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My late dad was serving on the Sand Lance when the ceasefire message was sent to US submarines in the Pacific. He was 19 years old and had completed four war patrols when WWII ended. He asked the radio operator for a paper copy of the ceasefire message.
We still have that message and my dad's ribbons, and his submarine combat pin.
Regardless of where, when, and what generation, I wish to thank all of our veterans for their service on this day.
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Those are treasures. What a brave honorable young man. He and his peers set a standard.
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Thanks so much for this. Amazing to read the message. A smart young man to realize it was a piece of history. Pretty good looking young man too.
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What an incredible piece of history!
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One of my favorite books, that I read as a boy growing up in the Nevada desert in the 1950s was "Run Silent, Run Deep" about WWII submarine warfare in the Pacific. He was there. I remain utterly in thrall to those who served as your father did. I once had the opportunity to speak briefly with a submarine captain, Navy Captain retired, about that warfare. He confirmed the accuracy of the book in describing how the submarines would dive deep and sit on the bottom of the ocean with the engines off while Japanese destroyers above would drop depth charges, too shallow to reach them. After a while the sub would eject some bedding and materials out the torpedo shoot, which would float to the top and the Japanese would assume they had destroyed the sub as they would hear no engine noise. When the Japanese destroyers departed, the submariners would restart the (diesel) engines, rise to the surface, and set off on the hunt for more Japanese ships.
The Captain added a detail not included in the book: After the New York Times published an article on the diving capacity of the subs, which exceeded what the Japanese thought was a their diving capacity, the Japanese began setting their depth charges appropriately to destroy the subs, and losses mounted. Submarine warfare in the Pacific was one of the most dangerous of the War. Submariners suffered the highest casualties of the War (22%). Loose lips, indeed.
Your father's service can not be appreciated enough.
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"During World War II submarines comprised less than 2 percent of the U.S. Navy, 314 submarines served in the United States Navy, of which nearly 260 were deployed to the Pacific. During the war, 52 US submarines were lost to all causes, with 48 directly due to hostilities; 3,505 sailors were lost, the highest percentage killed in action of any US service arm in World War II."
"U.S. submarines sank 1,560 enemy vessels, a total tonnage of 5.3 million tons (55% of the total sunk),including 8 aircraft carriers, a battleship, three heavy cruisers, and over 200 other warships, and damaged several other ships including the battleships Yamato (badly damaged by USS Skate (SS-305)) and Musashi (damaged by USS Tunny (SS-282)). In addition, the Japanese merchant marine lost 16,200 sailors killed and 53,400 wounded, of some 122,000 at the start of the war, due to submarines."
Submarines also rescued 504 US airmen in the Pacific.
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