- 4 months ago
Thresher (SS-200) Despite a load of faulty torpedoes, the USS Thresher takes on enemy shipping, blasting at the transports with her deck gun. In this action, a young seaman learns that he cannot run from a personal problem by seeking transfer to another submarine. When the enemy is fully engaged, he earns new respect from his shipmates by manning the submarine's deck gun.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers, retired.
00:27The story we are about to bring you is based upon the USS Threshers' fifth and sixth patrols during the Second World War under her amazingly aggressive skipper, Lieutenant Commander William J. Milliken.
00:39It proves that men are the most important factor in victory and that a ship, no matter how modern and well equipped, is only as good as her crew.
00:48Back in 1928 at the U.S. Naval Academy, midshipman William J. Milliken was learning early in his career the importance of teamwork.
01:02Nicknamed Moke, the scrappy midshipman never tipped the scales at more than 150 pounds, but to his teammates at Annapolis, Moke Milliken was worth his weight in gold.
01:12Whatever he lacked in size and weight, Moke Milliken made up in courage and determination as he ripped through the opponent and compiled an outstanding academy record.
01:21In June of 1928, midshipman Milliken graduated from Annapolis to begin his career in the United States Navy.
01:36Early in World War II, Lieutenant Commander Milliken saw his dream of commanding a submarine become a reality.
01:48After several successful patrols of skipper the S-18, he took command of the USS Thresher.
01:54His executive officer was Lieutenant Bob Brinker of Park Ridge, Illinois.
01:59The gunnery officer was Lieutenant Larry V. Julin from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
02:04Lieutenant James Bryant of Pasadena, California was the submarines diving officer.
02:09On a fifth war patrol, the Thresher completed the first part of her mission, a daring mine plant inside the Gulf of Siam.
02:21Hey. That's a beautiful job, Bob. 32 mines laid in a perfect yule round Bangkok bar.
02:28Yeah. Set our course southwest and let's haul out of here.
02:34We've got to find some targets for those torpedoes. Don't want to haul them back to Perth. Southwest it is, Captain.
02:40Captain.
02:50Captain.
02:52Smoke on the horizon.
02:53Be right up, Bob.
03:05We'll move in closer and get a better look.
03:07Take it down.
03:09Near the bridge.
03:10Dive.
03:11Dive.
03:14At 07.45, the Thresher slipped beneath the surface and headed toward the possible target.
03:24They were in dangerously shallow waters of Macassas Straits near Macassas City.
03:32This is right off Coppasang Island.
03:34The long reef to the west.
03:36Well.
03:37Apparently she's run aground.
03:38Down scope.
03:39I hate to waste torpedoes on a cripple.
03:42Let's move into 3,000 yards.
03:43We'll battle surface.
03:44Go after her with our pop gun.
03:45That's for me, Captain.
03:46The Thresher surfaced at an estimated 3,000 yards and Captain Millican sent his crew to battle stations.
03:51The enemy ship was using all efforts to clear the reef and was a sitting duck, an easy target for the sub's three-inch gun.
04:06All battle stations manned and ready.
04:13Commence firing.
04:14Commence firing.
04:15Commence firing.
04:16Commence firing.
04:17Commence firing.
04:18Commence firing.
04:19Commence firing.
04:20Commence firing.
04:21Commence firing.
04:26Commence firing.
04:27Commence firing.
04:28Commence firing.
04:33Commence firing.
04:34Commence firing firing.
04:40Commence firing.
04:41Using high-capacity ammunition, the three-inch gun crew pounded away.
04:59We've unloaded better than 20 rounds, Captain.
05:09There'll be 17 direct ships.
05:11She shouldn't have sunk by now.
05:12Keep after her.
05:16The gun crew pounded on, unloading another 20 rounds of three-inch ammunition into its target.
05:22Though they set it afire, the Japanese ship seemed unsinkable.
05:25The three-inch shells didn't carry enough authority to do the job.
05:29She won't go down, Captain.
05:30Have them keep that ammo coming.
05:32We'll sink that rust bucket if we have to use every last shell we've got for that pea shooter.
05:39How many rounds have they fired, Bob?
05:48About 70.
05:49We're using more ammunition than that tub is worth.
05:52Might as well be throwing rocks.
05:54She's going, Bob.
05:55Finally.
05:56Right.
05:57Full rudder.
