USS Guardfish 'The Guardfish Story'

I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M Tarkas retired the story in this chapter the silent service happened in the rough days of 1942 the USS guard fish came back with one of the fullest bags of enemy ships ever recorded on a single patrol in order to do this they had to move in extremely close to the coast of Honshu in fact so close that they became absorbed in watching through the periscope some very intriguing Japanese horseplay on the beach the story really began in early March of 1942 in the office of captain Boyd submarine force chief of staff borns guests was the skipper of the s17 Thomas Burton clattering of Annapolis Maryland the fine Submariner a man with a flair for the unusual in the dairy find Albert thank you sir a little unorthodox perhaps trying to ram a u-boat it's a matter of position sir I I had no alternative seems to me I recall several instances of your inventiveness important quality inventive this I think we can put yours to good use I have some good news for him we are sending you to command the new submarine guard fish she's building right here in New London isn't she said yes and she's ready for her crew right now she's no more ready than I am sir Valen weeks were busy ones for Lieutenant Commander clattering and while with this customary darkness he prepared his new command another scene was taking place a scene between two experienced top hedeman temporarily stationed at enabled barracks while awaiting further orders the men top hedeman Charles Cullen familiarly called Arkansas and taught Peterman Bernard Bartel familiarly called a variety of mates say the magic word boys speaking native tongue cut the guard fish burning you've made the seven do you mean it we're still together Bernie could they separate Damon and what's-his-name a boy and his dog the army and powdered eggs they want to win the war boy not blow it just think of it Aki Honolulu swaying palms and similar-type girls hey you know what we need a scheme a scheme to keep us that a nice disabling injury something painless but permanent you know how Bernie before you go Frank enough any of your wild schemes you better take a look at the name of our skipper clack ring glad to have my bullet heard about him any fella that steps right up and tries to ram a u-boat ain't the kind of fellow to hold still for any messing around sounds like a good seaman probably do his credit hey wait a minute hey wait a minute maybe not not an injury maybe a nice obscure disease now that has possibilities huh Bernie you're gonna get us in the doghouse for we're even aboard you hurt me boy you're hurting me right here all right I'll think of something before we get there Bernie and if I don't we'll make a few patrols after all they are paying us I just hope those guys have better poker players on a last boat huh on 6 August 1942 the new submarine guard fish moved silently away from the docks of Pearl Harbor a destination the coastal zone of northeastern honshu combat from coastal reconnaissance in addition to his pride his new command captain crackling would have good reason to be equally proud of his officers and crew among them were the executive officer lieutenant Herman castle of Portsmouth Virginia and experienced in most dependable Submariner lieutenant blade indeed clanking at Harrisburg Pennsylvania gunnery offset a guard fish and lieutenant Ernest L swab Jr Brooklyn New York swab was a communications officer suture hmm well any little thing we can do for you just feel free I'll just make sure it stays shipshape tube it says you never find anything but Betty man huh no chief but a small wager from time to time I'm not adverse you lose more than the benefiber catch those racks aren't you always open chief cover anything at top odds Kentucky Derby's prizefights license plate numbers enemy sinkings no sporting blood Bernie don't you think maybe you're rushing things Am I we only just about Clare and Pearl I've just laying the groundwork gotta stir up the action here we're gonna have plenty of it but not the kind you me Oh fat little ear to the ground huh spended splendid now tell me where does the room of factory have us going all the way them things is really gonna be a flying I got a feeling your angle have much time for bet baki how are you ever gonna get anywhere without some adaptability huh huh that's a sweet little piece of machinery sweet tell me something every time you fire one what says you can't bet I on 19 august after running out of a vicious storm the guard fish had reached a position just outside a patrol area for a submarine of us to make 77 enemy contacts and half that many days without the benefit of such radar a very first contact produced strange results a target a Japanese merchant ship that should have been a sitting duck all three exploded prematurely that's fine couldn't be anything else we have them cool escort kept coming fast all the word periscope depth maybe we can get a shot at her she's turning 3 for depth charge rig for depth charge you're the bettin man Bernie what's the price on depth cherry juice