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Silent Running
A riveting, tension-filled chronicle of life underwater by a much decorated hero who became the second youngest rear admiral in the history of the Navy. Filled with harrowing details of sinking Japanese vessels, surviving their assaults and capturing downed pilots. Culminates in Calvert's unauthorized visit, with three other officers, to Tokyo just prior to the official surrender--making them the first Americans to reach Japan's capital.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 1995
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440 people want to read
About the author
James F. Calvert
12 books2 followersObit. James Francis Calvert at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/us/...
[accessed 23-Jan-2014]
[accessed 23-Jan-2014]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
March 25, 2014
I've read a shelf-load of WWII submarine biographies and this is one of the better ones. One of the things I liked about it was that the author wasn't the skipper of the boat, but came aboard as a green Ensign just out of submarine school and, over the course of a few action-packed wartime years, worked his way up to Executive Officer. This is a nuts and bolts story, telling how the boat worked in terms of tactics and operations--not in a technical way--but in a manner that allows you to visualize what the submarine is doing and how it stalked its prey.
You also get a good feeling for how young officers learned their trade in wartime submarines, what live was like in the cramped conditions of the submarine, and the emotional roller-coaster ride of watching enemy shipping being blown to kingdom come by your torpedo one minute and then being depth charged by the enemy just a few minutes later.
Calvert's writing style is simple and direct. He tells the story without embellishment and with honesty. He includes things that he isn't proud of, the negative emotions as well as the good ones, and gives honest appraisals of the men with whom he served. If anything, the book is underwritten--I wanted more description of what it was like to be on the submarine, more details about how they maneuvered and operated it, and more about Calvert's own emotional journey through the war. Calvert had a great story to tell and he told it clearly and well. I only wish that he had told it more movingly. But, I suppose that's the sort of stuff that heroes are made of--they did what they did and, afterwards, it's "aw shucks, t'wernt nuthin."
Good book. Worth reading for anyone interested in World War II submarine warfare, submarine warfare in general, or just in men who go to the sea to fight.
You also get a good feeling for how young officers learned their trade in wartime submarines, what live was like in the cramped conditions of the submarine, and the emotional roller-coaster ride of watching enemy shipping being blown to kingdom come by your torpedo one minute and then being depth charged by the enemy just a few minutes later.
Calvert's writing style is simple and direct. He tells the story without embellishment and with honesty. He includes things that he isn't proud of, the negative emotions as well as the good ones, and gives honest appraisals of the men with whom he served. If anything, the book is underwritten--I wanted more description of what it was like to be on the submarine, more details about how they maneuvered and operated it, and more about Calvert's own emotional journey through the war. Calvert had a great story to tell and he told it clearly and well. I only wish that he had told it more movingly. But, I suppose that's the sort of stuff that heroes are made of--they did what they did and, afterwards, it's "aw shucks, t'wernt nuthin."
Good book. Worth reading for anyone interested in World War II submarine warfare, submarine warfare in general, or just in men who go to the sea to fight.
December 28, 2011
For my money, the best WW2 submarine memoir I've read. It is particularly effective because Calvert was a junior officer and not the skipper of the submarine and this was a nice change from the typical "view from the top" memoir.
I also was very impressed at the candor Calvert displayed when talking about the girl he dated in Australia while his wife was back in the States. That's usually an area of military autobiography that the old soldiers and sailors leave in the past. Not Calvert. He addressess it forthrightly and recounts when he told his wife about the other woman.
I would place 'Silent Running' as one of the best military memoirs I've read.
I also was very impressed at the candor Calvert displayed when talking about the girl he dated in Australia while his wife was back in the States. That's usually an area of military autobiography that the old soldiers and sailors leave in the past. Not Calvert. He addressess it forthrightly and recounts when he told his wife about the other woman.
I would place 'Silent Running' as one of the best military memoirs I've read.
January 2, 2012
A memoir of the author's 9 wartime patrols on a US Navy submarine in WWII (8 on the USS Jack and 1 on the USS Haddo). It is an easy yet engaging read. As it is a memoir it is not overly technical. In fact, the language is almost conversational. You could almost envision yourself sitting on the floor next to an elderly grandpa, listening to him recount the stories of each patrol and the rest periods in between. And because of the conversational style I often found myself cheering (in my head) when they fired volley of torpedoes and sank an enemy ship. Equally so, I felt the tension when they were submerged and attempting to slink away as the enemy dumped barrage after barrage of depth charges over the side at them. This book definitely provides a unique viewpoint into one aspect of the war in the Pacific.
