Those old S boats were outdated when the war started but did yeoman service once the torpedo issues were figured out. In the past we got shows like this and WWII in Colour while now we get the Kardashian's, the past really was better.
Another fascinating and informative docudrama, this series really does show the bravery of those men who served aboard what were, and in some cases still are, little more than sardine tins, with very little between them and certain death. Lest We Forget. Thanks for sharing this with us all. 👍.
The S-34 was commissioned on July 12, 1922, and decommissioned on October 23, 1945. During those 23 years, she served in a number of areas including the East Coast, the Carribian, the West Coast, the Phillipians and Alaska. On May 31, 1943, the S-34 recorded her one and only kill a 3,000-ton freighter so not all of her patrols were unsuccessful.
My Grandfather was LT. Quentin R. Thomson aboard the USS Skate S-34. I will say this show did not portray him at all. He never had a beard, he had a lung condition and would never smoke a pipe, and yes he was Southerner from Lake Charles, Louisiana, but absolutely did not have that thick of an accent. The full incident at Sarana Bay is an incredible story and it’s a shame they didn’t cover the whole thing. They got some parts, but definitely not the whole story.
Side note... at the end of the show it is said that it was an octopus that caused all that noise? NO.. it was a grappling hook the Japanese sent down to try to hook the sub.
Yes, he lived in Tucson for most of his life and taught at the U of A. After he retired he and my grandmother moved to San Diego up to his death in 2005.
That was then. I got smart and quit over 50 years ago. Did you notice the circular thing around the Exec's neck? It was an old torpedo calculator affectionately known as the "IS-Was".
Essentially you are right. But it was a very specific purpose circular slide rule, much like the circular slide rule specifically designed for pilots to calculate range, speed, fuel rates etc. Leave it to a sailor to put a special moniker to a tool.
Totally agree, at least this series, being largely based on facts and a bit of artistic license, does not have the ugly spectre of female intrusion every episode, something that annoys about other docudrama series’s when it is completely out of context to the events.
Thanks for uploading this series. I’ve never heard of the series before finding this link. It’s really entertaining. I wonder if anyone remembers what network carried this?
I was not a military man. I like watching these shows. Why didn't they just leave the area and surface some where else for safety ? Perhaps come again after refreshing themselves, etc.
Good point, the SS-27 got suck on a reef and had to be abandoned by the crew after they lost their position while charging the batteries in the middle of the night. The USS Grunion was lost in combat when one of the the torpedoes circled back around and blew up the sub that fired it. Both around the same time as this incident on the SS-34 at Sarana Bay.
The octopus was a plot device of the Silent Service show for this episode. Personal accounts and the official account record had nothing about an octopus. Perhaps since they decided to omit the captain giving up and accepting that they would be prisoners of war when they were stuck on the reef, they had to find something else to fill in. Critical events to the survival of the S-34 have been left out of this show, likely because they subverted the traditional naval chain of command. People were smoking and crying like they were about to die, because they were. A torpedo was jammed partially deployed in a forward tube, that's something else that was omitted.
on my dad's ship the engineering officer had a beard so all of the black gang tried to grow one too. the all started smoking pipes imitation of him too
It seems like ships and submarines could be equipped with some sort of smoke bombs that float like little buoys in the water and conceal their position long enough to get a head start at getting away... better yet, that smoke shield could contain tear gas to discourage ships from going that direction. They'd be half blind anyway...
You never hear them describe a course AWAY from the destroyers that are moving away from them. I would want to increase distance especially is my crew was suffocating.
Perhaps, and I say this tongue in cheek, you wouldn’t notice, these submariners were, alongside being very brave, a little crazy to even serve on submarines, but still they served, bravely, patriotically and unflinchingly. Lest We Forget.
Those old S boats were outdated when the war started but did yeoman service once the torpedo issues were figured out. In the past we got shows like this and WWII in Colour while now we get the Kardashian's, the past really was better.
Another fascinating and informative docudrama, this series really does show the bravery of those men who served aboard what were, and in some cases still are, little more than sardine tins, with very little between them and certain death. Lest We Forget.
Thanks for sharing this with us all. 👍.
I remember seeing these episodes on TV in the early 60's !
What an incredible tale. Got to hand it to those brave men who crewed the vintage S class boats.
"S" boat crews ... and "R" boat crews, too!
The S-34 was commissioned on July 12, 1922, and decommissioned on October 23, 1945. During those 23 years, she served in a number of areas including the East Coast, the Carribian, the West Coast, the Phillipians and Alaska. On May 31, 1943, the S-34 recorded her one and only kill a 3,000-ton freighter so not all of her patrols were unsuccessful.
My Grandfather was LT. Quentin R. Thomson aboard the USS Skate S-34. I will say this show did not portray him at all. He never had a beard, he had a lung condition and would never smoke a pipe, and yes he was Southerner from Lake Charles, Louisiana, but absolutely did not have that thick of an accent. The full incident at Sarana Bay is an incredible story and it’s a shame they didn’t cover the whole thing. They got some parts, but definitely not the whole story.
Side note... at the end of the show it is said that it was an octopus that caused all that noise? NO.. it was a grappling hook the Japanese sent down to try to hook the sub.
@@Bowler-ur2kq Yes, I wouldn't have thought octopi made metallic, clanking noises ...
It says in the show that he was from Tucson, Arizona. Did he live there too?
Yes, he lived in Tucson for most of his life and taught at the U of A. After he retired he and my grandmother moved to San Diego up to his death in 2005.
Not to mention sir that ain't Louisiana accent or heartland accent from the south that's a tidewater Virginia accent
Hal Smith ("Otis" from "Andy Griffith Show" fame) has a small role in this one as "Wiggins."
makes you realise how good the Gato and Balau boats were well off so to speak
"We're low on air, captain." Puff on cigarette.
