- 6 months ago
Sunfish (SS-281) A submarine's cook wins the Bronze Star Medal in this "Silent Service" episode. Fed up with his routine chores in the gallery, the cook of the USS Sunfish, Teddy Aldridge, requests an active combat station for the next engagement with the enemy. The ship's executive officer assigns him a Browning automatic rifle for use during surface action. When the USS Sunfish encounters a fleet of enemy trawlers, the cook goes to work and finally diverts a Japanese skipper from a suicidal attempt at ramming.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh! Oh-oh-oh!
00:12Take her down, let's hop in line
00:16Through the deep blue and beneath the ocean
00:20We'll control the ocean's wide
00:24From down, down, underneath the sea
00:30I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers, retired
00:33The men of the submarine force during World War II
00:36Received their fair share of decorations
00:38This chapter of the silent service
00:40Deals with a man who was awarded one of those decorations
00:44Although the circumstances under which medals were won
00:47Could never be considered commonplace
00:49In this instance, the circumstances were particularly unusual
00:53Ten July, 1944
01:00The USS Sunfish rode quietly 250 feet below the surface of the Sea of Arcotts
01:05She was halfway through her seventh patrol
01:08A patrol that up to now had been so full of action
01:11That for our skipper, Commander Ed Shelby
01:14This was their first complete sleep period
01:16Since leaving Pearl Harbor on June 22nd
01:19But even during this time of well-earned rest
01:21Preparations were being made for the next day
01:24And the continuation of the war
01:36Captain
01:37It's 1900, Captain
01:39You've been asleep 12 hours
01:41Thanks, Paul
01:42I feel like a new man
01:44I'll be right up
01:45I'll be right up
01:56No, you don't understand, Dixon
01:58I like cooking
01:59But what am I gonna tell the folks back in Tennessee?
02:02Man, they think I'm in the middle of a shooting war
02:04Oh, Cookie, you make me sick
02:06What, what are you trying to be, a big hero or something?
02:09You are not hearing a word I'm saying
02:12No
02:13Now, look
02:14How am I gonna tell my kinfolks that I didn't even carry a gun?
02:18Cookie
02:19You've been spending too much time bending over a hot stove
02:22Ah, well, that's alright, you'll see
02:24Mr. Mansell, he promised me
02:26Why don't you quit beating on the exec?
02:29My gosh
02:30Ain't he got trouble enough?
02:32I don't care, he promised me
02:34Yeah, yeah, that's where he made his first mistake
02:43You know where we are by this time?
03:01They know where we are by this time.
03:10So we'll patrol toward the west.
03:12See what action we can pick up along the northern route.
03:14Yeah, that's a good idea.
03:15Prepare a dispatch for comm sub-pact.
03:17Tell them what we're doing.
03:18In the meantime, we'll surface and start converting number four ballast tank.
03:22I'll get on it right now.
03:25Come on up, Cook.
03:28Thanks.
03:31I thought you might like some hot coffee, Captain.
03:34You just made it fresh.
03:35Thanks.
03:36Do I smell cinnamon rolls?
03:38Yes, sir, Mr. Mansell.
03:39I brought you some, too.
03:42Hey, they're hot.
03:43Yes, sir.
03:44I just finished baking them.
03:48Mr. Mansell, you didn't forget, did you?
03:52Forget?
03:53Feel what?
03:54Oh.
03:55No.
03:55No, I didn't forget.
03:57Thanks, Mr. Mansell.
03:58Well, if I knew you wouldn't forget.
04:03Well.
04:09Forget what?
04:10He wants another battle station.
04:13What do you mean?
04:15He's tired of cooking?
04:16No, I'm glad it's not that.
04:18I hope not.
04:19I never ate this good before he came aboard.
04:22There isn't a sub in the fleet that wouldn't swap any man they've got, including the skipper,
04:26to get their hands on him.
04:28No problem there, Captain.
04:29Well, then what's his beef?
04:31He doesn't think he's getting enough action as an ammunition passer.
04:35That boy's making an old man of me.
04:37All doing the last patrol.
04:38Now this one insists he's got to have a gun or a torpedo station.
04:42Real ball of fire, isn't he?
04:44Why don't you give him one?
04:45Where?
04:46I haven't got the place for him.
04:48I tell you what.
04:49We can always use another man in landing or boarding parties.
04:52Give him a B.A.R. and make him happy.