today I'll make you a price the trouble is collecting if they hit we don't even get our shot here she played it safe Fran we're just showing her muscle hey 180 feet will stay submerged the rest of the day in the end of the patrol area after dark captain about those torpedoes all three should have been hits I'd rather think we fired them into the wide open spaces misses a Miss but if those warheads are defective well they're gone now that's not the point how many of the rest of the faulty that's the point I'll see you royal shipmates in True Vine France all died and you know that China a straight beats of wash fella made-up spread the knowledge I wouldn't know I play Mountain style oh my chief come be mortal the labors of the day of behind relax a hand perhaps it you guys know what's good for you you'll break it up or at least walk on eggs skipper ain't exactly happen oh that messes huh just play that song yeah i strictly quit anyway I got just about had it mind if I sit in my old master just about had a tool to be continued now fellas running yeah as long as I've known you I've never seen you hurt nobody now why'd you try to freeze out that kid I don't know hockey I didn't do it to be rude I just I just don't know you said it yourself captain there's not any way of knowing about the rest of those torpedoes maybe only those three worth maybe isn't good enough home and dangering officers and men win in maneuvering for a shot is one thing but to do it when you're not even sure of your torpedoes what are you going to do captain the only thing I can do you said for me captain well surface a little while I want to send a radial message the Force Commander yes sir I'm requesting permission to try for contact hits rather than under the keel magnetic explosions because of the uncertainty of the warheads you understand yes sir that's all it comes down to one simple thing I've got a feeling it's gonna get real busy you want to make the most of it I don't mind the enemy trying to stop us but I don't want us giving him any help that night the guard fish moves silently into its area of patrol the waters off the northeastern coast of Honshu captain clamoring now weighted eaglet of two things replied to his radio message and the moment the guard fish would draw first blood the captain was not templating long battle stations connection bucket brigham are cuttin taller I'm taller she's your baby Claggett yes don't freeze on deck done crew ain't nice with all I'm pretty fishes sitting back there I must recommend this cruise never a dull moment patroller not exactly a tanker but we've got to take them as they come plenty of fight in her she sure doesn't like being taken clock it's boys know the way around that deck gun any minute I much doubt about that cargo sir well a lot better than I hope for that's a lot of oil the enemy's gonna do without oh this is something you won't be unhappy about either sir I got your radio reply from the air bros before I started up here he says permission granted captain get him any way you can good it was a beginning once it had begun the patrol area began to prove its worth is a hunting ground slowly at first and with fortunes seeming to reserve her smiles for the gun crew of the guard fish in less than 24 hours it had repeated a similar performance this time against a small ship captain cracking had indeed summed it up when he said we have to take them as they come well I reckon about the only way to get any action on these tubs to join up of the gun crew there's action and action native care for the gentle kind I'll play Bernie I was only kidding Joe I mean uh I'm a little too Restless little later huh you sore at me or something drunk what are you talking about what a ridiculous thing to do what how long do you think it was gonna take him to get the I - he's been brushed a year no look native Burnie I know some fellas have to have at least one Patsy but I never even suspected to choose one of them fellas are you kidding I wouldn't do a thing like that that's a nice kid and why you rushing wow this is boy like it merchant man coming out of Khimki San Harbor make ready old torpedo tube set depth of 10 feet bearing mark zero for two range mark one nine zero zero fire one he's going down with a screw still turning that's the real start let's hope there's plenty more captain Clark never dared hope how completely his which was to be answered by large numbers of angry enemy patrol craft searching with the guard fish he managed to maneuver into position and had an unafraid into the credit side of the god fishing lake 2300 tons of freight list was growing there was no way of knowing that within 48 hours guard fish was to set an incredible record that still stands here's another player okay small stakes like always three freighters held on the horizon might be the advanced section of a convoy though steady years ago raised Joe what are you proving huh we started playing for pennies right you've raised it how many times now now I'm looking down your throat and you're still raising come on knock it off I made my bet Claudia three times that's good