Fine Book About a Great Submarine Commander

books:

	• The Bravest Man: Richard O'Kane and the Amazing Submarine Adventures of the USS Tang William Tuohy Presidio Press, 2006 - 448 pages average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Fine Book About a Great Submarine Commander

This is a fine read about Dick O'Kane, the ace of aces among WWII submarine commanders. Tuohy has a fine grasp of the dramatic wartime events and of O'Kane's tremendously brave and competent character. He, also, brings in some general discussion of the submarine war in the Pacific including the terrible problem of faulty torpedoes.

Good Enough for a Movie

This is the second book that I have read about Richard O'Kane and his experiences in the Wahoo and Tang and waiting on two more books to arrive. I simply cannot get enough! Will someone please make a movie about him?

for more information click here

Very entertaining and insightful

I read this book as part of a History Day project I am doing on Dick O'Kane and the USS Tang. This book was extremely helpful. It tells the story of the Tang in a very thorough and easy to understand way. It's almost like you're there in the control room with the officers. Another great thing about this book is that it also gives you a good feel for the entire submarine force of WW2 by breifly telling many other stories about the best, worst, and most bizzare things that were happening, and explaining problems submariners had to face. All in all, if you want to get a great basic knowledge of WW2 Submarines, and read a gripping story about real heros and real drama, this book is for you.

for more information click here

World War II Submarine Warfare

I had heard about this book and, after reading it, was glad I did. Not being a Navy veteran (USAF), I was aware of some of the problems inherent with submarine warfare in WWII, but this book really opened up my eyes. This is a detailed and in depth account of what it was like to go out on submarine missions and the part they played in defeating the Imperial Japanese Navy. A lot of our subs never made it home and you'll understand why after you read this book. I take my hat off to all members of the "Silent Service". No wonder Richard O'Kane was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Read this book and you won't be disappointed.

for more information click here

The Ace of Aces

The term "Ace" is usually reserved for fighter pilots who shoot down five or more enemy aircraft. But, Captain Richard O'Kane took the term to new levels as a submarine executive officer and later, Captain.

O'Kane's career began as fourth officer aboard the USS Argonaut. He was somewhat upset with the Captain's lack of aggressiveness. The problem continued after O'Kane joined the USS Wahoo. The Wahoo's original Captain suffered from the same lack of aggressiveness. However, that all changed when Captain Dudley "Mush" Morton took over the Wahoo. In the coming months, Morton and O'Kane formed one of the deadliest one-two punches in the submarine war. Under Morton's command, Wahoo became legendary, sinking enemy ships at an astounding rate. After five successful patrols aboard Wahoo, O'Kane was ordered to the U.S. for new construction; he was about to take command of the new submarine USS Tang.

After taking command of the Tang, O'Kane used many of Mush Morton's techniques. It wasn't long before O'Kane and the Tang had surpassed Wahoo's impressive record. The Tang was the preferred destination of many new submariners, as O'Kane showed no fear in the face of the enemy. On Tang's last patrol, O'Kane sank ten enemy vessels before a defective torpedo, the last aboard, malfunctioned and circled back upon Tang. The torpedo threw O'Kane from the bridge into the water. A few others managed to escape from the stricken vessel by using Momsen breathing devices. But, they were soon picked up by a Japanese patrol boat and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of the Japanese. O'Kane was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Over the course of the war, no other submarine commander sank more ships, rescued more downed aviators, or made more successful surface attacks than O'Kane.

This is a first-rate book. Author William Tuohy does a masterful job of describing O'Kane's brilliant career. Plus, he does a very good job of describing the entire submarine war in the Pacific by telling of other submarines' successful patrols and how a group of offensive-minded submarine captains virtually destroyed Japan's merchant shipping fleet..

I give this fine book my highest recommendation; submarine fans won't want to miss it.

for more information click here

?There?s no margin for mistakes in submarines. You?re either alive or dead.?
?Richard O?Kane

Hailed as the ace of aces, captain Richard O?Kane, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his consummate skill and heroism as a submarine skipper, sank more enemy ships and saved more downed fliers than anyone else.

Now Pulitzer Prize?winning author William Tuohy captures all the danger, the terror, and the pulse-pounding action of undersea combat as he chronicles O?Kane?s wartime career?from his valiant service as executive officer under Wahoo skipper Dudley ?Mush? Morton to his electrifying patrols as commander of the USS Tang and his incredible escape, with eight other survivors, after Tang was sunk by its own defective torpedo.

Above all, The Bravest Man is the dramatic story of mavericks who broke the rules and set the pace to become a new breed of hunter/killer submariners who waged a unique brand of warfare. These undersea warriors would blaze their own path to victory?and transform the ?Silent Service? into the deadliest fighting force in the Pacific.

for more information click here

hot