04:56Yeah, that might just do it.
04:59Might get him out of my hair anyway.
05:01Thank you, Captain.
05:02Oh, treat him carefully.
05:04He makes a mean cinnamon roll.
05:09Come up to Periscope Depth.
05:11Prepare to surface.
05:12Periscope Depth, aye, aye.
05:13Stand by the surface.
05:16Cautiously, Sunfish poked a Periscope above the surface.
05:20While Captain Shelby checked to make certain the area was clear.
05:23Working party on deck.
05:37Working party on deck.
05:38When a fuel ballast tank was emptied, it was then reconverted to a ballast tank to lighten the boat for surface running.
05:45This was never a pleasant job, and here with a water temperature at 30 degrees, it was a cold, wet shore.
05:52While it went on, sharp watches were kept on sound, and radar to make certain that no enemy ship would slip in undetected.
06:05Com subhacks acknowledged our message, Captain.
06:08Very well.
06:08And I told the cook about his new station as B.A.R. man.
06:12Make him happy?
06:13Happy.
06:14For a minute there, I thought he was going to kiss me.
06:16Just tell him you're married.
06:18Captain.
06:19Number four ballast tank.
06:20Lieutenant Jameson's having trouble getting one of the bell crank pins in.
06:24The coal do it?
06:25Yes, sir.
06:26He says the bearing's contracted.
06:28He'll have to file the pin down to make it fit.
06:30Well, how long will it take?
06:31At least another hour.
06:33Very well.
06:34Tell him to bear a hand.
06:34I don't like sitting out here in the open this way.
06:36Yes, sir.
06:47Hey, Dixon.
06:48Did you hear?
06:49I got a gun.
06:50Yeah, I know, I know.
06:51So you got a gun.
06:53Now what do you want?
06:54Well, let me have it, will you, Dixon?
06:55What for?
06:57Well, uh, well, I ought to clean it.
07:00You know, get it ready.
07:01Yeah, well, it's cleaned and it's ready.
07:04Well, yeah, but I ought to get used to it.
07:07You know, get to feel it.
07:08Yeah, nothing doing.
07:09You ain't gonna run around this boat with a B.A.R.
07:11You will get it when there's a gun action.
07:15And not until.
07:27Bridge.
07:29Radar contact.
07:30Burying 325 range.
07:3219,000 yards.
07:35Very well.
07:36Paul, station the tracking party.
07:38Aye, aye, sir.
07:40Jameson!
07:41Sir?
07:42How much longer?
07:43Not too long now, sir.
07:45Very well.
07:47Hurry up.
07:47We've got a contact.
07:48Aye, aye, sir.
07:49We're pushing.
07:51Gunning tower.
07:52What do you make her?
07:54Looks like a big one, Captain.
07:55Kind of slow.
07:56The tracking party checked on the contact's course and speed, as every revolution of the propellers
08:03brought it closer to the sunfish.
08:06What you got, Paul?
08:07She's doing about nine knots.
08:09Zigzag pattern of 07, 0110, 070, and 100.
08:14Captain.
08:15Jameson?
08:16We're finished, Captain.
08:17She's all yours.
08:19Good boy.
08:20Through the main deck.
08:22Radar?
08:23What's the range now?
08:245,000 yards.
08:26She's zigging away, Captain.
08:29That's right.
08:29Time for the next zig.
08:32Right.
08:3210 degrees rudder.
08:33All ahead, flank.
08:34Right.
08:3410 degrees rudder.
08:35All ahead, flank.
08:36We'll get up ahead of her and wait for her to make the next zig back.
08:39Paul, battle stations.
08:43Ready for torpedo and gun action.
08:44Aye, aye, sir.
08:48Battle stations, torpedo and gun action.
08:54Sunfish raced for an interception point with a so far unsuspecting target.
08:59While all on board waited anxiously to see whether the enemy would get wind of them.
09:03Should be another zig coming up.
09:06Very well.
09:07Come left to course 280.
09:09Come left to course 280.
09:12Target turned and told us.
09:14Radar.
09:16Keep those bearings coming.
09:19Set torpedo depth 10 feet.
09:20Set torpedo depth 10 feet.
09:22Target bang 359.
09:26001.
09:30Bang 005.
09:32Steady on course 280.
09:37All stop.
09:37All stop.
09:37All stop.
09:44007.
09:46007.
09:48007.
09:50Bang steady on 007.