That was then. I got smart and quit over 50 years ago. Did you notice the circular thing around the Exec's neck? It was an old torpedo calculator affectionately known as the "IS-Was".
Because tobacco commercials sponsored the series
John Emerson I did notice that. Yes. Correct.
Essentially you are right. But it was a very specific purpose circular slide rule, much like the circular slide rule specifically designed for pilots to calculate range, speed, fuel rates etc. Leave it to a sailor to put a special moniker to a tool.
Notice that he suddenly noticed he had one lit and put it out.
I'm surprised Otis didn't break into the "depth charge medicine" locker.
I am glad they did not add romance to the story.
Me too.. That would be kinda awkward in an all male military setting.
Totally agree, at least this series, being largely based on facts and a bit of artistic license, does not have the ugly spectre of female intrusion every episode, something that annoys about other docudrama series’s when it is completely out of context to the events.
That is why Hollywood made the movie 'Operation Petticoat", which I dearly love. It was tastefully done by Hollywood Legends.
80 men go down. 40 couples come up.
Good ep, although it's always been kinda sad they only had the fleet boat sets to work with, using them for both S-boats and U-boats.
I've watch several of these old Silent Service tv series. I just realized the contol room was actually in the sail.
This one could have been named "Worst Sub Commander Ever"....
or most useless sonar tech in the history of those surviving
No doubt you speak from your own extensive experience commanding a diesel-electric submarine.
Okay keyboard warrior.
I live subs. My dad was Navy 38-58. I worked on subs for 43 years in Groton . 690 boat up Go Navy. 🇱🇷
travelclub1983@aol.com
I just can't overcome the fact that this episode was shot aboard a fleet boat, when the story entails an S-class.
All the S- boats had gone to the scrapyard by the time this was made. But still had loads of Fleetboats in mothballs
Thanks for uploading this series. I’ve never heard of the series before finding this link. It’s really entertaining. I wonder if anyone remembers what network carried this?
Thank you, Tommy.
One hard luck sub! But she was already 20+ years old when WW2 started, for the US. Luckily, she made it through the war.
I was not a military man. I like watching these shows. Why didn't they just leave the area and surface some where else for safety ? Perhaps come again after refreshing themselves, etc.
Love these stories! Considering most subs didnt make it back. Damned shame all those great men!
Good point, the SS-27 got suck on a reef and had to be abandoned by the crew after they lost their position while charging the batteries in the middle of the night. The USS Grunion was lost in combat when one of the the torpedoes circled back around and blew up the sub that fired it. Both around the same time as this incident on the SS-34 at Sarana Bay.
Most did make it back.
The octopus was a plot device of the Silent Service show for this episode. Personal accounts and the official account record had nothing about an octopus. Perhaps since they decided to omit the captain giving up and accepting that they would be prisoners of war when they were stuck on the reef, they had to find something else to fill in. Critical events to the survival of the S-34 have been left out of this show, likely because they subverted the traditional naval chain of command. People were smoking and crying like they were about to die, because they were. A torpedo was jammed partially deployed in a forward tube, that's something else that was omitted.
on my dad's ship the engineering officer had a beard so all of the black gang tried to grow one too. the all started smoking pipes imitation of him too
If you are low on oxygen and are going to stay down, PUT OUT THOSE CIGARETTES!
Maybe someone can tell us how much oxygen cigarettes use
Great show. Hot stinky smelly boats. Hard to believe they smoked in there....constantly.
It seems like ships and submarines could be equipped with some sort of smoke bombs that float like little buoys in the water and conceal their position long enough to get a head start at getting away... better yet, that smoke shield could contain tear gas to discourage ships from going that direction. They'd be half blind anyway...
@fred McMurray Yeah that was a pretty stupid comment, I don't remember writing that.
So they are running low on air and the XO is smoking?
At 3:34 and following, the round, white thing hanging from the man's neck is the circular slide rule used for torpedo and other calculations.
Yes, it was a circular slide rune. Better known as an "Is-Was".
@@johnemerson3752 I understand that the "is-was" was an analog mechanical computing device. Not a circular slide rule.
@@ProperLogicalDebate Pretty much.
Interesting how the guest always look at the cue card, teleprompter or whatever device they had instead of looking at Admiral Dykers..
You never hear them describe a course AWAY from the destroyers that are moving away from them. I would want to increase distance especially is my crew was suffocating.
in the end it smells fishy to me , hugs and lovs bab for ever
Great
Supposedly the Cuban Missile Crisis was ended this way. The American ships just sat on the Russian Subs till they had to come up for air.
... the captain didn't have the 'foggiest what to do .....
Wow, this is a scary one.
They are showing a fleet boat in the show not an S class
I never could figure why they did not porpose.. fill the front ballast with air and slide up and forward... then down and forward
Holy sht
How many sustained Brain damage from Carbon monoxide poisoning?
+matrox Correction: Carbon Dioxide.
Perhaps, and I say this tongue in cheek, you wouldn’t notice, these submariners were, alongside being very brave, a little crazy to even serve on submarines, but still they served, bravely, patriotically and unflinchingly. Lest We Forget.
Probably a little of monoxide too! Or other gases.
👏👏👏👏👏🇧🇷
Was it an octopus or a Jules Verne giant squid? Because that was one noisy octopus.
They didn't have M-38s in 1942...
Bearded smoker tells the crew to stow their idle chatter to save oxygen..smoke cigarettes instead😢
More commercial breaks I later episodes.
4:33 GQ
giant octopus
never use a knife on a plate. sigh....
They took to long to calculate
Yikes