Hell Below (2016–2018): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Wolfpack - full transcript
The wolfpack tactic was made famous by Admiral Karl Dönitz, Hitler's mastermind of submariners. His strategy: to send teams of U-boats to bear against the convoys of ships heading from ...
Narrator: JANUARY 1943.
LESS THAN TEN DAYS INTO HIS
FIRST PATROL ABOARD USS WAHOO,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE SKIPPER
PERFORMS RECONNAISSANCE
OF A JAPANESE BASE
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
NINE MILES INTO
THE OCCUPIED HARBOR,
HE SPOTS THE MOST DANGEROUS
POSSIBLE THREAT:
AN ENEMY DESTROYER...
ARMED WITH UNDERWATER BOMBS
CALLED DEPTH CHARGES,
DESIGNED TO SINK SUBMARINES.
[EXPLOSIONS]
BEFORE THE WAR, THE DECISION
WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY:
STAY SAFE.
BUT TO DEFEAT JAPAN,
THEY'LL NEED
A NEW GENERATION OF COMMANDER
TO TAKE THE OFFENSIVE
AND PURSUE EVERY CONTACT...
AGAINST EACH ENEMY SHIP...
PUTTING HIS VESSEL AND CREW
IN THE LINE OF FIRE.
[SONAR PING]
[PING]
[PING]
IN WORLD WAR II,
A SUBSEA WEAPON ALLOWS WARRIORS
TO FIGHT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH CUNNING, FORCE,
AND TENACITY,
THEIR ENEMIES STRIKE BACK.
REVOLUTIONARY,
BUT STILL SOMETIMES PRIMITIVE,
IT'S A DESPERATE BID
TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WAR.
THEIR STORIES ARE LEGEND.
1 P. M., JANUARY 24, 1943.
AS THE NEW COMMANDER
OF USS WAHOO,
DUDLEY MORTON DISCOVERS
A JAPANESE DESTROYER
IN WEWAK HARBOR.
THE SAFE CHOICE IS TO REMAIN
CONCEALED AND RETREAT UNNOTICED.
IF THEY'RE SPOTTED,
THE WATERS HERE ARE TOO SHALLOW
TO AVOID A SUSTAINED
DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK.
BUT MORTON IS DETERMINED
TO INFLICT SERIOUS DAMAGE
ON THE ENEMY'S FLEET.
THE DESTROYER
WILL NOT BE SPARED.
HE POSITIONS HIS SUBMARINE
3,000 YARDS FROM THE DESTROYER
AND PREPARES FOR ATTACK.
HIS STRATEGY
IS TO FIRE THREE TORPEDOES,
BETTING AT LEAST ONE WILL HIT.
Dudley Morton: TDC, GIVE ME A
ONE-DEGREE SPREAD ON EACH OF THOSE FISH.
WE'RE GONNA FIRE TUBES
TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
FIRE THREE.
Torpedo Operator:
THREE FIRING.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Torpedo Operator:
FOUR FIRED ELECTRICALLY.
Narrator:
BUT THE DESTROYER CLIPS ALONG
FASTER THAN EXPECTED.
ALL THREE TORPEDOES
RUN THROUGH ITS WAKE.
MORTON INCREASES THE INPUT SPEED
FOR THE DESTROYER.
WAHOO FIRES AGAIN.
BUT THIS TORPEDO ALSO MISSES.
THE DESTROYER
HAS CHANGED COURSE.
THE FAILURE TO LAND THESE SHOTS
ALLOWS THE ENEMY
TO ZERO IN ON WAHOO.
THE DESTROYER CHARGES,
BETTING IT CAN RAM THE SUB
IN THE SHALLOW WATERS.
♪
MORTON'S AGGRESSION
EXPOSES A RADICAL SHIFT
IN THE RISK TOLERANCE OF
AMERICAN SUBMARINE CAPTAINS.
THIS SCENARIO WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNIMAGINABLE ABOARD WAHOO
UNDER ITS FIRST COMMANDER.
[AIRPLANES ROARING]
IT WAS COMMISSIONED
AND BROUGHT INTO SERVICE
JUST FIVE MONTHS AFTER
THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR.
[EXPLOSION]
WITH SO MANY BATTLESHIPS,
ESCORTS, AND AIRCRAFT
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED,
SUBMARINES ARE CHARGED
WITH TAKING THE FIGHT TO JAPAN,
TO TARGET
JAPANESE MERCHANT SHIPPING.