05:58All ahead, one-third.
05:59Right full rudder.
06:00All ahead, one-third.
06:01The Japanese merchantman was finally destroyed, but the men of the thresher did not consider it much of a victory.
06:09It had taken better than 80 rounds of ammunition to do the job in a calm sea with nobody shooting back at them.
06:28What's eating you, Larkin?
06:29You've been going around all day looking like a whipped pound dog.
06:31It's that miserable pea shooter up on deck.
06:32I figured we should have dunked that shit with less than 20 rounds.
06:33The old man's pretty teed off, too.
06:34The skull butt has it.
06:35He's going to ask for a bigger deck done when we finish this patrol.
06:37Boy, I sure hope so.
06:44Being gun pointer on a converted slingshot ain't exactly a pleasure.
07:07Sounded like it came from the forward torpedo room.
07:28Are you all right?
07:30What happened?
07:31He failed to check his valves on the impulse lines to see if they were closed before testing.
07:35She must have hit the outer door and stuck.
07:40You're a first-class torpedo man, Larkin.
07:42How could you fail to check your valves before testing?
07:44I don't know, sir.
07:47What a dumb stunt.
07:49We'll talk about that later.
07:51Right now we've got a hot torpedo in this tube.
07:54We'd better get it out before it blows up the ship.
07:57The life of the thresher and her men was in extreme jeopardy.
08:00They were 180 miles off Japanese-held bases with a hot torpedo jammed in the tube
08:05and no way of knowing when it might explode.
08:08Keep the vent of the tube open.
08:09Let the pressure release itself.
08:11Yeah, the tube's pretty hot, Captain.
08:12The torpedo must have burned itself out.
08:14I'm going to surface.
08:15Larry, get a man over the side.
08:17See if the warhead is protruding beyond the outer door.
08:20Aye, aye, sir.
08:20On the surface, in heavily infested enemy waters,
08:28a diver was sent over the side to inspect the tube through the shutter door.
08:32All hands were aware of the extreme danger.
08:35If the warhead of the torpedo had been exposed to the open sea,
08:38it could explode at any time.
08:40The diver found the shutter door was pried open about two inches,
08:50but with the door forced outward, he was unable to see the warhead.
08:55Now, there's a slim chance that warhead's not armed,
08:58but we can't be sure.
09:01We can get a small rod through the tailstop buffer on the inner door, Captain.
09:05We'll be able to find out just how far up in the tube she is.
09:07Right.
09:08In the meantime, I'll radio the force commander what we're doing.
09:11Just in case.
09:21The torpedo's about six inches forward in the tube, sir.
09:24That means the warhead's out.
09:26Out about three inches past the end of the tube.
09:30She's armed.
09:35They now knew what the trouble was.
09:37It was serious trouble.
09:39The next step was to get something done about it.
09:44We've got to get the outer end of the torpedo tube out of the water.
09:47Trim the boat down aft.
09:49That'll raise a bow.
09:50Then we can open the inner tube door without flooding the ship.
09:54Alert the visual and sound watch.
09:56If the enemy spots us now,
09:58we'll have about as much chance as a clay duck in a shooting gallery.
10:01Yeah, it'll take about three quarters of an hour to pump everything back aft.
10:04Check.
10:06Anything we can do in the meantime, Captain?
10:09Yeah.
10:10Pray.
10:10Our engine stopped to avoid the possibility of any magnetic disturbance setting off the torpedo.
10:25The thresher was trimmed down aft,
10:27and a three-degree rise angle lifted her bow out of the water.
10:30With every swell of the seas, tension mounted.
10:33The men were now battling a dangerous new enemy, time.
10:37They had to disarm a very touchy torpedo before the enemy found them.
10:41The inner door of the tube was opened,
10:45and then began the grueling task of attempting to pull out the torpedo.
10:50Bridge.
10:52Captain?
10:53We've got the wire cable secured to the tail assembly, Captain.
10:56Get right down.
11:03Looks like she's expanded from the heat, Captain.
11:05Well, you'll have to take it slow.
11:11It's got to be a steady pull, no sudden jerks.
11:14Yes, sir.
11:15All right, let's go.
11:20It was like trying to repair a fine watch while wearing boxing gloves.
11:24The job required a delicate touch,
11:26yet the only way to do it was to manhandle the torpedo.