09:53What's the range?
09:541500.
09:56Steady on 007.
09:58Target bearing 007.
10:05Target bearing 007.
10:08Range 125 00.
10:14I've got them.
10:18Final bearing and shoot when ready.
10:19Aye, sir.
10:20Standing by.
10:23Range.
10:241050.
10:25Set.
10:29Final one.
10:36Fire two.
10:44Fire three.
10:47Time.
10:48Five seconds to the first one.
10:50Three.
10:51Two.
10:52One.
10:53Second one.
10:56Seven seconds.
10:59Five.
11:03Well, that one didn't miss.
11:10What's eating you now?
11:12I never got a chance to fire one single shot.
11:15One.
11:16One.
11:16One.
11:17One.
11:17One.
11:17One.
11:18One.
11:18One.
11:18One.
11:19One.
11:19One.
11:19One.
11:20One.
11:20One.
11:20One.
11:21One.
11:21One.
11:22One.
11:22One.
11:24Well, crackers.
11:25What happened to the bread?
11:27Captain, when you called battle stations,
11:29Aldrich was in such a hurry to get to his new gun,
11:31he dropped it.
11:34So?
11:35My fault.
11:37But it could have been worse.
11:38Might have been carrying hand grenades.
12:23Hey! Cookie! What do you think you're doing?
12:35Well, I'm not doing nothing, Dixon. I was just... you know.
12:41Yeah, yeah, I know. You wanted to play with that gun in yours. Do you know what time it is?
12:46Hey, Dixon. I'm baking up a batch of rolls in the oven. I just started a fresh pot of coffee, too.
12:56Cinnamon rolls?
12:58Uh-huh. All right.
13:00Oh, my God.
13:30Okay, okay, let's go.
13:52For the next couple of days, things were comparatively quiet on board the Sunfish.
13:56Contacts were made, six of them, but each time the Sunfish closed a potential target, the contact turned out to be friendly.
14:09The respite was welcome. With the good luck they had been having, the crew knew that there'd be lots more action before they left the area.
14:40Cookie?
14:43Hi, Dexon. You want some coffee?
14:46No, no, thanks.
14:48A sandwich, maybe?
14:49No.
14:51You know, it's a funny thing. One of the BARs is missing.
14:56No kidding?
14:57No kidding.
14:58Now, what do you suppose happened to her?
15:02Well, gee, I don't know, Dexon. You don't think one of the guys...
15:07Let's have it.
15:09Me?
15:10You.
15:12Now, look, Dexon, I've been meaning to talk to you about something for a long time.
15:16Now, you know, when I'm busy cooking back here, and they call a gun action, it's a long distance to that aft battery.
15:22You wouldn't want me to be late to my stations now, would you?
15:25Give.
15:26Well, now, look, you're being hasty. Can't we talk this over?
15:28Uh, uh, look, I've got a steak about yea big. It's right here in the freezer.
15:32No, no, no dice, no dice. Let's just have the gun.
15:40You're a hard man, Dexon.
15:42Tell me something, Cookie. Why don't you want to keep this thing in the rack where it belongs?
16:00Suppose somebody else took it.
16:03All right, suppose somebody does.
16:05Oh, now, you know those guys, Dexon. They might foul it up.
16:09Yeah.
16:12Very quiet around here lately, Paul. I've been thinking of trying to find a busier corner.
16:20Getting bored, Captain?
16:22Well, we'd lug those torpedoes all the way out here. It'd be a shame to lug them all the way back.
16:26Yeah, I see your point.
16:28According to intelligence...
16:29Radar contact, Captain.
16:31Two pips bearing 110 about 5,000 yards.
16:35Elton, bearing 110. Can you see anything?
16:38Not a thing, Captain. Visibility is about 500 yards.
16:41Ball tracking party.
16:43Aye, aye, sir.
16:47Come left to 335.
16:48Come left to 335.
16:49Aye, aye, sir.
16:51Lieutenant Van Harden to the conning tower.
16:53It's three pips now, Captain. Five.
16:56How many?
16:58Now it's four. I'm sorry, Captain. These pips are all confused.
17:01Stay with it, son.
17:04Paul.
17:05Battle stations, gun action.
17:07Battle stations, gun action.
17:09It's hard to say. They checked out all right, but some of those contacts may be side pips.
17:20All right. Let's go below and take another look.
17:23Aye, aye, sir.