Two things that stood out:
1. He honesty about his internal thoughts and some struggles. This is most apparent when he recounts his the tension he (a married man) felt about an overly familiar relationship and attachment to a young woman in Australia. (FYI: thankfully for Jim, his wife, and us, the relationship remains PG)
2. The speed at which men were promoted, reassigned, and moved around during the war. In the three years at sea, Jim (the author) moved from an ensign fresh from submariner school and having never been in a sub before to executive officer (second in command). It seems quick. But it was necessary. And not inappropriate, given how quickly men gained experience in combat.
Two things that stood out:
1. He honesty about his internal thoughts and some struggles. This is most apparent when he recounts his the tension he (a married man) felt about an overly familiar relationship and attachment to a young woman in Australia. (FYI: thankfully for Jim, his wife, and us, the relationship remains PG)
2. The speed at which men were promoted, reassigned, and moved around during the war. In the three years at sea, Jim (the author) moved from an ensign fresh from submariner school and having never been in a sub before to executive officer (second in command). It seems quick. But it was necessary. And not inappropriate, given how quickly men gained experience in combat.
December 30, 2017
A great ww2 read
March 4, 2024
Interesting memoir by the author of his service on submarines during WWII as an officer. This was available as an Audible Plus selection - worth checking out if you are an Audible member.
February 23, 2010
Calvert, skipper of the Skate, the first submarine to surface at the North Pole, and third person chosen by Admiral Rickover to command a nuclear submarine, describes his Annapolis studies and eventual choice of submarine duty as his service during World War II. He is uncommonly forthright in this memoir, describing his terror and mistakes on what would become nine combat patrols: eight on the U.S.S.Jack and the last on the Hado.
He was very lucky. He had some excellent skippers, the first being Tommy Dykers, from whom he learned a great deal, and he had a very forgiving Captain Warder, (later Admiral) who saved him from making a serious career move late in the war. After eight combat patrols, Calvert decided he wanted to become a naval aviator, and he went through all the tests and physical examinations in preparation to be sent back to the states for retraining. He had accumulated all the necessary endorsements except from Warder who was commander of the task force Calvert’s sub was assigned to. Warder, saying that Calvert would thank him for it later, tore up all the paperwork with little explanation. It turned out to be a very smart career event for Calvert. Had he returned to Pensacola for retraining, his career as a naval officer would have hit a dead end because the war ended soon thereafter and there were hundreds of flyers whom the navy had no room for. Instead, he ended the war as the exec on an active sub. The submarine force had lost more than twenty-five percent of its officers and men, so his future was much more secure.
Calvert was with the Jack from the beginning, and coupled with some rigorous training and an obvious talent, he became a superb TDC operator. (The TDC operator set the torpedo’s course based on the approach officer’s readings.) On their first patrol in June 1943, the Jack had five hits and four confirmed kills, despite problems with the dreaded HOR engines, which were a constant nuisance always breaking down, and faulty torpedoes detonators. The sub continued to take its toll on enemy shipping. At one point, Calvert hit an enemy vessel at 5,000 yards, roughly three times the maximum distance recommended for accurate torpedo shooting. A Japanese admiral radioed for assistance during one attack, claiming he was under attack by a wolf pack when it was only the Jack earning for the sub the nickname, "Jack the Pack."
Calvert’s last mission was to Tokyo Bay, but the surrender was announced as they were on their way there. Because there had been some attacks on ships by Japanese forces even after the stand down announcement, they received a message from Admiral Halsey to shoot down any Japanese planes they saw “in a friendly fashion.” Once in Tokyo Bay, they tied up with hundreds of other allied ships. It was here that Calvert and some other officers of his crew almost caused an international incident. They had been given permission to leave the sub and visit the Japanese submarine base, but they had been given explicit verbal and written orders not to leave the base. Seeing a large hole in the wall around the sub base, they decided to take a trip in to Tokyo, so they hopped aboard a train. They were fortunate to find a friendly railroad guide in the Tokyo station who agreed to show them around the city. He warned them several times of remaining together and not to go certain places, because many of the Japanese troops were considering disobeying the Emperor’s surrender and had said they would continue to defend the homeland. When they returned, they were met by an angry MP colonel who placed them all under arrest and promised swift courts-martial. Calvert’s luck held, and his old mentor got him off the hook. There would be no charges. The formal surrender took place the next day, and they sailed for home.