11:30They all knew that an extra jerk,
11:31the slightest jar,
11:33even an unexpected vibration
11:34might at any second set off the warhead,
11:37sending them all to the bottom.
11:39He's moving.
11:43People coming.
11:51Hold it.
11:54Scraping against the side.
11:59Now, Larry,
12:00we've got to get it out.
12:02All together now.
12:04Let's try it again.
12:17Ready?
12:18Eve!
12:26Keep on looking.
12:27Easy.
12:32Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:33Easy.
12:34Easy.
12:34Easy.
12:34Easy.
12:44All right, get that exploder out, Larry.
12:46Somebody give me a tongue depressor out of sick bay.
12:50Let's have a stud wrench.
12:57Lock it off, Carter!
12:58long.
13:15Make parliamentary.
13:15All right.
13:15All right.
13:19Let's go.
13:20Only once your degener� over the scene has arrived.
13:21Are you gonnaKE for a goodman?
13:23Hey, lady!
13:23I'm sorry.
13:24My sister.
13:25They're coming out for naught,
13:25no money.
13:26Got that insight.
13:27It's just like that.
13:57Okay, Captain.
14:11She's disarmed.
14:12The outer door is jammed open.
14:28We can take a chance and stay on patrol.
14:31But if we get a depth charge close aboard, it's liable to rupture the inner door.
14:36You know what that can mean?
14:37We'll force the ladder.
14:43Return to base immediately.
14:45In view of your situation, make every attempt to avoid combat.
14:51Well, I guess that solves our problem.
14:54Thanks, Chief.
15:16You guys sure got me out of a jam.
15:17Hey, look, you guys.
15:23I'm sorry I goofed.
15:24I know it was a bad mistake, but I couldn't help the first time we've ever had to turn back from duty assigned, Larkin.
15:29When we get back, why don't you do us a favor?
15:33Ask for a transfer.
15:34Back at the submarine base at Fremantle, West Australia, Thresh's damage was quickly repaired.
15:49But Commander Milliken's hope of his sub being equipped with more modern armament hit a snag.
15:54In December of 1942, newer deck guns were scarce in the Pacific.
15:59She had to settle for an old rally.
16:04You mean all they could give us is this old 5-inch 51 thunder bus?
16:08We've got to make it work somehow.
16:10The way our luck has been running, the figures they'd stick us with a piece of scrap iron like this.
16:14What do you suppose they'll give us for ammunition?
16:16Cannonballs?
16:18Never.
16:18The skipper won't be disappointed.
16:20I'll make this old cannon work.
16:22Well, I guess all we can do is try.
16:26Unless somebody's got any better suggestions.
16:27I've got a suggestion, sir.
16:29At least we can get a gun pointer on it we can trust.
16:42Come in.
16:47I'd like to request a transfer, sir.
16:49What's the matter?
16:51Is it getting too rough for you?
16:52Captain, I can't live aboard a ship where everybody's giving me the silent treatment.
16:57Larkin, you made a big mistake.
17:02All right.
17:03But if you leave this boat now, you'll be making the biggest mistake of your life.
17:08No, you'd be better off without me, sir.
17:10I'm captain of this boat.
17:17I want you to stay.
17:20It won't be easy.
17:21But it won't be half as rough as quitting.
17:26You're a submariner.
17:28Pruitt.
17:29Yes, sir.
17:37I'll give it a try, sir.
17:41The thresher set out again on her six-wall patrol.
17:45And on December 29th, 1942, she was patrolling off Surabaya in the Java Sea in search of enemy shipping.
17:53Notify the captain, smoke off starboard barrel.
18:09It's like she's Singapore-bound, making good speed.
18:13We'll surface and get up ahead of her before diving.
18:15Let's hope those fish we've got aren't duds.
18:26That's a nice fat crossboard.
18:29Lay the bridge!
18:30Hi!
18:31Hi!
18:32Hi!
18:32Hi!
18:45Hi!
18:48At nightfall, the thresher slowly swung into position at close range.
18:55And the order to fire the first torpedo was given.
19:04But —
19:05Fire, too!
19:15Russia unloaded five torpedoes without a single hit.
19:27You can't get them with these fouled up fish.
19:29That's too good a target to pass up.
19:32You thinking of trying to get over that five-inch relic on deck?
19:35Right.
19:37Can't let that one get away.