James Scott: THIS IS GOING TO BE
A WAR OF ATTRITION.
IT'S GONNA BE FOUGHT EVERY
CONVOY, EVERY SHIP AT A TIME.
Narrator: WAHOO BEARS
THE NAME OF A FISH,
A TRADITION FORGED
IN THE EARLIEST DAYS
OF AMERICAN SUBMARINES.
IT'S A GATO-CLASS SUB:
312 FEET LONG
AND 27 FEET ACROSS THE BEAM.
ITS COMBINATION OF SPEED,
ENDURANCE, AND PAYLOAD
ARE ALMOST UNRIVALED.
Norman Friedman:
THE GATO IS PROBABLY
THE BIGGEST MASS PRODUCTION
SUBMARINE OF WORLD WAR II
BY A LONG SHOT.
IT'S ABOUT THE TWICE THE SIZE
OF WHAT THE GERMANS DID.
IT'S BIG FOR A REASON.
IT'S BIG BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNED
TO OPERATE VERY FAR FROM HOME
FOR A LONG TIME.
Narrator: THERE'S SUFFICIENT
FOOD AND SUPPLIES ON BOARD
FOR THE CREW TO REMAIN AT SEA
FOR 75 DAYS.
AND ENOUGH DIESEL TO CRUISE
NEARLY HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD
WITHOUT REFUELING.
Friedman:
AND BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG SUB,
YOU COULD PUT IN THINGS
THAT WERE EXTRA.
SIZE PAID OFF BIG.
Narrator: AUGUST 23, 1942,
WAHOO EMBARKED
ON ITS FIRST PATROL:
TO SINK JAPANESE SHIPS
AND DISRUPT SUPPLY LINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, ITS LEADERSHIP
DID NOT LIVE UP
TO THE BOAT'S PROMISE.
THE SKIPPER WAS MARVIN KENNEDY.
HIS CREW DESCRIBED HIM
AS "GENTLEMANLY."
THE U. S. NAVY
SPENT PEACETIME YEARS
TRAINING ITS SUBMARINE FORCE
AS SCOUTS
TO COLLECT INTELLIGENCE
AND AVOIDING CONTACT
WITH THE ENEMY.
WHEN AMERICA ENTERED THE WAR,
THIS RISK AVERSION FAILED TO
DELIVER SUCCESSFUL STRIKES.
Scott:
THEY HAD TOO MANY SKIPPERS
THAT JUST WERE TOO TIMID.
THEY WANTED TO STAY
FAR AWAY FROM THEIR PREY,
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO RAISE
THE PERISCOPES REALLY HIGH
FOR FEAR OF BEING SEEN,
THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO RUN ON THE SURFACE
FOR FEAR THAT A JAPANESE
PATROL PLANE MIGHT SEE THEM.
Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 5, 1942,
KENNEDY FAILED TO PURSUE
A JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
THE CREW WATCHED
AS ONE OF THE MOST
PRESTIGIOUS TARGETS OF THE WAR
SAILED FROM THEIR GRASP.
Robert Dienesch:
THEY'VE PUT A LOT AT RISK,
A LONG DISTANCE TRAVELED,
THEY'RE PUTTING THEMSELVES
IN HARM'S WAY.
AND THEN TO NOT ATTACK
AGGRESSIVELY
AND GET THE SINKING
IS DEMORALIZING.
IT HAS TO HURT THEIR MORALE,
AND KENNEDY
HAS TO SEE IT AS WELL.
Narrator: THE SECOND PATROL
WASN'T MUCH BETTER.
UNDER KENNEDY'S COMMAND,
THEY RETURN TO PORT WITH MOST
OF THEIR TORPEDOES UNUSED.
IN DECEMBER,
WAHOO'S FIRST SKIPPER
IS RELIEVED
OF SUBMARINE COMMAND.
THE U. S. NAVY REPLACES
OVER 40 SKIPPERS,
NEARLY ONE IN THREE,
BY YEAR'S END.
