, uh,
22:26I get air sick, never could break it.
22:30I don't laugh, huh?
22:32Oh, no, no.
22:34Not all right, but...
22:35Nothing wrong, I hope.
22:43Not a thing, sir.
22:45I mean, you usually bring bad news along with this.
22:48Just a plain gift, Captain.
22:51It ought to be champagne.
22:53Well, you'd have to deal Lewin in.
22:54It was his idea.
22:55Yeah, but you okayed it.
22:57It still should be champagne.
23:00Well, every time I look at those kids
23:01we fished out of the water, Lord,
23:03it is.
23:05I'll be back in a moment
23:09with our special guest.
23:12And now it gives me great pleasure
23:13to introduce the real Captain of the Gato,
23:15Captain Richard Holden.
23:17Dick, thank you for taking the time
23:19to be here in person.
23:21My pleasure, Tommy.
23:22I'd like to ask you something
23:24I'm sure you've discussed many times.
23:26That hunch that led you
23:27straight to those survivors.
23:29How do you account for it?
23:31I can't, Tommy.
23:32It didn't check with any logical calculation
23:36of where they should be,
23:37but it was too strong.
23:39It was too clear to be denied.
23:40I had to follow it.
23:42There are six men alive today
23:45who are awfully glad you did.
23:47Seven.
23:48No one was gladder there was.
23:49How many men in all
23:51did the Gato fish out on that patrol, Dick?
23:53Ten, Tommy.
23:55And they must have been
23:55very impressed by the Gato.
23:57You see,
23:58we left all ten in Saipan,
24:01but when we got back to Pearl Harbor,
24:03there were all ten of them
24:03standing on the dock
24:05waiting to meet us.
24:06They stayed with us
24:07at the Royal Hawaiian,
24:08and I never heard
24:10an airplane mentioned once.
24:11Their interests seem
24:12to be only in submarines.
24:14Under the circumstances,
24:15that's not too hard
24:16to understand, Dick.
24:17You know,
24:18there's one real practical lesson
24:20I got from this story,
24:21and that's not to bet against you
24:23when you're playing a hunch.
24:25Thanks, Dick, for coming.
24:26I wouldn't have missed it
24:27for anything, Tommy.
24:30Be with us again
24:31when we bring you
24:32another thrilling story
24:33of the silent service.
24:35Take her down
24:44and off in line
24:47Through the deep blue
24:48Underneath the ocean
24:50We'll control
24:52the ocean wide
24:55From down, down
24:57Underneath the sea
24:59Safe and cold
25:01We'll pass the word
25:04In the future
25:05Yet to be
25:07That will save
25:10As long as there's
25:12A submarine
25:13Underneath the sea
25:16So wait for dive
25:18And take her down
25:20Down, down
25:21Go down, down
25:22Underneath the ocean
25:25Fearless men
25:27Will find me down
25:29In the deep blue
25:31Underneath the sea
25:33Underneath the sea
25:38The End
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