The War Patrols of the U.S.S. Tang - Clear the Bridge!

Loved it. If you've read Wahoo and enjoyed it, this is a must.
Quite a technically described, blow by blow account. From boredom to drama in moments it describes just how this must have been.
Very brave young men.

A factual account of one of the major problems for the submarine service during WW2. After successful war patrols the destruction of the USS Tang is a tragedy shared by more than one United States Submarine.

Well written account of his war experiences. Following it all was a bit chaotic with all the manpower changes, but the gist of it was well communicated. The ending was a bit abrupt for me, but I bet it was even more so for Adm. OKane.

A wonderful book that gives the reader a sense of what things were like on the boat, gives an enjoyable story of a slice of submarine history that was very successful. Also, the story is told not by a third party, but by the Skipper in charge of the sub.

As a Navy vet, I would have loved to have had the opportunity to serve under Mr. O'Kane. His common sense comes through in such strong contrast to other officers I have been around that I might have "re-upped" for another hitch.

This book should be mandatory reading for submarine officers. It shows in fulll details how to run a sub in wartime
and the responsabilities of the captain. The author, Richard O'Kane left nothing out, but as a result , it reads like a log, or rather a series of logs. The action is great, when there is action, but the periods in between, the waiting for the enemy to show up, become quite boring. I did not put the book down, because I wanted the rest of the action. If O'Kane had left out one quarter of the book, it would have become a lot more readable and also more exciting.

Good story very badly told
Must have sailed past every island in the Pacific
First review gave it 5 stars even trying to sell this junk on another review of another book. So you lose 1 star for the lie.

I bought this book at the National WWII museum in New Orleans after I did the USS Tang experience, which makes you part of an interactive experience reenacting the Tang's last war patrol. You get a card before you go in identifying you as one of the actual crew members, doing his job during an attack and seeing at the end if you were lost at sea or rescued. My crew member, along with most others, didn't make it. Richard O'Kane, the one and only commander of the legendary American WWII submarine Tang, was one of the lucky ones.

O'Kane, Captain of the Tang and author of "Clear the Bridge," is very good at making the technical aspects of running a submarine on war patrols interesting. You are right there with the captain during torpedo set ups and ship sinkings, and understand what is going on and why. This could almost be used as a textbook for WWII submarine warfare. Through five war patrols in the Pacific during WWII the Captain shares the misses as well as the hits, and when things go wrong we find out why. We patrol the Caroline Islands, the Marianas, Palau, rescue 22 downed airmen near Truk, venture into the East China Sea and Yellow Sea, patrol Japanese home waters off the coast of Honshū, and finally the Formosa Strait. On the night of October 24-25, 1944 78 Tang crew members were lost due to a faulty torpedo, but 9 survivors made it through the night to be picked up by the Japanese. Tang earned four battle stars and two Presidential Unit Citations, and Captain O'Kane received the Congressional Medal of Honor. O'Kane can write, and this book clearly is one of the best WWII submarine books ever.

The only problem I had with this book is the lack of characterization. The only people we get to know are the captain and Fraz, his second in command. Even during the layoff times between patrols we hear what the enlisted men are doing generally, but never really get to know them. Their names are rarely even mentioned, although they are listed in the front of the book. We learn about how to command a sub and run a successful war patrol, but we get very little of the day to day experiences of the sailors working in the guts of the boat. I was also surprised that we didn't get more of the prison camp experiences of the Tang survivors.

"Clear the Bridge" is fascinating, very detailed, understandable, and well written, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in submarines. While this book focuses on command and the technicalities of torpedo runs, sinking enemy shipping, etc., I would also very much encourage you to read "Das Boot: The Boat" by Lothar-Gunther Buchheim, which focuses more on the brave individuals manning these extremely dangerous vessels.

Special note: the only known successful use of the Momsen lung during an emergency escape from a submarine was during the sinking of the USS Tang on October 25, 1944.

I cannot add anything to the knowledgeable praise this book has already justly received. One person did mention that the book reads "like a log", and I see what he means; but at the same time, the action is so exciting... "and then the such-and-such Maru blew up with a terrific explosion which nearly flattened us on the bridge"... that a prosaic recounting loses nothing - the events speak for themselves, not requiring embellishment.