Calvert relates his memoirs with sensitivity and great affection for his shipmates — the scene when he desperately tries to see the chief-of-the-boat following a terrible car accident is truly poignant. He combines an intimate knowledge of the nitty-gritty technical details of submarine warfare with the fast-paced action and nail-biting tension that Tom Clancy will never be able to duplicate (having never been there). He recounts the perilous nighttime cat-and-mouse games that Dykers played with convoy escorts, accompanied on the bridge by a crewman renowned for his night vision—and the disconcerting habit of singing "Nearer My God to Thee" whenever the situation got tense. He was only 24 at the end of the war, and retired as an admiral many years later.
He was very lucky. He had some excellent skippers, the first being Tommy Dykers, from whom he learned a great deal, and he had a very forgiving Captain Warder, (later Admiral) who saved him from making a serious career move late in the war. After eight combat patrols, Calvert decided he wanted to become a naval aviator, and he went through all the tests and physical examinations in preparation to be sent back to the states for retraining. He had accumulated all the necessary endorsements except from Warder who was commander of the task force Calvert’s sub was assigned to. Warder, saying that Calvert would thank him for it later, tore up all the paperwork with little explanation. It turned out to be a very smart career event for Calvert. Had he returned to Pensacola for retraining, his career as a naval officer would have hit a dead end because the war ended soon thereafter and there were hundreds of flyers whom the navy had no room for. Instead, he ended the war as the exec on an active sub. The submarine force had lost more than twenty-five percent of its officers and men, so his future was much more secure.
Calvert was with the Jack from the beginning, and coupled with some rigorous training and an obvious talent, he became a superb TDC operator. (The TDC operator set the torpedo’s course based on the approach officer’s readings.) On their first patrol in June 1943, the Jack had five hits and four confirmed kills, despite problems with the dreaded HOR engines, which were a constant nuisance always breaking down, and faulty torpedoes detonators. The sub continued to take its toll on enemy shipping. At one point, Calvert hit an enemy vessel at 5,000 yards, roughly three times the maximum distance recommended for accurate torpedo shooting. A Japanese admiral radioed for assistance during one attack, claiming he was under attack by a wolf pack when it was only the Jack earning for the sub the nickname, "Jack the Pack."
Calvert’s last mission was to Tokyo Bay, but the surrender was announced as they were on their way there. Because there had been some attacks on ships by Japanese forces even after the stand down announcement, they received a message from Admiral Halsey to shoot down any Japanese planes they saw “in a friendly fashion.” Once in Tokyo Bay, they tied up with hundreds of other allied ships. It was here that Calvert and some other officers of his crew almost caused an international incident. They had been given permission to leave the sub and visit the Japanese submarine base, but they had been given explicit verbal and written orders not to leave the base. Seeing a large hole in the wall around the sub base, they decided to take a trip in to Tokyo, so they hopped aboard a train. They were fortunate to find a friendly railroad guide in the Tokyo station who agreed to show them around the city. He warned them several times of remaining together and not to go certain places, because many of the Japanese troops were considering disobeying the Emperor’s surrender and had said they would continue to defend the homeland. When they returned, they were met by an angry MP colonel who placed them all under arrest and promised swift courts-martial. Calvert’s luck held, and his old mentor got him off the hook. There would be no charges. The formal surrender took place the next day, and they sailed for home.
Calvert relates his memoirs with sensitivity and great affection for his shipmates — the scene when he desperately tries to see the chief-of-the-boat following a terrible car accident is truly poignant. He combines an intimate knowledge of the nitty-gritty technical details of submarine warfare with the fast-paced action and nail-biting tension that Tom Clancy will never be able to duplicate (having never been there). He recounts the perilous nighttime cat-and-mouse games that Dykers played with convoy escorts, accompanied on the bridge by a crewman renowned for his night vision—and the disconcerting habit of singing "Nearer My God to Thee" whenever the situation got tense. He was only 24 at the end of the war, and retired as an admiral many years later.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2010
Silent Running is a remarkably forthright and exciting account of a junior officer who served on two submarines during nine war patrols. The account likely benefits from being written by a Vice Admiral after he had retired from the Navy and his second career in industry. The wisdom earned through a lifetime experience enabled him to provide a deep and thoughtful account of his wartime experience. The delay in writing does not seem to diminish the fine details of his account, nor cause him to white wash his service to better portray himself. Several times, I was surprised by how open he was about his fears, failures, and shortcomings. He was also particularly complementary about his mentors and many individuals on his crew.
