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USS Guardfish (SS-217), which was a highly successful Gato-class submarine known for sinking numerous Japanese ships, although it was also involved in a tragic friendly-fire incident. A later nuclear submarine, USS Guardfish (SSN-612), served in the Cold War and was the subject of its own history and memoirs.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykerz, retired.
00:29The story in this chapter of the Silent Service happened in the rough days of 1942.
00:35The USS Guardfish came back with one of the fullest bags of enemy ships ever recorded on a single patrol.
00:42In order to do this, they had to move in extremely close to the coast of Honshu.
00:47In fact, so close that they became absorbed in watching through the periscope some very intriguing Japanese horseplay on the beach.
00:59The story really began in early March of 1942 in the office of Captain Bowen, Submarine Force Chief of Staff.
01:08Bowen's guest was the skipper of the S-17, Thomas Burton Clackering of Annapolis, Maryland.
01:14A fine submariner, a man with a flair for the unusual and the daring.
01:19Line patrol, Bert.
01:21Thank you, sir.
01:22A little unorthodox, perhaps. Trying to ram a U-boat.
01:26It's a matter of position, sir. I had no alternative.
01:29Seems to me I recall several instances of your inventiveness.
01:35Important quality inventiveness. I think we can put yours to good use. I have some good news for you.
01:40We are sending you to command the new submarine Guardfish.
01:47She's building right here in New London, isn't she, sir?
01:52Yes.
01:54And she's ready for her crew right now.
01:56But she's no more ready than I am, sir.
01:59The following weeks were busy ones for Lieutenant Commander Clackering.
02:07And while, with his customary thoroughness, he prepared his new command, another scene was taking place.
02:13A scene between two experienced torpedoes, temporarily stationed at a naval barracks while awaiting further orders.
02:20The men, torpedoes Charles Cullen, familiarly called Arkansas,
02:23and torpedoes Bernard Bartell, familiarly called a variety of names.
02:30Say the magic word, boy. Speak in your native tongue. Come on.
02:34The guardfish, Bernie.
02:36Ha!
02:37You've made the seven.
02:38You mean it?
02:39We're still together, Bernie.
02:40Could they separate Damon and what's-his-name?
02:42A boy and his dog? The army and powdered eggs?
02:45They want to win the war, boy, not blow it.
02:47Ha!
02:48Ha!
02:50Just think of it, Archie.
02:52Honolulu.
02:53Swaying palms.
02:55And similar type girls.
02:58Hey.
02:59You know what we need?
03:00A scheme.
03:01A scheme to keep us there.
03:03A nice disabling injury.
03:04Something painless but permanent, you know?
03:06Now, Bernie, before you go thinking up any of your wild schemes,
03:10you better take a look at the name of our skipper.
03:13Clackering.
03:15Glad to have him aboard.
03:16Heard about him.
03:18Now, any fella that steps right up and tries to ram a U-boat
03:21ain't the kind of fella to hold still for any messing around.
03:25Sounds like a good seaman.
03:27Probably do his credit.
03:29Hey, wait a minute.
03:32Hey, wait a minute.
03:33Maybe not, not an injury.
03:35Maybe a nice, obscure disease.
03:37Now, that has possibilities, huh?
03:38Bernie, you're gonna get us in the doghouse before we're even aboard.
03:43You hurt me, boy. You're hurting me.
03:45Right here.
03:48All right.
03:49I'll think of something before we get there.
03:50Bernie.
03:52And if I don't, we'll make a few patrols.
03:54After all, they are paying us.
03:56I just hope those guys are better poker players on the last boat, huh?
03:59On 6 August 1942, the new submarine Guardfish moved silently away from the docks of Pearl Harbor,
04:11a destination in the coastal zone of northeastern Honshu for combat and coastal reconnaissance.
04:16In addition to his pride in his new command, Captain Clackering would have good reason to be equally proud of his officers and crew.