Scott: AMERICA HAD BUILT
THIS PERFECT FIGHTING MACHINE
IN THE GATO-CLASS SUBMARINE,
BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE TALENT
EARLY IN THE WAR
TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE
THAT SUBMARINE
FOR ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
Narrator: WAHOO'S NEW SKIPPER
IS DUDLEY "MUSH" MORTON.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON
TAKES COMMAND OF THE WAHOO
AT THE START OF ITS THIRD PATROL
IN A REALLY PIVOTAL TIME
IN THE SUBMARINE WAR.
HE'S A KENTUCKY BAPTIST,
HE HAS BROAD SHOULDERS
AND BIG HANDS,
AND A JAW THAT
TIME MAGAZINE DESCRIBES
AS LOOKING LIKE A BOULDER.
AND HE'S KIND OF THIS
JAMES DEAN-LIKE FIGURE
OF SUBMARINE SERVICE, YOU KNOW.
Narrator: MORTON WATCHED KENNEDY
FUMBLE WAHOO'S SECOND PATROL
BEFORE TAKING COMMAND.
HE PROMISES HIS MEN
THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT.
Scott: MORTON RECOGNIZES
THAT A LOT OF SUBMARINE SKIPPERS
AREN'T AS AGGRESSIVE
AS THEY NEED TO BE
IN ORDER TO TRULY FIGHT
THE JAPANESE.
HE SEES A LOT OF WEAKNESSES
IN THE STRATEGY
THAT OTHERS ARE EMPLOYING.
♪
Narrator: MORTON'S FIRST MISSION
HAS TWO OBJECTIVES:
RECONNOITER A JAPANESE SUPPLY
BASE CALLED WEWAK HARBOR,
THEN ENTER THE PATROL AREA
AROUND THE ISLAND OF PALAU
TO HUNT AND SINK
JAPANESE SHIPPING.
[GUNFIRE]
WAHOO LEAVES THE SUBMARINE BASE
IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA,
JANUARY 16, 1943.
BUT JUST FINDING WEWAK
PROVES A CHALLENGE.
Scott:
THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS VAST.
THE AREA SORT OF ENCOMPASSING
MUCH OF WHERE THE AMERICAN
SUBMARINERS WOULD PATROL
WOULD BE ABOUT
8 MILLION SQUARE MILES.
Narrator:
THE COORDINATES ARE VAGUE.
THEIR TARGET LIES SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN 4 DEGREES SOUTH
AND 144 DEGREES EAST,
A GRID OF NEARLY
4,700 SQUARE MILES.
WITHOUT ACCURATE CHARTS,
DIRECTION COMES
FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE.
A CREWMEMBER PURCHASED
A SCHOOL ATLAS FOR HIS KIDS
WHILE IN AUSTRALIA.
ONE OF ITS MAPS NARROWS
THE SEARCH FOR WEWAK.
THEY USE IT TO PRODUCE
A HAND-DRAWN VERSION
AS A NAVIGATIONAL CHART.
WITH HEADINGS LAID IN,
THE CREW PROCEEDS
ON THE SURFACE TOWARDS WEWAK,
EVEN DURING THE DAYTIME.
THIS WAY, THE SUB CAN TRAVEL
AT OVER 20 KNOTS,
OR 23 MILES PER HOUR.
SUBMERGED, IT CAN ONLY PUSH
9 KNOTS FOR SHORT BURSTS.
IT'S FASTER, BUT MAKES THE SUB
MUCH EASIER TO DETECT.
MORTON MITIGATES THE RISK
WITH EXTRA LOOKOUTS.
♪
AFTER SPOTTING
AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT,
THE CREW MOVES
TO CLEAR THE BRIDGE.
SINCE THEY ARE UNSURE WHETHER
THE PLANE HAS DISCOVERED THEM,
MORTON INSISTS THEY WAIT
UNTIL IT IS WITHIN SIX MILES
OF THE SUB.
HE WEIGHS THE RISK
OF POSSIBLE AERIAL BOMBS
AGAINST MORE
SURFACE RUNNING TIME.
AS THE PLANE GETS CLOSER,
THE CREW WATCHES AND WAITS,
WONDERING IF THIS NEW SKIPPER
MIGHT BE PUSHING
HIS LUCK TOO FAR.
♪
♪
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE CREW
WATCHES WITH DREAD
AS AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT APPROACHES.
UNDER THEIR PREVIOUS COMMANDER,
USS WAHOO WOULD HAVE PLUNGED
SAFELY BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH THEIR NEW SKIPPER,
DUDLEY MORTON,
THEY KEEP VISUAL CONTACT
WITH THE JAPANESE AIRPLANE.