look I don't want charity IOU 80 bucks all right you'll get it convoy captain - fat ones look like ore carriers make ready all torpedo tubes no bets on this here fish I don't know betting for a while range mark 1 5 0 0 bar 1 yeah Selma just do one standing fire two fire-free - in less than a minute that's country fair Shooting captain I got a feeling this is our day and it's young yet put us on course for Fuji one Bay that Harbor there's a lot of business maybe we can get some of it yes sir Burnie why did you try to keep from playing with Joe a feeling then playing cards long enough you can spot a guy who's running scared afraid to lose I wish I knew why just found out from his buddy Coleman you were right Joe scared it's got no right to play him for pennies been married for less than a year got a kid on the way still supports his folks and pennies counts what did I do what do you think I want is 80 bucks not after you tried to throw it back to him that is not a nice thing for you to do Bernie yeah only it didn't work I don't know I'll figure out a way somehow Captain Clark ring was right it was his day the less than an hour late outside of coogee bay still a third freighter appear in the crosshairs of the scope this one fully 65 hundred yards away Barry mark 1 for 3 Rainy's mark six four nine three fire for captain fired a single shot loan taught Peter that took almost seven and a half minutes to travel dan le four miles to the target another our sauce still a fourth enemy vessel slide to the bottom another victim of the guard fish's incredible accuracy down scope hopefully at four and three hours cruise on those freighters maybe we're still not finished at coastline information right such a course and we'll get it now we finish that and we can head for Midway yes sir shallow beach areas with ragged almost perpendicular cliffs in back of that you got it yes sir Aaron would you say this has been an unusual day yes captain well it is Nolan take a look you see what I see yeah I thought I'd had it to a horse race Japanese racetrack how do you like that I can see everything even the colors okay everybody take a look but we can't waste too much time guy are you sure sure it sure it's a real horse race oh I got it I got it for this is it why did it pass it's too good here's what we do we have a pool everybody chips in a few bucks now the winning number is the combination an order of finish okay and after how're we gonna know I'm walk watch I'll kind of ease up to the tower look pathetic and the old man's a good guy you know he'll give me a look that's my boy come on man everybody in yes Bartel huh sir hey-ya hey-ya yes I know you were just passing by huh don't mind me sorry I just heard some laughing I think it may be well I hope you were a better torpedo man and you are an actor what are you waiting for go on take a look yes sir thank you sir what's a real life voice raises I could smell the two yen wind oh man oh man Hibernia quit come on hyung wins oh the pool Oh 183 who's got 183 well you got that last man oh yeah see 183 is Williams Joe Williams you got a little over 100 bucks company a kid I'll get it for ya Bernie look thanks you don't thank me could thank the horses they did the runnin just don't make a hoppy out of there okay I won't but thanks right Bernie you know he's still gonna insist on paying that poker debt what's to stop me from sending the money to his wife you gotta get up pretty early in the morning to fool Bernie right native I got a feeling Bernie just did a little fooling of his own I come on tellin 80 boy just won 8-3 really and win Bernie Bernie I don't know I never did see the horse race hmm I was watching a dame all the time when on 15 September the guard fish entered the lagoon at Midway he had fired all the one of them 24 torpedoes 11 hits and 8 sinking still talked about in the silent service as is a Presidential Unit Citation conferred upon her father daring patrol for the war ended she was to win a second such honor for a valiant efforts I'll be back in a moment with our special guest we have with us captain Herman Khosla commander submarine squadron - who is executive officer on the guard fish and the Patrol you've just witnessed Herman is I remember this Patrol the guard fish gave us all a record to shoot at for some time we were pretty proud of that run you had every reason that they the whole submarine force was proud to know you now tell us about this horse racing business well with the periscope in high-power it brought the race close up close enough us to watch what was going on I understand your skipper was honored by the racing officials when you got back yes he was sir he was made an honorary member of the New York State Racing Commission and there was a commander clacking day at Pimlico Harlan you had a wonderful experience and we're mighty pleased you could be here thank you sir please be with us again for another exciting story of the silent service I before you

Channel: Richard Damm

Views: 46,470

Keywords:

Id: 5GHuM_2sQUI

Length: 26min 0sec (1560 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 19 2014