04:23Among them were the executive officer, Lieutenant Herman Koslow of Portsmouth, Virginia, an experienced and most dependable submarine.
04:29Lieutenant Bladen D. Clackett of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, gunnery officer to guard fish.
04:36And Lieutenant Ernest L. Schwab, Jr. of Brooklyn, New York.
04:40Schwab was the communications officer.
04:42Suit ya?
04:44Well, any little thing we can do for you, just feel free.
04:47Well, just make sure it stays ship-shaped.
04:50Two bits says you're never finding anything but.
04:52A betting man, huh?
04:53No, Chief, but a small wager from time to time, I'm not adverse.
04:57You'll lose more than a bet if I ever catch those racks out at ship.
05:00Always open, Chief. Cover anything at top odds.
05:03Kentucky Derbies.
05:05Price fights.
05:07License plate numbers.
05:09Enemy sinkings.
05:11No sporting blood.
05:13Bernie, don't you think maybe you're rushing things a might?
05:17We only just about cleared Pearl.
05:20I'm just laying the groundwork.
05:21Gotta stir up the action.
05:23Here, we're gonna have plenty of it.
05:24But not the kind you mean.
05:26Oh, fat little ear to the ground, huh?
05:28Splendid.
05:29Splendid.
05:30Now tell me, where does the, uh, room of factory have us going?
05:33All the way. Them things is really gonna be a-flying.
05:36I got a feeling you ain't gonna have much time for betting.
05:38Marky.
05:39How are you ever gonna get anywhere without some adaptability, huh?
05:45Huh?
05:46That's a sweet little piece of machinery. Sweet!
05:49Tell me something. Every time you fire one, what says you can't bet on it?
05:52On 19 August, after running out of a vicious storm, the guard fish had reached a position just outside a patrol area.
06:03For a submarine that was to make 77 enemy contacts in half that many days, without the benefit of search radar,
06:09a very first contact produced strange results.
06:13The target, a Japanese merchant ship that should have been a sitting duck.
06:29All three exploded prematurely. That's fine.
06:32I couldn't be anything else, sir. We had them cold.
06:34Let's move.
06:37Escort, Captain.
06:38Coming fast.
06:40Hold her at periscope depth.
06:41Maybe we can get a shot at her.
06:46She's turning.
06:48Rig for depth charge.
06:49Rig for depth charge.
07:01You're the betting man, Bernie.
07:03What's the price on depth charges today?
07:08I'll make you a price.
07:10The trouble is collecting.
07:11If they hit.
07:15We don't even get our shot here. She played it safe, Rand. We're just showing her muscle.
07:18Take you 180 feet.
07:21We'll stay submerged the rest of the day and then enter the patrol area after dark.
07:25Captain, about those torpedoes.
07:28All three should have been hits.
07:29I'd rather think we fired them into the wide open spaces.
07:31A miss is a miss.
07:32But if those warheads are defective...
07:35Well, they're gone now.
07:37That's not the point.
07:39How many of the rest of them are faulty?
07:40That's the point.
07:41I'll see you.
07:50Loyal shipmates and crew.
07:56Dine, friend. All dine.
07:59Hey, do you know that in China a straight beats a flush?
08:01Tell them, native. Spread the knowledge.
08:04I wouldn't know. I play mountain style.
08:08Ah, my chief. Come, be mortal.
08:11The labors of the day are behind.
08:13Relax. A hand, perhaps, huh?
08:15You guys know what's good for you. You'll break it up.
08:17Or at least walk on eggs.
08:19Skipper ain't exactly hand.
08:21Oh, them messes, huh?
08:23Just play it soft.
08:24Well, I've fixed the quid anyway.
08:26I think I've just about had it.
08:29Mind if I sit in?
08:32Well, that old mess has just about had it too.
08:35To be continued, huh, fellas?
08:36Good job, fellas.
08:46Arnie.
08:48Yeah.
08:49As long as I've known you, I've never seen you hurt nobody.