The books perspective was especially valuable for modern day submarine officers and naval officers in general. His discussion on training and the challenges of dealing with high turnover of the crew provided some good historical perspective on similar challenges faced today. Most WWII submarine accounts focus primarily on the war patrols themselves, VADM Calvert spent a fair amount of time describing transits and training periods that provide some perspective on how they prepared for combat in a very short amount of time. The accounts of bad decisions and multiple near misses are especially interesting to the professional. The no-nonsense way the officers evaluated an incident and effectively addressed it are especially refreshing for anyone who is a veteran of a multi-part, shipyard-style critique or written a book-sized incident report.
The book is very readable and engaging. I recommend it for anyone interested in WWII or submarine operations.
The books perspective was especially valuable for modern day submarine officers and naval officers in general. His discussion on training and the challenges of dealing with high turnover of the crew provided some good historical perspective on similar challenges faced today. Most WWII submarine accounts focus primarily on the war patrols themselves, VADM Calvert spent a fair amount of time describing transits and training periods that provide some perspective on how they prepared for combat in a very short amount of time. The accounts of bad decisions and multiple near misses are especially interesting to the professional. The no-nonsense way the officers evaluated an incident and effectively addressed it are especially refreshing for anyone who is a veteran of a multi-part, shipyard-style critique or written a book-sized incident report.
The book is very readable and engaging. I recommend it for anyone interested in WWII or submarine operations.
November 14, 2016
Son of a WW-II submarine
My father was an officer on the Pomfret (SS-391) that might have been one of the "other" submarines mentioned in this book; as his experiences are/were very similar to those described both in terms of time and location. The famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle spent time on the Pomfret and wrote about it in one of his columns. Like many vets.....my dad didn't talk about his experiences very much....came back from the war....married my mom (also a Naval officer) went back to college ..had a long career and died in 2006 at the age of 86. Ironically.....Most of the history about the Pomfret....I got off of Wikipedia. I do have the hat that one of the Japanese sailors gave to my dad....these were all very brave men and so few of them are now left to tell these stories. Very glad that such an accurate description is available for future generations .
My father was an officer on the Pomfret (SS-391) that might have been one of the "other" submarines mentioned in this book; as his experiences are/were very similar to those described both in terms of time and location. The famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle spent time on the Pomfret and wrote about it in one of his columns. Like many vets.....my dad didn't talk about his experiences very much....came back from the war....married my mom (also a Naval officer) went back to college ..had a long career and died in 2006 at the age of 86. Ironically.....Most of the history about the Pomfret....I got off of Wikipedia. I do have the hat that one of the Japanese sailors gave to my dad....these were all very brave men and so few of them are now left to tell these stories. Very glad that such an accurate description is available for future generations .
September 28, 2025
Fascinating memoir of a young submariner in the Pacific Campaign of World War II. James Calvert was a young ensign just out of Annapolis in the early years of the war who volunteered for submarine duty. After being told “No way in the world will we put someone into submarines who hasn’t yet been to sea,” the Navy changed their mind and assigned him and a few classmates to Connecticut new-build submarines. Calvert was assigned to the USS Jack which was to become one of the war’s most celebrated ships.
Calvert captures well the entire experience: the massive learning curve required of a new Navy Ensign, the joys and fears of the first dives, the heavy responsibility of being put on watch for the first time, and of being assigned for the first time as the operator of the Torpedo Direction Computer. Likewise, he captures the terror of being depth-charged (which happened on their first wartime patrol), the frustration of poorly designed and tested torpedos failing, and the elation of the first time (and many, many others after it) that the torpedos run straight and true, delivering the welcome “kaboom” at the expected intercept time.
Along the way, he relates the experience of living in the very close quarters of a small World War II-era submarine, of the heroic men who lived that life and of the joy of being on a ship whose crew is drilled and drilled until they are in top training shape and led by a Captain who exhibits no fear. It’s a fascinating tale, well worth the read.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is Calvert’s very transparent description of falling in love with a local Australian woman, his young wife being in Connecticut half a world away, of his many attempts to run from a relationship he knew was wrong, of his failure to do so, and reaching the point where he almost—almost—broke his vows to a young wife he loved. This is as useful a lesson to budding young warriors as all of his recounting of what happened in combat.