I would however recommend one book for follow up reading: "The Bravest Man", by William Tuohy. After "Clear the Bridge", this third person account, merely repeating the most salient anecdotes of this book and the earlier "Wahoo" with filler material from some other sources, is anticlimactic. But Tuohy's additional research does provide some interesting context: for example, the famous exploit (with his former skipper Mush Morton) of penetrating the Japanese held harbor Wewak based on an enlarged copy of a civilian atlas, sighting a Japanese destroyer at anchor and, instead of prudently and quietly turning away and sneaking out of the harbor (which action would have been psychologically impossible for Morton), attacking the destroyer - which alerted before they could shoot it - suddenly finding themselves in a life-or-death struggle down to the last bow loaded torpedo, which, had it missed, would have sent the entire crew to certain death.

Let's just say O'Kane relates these events (in his earlier book) in his customary unemotional prose, but Tuohy's research shows other crew members had some understandable reservations about the antics of their CO and XO - which bordered on the foolhardy, only reaching the stage of "exciting wartime anecdote" because they lived to tell the tale!

But the part of Tuohy's book which most interested me was O'Kane's post-war career. He bounced around the peacetime navy for about a decade, eventually making full captain, and finally took an early retirement - gaining his title of "admiral" (and retirement pay) in honor of his decorations. There was, clearly, simply no place for a man like O'Kane in the peacetime navy. How could there be? He had come of age as an officer making heroic war patrols in enemy controlled waters - in the end, like Achilles, brought down not by the enemy, but by a defect of his own make-up that he had no control over (in O'Kane's case, a faulty torpedo). Unlike Achilles, O'Kane survived his career as a Homeric hero - but may have found it difficult to go back to being an ordinary man.

One more comment, in no way diminishing my admiration of this American hero - but in the end, he comes off as just a little cold-blooded. I am not talking about the famous machine-gunning incident with skipper Morton, or the literally thousands of enemy he matter-of-factly sent to the bottom of the ocean - this was, after all, war. I am thinking, for some reason, of his steward Walker. Walker - a black man (commonly officer's stewards in that not yet fully integrated navy) - clearly had a close bond with his Captain. Miraculously appearing with a cup of coffee at each battle stations just after the Captain was woken - something to think about as you have your next morning cup - sometimes sneaking to the bridge to peek a look, and at least once dropping the coffee over the side as his hand slacked in awe at the scale of the destruction he had witnessed - Walker went down with the ship. You might think, in all of the aftermath, O'Kane would have mentioned at least once thinking about his loyal friend drowning or suffocating in the doomed submarine.

But maybe he did - when O'Kane wrote this book most of the family members of his crew would have been still alive, and maybe, like a father having to be even-handed with all his children, not risking offending someone because he mentioned a private thought for somebody else's husband or son but not for theirs; maybe O'Kane just thought the best way was not to mention any particular grief and simply say that not a day went by when he did not think about his lost crew - as I'm sure he did.

This book is on my top shelf for the vast literature of war, and required reading for anybody who has ever served in any capacity connected with United States submarines - "In those days, there were giants in the Earth".

He was a great sub commander but not a great writer. Very poor sentence structure, hard to follow his ideas. Poorly printed, bad typeface. I thought I was going to go blind! Thunder Below about the USS Barb is much better in every way.

There have been a number of books written by submarine captains about their specific boats during World War II. "Clear The Bridge" is among the best. Written by Rear Admiral Richard. H. O'Kane some thirty years after the war, it is a rollicking and compelling story about one of the elite boats of the submarine service.

The book is not only among the best books; the U.S.S. Tang was among the best submarines deployed in the Pacific. First of all, the book is well written. Most importantly, the submarine had five exemplary war patrols in which they not only sank numerous ships but also rescued 22 downed airmen. Her career lasted for only 5 patrols but she sank more ships than any other American submarine. Her two Presidential Unit Citations placed her among only 2 other ships so honored.

The interesting twist about Clear The Bridge was that the Tang was sunk on her last war patrol. How she was sunk and how her commander managed to survive are some of the more interesting sub-plots of her story.

This book is an indispensable companion to the other "captain-written" sagas of submarines in the Pacific. Together they weave a compelling tale of America's best, brightest and most courageous sailors and the excellent job they did in defeating the Japanese.

John E. Nevola
Author of The Last Jump - A Novel of World War II

I'm sure that the content of this book is more than accurate. Most of the book is a very dull read. I doubt that it was a dull life on board. My point is that most of the book is the grinding of daily life, only becomming interesting when action was about to take place. Unfortunately the action was sometimes days in between any action. See a plane, clear the bridge, dive, up scope, plane gone, surface, at least 50 times. I found myself turning pages for the cream of the book. I love history, the author just made it dull. I bought numerous books on submarines, and even had a electronics teacher who helped develope sonar as well as underwater submarine tactics that is still classified to this day. I have nothing but respect for the men who helped in the war effort.