08:52Now, why'd you try to freeze out that kid?
08:56I don't know, Arky.
08:58I didn't do it to be rude.
09:00I just... I just don't know.
09:04You said it yourself, Captain.
09:05There isn't any way of knowing about the rest of those torpedoes.
09:09Maybe only those three were...
09:10Maybe isn't good enough, Herm.
09:12Endangering officers and men when you're maneuvering for shot is one thing.
09:16But to do it when you're not even sure of your torpedoes...
09:19What are you going to do, Captain?
09:21The only thing I can do...
09:22You said for me, Captain?
09:24We'll surface another while.
09:25I want to send a radio message to the Force Commander.
09:28Yes, sir.
09:29I'm requesting permission to try for contact hits,
09:32rather than under the keel magnetic explosions,
09:34because of the uncertainty of the warheads.
09:36You understand?
09:37Yes, sir.
09:38That's all.
09:42It comes down to one simple thing.
09:44I've got a feeling it's going to get real busy.
09:46We want to make the most of it.
09:48I don't mind the enemy trying to stop us,
09:49but I don't want us giving him any help.
10:03That night the guard fish moved silently into its area of patrol.
10:07The waters off the northeastern coast of Honshu.
10:09Captain Clackering now waited eagerly for two things.
10:14He replied to his radio message,
10:16and the moment the guard fish would draw first blood.
10:19The captain was not kept waiting at all.
10:22Battle stations, gun action.
10:24Clacket!
10:25Clacket!
10:28Did you make him out, Captain?
10:29Trawler!
10:32I'm Trawler!
10:33She's your baby, Clacket!
10:34Yes, sir.
10:36Gun crews on deck!
10:38Gun crew?
10:40That ain't nice, with all them pretty fishes sitting back there.
10:44I must recommend this crew. It's never a dull moment.
10:55Gun crew!
11:13A Trawler?
11:14Not exactly a tanker, but we've got to take them as they come.
11:22Plenty of fight in her.
11:23She sure doesn't like being taken.
11:25Clacket's boys know their way around that deck gun. Any minute.
11:41Not much doubt about that cargo, sir.
11:43Oil.
11:44A lot better than I hoped for.
11:45That's a lot of oil the enemy's gonna do without.
11:47Well, this is something you won't be unhappy about either, sir.
11:49I got your radio reply from the Admiral just before I started up here.
11:53He says permission granted, Captain.
11:55Get him any way you can.
11:57Good.
12:01It was a beginning.
12:02And once it had begun, the patrol area began to prove its worth as a hunting ground.
12:07Slowly at first, and with fortune seeming to reserve her smiles for the gun crew of the guardfish.
12:12Oh, and in less than 24 hours, it had repeated a similar performance.
12:20This time against a small ship.
12:23Captain Clackering had indeed summed it up when he said,
12:26We have to take them as they come.
12:27Well, I reckon about the only way to get any action on this, Tubbs, to join up with the gun crew.
12:36There's action and action native.
12:39Care for the gentler kind?
12:41Ah.
12:43I'll play, Bernie.
12:45I was only kidding, Joe. I mean, I'm a little too restless.
12:48A little later, huh?
12:51You sore at me or something, Bernie?
12:53What are you talking about? What a ridiculous thing to say.
12:55Stole it!
12:56Huh?
13:02How long did you think it was going to take him to get the eye to his bin brushed?
13:06A year?
13:07No, look, native.
13:08Bernie,
13:10I know some fellows have to have at least one patsy,
13:13but I never even suspected to choose one of them fellows.
13:17Are you kidding? I wouldn't do a thing like that. That's a nice kid.
13:20Then why are you brushing?
13:22Well, this is more like it. Virgin Man coming out of Kinkasan Harbor.
13:34Make ready all torpedo tubes. Set depth to ten feet.
13:37Bearing.
13:43Bearing.
13:44Mark.
13:45Zero, four, two.
13:46Range.
13:48Mark.