IT'S A RISKY GAME.
PLANES ARMED WITH BOMBS ARE
A SUBMARINE'S DEADLIEST THREAT.
♪
TENSE MINUTES PASS.
JUST BEFORE IT CROSSES
INTO MORTON'S SAFETY PERIMETER,
THE PLANE TURNS AWAY
WITHOUT DETECTING WAHOO.
MORTON SAVES TIME
AVERTING THE CRASH-DIVE
AND KEEPS THE CREW'S EYES
PEELED FOR TARGETS,
ASSERTING THEIR MISSION
TO SINK SHIPS.
♪
AT 3 A. M.
ON JANUARY 24, 1943,
WAHOO REACHES THE MOUTH
OF WEWAK HARBOR.
PERCHED ON THE EDGE
OF A FIERCELY PROTECTED
SHIPPING ROUTE
IN THE BISMARCK SEA,
IT SHELTERS
A JAPANESE SUPPLY BASE
ON THE NORTH COAST
OF OCCUPIED NEW GUINEA.
Brian Hayashi:
BASES AT WEWAK HARBOR
ARE POSITIONED IN SUCH A WAY
SO THAT THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE
FORCES CAN VERY QUICKLY MOBILIZE
AND STRIKE OUT AND KNOCK OFF
SOME OF THE SUPPLY LINES
TO AUSTRALIA.
Narrator:
MORTON MAKES THE DECISION
TO PROWL THE SHALLOW BAY.
[KLAXON HORN]
Dienesch: FOR THE SUBMARINE
TO ENTER THE HARBOR,
WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS ENTERING AN AREA
WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF ROOM TO MANEUVER.
WEWAK HARBOR WILL BE DEFENDED.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY INFANTRY,
THERE'S GUNS,
AND THE POTENTIAL FOR WARSHIPS.
SO TO ENTER THE HARBOR
IS VERY RISKY,
BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO GET A GOOD RECONNAISSANCE.
Narrator: NINE MILES IN,
WAHOO DISCOVERS
A JAPANESE DESTROYER.
Friedman: NORMALLY YOU'RE TOLD
NOT TO GO AFTER DESTROYERS
BECAUSE YOU SHOULD CONCENTRATE
ON THE MERCHANT SHIPS.
A LOT OF THE QUESTION
WITH SUBMARINES
IS HOW DO YOU DECIDE
WHAT'S WORTH THE EFFORT?
WHICH SHIPS ARE WORTH ATTACKING
AND TAKING A CHANCE
WITH YOUR LIFE?
Narrator:
IT'S NOT JUST THE TARGET,
BUT THE LOCATION.
Dienesch: HE'S BETTER OFF
SNEAKING BACK OUT OF THE HARBOR
AND THEN MAKING AN ATTACK
AS THE SHIP LEAVES,
BECAUSE THAT WAY
HIS SHIP IS SAFE,
AND THE CREW,
BY EXTENSION, ARE SAFE.
Narrator: BUT MORTON DECIDES
TO TAKE ON THE TEMPTING TARGET.
Friedman: THE JAPANESE COULDN'T
PRODUCE DESTROYERS VERY FAST.
THE FLEET DESTROYERS WERE
NOT ONLY HARD TO REPRODUCE,
BUT THEY HAD ELITE CREWS.
Scott: EVERY SHIP
THAT THE AMERICANS SANK
OF THE JAPANESE,
NOT ONLY DID THEY LOSE THE SHIP,
THEY LOST THEIR
EXPERIENCED SAILORS,
THEY LOST THE MONEY THAT IT TOOK
TO BUILD THAT SHIP
AND THE RESOURCES INVOLVED.
YOU WOULD ERODE
THEIR POWERFUL WAR MACHINE.
Narrator: BEFORE HE STRIKES,
WAHOO'S CAPTAIN GAMBLES
ON A SURPRISING SUBSTITUTION.
HE HANDS CONTROL
OF THE PERISCOPE
TO HIS SECOND IN COMMAND.
Norman Jolin: LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER DUDLEY MORTON
IS REVOLUTIONARY
IN THE WAY HE CONDUCTS
ATTACKS FROM HIS SUBMARINE.