I've read "Clear the Bridge" an estimated seventeen times. I first began reading it soon after its initial paperback printing about 1980. This is the book by which I judge all other books on WWII American submarine warfare. It is difficult to put down. One thing it contains, which I find lacking in many other fine submarine books, is the detail. Each attack is described thoroughly, so the reader can understand the circumstances and tactics being used. There is no hyperbole, yet this is one of the most exciting accounts you will ever read on the topic. Tang experienced firsthand to the nth degree the torpedo failures that plagued the silent service during the entire war, and you will read about it here. I generally consider O'Kane to be the top submarine commander of the war, but there were many fine ones, and it's a little bit like comparing apples with rocks. He seemed to have a sixth sense in rooting out enemy shipping. He trained his crew well and respected them. Yet despite the Tang's success, O'Kane does not come across as being overly risky. Each attack was carried out with the overall safety of his "ship" in the back of his mind. (He never calls the Tang a "boat".) The dedication of O'Kane and his crew to their war effort is awe inspiring. One in six submariners died in the war, yet submariners like Tang's continued to put their lives on the line patrol after patrol. I highly recommend this book not only to readers of WWII submarine warfare, but to anybody who likes to read period.

Clear the Bridge is a fascinating glimpse into the miniature universe of the WWII attack submarine. Admiral Richard O'Kane's memoir of his fourteen months as CO of the legendary USS Tang overflows with adventure and nautical esoterica. His powerful memory and eye for detail leave few elements of life aboard one of these boats unexamined. While clearly, the tactics of submarine warfare are what most engage O'Kane's interest, he also relates many stories of the men with whom he served and fought; a miniature still, ingeniously cobbled together by some enlisted men to ease the hours spent on patrol. The rescue of naval aviators shot down during the air assault on Truk island and the furtive unplugging of their officious wing commander who wishes to return them to immediate duty. An inexperienced officer who purges the Tang's sewage tanks without first turning her into the wind. A lone Japanese seaman plucked from the sea--the sole survivor of a Tang torpedo salvo--who becomes the sub's honored guest. And the sad end of the Tang, and of O'Kane's treatment at the hands of his onetime targets. At 480 pages, Clear the Bridge is quite long; but the narrative is neatly chronological and the chapters are interspersed with maps, diagrams and photographs to aid the reader along his way. A glossary at the back is helpful in understanding some of the terminology used in the book. Admiral O'Kane was clearly a man blessed with high intelligence; however his skill as a writer is another story. The fault with the book lies in O'Kane's cobby prose, full of nautical jargon and anachronistic sayings; and what seems to be an assumption that his readers are already familiar with naval warfare and that no explanation is needed concerning some of the things he describes. This makes the book a somewhat laborious project as one tries to sort out what is happening. Still, if you have patience and want to know what it was to be on a WWII attack submarine, Clear the Bridge delivers on target.