17:25Captain, we're out of the fog. It's as clear as a bell.
17:39Right full rudder. All ahead, flank.
17:41Right full rudder. All ahead, flank.
17:43No sense in scaring him off if we can avoid it.
17:49Let's get back in the fog and see if we can trail him from a stern.
17:52Any change?
17:54No, sir.
17:55Range is opening, but I still get from two to six pips all in a group.
17:59Let's split the difference. Make it four.
18:03You got any ideas, Paul?
18:05Well, pips aren't too big. I guess it'd be some kind of trawlers.
18:10Hmm. Makes sense.
18:13Let's see if we can't put a debt in their fishing trade, huh?
18:20Captain, we're back in the fog.
18:22Steady on course 180.
18:24Steady on course 180.
18:26There are only four of them.
18:28Captain, I've lost them.
18:30What was your last range?
18:326,000 yards.
18:34Come right to 270.
18:36Come right to 270.
18:38Let's see if we can cut back across their track.
18:48Contact. I got them, Captain.
18:50Three pips during 090.
18:52Come left to 235.
18:54Come left to 235.
18:56What's the range?
18:574,000 yards.
18:59All back one third.
19:00All back one third.
19:02You take it, Paul. I'll be on the bridge.
19:04Aye, aye, sir.
19:08That's right.
19:10Radar, what's the range?
19:11800 yards. Get five pips, Captain.
19:15Very well.
19:16Look out, skipper sharp.
19:18Ships off the starboard bow.
19:23Ships off the starboard beam.
19:28Ships off the port bow.
19:30Ships dead ahead.
19:31Holy smokes, there's a million of them.
19:37All back one third.
19:38All back one third.
19:39All back one third.
19:51Commence firing.
20:01All back one third.
20:02All back one third.
20:24Right full rudder.
20:26One, two, three!
20:43Left pole rudder!
20:45Portback full!
20:46Portback full!
20:47Target ahead flank!
20:48Target ahead flank!
20:56For two solid hours, Sunfish engaged in a wild surface duel, the odds 14 to 1 at quarters
21:05which made it almost hand-to-hand combat.
21:07Time and again, Captain Shelby's brilliant maneuvering of his ship saved them from suicidal
21:16ramming.
21:17It was the ship's cook, Teddy Eugene Aldrich, who was given credit for saving the ship
21:25and crew.
21:26Where's the ammo?
21:27Wherever the firing was hottest or the danger greatest, there was Aldrich to add his firepower
21:36where the need was greatest.
21:39Nobody, least of all Aldrich, was ever able to explain how he covered so many places in
21:46so short a time.
21:48There's another one!
21:49There's another one!
21:50There's another one!
21:55There's another one!
21:56There's another one!
21:57There's another one.
22:27Gun crew is secure.
22:57Hey, Cookie, wait a minute.
23:14You know, I don't dig you, boy.
23:15Huh?
23:16First, you make a big deal about how you love this thing like it was your wife, and now you treat it like it was nothing.
23:22Well, you just don't understand, Dixon.
23:24If I'd have gone home and told them that I never fired a shot, why, they'd have run me right out of town.
23:31Well, finally got my shots in.
23:35Us cooks have our pride.
23:37I'll be back in a moment with our special guest.
23:45And now it is my pleasure to introduce to you the hero of the Sunfish's amazing engagement, Mr. Teddy Eugene Aldridge.
23:59Mr. Aldridge, they tell me you were a one-man Navy during that fight.
24:03I don't know about that, Admiral.
24:04All I do know is it was a pretty good fight while it lasted.
24:08Captain Shelby tells me you were one of the best cooks he ever sailed with.
24:12Do you still do any of it?
24:13I sure do.
24:14I enjoy cooking.
24:16I learned how I board the Sunfish, and I guess the reason I got such a bang out of it was that the boys seemed to like what I cooked.
24:23For a cook to win a decoration for personal combat in a submarine is highly unusual.
24:28As far as we can find out, you're the only one who did.
24:31I appreciate them giving me a medal, Admiral.
24:34But I can tell you one thing.
24:35I never thought much about it during that fight.
24:37With all the lead flying around, we were too busy trying to stay alive.
24:41That's something I can well believe.
24:43Mr. Aldridge, it's been an honor and a privilege having you with us.
24:46Thank you, Admiral.
24:50Please be with us again when we bring you another true and exciting story from the files of the silent service.
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