13:49One, nine, zero, zero.
13:51Fire one.
14:07He's going down with the screw still turning. That's the real start.
14:10Let's hope there's plenty more.
14:14Captain Clackering never dared hope how completely his wish was to be answered.
14:19By large numbers of angry enemy patrol craft searching for the guardfish,
14:22he managed to maneuver into position and add another freighter to the credit side of the guardfisher's legend.
14:342300 tons of freighter. The list was growing.
14:38There was no way of knowing that within 48 hours,
14:40guardfish was to set an incredible record that still stands.
14:43Use another player?
14:56Okay. Small stakes like always.
15:13Three freighters hold down to the horizon.
15:16Might be the advanced section of a convoy, though.
15:19Steady as you go.
15:34Raise.
15:40Joe, what are you proving, huh?
15:42We started playing for pennies, right?
15:45You've raised it how many times now?
15:47Now I'm looking down your throat and you're still raising.
15:50Come on, knock it off.
15:51I made my bet.
15:56I caught you.
16:02Three tens.
16:05That's good.
16:12Look.
16:22I don't want charity.
16:25I owe you 80 bucks.
16:27All right. You'll get it.
16:28Convoy, Captain.
16:29Two fat ones. Look like ore carriers.
16:30Make ready old torpedo tubes.
16:32No bets on this here fish?
16:33I had enough betting for a while.
16:34I had enough betting for a while.
16:36the convoy captain two fat ones look like oil carriers make ready old torpedo
16:40tubes no bets on this here fish
16:54I had enough betting for a while
16:58range mark one five zero zero fire one
17:08yeah settle down there's still one standing
17:22fire two
17:25fire three
17:44two in less than a minute
17:46that's country fair shooting captain
17:48I got a feeling this is our day and it's young yet
17:51put us on course the Fuji one bay that harbor there's a lot of business
17:54maybe we can get some of it yes sir
18:01yeah
18:03running
18:04why'd you try to keep from playing with Joe
18:06a feeling
18:09been playing cards long enough you can spot a guy who's running scared
18:13afraid to lose
18:15I wish I knew why just found out from his buddy
18:19cold
18:20you were right Joe scared got no right to play even for pennies
18:27been married for less than a year got a kid on the way
18:30still supports his folks
18:33and pennies count
18:36what did I do
18:37what do you think I want is 80 bucks
18:39not after you tried to throw it back to him
18:43that is mighty nice thing for you to do Bernie
18:46yeah
18:47only it didn't work
18:49I don't know
18:51I'll figure out a way
18:52I'll figure out a way
18:53somehow
19:02Captain Clackering was right
19:03it was his day
19:04for less than an hour later outside of Coogee Bay
19:07still a third freighter appeared in the crosshairs of the scope
19:10this one fully sixty five hundred yards away
19:13bearing
19:15mark
19:16one four three
19:18range
19:19mark
19:20six four nine three
19:22fire four
19:26Captain fired a single shot
19:28a lone torpedo that took almost seven and a half minutes to travel to nearly four miles to the target
19:33another hour saw still a fourth enemy vessel slide to the bottom
19:42another victim of the guard fishers incredible accuracy
19:46down scope
19:48who believe it
19:49four in three hours
19:50cruising those freighters maybe
19:51we're still not finished
19:52that coastline information
19:53right
19:54set your course and we'll get it now
19:55we finish that
19:56and we can head for midway
19:57yes sir
20:03shallow beach areas
20:07with ragged almost perpendicular cliffs in back of that
20:11you got it
20:12yes sir
20:23and would you say this has been an unusual day
20:25yes Captain
20:26well it isn't over
20:28take a look
20:29do you see what I see
20:34yeah I thought I'd had it too
20:38a horse race Japanese race track
20:40how do you like that
20:42I can see everything
20:44even the colors
20:46okay everybody take a look but we can't waste too much time
20:50Al
20:52take a look
20:53guy
20:56are you sure
21:01sure
21:04sure