They—and we—would do well to learn from him.
Calvert captures well the entire experience: the massive learning curve required of a new Navy Ensign, the joys and fears of the first dives, the heavy responsibility of being put on watch for the first time, and of being assigned for the first time as the operator of the Torpedo Direction Computer. Likewise, he captures the terror of being depth-charged (which happened on their first wartime patrol), the frustration of poorly designed and tested torpedos failing, and the elation of the first time (and many, many others after it) that the torpedos run straight and true, delivering the welcome “kaboom” at the expected intercept time.
Along the way, he relates the experience of living in the very close quarters of a small World War II-era submarine, of the heroic men who lived that life and of the joy of being on a ship whose crew is drilled and drilled until they are in top training shape and led by a Captain who exhibits no fear. It’s a fascinating tale, well worth the read.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is Calvert’s very transparent description of falling in love with a local Australian woman, his young wife being in Connecticut half a world away, of his many attempts to run from a relationship he knew was wrong, of his failure to do so, and reaching the point where he almost—almost—broke his vows to a young wife he loved. This is as useful a lesson to budding young warriors as all of his recounting of what happened in combat.
They—and we—would do well to learn from him.
October 15, 2020
I’m a WW2 buff, period. Particularly the US submarine service during the Great War, more specifically the Gato-class boats. These sleek machines and their brave crews went to war against an able and determined enemy (now a staunch ally). Calvert was one such man and his book is filled with extremely valuable insights and personal reflections. An invaluable resource for my creative writing.
What I enjoyed about Calvert’s writing was the way he conveys the over-all can-do attitude prevalent in the silent service during WW2, a tough time for the US Navy and submarines. The book is rich with character profiles and mission directives while remaining composed and somewhat clinical regarding personal opinions about the work tasked the service. Again, it was a tough time for the human legacy and books such as this offer up a front row seat to what was really going on not only on the boats but at Pearl and Washington. Excellent read.
What I enjoyed about Calvert’s writing was the way he conveys the over-all can-do attitude prevalent in the silent service during WW2, a tough time for the US Navy and submarines. The book is rich with character profiles and mission directives while remaining composed and somewhat clinical regarding personal opinions about the work tasked the service. Again, it was a tough time for the human legacy and books such as this offer up a front row seat to what was really going on not only on the boats but at Pearl and Washington. Excellent read.
August 24, 2025
This memoir was interesting! Very technical in terms of war strategies and day-to-day submarine operations in WWII, but not so technical that it went too far over my head. I do wish he spent more time talking about the human experience of the war--he spends some time on this, but the majority of the text of this memoir is focused on the events of the submarine patrols. I assume that's what most folks who pick up this book are interested in--the mechanics and specifics of war--but I wanted to know more of the day-to-day nitty gritty details of life on board a submarine, and the author's feelings surrounding the constant danger and death that the war brought. I could have used more of that.
Overall, scratched a weird itch I had to learn about submarines! And what a fascinating life this man lived--the unauthorized tour of just-surrendered Tokyo was fascinating. Worth reading for that small section alone.
Overall, scratched a weird itch I had to learn about submarines! And what a fascinating life this man lived--the unauthorized tour of just-surrendered Tokyo was fascinating. Worth reading for that small section alone.
December 8, 2018
Somehow Goodreads got ahead of me. I'm about a chapter short of finishing the book. But even at this point, and at the risk of stating the obvious, I can say this is a fascinating personal account by a submariner during WW-II. Calvert reveals to the reader what "it's like", serving on a submarine during the war in intimate detail. He takes you through both the tedium and the terror as well as his personal life ashore, both at home and away. Coincidentally and contemporaneously I watched a film on TV called something like "Submarine 571". As a result of having read most of Calvert's account, I could understand better what was supposedly portrayed and could also understand that some of the things portrayed in the film were simply impossible or at least unrealistic. You wouldn't call this account literature, but you sure would call it informative and at least for me, spellbinding.
