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Through Hell And Deep Water
WELCOME ABOARD THE U.S.S. HARDER…
She was credited with sinking twenty Japanese ships, eight of them destroyers. Her captain, Sam Dealey, devoted son and loving husband and father, was a product of peace. Sam Dealey, deadly torpedo marksman and destroyer killer, was a product of war.
Aboard the Harder there was no time for gloating over, her victories. Dealey himself never gloated. As we have said, his attack manners were calm. He indulged in no shouting, no fanfare of destruction. After his torpedoes hit, he went about the business of bringing his ship into a position of safety as rapidly as possible. He did not linger to rejoice at the sight of an enemy going down. In his veins ran the milk of human kindness, in his heart was a feeling of humility and humanity that could not find pleasure in the destruction of a beautiful ship and a hundred odd human beings—deadly enemies though they were.
Perhaps he remembered the worlds of Captain Philip of the old battleship Texas at the Battle of Santiago, who called to his cheering crew as their Spanish adversary “Don’t cheer, boys; those poor devils are dying.” While Dealey never said so, in so many words, one could conclude that he hated the job of killing but knew it had to be done and did his best to carry out his duty.
“HIT ‘EM HARDER!”…was the ship’s motto, and she most certainly did. On April 13 1944, open season was declared by our Submarines against the destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and Comdr. Sam Dealey was at the forefront of the attack. The hunters had become the hunted and Dealey’s “down the throat torpedo attacks helped to sink the Rising Sun. He showed great courage, too, when rescuing Australian coast watchers from Borneo’s shores, and again, with no reading left on the Fathometer and surf breaking twenty yards ahead, holding Harder against a reef and under fire of snipers to save an American pilot.—Print Ed.
She was credited with sinking twenty Japanese ships, eight of them destroyers. Her captain, Sam Dealey, devoted son and loving husband and father, was a product of peace. Sam Dealey, deadly torpedo marksman and destroyer killer, was a product of war.
Aboard the Harder there was no time for gloating over, her victories. Dealey himself never gloated. As we have said, his attack manners were calm. He indulged in no shouting, no fanfare of destruction. After his torpedoes hit, he went about the business of bringing his ship into a position of safety as rapidly as possible. He did not linger to rejoice at the sight of an enemy going down. In his veins ran the milk of human kindness, in his heart was a feeling of humility and humanity that could not find pleasure in the destruction of a beautiful ship and a hundred odd human beings—deadly enemies though they were.
Perhaps he remembered the worlds of Captain Philip of the old battleship Texas at the Battle of Santiago, who called to his cheering crew as their Spanish adversary “Don’t cheer, boys; those poor devils are dying.” While Dealey never said so, in so many words, one could conclude that he hated the job of killing but knew it had to be done and did his best to carry out his duty.
“HIT ‘EM HARDER!”…was the ship’s motto, and she most certainly did. On April 13 1944, open season was declared by our Submarines against the destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and Comdr. Sam Dealey was at the forefront of the attack. The hunters had become the hunted and Dealey’s “down the throat torpedo attacks helped to sink the Rising Sun. He showed great courage, too, when rescuing Australian coast watchers from Borneo’s shores, and again, with no reading left on the Fathometer and surf breaking twenty yards ahead, holding Harder against a reef and under fire of snipers to save an American pilot.—Print Ed.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1991
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About the author
Charles A. Lockwood
18 books4 followersLockwood was an officer in the United States Navy. His tenure as commander of the US submarine force in the Pacific theater of operations greatly increased that force's effectiveness in the Second World War.
Lockwood retired from the Navy in 1947 after a Stint as Naval Inspector General. In his retirement, he wrote several books about submarines, including his own experiences.
Lockwood retired from the Navy in 1947 after a Stint as Naval Inspector General. In his retirement, he wrote several books about submarines, including his own experiences.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2022
Amazing!! From the first page you better hold on!! Exciting and riveting. LOVED this book. I am a friend of his daughter Barbara Lee, who loaned me the book.
What a generation of heros!!
What a generation of heros!!
June 30, 2024
Interesting history of the submarine war in the Pacific
May 8, 2020
Actually have this volume in my kindle library, excellent telling of the life and death of Samuel D Dealey and the USS Harder. Along with Dudley ‘Mush’ Morton and Richard ‘Dick’ O’kane one of the finest submarine commanders of WII.
Dealey Plaza in Dallas Texas that of the infamous Asassination of JFK is named after Sam Dealeys Grandfather.
Dealey Plaza in Dallas Texas that of the infamous Asassination of JFK is named after Sam Dealeys Grandfather.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews