Last Man Down: USS Nautilus and the Undersea War in the Pacific

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From the Publisher

Foreword

World War II’s US Submarine Force story is one of devotion, innovation, patriotism, and loss. As a percentage, subs garnered the most casualties recorded during the war. Much has been written of the brave men who went to sea in our submarines between 1939 and 1945. As a career submariner, I have been closely associated with those who served in support of freedom during World War II and upholding the American Dream. I have been fortunate to know many of these heroes and I am a believer in their “can-do” spirit and aggressiveness. They were the very best that America had to offer!

Last Man Down: USS Nautilus and the Undersea War in the Pacific is an exceptional success. Never before has an author meshed patrol reports, bureaucratic documents, comments of crew members, and senior officer oral histories in a completely coordinated method. As I read the manuscript, I became thoroughly absorbed by the reality of what Dave Jourdan was providing the reader.

This effort is the very best I have ever read regarding life on the “pig boats” of World War II. Last Man Down provides us all we need to know regarding the bravery, enthusiasm, and camaraderie that was and remains the spirit of the US Submarine Force!

—Vice Adm. Albert H. Konetzni Jr. (Ret.)

Former Commander, Submarine Force,

US Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC)

Excerpt — Chapter One: Honshu

“Ahead full. Steady on course two-nine-five.” The officer of the deck, Lieutenant Frank Hess, had directed the massive 371 foot, 4,000 ton submarine out of the Midway lagoon, headed south to clear the atoll, then turned northwest at full speed toward the setting sun. The date was June 9. Their destination, more than 2,100 nautical miles away, was a patrol area a scant twenty miles from the Japanese coast at the approaches to Tokyo Bay. There they would lurk, seeking enemy warships and merchant vessels to attack.

Nautilus cruised on the surface into calm seas, a warm tropical breeze bathing the men on the bridge. The low rumble of diesel engines and sluicing of seawater past the hull were the only other sounds. The vibration of machinery operating below punctuated the gentle pitch and roll of the vessel as it moved though the waves. Captain Brockman stood beside Hess and a pair of lookouts, contemplating the dramatic events of the past few days, imagining what might be in store in the following weeks for the ninety men under his command.

“Mr. Hess, is the ship rigged for dive?” Brockman already knew the answer, but he was not one to dispense with formalities. The submarine had already been “rigged for dive” shortly after getting underway. This involved making all weight compensations and setting all hull openings in a position of readiness for diving. That way, the officer of the deck could order a dive at any moment to escape attack or detection. A submarine is always ready to dive.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lyons Press (October 1, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1493063952
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1493063956
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.59 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 1.11 x 9.1 inches