May 2, 2018
This is a fascinating first hand account of life aboard a WWII attack submarine operating in the pacific theater, written by an accomplished career Naval officer. The book explores the extreme conditions that the submariners of the USS Jack experienced while on war patrol. It also recounts harrowing encounters with Japanese convoys and their destroyer escorts, and the experience of evading a depth charge counter attack while quietly sitting on the ocean floor. I was enthralled by this first hand retelling.
January 20, 2023
Three and a half stars - probably would have been four if I hadn’t already read about Seawolf, Wahoo and Tang (my favorite).
While Calvert was obviously a good officer and a steady person (minus the Kathie incident in Australia), I didn’t get the sense of bold greatness that is so obvious in other submarine officers.
The writing is good, but again not great, as it also lacked the panache and sense of immediacy and page-turning thrill I felt from other WW2 memoirs.
Calvert has written with a sometimes grim honesty though and this is a nice addition to my WW2 library.
While Calvert was obviously a good officer and a steady person (minus the Kathie incident in Australia), I didn’t get the sense of bold greatness that is so obvious in other submarine officers.
The writing is good, but again not great, as it also lacked the panache and sense of immediacy and page-turning thrill I felt from other WW2 memoirs.
Calvert has written with a sometimes grim honesty though and this is a nice addition to my WW2 library.
November 20, 2022
A solid, fun page-turner. You learn things about submarine life that you didn't see in movies. The lights don't go out when the ship is hit. The food is pretty good depending on the cook. The battles with convoys and their escorts took hours to play out. Early in the war, they were struggling with their own equipment as much as fighting the enemy.
June 4, 2024
Well written and informative. I found it mostly interesting. I was looking for an account with more introspection and human experience, but there wasn't much of that. The author gave detailed accounts of encounters and battles with the Japanese, but not much was said regarding thoughts and emotions during those close calls. Still, I learned a bit about daily life on a submarine during wartime.
April 28, 2025
Fun book- continuing my naval warfare obsession (in before early onset republican). The cool thing was that this guy served in the navy around the same time my grandfather, and they talk exactly the same way. They have the same repertoire of ways to describe people events and places, and the same syntax in their sentences. So extra half star for that.
November 15, 2016
_Das Boot_ but as an American war memoir. It makes for very interesting reading. I appreciated the juxtaposition of personal stories against technical discussion about the operation of a WWII submarine. Fascinating.
May 25, 2018
I suspect anyone interested in submarines or naval warfare would find Calvert’s first hand account fascinating. For me, this was just another WWII book that reminded me of the senselessness of war, and the lengths men will go to to kill one another.
July 13, 2021
Although some of the details of submarine weapons operation can be somewhat esoteric, the musings on astronomy, the philosophy of sailor marital fidelity, consequences of addiction & the personalities of war sprinkled generously throughout made this an enjoyable read.
January 24, 2023
The comment on Page 21 talks about the lookouts wearing blue baseball caps. Blue baseball caps were never worn by lookouts during WWII. These caps were not worn until decades later by any enlisted personnel. We were still wearing the wool sock cap during the late 60s as lookouts on submarines.
August 29, 2025
conned - got the kindle version - none of the pictures/photos were included
Excellent account by a very brave sailor re ww2 in the pacific on a submarine. It is disgraceful that I had to pay a lot of money for a defective book - the pics were not included - only the headings
Excellent account by a very brave sailor re ww2 in the pacific on a submarine. It is disgraceful that I had to pay a lot of money for a defective book - the pics were not included - only the headings
January 8, 2018
Authentic World War II - Well written and worth reading. No Hype or nonsense in this book, rather the life in the Secret Service during tough times.
July 13, 2018
great book! very intense and felt the stress of the situations.
May 27, 2021
Great book
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the USS Jack and it's patrols in the Pacific during word war 2 . It was an exciting book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the USS Jack and it's patrols in the Pacific during word war 2 . It was an exciting book.
June 9, 2021
6/9/2021
December 6, 2022
Superb accounting of a submariner’s experiences in WWII. A not often heard about perspective and even more enlightening to hear it from one destined for such ranks of the admiralty.
December 29, 2023
Very impressed with the transparency of the author and his struggle during the war.
September 25, 2025
Audiobook
February 13, 2021
Good view into the stress of service on a submarine and the potential to almost end the war in a court martial over an international incident (the author goes sight seeing in Japan after the Japanese surrender). He manages to squeak by and avoid a court martial and continue to advance in the Navy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews