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Beneath the Waves: The True Story of The Legendary Captain Richard O'Kane and the Deadliest Submarine in World War II
by Davies, Nick
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Overview
Overview
From master historian and storyteller, NICK DAVIES, comes an unforgettable tale of courage, sacrifice, and the unbearable weight of command. BENEATH THE WAVES The True Story of The Legendary Captain Richard O'Kane and the Deadliest Submarine in World War II BENEATH THE WAVES is more than a war story-it's an intimate portrait of leadership under impossible pressure, of men who volunteered for the most dangerous duty in the Navy, of the thin line between heroism and hubris. With emotional depth and technical precision this is the definitive account of USS Tang and the extraordinary captain who led her to glory and tragedy. What readers are discovering: "I couldn't put it down. O'Kane's story is simultaneously inspiring and heartbreaking-a reminder that even our greatest heroes carry wounds we cannot see." "This is submarine warfare as it really was: claustrophobic, terrifying, and requiring a level of courage most of us cannot imagine." "The twenty-four-torpedo description had me holding my breath. When the last one circled back, I felt like I was on that bridge with O'Kane, watching death approach." Based on extensive research including: O'Kane's own memoir, Clear the Bridge! Declassified war patrol reports Survivor testimonies and POW records War crimes trial transcripts Interviews with family members and fellow submariners In March 1946, President Harry S. Truman placed the Medal of Honor around Richard O'Kane's neck for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" during Tang's final battle. O'Kane accepted the medal but never displayed it, believing it belonged to the seventy-eight men who didn't come home. This is their story. All of them. The men who hunted in the deep.
The boat that became legend.
The captain who carried their memory until his dying day. Over five war patrols, Tang achieved what no other submarine could match: 33 enemy ships sunk-more than any submarine in WWII The greatest single patrol in history: 10 ships destroyed in 12 days 22 downed American pilots rescued from enemy waters A crew that executed impossible attacks with flawless precision But excellence demands a price. When Tang's final torpedo malfunctioned and boomeranged back to destroy her, nine survivors-including O'Kane-found themselves in the cold water of the Formosa Strait, watching their boat disappear into the depths. Captured by the Japanese, they were taken to Ōfuna, a secret "torture camp" where high-value prisoners were interrogated, starved, and beaten. There, alongside captured aviators like Olympic runner Louis Zamperini and Marine ace "Pappy" Boyington, O'Kane endured ten months of hell, his weight dropping to 88 pounds, sustained only by thoughts of his wife and the memory of the seventy-eight men he'd lost. This is the story of how legends are born-and how they die.
The boat that became legend.
The captain who carried their memory until his dying day. Over five war patrols, Tang achieved what no other submarine could match: 33 enemy ships sunk-more than any submarine in WWII The greatest single patrol in history: 10 ships destroyed in 12 days 22 downed American pilots rescued from enemy waters A crew that executed impossible attacks with flawless precision But excellence demands a price. When Tang's final torpedo malfunctioned and boomeranged back to destroy her, nine survivors-including O'Kane-found themselves in the cold water of the Formosa Strait, watching their boat disappear into the depths. Captured by the Japanese, they were taken to Ōfuna, a secret "torture camp" where high-value prisoners were interrogated, starved, and beaten. There, alongside captured aviators like Olympic runner Louis Zamperini and Marine ace "Pappy" Boyington, O'Kane endured ten months of hell, his weight dropping to 88 pounds, sustained only by thoughts of his wife and the memory of the seventy-eight men he'd lost. This is the story of how legends are born-and how they die.
- Format: Trade Paperback
- Author: Davies, Nick
- ISBN: 9798272976550
- Condition: New
- Dimensions: 9.00 x 0.50
- Number Of Pages: 236
- Publication Year: 2025
Language:
English