Research Catalog

War beneath the waves : a true story of courage and leadership aboard a World War II submarine

Title
War beneath the waves : a true story of courage and leadership aboard a World War II submarine / Don Keith.
Author
Keith, Don, 1947-
Publication
New York : NAL Caliber, ©2010.

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StatusFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
TextUse in library D783.5.B55 K45 2010Off-site

Details

Description
viii, 295 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations; 24 cm
Summary
In November 1943, a young officer named Charlie Rush drew duty on the USS Billfish, a submarine in the Pacific. While the Billfish was on war patrol in the Makassar Strait off Borneo, a Japanese task force spotted the sub and launched such a vicious depth-charge attack that no vessel could possibly survive. Rush, as diving officer, ordered the ship to dive, despite the confusion and hesitation of his captain. As he oversaw damage control, thundering depth-charge explosions racked the submarine during fifteen hours of hell under the sea. When he was finally able to seek out the captain, Rush found no one at the helm. The skipper and two senior officers were all incapacitated -- either from fear or lack of breathable air. Billfish was dead in the water. Boldly assuming command of the submarine -- and summarily relieving his commanding officer -- Rush led key members of the crew in an impossible effort to keep their boat intact as they tried to escape. Through his extraordinary heroism and coolheaded judgment, the young officer saved the crew of the Billfish from certain death. - Jacket flap.
Subject
  • Rush, Charles W
  • Billfish (Submarine)
  • United States. Navy > Officers > Biography
  • United States. Navy
  • 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Naval operations > Submarine
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Naval operations, American
  • Submariners > United States > Biography
  • Courage > Case studies
  • Leadership > Case studies
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Indonesia > Makasar Strait
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Naval operations, Japanese
  • Armed Forces > Officers
  • Courage
  • Leadership
  • Military operations, Naval > American
  • Military operations, Naval > Japanese
  • Military operations, Naval > Submarine
  • Submariners
  • Unterseebootkrieg
  • Zweiter Weltkrieg
  • Pacific Ocean > Makasar Strait (Celebes Sea)
  • United States
  • USA
Genre/Form
  • Biography
  • Biographies.
  • Case studies.
  • Études de cas.
Note
  • Includes index.
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
On-the-job training -- Hooked! -- Hot run -- Toothaches and stethoscopes -- The upset electrician's mate -- "Captain, he's got us!" -- Somewhere south of hell -- "He's out of it" -- "Evasive measures-- futile" -- Dangerous ground -- Sisters -- Battle stations! -- A gentlemen's agreement -- To honor a friend.
ISBN
  • 9780451229281
  • 0451229282
  • 9780451232328
  • 0451232321
LCCN
2009047874
OCLC
  • ocn426803532
  • 426803532
  • SCSB-1549447
Owning Institutions
Princeton University Library