21:05sure
21:06it's a real horse race
21:07oh I got it
21:08I got it
21:09fellas this is it
21:10why let it pass
21:11it's too good
21:12here's what we do
21:13we have a pool
21:14everybody chips in a few bucks
21:16now the winning number
21:17is the combination
21:18in order of finish
21:19okay
21:20yeah but how are we gonna know
21:22I'm off watch
21:23watch
21:24I'll kinda ease up to the tower
21:25look pathetic
21:26and the old man's a good guy you know
21:28he'll give me a look
21:29that's my boy
21:30come on man
21:31everybody in
21:32let me have that pepper
21:41yes Bartell
21:42oh sir
21:43I uh
21:44I uh
21:45I uh
21:46yes I know you were just passing by huh
21:48well don't mind me sir
21:49I just heard some laughing
21:50I figured maybe
21:51uh
21:52well I hope you're a better torpedo man
21:53than you are an actor
21:54well what are you waiting for
21:55go on take a look
21:56yes sir
21:57thank you sir
22:03a horse race
22:04a real life
22:05horse race
22:06I could smell the two yen window
22:09man
22:10oh man
22:11now Bernie you quit
22:12come on who wins
22:13oh
22:14the pool
22:15uh 183
22:16who's got 183
22:17well you got the last man
22:18I
22:19oh yeah
22:20let's see
22:21183
22:22183
22:24is
22:25Williams
22:26Joe Williams
22:34you got a little over a hundred bucks coming here kid
22:36I'll get it for you huh
22:37Bernie
22:38look
22:39thanks
22:41don't thank me kid
22:43thank the horses
22:44they did the running
22:45just don't make a hobby out of there okay
22:47I won't
22:48but
22:49thanks
22:50right
22:56Bernie
22:57yeah
22:58you know he's still gonna insist on paying that poker debt
23:01what's to stop me from sending the money to his wife
23:04you gotta get up pretty early in the morning to fool Bernie
23:08right native
23:09right native
23:12I got a feeling Bernie just did a little fooling of his own
23:15now come on
23:16tell the native boy
23:17did 183 really win
23:21Bernie
23:23Bernie
23:24I don't know
23:26I never did see the horse race
23:28I was watching a dame all the time
23:33when on 15th September the guard fish entered the lagoon at midway
23:39she had fired all but one of her 24 torpedoes
23:42her 11 hits and 8 sinkings are still talked about in the silent service
23:46as is the presidential unit citation conferred upon her for the daring patrol
23:51before the war ended she was to win a second such honor for her valiant efforts
24:00I'll be back in a moment with our special guest
24:08we have with us captain Herman Costler
24:11commander submarine squadron 2
24:13who is executive officer on the guard fish
24:15and the patrol you've just witnessed
24:17Herman as I remember this patrol the guard fish gave us all a record to shoot at for some time
24:23we were pretty proud of that run
24:25you had every reason to be
24:27the whole submarine force was proud to know you
24:30now tell us about this horse racing business
24:32well with the periscope in high power
24:35it brought the race course up close enough for us to watch what was going on
24:39I understand your skipper was honored by the racing officials when you got back
24:43yes he was sir
24:45he was made an honorary member of the New York State Racing Commission
24:48and there was a commander clackering day at Pimlico
24:51Herman you had a wonderful experience and we are mighty pleased you could be here
24:55thank you sir
24:57please be with us again for another exciting story of the silent service
25:01take her down there's often light
25:06through the deep blue underneath the ocean
25:10we'll control the ocean's wide
25:15from down down underneath the sea
25:19save the force for past the world
25:23in the future's yet to be
25:26that we'll save as long as there's
25:32a submarine or underneath the sea
25:36so wait for a dive and take her down
25:40down down down down down down underneath the ocean
25:44there's men will find redone
25:48in the deep blue underneath the sea
25:51the sea
25:58the sea
26:02the sea
26:04the sea
26:08the sea
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