Clear the Bridge! The War Patrols of the USS Tang, is my opinion, one of the best submarine books ever written. What makes it special, this book was written by the only man who could tell this story very effectively, her commanding officer!
I'm a student of U.S. History and a student of World War II. Also, I'm a veteran of the U.S. Submarine Fleet. I'm well aware of the history of the USS Tang! During the early stages of World War II, the U.S. Pacific Fleet was crippled when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. During the attack, the Japanese made two critical errors. The first error, they did not bomb the oil storage tanks. The second error, they did not bomb the submarine pens! The Pacific Submarine Force constituted 2% of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. However, they carried the war to the Japanese while the United States Navy rebuilt the Pacific Fleet. Known as the "Silent Service", the Pacific Submarine Fleet inflicted major damage to the Japanese war effort. During the early stages of the war, the Pacific Submarine Forces had its share of problems. The most serious, was faulty torpedoes. At best, the torpedoes were 50-50. They were still unreliable. The other problem was tactics. They were too conservated to be effective. When Admiral Chester Nimitz became Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, he looked for an effective commander for the submarine fleet. He found his man when Vice Admiral Charles Lockwood became the Commander of Submarines Forces Pacific. Known as "Uncle Charlie", Admiral Lockwood was very effective. If a submarine commander did not produce, he was replaced. One of Admiral Lockwood's most effective submarine commanders, was Lieutenant Commander Dudley "Mush" Morton of the USS Wahoo! Commander Morton's executive officer on the Wahoo, was a young lieutenant by the name of Richard "Dick" O'Kane. During their time on the Wahoo, Commander Morton and Lieutenant O'Kane were very effective. The Wahoo had a impressive record on the amount of tonnage of ships that was sent to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Admiral Lockwood knew, Lieutenant O'Kane would make an excellent submarine commander. In the beginning of the book, O'Kane stated he learned a great deal from Commander Morton. During 1943, the problems with the torpedoes were resolved. The installation of radar and better tactics made the U.S. Submarine Forces a deadly threat in the Pacific to the Japanese Merchant Fleet and to the Japanese Navy! In late 1943, O'Kane was promoted to lieutenant commander and given command of the USS Tang. He personally attended the Tang's launching ceremony at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California. The Tang was one of the brand new Balao class fleet submarines. This new class of submarine had a longer range and could dive deeper to evade attack. Commander O'Kane was the Tang's only skipper. During its five war patrols, the Tang was very effective and Commander O'Kane became one of the best submarine skippers in the fleet. One of the nightmares for a submarine crew, is a depth charge attack. During its war patrols, the Tang endured its fair share of these attacks. One of the other duties of a submarine during World War II, was lifeguard duty. A submarine would patrol a specific area to rescue downed flyers who were forced to crashland into the ocean because of battle damage or ran out of fuel after an attack. The USS Tang had an impressive record of rescuing downed pilots during World War II. The pilots were eternally grateful. During its fifth war patrol in October of 1944, the Tang was in the Formosa Straits. The Tang inflicted heavy damage to a coastal convoy operating in the area. A submariner's worst nightmare, was a runaway torpedo in enemy waters. During a surface attack, one of the last torpedoes fired from the Tang, went wild and struck the ship. The damage that was inflicted, was fatal. When the Tang sunk in the Formosa Straits, most of the crew went down with the ship. A handful of the crew survived, included Commander O'Kane. They were rescued by the Japanese and spent the remainder of the war in the prisoner of war camp. After the passage of thirty years after the sinking of the Tang and loss of its crew, Commander O'Kane was able to tell their story, objectively!
Commander Richard O'Kane was one of the most decorated submarine officers during World War II. His awards include the Legion of Merit, three Silver Stars, three Navy Crosses and in March of 1946, for his actions in the Formosa Straits, Commander Richard O'Kane was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman. During World War II, Commander O'Kane was one of five submarine officers to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. During its five war patrols, the USS Tang was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations. After the war, O'Kane was highly praised by Admiral Lockwood. Admiral Lockwood stated, Commander O'Kane and his mentor, Commander "Mush" Morton of the Wahoo, set the standard for future submarine commanders. When his career in the United States Navy came to a close, O'Kane retired as a Rear Admiral.
Clear the Bridge, The War Patrols of the USS Tang, is one of the Best Submarine Books ever written. It's accurate historical account of submarine warfare against the Japanese during World War II. When it was first published in August of 1977, the book received high praise. The best complement came from Captain Edward Beach, a veteran submarine commander of World War II. Captain Beach would later command the Around the World cruise of the USS Triton and he was the author of Run Silent, Run Deep. During his praise, Captain Beach stated, the USS Tang was one of the best and Commander Richard O'Kane was the most professional submarine skipper during World War II!
If you are a student of history and/or a student of World War II like I am, Clear the Bridge! The War Patrols of the USS Tang, is a must for anyones personal library. Admiral O'Kane did an outstanding job when he was able to tell the story of the USS Tang, the men who served under him and what the Tang accomplished during its brief service during World War II. It's very easy to get lost in the pages of this book. It's highly recommended and it's very good reading! It's one of the best submarine books ever written and it was written by the only man who could tell their story objectively, her Captain!

This book is matter of fact and gripping at the same time. The cool courage that was displayed by the crew of the Tang was so impressive to me. I encourage anyone interested in World War II submarine tactics as well as the human drama associated with that war to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

This is a great book. The fact that is was written by the Captain of the Submarine makes it that much more meaningful. I couldn't stop reading it, but my one complaint is that it is very technical and lacks some emotion. The author, being a "career navy man" uses abbreviations and phrases that don't mean much to the layperson (and the glossary doesn't help much in this regard) and there is an overall lack of "passion". There is very little discussion of his personal feelings or the mood on the ship. For example, he describes a depth charge attack (a crack and a boom and pressure through the hull) as something that made the men realize the training exercise did not approximate reality (or that the real thing was nothing like the Hollywood version). I thought a depth charge attack was one of the most terrifying ordeals in a submarine and as a result was very interested in reading what it was like by someone who was there first-hand, but it gets very little coverage.

