I just found out that one of the greatest submariners ever, winner of the MOH, 4 Navy Crosses and a DSC has passed away:
CNO Statement on Passing of Retired Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey
Release Date: 6/30/2007 1:34:00 PM
Special from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen
WASHINGTON (NNS) — Every man and woman serving our Navy today joins me in mourning the death of retired Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey, recipient of the Medal of Honor and a true naval hero. We extend humbly to his family our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies in this, their time of great grief and sorrow.
He was a true leader. Bold, innovative, he truly cared about his men.
In his final war patrol report as commanding officer of USS Barb, he had this to say about his crew: “What wordy praise can one give such men as these; men who … follow unhesitatingly when in the vicinity of minefields so long as there is the possibility of targets … Men who flinch not with the fathometer ticking off two fathoms beneath the keel … Men who will fight to the last bullet and then start throwing the empty shell cases. These are submariners.”
He will be sorely missed.
Bubblehead also has it.
A great loss. Admiral Fluckey was one of the great commanders, a worthy successor to the captains that formed the U.S. Navy. Determined to damage the foe by ANY means at hand. Won the MOH, four Navy Crosses….and his proudest feat was the fact that USS Barb made (IIRC) five war patrols under his command – and not one person got so much as a scratch.
Read his book “Thunder Below”. Fantastic. You would not believe that stuff if Hollywood had done it in a movie.
The good Admiral reminds me of Patton. The “sinking” of the train is a must read story. And, does anyone know if this story has ever been told in a movie? I don’t remember ever seeing one.