19:40Stations for battle service.
19:45I don't know.
20:08She spotted us.
20:09She's moving in fast.
20:11Captain, our telescopic sights are flooded.
20:14I can't see the target.
20:16Give me your glasses, Bob.
20:18Take the card.
20:19All right, sir.
20:22Clear.
20:23Oh, Captain, I can't see a thing through these sights.
20:25We'll have to make our own.
20:27I'll need a volunteer to stay up here with me and help.
20:29You got one, sir.
20:30Good.
20:30You may get behind the conning tower.
20:33I'm going to lash my glasses right onto this sight yoke.
20:35And we'll use the other pair to sight through the breach.
20:39We're going to foresight this gun right smack onto the target.
20:43Yes, sir.
20:43Yes, sir.
20:44Get this in here tight.
20:46Man, I thought I'd have to hold it.
20:48Get in there, quick.
20:53Mark, mark, mark.
20:55Down a little.
20:58Mark, mark.
21:04Down a fraction.
21:06Mark, mark.
21:11On target.
21:13It's all yours, Larkin.
21:16Call the gun crew back.
21:17Gun crew!
21:18Gun crew!
21:38Ready, one.
21:39One.
21:43Makeshift sight slashed to the old gun, the crew fired shell after shell into the hull of the large transport, but not without taking a beating themselves.
22:06Each time the five-incher was fired, the recoil action shipped to Thresher as though she were a toy.
22:11But they weren't facing an unarmed tanker.
22:14This sitting duck had teeth.
22:16Turning to ram.
22:18Load, load!
22:20Ready, shoot!
22:23We hit the bow gun.
22:25We're moving in fast.
22:26Right in the belly.
22:33He's going down.
22:34Not enough.
22:36Right, pull runner!
22:40He's going down.
22:43Cease fire!
22:44Great job, man.
22:55Larkin, you still want that transfer?
22:59All right, Captain.
23:00I think maybe I'd like to stick around for a while.
23:02I'll be back in a moment with my special guest.
23:17This story is our tribute to the fine ship's company of the USS Thresher,
23:28and especially to those who later gave their lives in carrying the fight to the enemy.
23:33Among them were Captain Milliken and the Executive Officer Bob Brinker.
23:37And now I'd like to introduce Rear Admiral Lawrence V. Juleen, retired,
23:41who was the Thresher's torpedo and gunnery officer.
23:43Larry, we know that Thresher had a rough time with the shortage of good torpedoes,
23:48but you boys seem to have done all right without them.
23:50Well, as you know, in 42, there was a shortage of almost everything aboard submarines.
23:55But at least with Moke Milliken, the skipper,
23:58there was one thing you never had to worry about.
23:59What was that, Larry?
24:01There was never a shortage of morale.
24:03Thresher was overstocked in that department.
24:05I'm very proud to say that I knew Moke very well.
24:08He had lots of fights at the same time he was a kind and considerate leader.
24:12No submarine could have wanted a better skipper.
24:15And we had some of the best men in the business, too.
24:17There was Red Whitehouse, the first-class torpedo man,
24:20who went over the side to check the position of the burned-out torpedo
24:23and then later on removed the delicate exploder mechanism.
24:27And another was the first loader on the deck gun,
24:30Gardner Paulus, from Huntington, West Virginia.
24:32He did a magnificent job when he loaded every 5-inch shell we had on board
24:36without rest or interruption.
24:37Yes, it's strange what phenomenal feats of strength
24:41people have performed under the excitement of combat.
24:44Larry, it's fine to have had you with us.
24:45Thank you, Tommy.
24:48I hope you will be with us again
24:49for another true story of the silent service.
24:52Thank you, Tommy.
25:00Take her down, down to the line
25:05Through the heat, through and beneath the ocean
25:09We'll control the ocean's wide
25:13From down, down, underneath the sea
25:17Safe and cold, through and the worst
25:22In the future's yet to be
25:26Safe and safe, as long as said
25:31Our submarines are underneath the sea
25:34So wait for a drive, and take her stop
25:38Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, beneath the ocean
25:43We'll stand, and take her stop
25:47In the heat, through and beneath the sea
25:51Another, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, ...
25:54Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump...
25:56A bit of silver.
25:57A speech at the sea
25:59Major Sheila
26:00Fearny
26:02Will
26:15intro
26:16To
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