However, knowing that the events were real and the people were real makes this book an excellent read. I recommend it.

Submarine warfare is alot of dull moments with a few thrills and then back to dull and this book captures every bit of it. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it is just so repeditive. I found myself looking at my percentage read marker hoping I was way beyond what I really was, by the time I got to 62% I just didnt care any more, the captain obviously made it through the war because he wrote the book and I found that, that was good enough for me !

Comander O'Kane takes us through his life aboard the U.S.S. Tang from original construction to her untimely and needless destruction in the Gulf of Formosa. O'Kane's love of his ship, his shipmates and the record performances of the Tang are clearly evident in this story. To say that you can not put this one down is an understatement.
The puzzeling item here is the calm manner in which O'Kane discusses the poor performance of American made torpodoes during the war. From just duds to killing the sub who brought them, these torpodoes were a constant source of apprehension and even fear amoung crew members. O'Kane's frustration does not really surface in this book or in his first effort about his first sub the U.S.S. Wahoo.
To find that two of America's mot successful and famous subs were both sunk by our own poorly performing torpodoes is not only shocking to learn but criminal to know that it lasted almost through out the entire Pacific War.
It soon became evident in reading this story that it took more than just luck to become a successful sub commander. Just finding your position after being submerged the entire day is a major endeavour. Finding ships to sink is not just waiting for them to come to you. O'Kane shows the hard work involved in piloting a ship in three dimensions with only primitive sound gear. Your life and that of your ship dependens on your spatial ability.
Finally, Tang's death as written by O'Kane shows the emotion he had for his crew and that long piece of metal to whick he was so attached.
I wished I could have meet this ship Captain. To not only say thanks for a fine book, but to shake the hand of a real American hero.

The last ten pages made me glad I worked my way through this verbal jungle because the writing does require work as if you are hacking your way through what resembles a jungle in so many ways. I'm an old veteran but I still didn't understand 80% of what the author is describing, and he gives about as much priority to what is being served at the next meal as to the moments when they are knocking a ship out of the water. I think O'Kane and his men rated five stars in every way, but as a writer the commander needed an admiral looking over his shoulder.

I read what I believe was the first edition of this book. I bought a hard copy back in the 70's I believe.
This is one of the most incredible accounts of a U.S. WW2 Submarine and its crew that I believe could have been written.I felt like I was part of the crew as I was reading it and actually felt the buzz that the crew must have felt when they sunk a Japanese Ship or scored some incredible strike against the enemy. But then this Sub was lost off the island of Formosa and I was so involved with the boat and crew, knowing that this was a true story, I was dispondent for days after finishing the book. I give this book 6 out a possible 5 stars and feel it will fulfill any war buffs treasure trove of information on WW2 Submarines. I still own the book. I hat is still off
to Richard O'Kane and his crew. What brave me.

"Clear the Bridge" is an outstanding look at WWII submarine warfare conducted by one of the greatest of combat crews. RADM Dick O'Kane constructs a scintillating look at combat thru the eyes of a veteran Navy skipper. The obvious love for Tang and her many fine sailors shines through, as well as the respect of and devotion to his former skipper on Wahoo, "Mush" Morton, and that fine boat. This book is a great read, and is a worthwhile addition to any library.

After proving his metttle as the Executive Officer on the USS Wahoo, Dick O'Kane revolutionised submarine warfare in his own way on USS Tang. During its limited lifetime, Tang sank more ships than any other US submarines and would have sunk more except for its demise by one of its own torpedos. A great read and a thorough description of life in a US WW2 submarine.

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!
Dick O'Kane and his adventures with Mush Morton were just the beginning, but when he took command of the USS TANG he and his crew would go down in history! It's fantastic for us that we had men like him on our side! A must read for any Submarine fan. MG

If Hollywood is looking for a new action-adventure subject, they need look no further than the war patrols of the USS Tang. Join Richard O'Kane aboard the Tang as he weaves a tale of suspense and action better than any work of fiction. Under his command, the Tang ranked fourth in the number of tons of Japanese shipping sunk. We get a rare "periscope liberty" look over the author's shoulder as he tracks his prey across the vast Pacific. Whether rescuing a record number of downed fliers or launching torpedoes from the very center of a confused and sinking Japanese convoy, his no-nonsense style and matter-of-fact delivery leave no doubt that this man was - in every respect - a true submarine commander. This book provides one of the truly great depictions of the kind of heroes who served in World War II, especially those in the "Silent Service."

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!
Dick O'Kane and his adventures with Mush Morton were just the beginning, but when he took command of the USS TANG he and his crew would go down in history! It's fantastic for us that we had men like him on our side! A must read for any Submarine fan. MG

If Hollywood is looking for a new action-adventure subject, they need look no further than the war patrols of the USS Tang. Join Richard O'Kane aboard the Tang as he weaves a tale of suspense and action better than any work of fiction. Under his command, the Tang ranked fourth in the number of tons of Japanese shipping sunk. We get a rare "periscope liberty" look over the author's shoulder as he tracks his prey across the vast Pacific. Whether rescuing a record number of downed fliers or launching torpedoes from the very center of a confused and sinking Japanese convoy, his no-nonsense style and matter-of-fact delivery leave no doubt that this man was - in every respect - a true submarine commander. This book provides one of the truly great depictions of the kind of heroes who served in World War II, especially those in the "Silent Service."

Purchased this book last year, and been reading it since January, just finished it this month. A precious account from one of the best WWII submarine skippers. I also ordered Wahoo! by the same writer, Adm. Richard "Dick" H. O'kane. Really shakes you like a depth charge, and excites you like hitting the impulse on a torpedo. With a glossary of mentioned terms, and charts for the 5 patrols of USS Tang, this is a great history buff delight. Be very patient and absorb the adventure. 5 out of 5

If you want the real story about World War II submarines, O'Kane proves he was the best submariner of that war, an outstanding scholar, an articulate writer. O'Kane teaches the reader how to command a submarine in World War II and takes you back 50 years to know what it was like.

Outstanding. A complete inside look at life on a WW2 sub from one our nation's true heroes. All the men who served on these boats deserve our respect and gratitude. This book has ruined any interest I had in reading fiction. This is real life drama about men who lived, suffered, sacrificed and died serving our nation and its cause.

I didn't find this book dull in any way. I felt like I was experiencing the action right there with the crew. Most who have an interest in this type of book, appreciate, I believe, the details in order to get the feel of "being there". There is another "must read" that I highly recommend: War Beneath the Waves by Don Keith. What an exciting story and unbelievable. Helen Potter

The man has done it all, i.e., fantastic submarine skipper, Medal of Honor Recipient, and writing skills to match. This book is a classic, and anyone interested in WWII submarine warfare absolutely must have this book in his shelf!

One of the great reflective submarine journals. O'kane is a great author and I am impressed that a war hero wrote such an entertaining book without a "shadow author".If you like this type of book, check out his Wahoo journal, which is ironically written 10 years after this one.

I have just finished reading "Clear The Bridge" for the first time in over 20 years and I am struck at the incredible devotion to duty and country that the heroes of World War II exibited. In this day and age of false idols and a secular society, it is truly refreshing to read about men who knew what sacrafice was and risked their lives to protect this country. They were our finest generation.

I have already read this book once and now I am reading it for the second time. Richard O'Kane takes you through the boredom and the intensity of what it was like to serve aboard a WWII submarine.
This book tells the story from beginning to the bitter end of a heroic sub and the men who served in her.

My father gave me this book and I absolutely loved it. I've read it 3 times and am amazed at the courage these submariners had to do what they did. Of course, many of our sailors were killed directly or indirectly by faulty torpedo tubes. That was a shame.

Great read and the best part is that it's all fact.

Thunder Below About the USS Barb (SS-220) (U.S Submarine) by Admiral Eugene Fluckey is better in personality and writing style. Thunder below capture the audience for more than 90% of the time meanwhile clear the bridge by Richard does not capture the audience as much and he use more about himself than the entire crew this makes Thunder below a better book then clear the bridge.
both captains /Admirals were very successful in world war 2. Richard sang the most ships meanwhile Eugene suck the most tonnage I admire them both. However Thunder below is a much better book. If you want only 1 World War 2 submarine memoir on your bookshelf, then get the top-of-the-line submarine book "Thunder Below"!