HE USES HIS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ON THE PERISCOPE
AS THE CO-APPROACH OFFICER,
AND HE SETS UP THE ATTACK
IN HIS HEAD,
WITHOUT BEING A SLAVE
TO ONE PARTICULAR AREA,
IN THIS CASE THE PERISCOPE,
WHICH IS TRADITIONAL
FOR SUBMARINE CAPTAINS.
Scott: IT'S REALLY EASY,
IF YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH
THE PERISCOPE,
TO GET HUNG UP ON
EXACTLY WHAT YOU SEE
IN THAT NARROW FRAME OF FIELD.
MORTON BELIEVES
IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR HIM
TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF STEP BACK,
HAVE THAT 30,000-FOOT-VIEW
OF THE WHOLE BATTLEFIELD,
'CAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY EVOLVING,
IT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING,
AND HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE
FOCUSED ON THE BIG PICTURE.
Narrator: THE JOB GOES TO
RICHARD HETHERINGTON O'KANE.
Friedman:
YOU ONLY GET A FEW SHOTS
OF LOOKING THROUGH A PERISCOPE.
WHAT YOU DO IS YOU MAKE A GUESS
AS TO WHERE THE TARGET IS
AND HOW FAST IT'S GOING
AND WHAT DIRECTION.
HE TAKES A QUICK LOOK AROUND
WITH THE PERISCOPE.
IT WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED
BY OTHER THINGS,
BUT IT'S REALLY
ALL ON HIS SHOULDERS.
Richard Hetherington O'Kane:
DISTANCE 2,200 YARDS
AND DECREASING.
Narrator: O'KANE CALLS
THE DESTROYER'S RANGE.
MORTON PLOTS THE ATTACK.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Torpedo Operator:
THREE FIRING.
Narrator:
AS HE FIRES THREE TORPEDOES,
IT COSTS MORTON AN EIGHTH
OF WAHOO'S ORDNANCE,
BUT INCREASES THE ODDS
HE'LL SINK THE TARGET
BEFORE IT SINKS HIM.
WHEN THE FIRST
THREE TORPEDOES MISS,
MORTON INCREASES THE DESTROYER'S
SPEED IN HIS CALCULATION
TO 20 KNOTS,
AND FIRES.
THEY MISS AGAIN.
WAHOO HAS EXPENDED
ITS AMMUNITION TO NO AVAIL.
WORSE, THEY HAVE DRAWN THE
ATTENTION OF THE SUB DESTROYER.
Friedman:
YOU'RE A SUBMARINE OFFICER.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE SUBMERGED,
NOT BOTHERING ANYBODY,
YOU'RE INVISIBLE
AND YOU'RE SAFE.
EVERY TIME YOU FIRE A TORPEDO,
IF IT'S VISIBLE,
THAT GIVES THE OTHER SIDE
AN INCENTIVE TO GET YOU.
Narrator: BUT MORTON DOES NOT
ATTEMPT TO DIVE INTO DARKNESS.
HE LEAVES THE PERISCOPE UP,
ANNOUNCING WAHOO'S
EXACT POSITION.
HE HAS JUST TWO MORE TORPEDOES
LOADED IN THE FORWARD TUBES.
THE DESTROYER CHARGES.
RAMMING A SUBMARINE
TO DAMAGE ITS HULL
IS A CRUDE BUT EFFECTIVE TACTIC.
FOR WAHOO,
THE CLOSE PROXIMITY
LEAVES NO TIME TO EVADE
IF ITS TORPEDOES MISS.
THE ONLY OPTION LEFT
IS AN EXTREMELY RISKY SHOT.
SAILORS CALL IT
"DOWN THE THROAT."
MORTON AIMS A SHOT STRAIGHT
AT THE SHIP'S NARROW BOW.
[FIRING]
Dienesch:
HE HAS NO OTHER OPTION.
IF HE DOESN'T,
THE DESTROYER HAS ALL THE SPEED
AND MANEUVERABILITY
TO POUND HIM INTO THE SILT,
AND THERE'S NOTHING
HE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO HE'S FORCING HIM TO ATTACK
AND TRYING TO CHANGE THE ATTACK
INTO A SITUATION WHERE
HE CAN HAVE THE ADVANTAGE.
Narrator:
AS THE DESTROYER CLOSES IN,
MORTON'S TIMING
HAS TO BE PERFECT.
IF THEY FIRE FROM
MORE THAN 1,200 YARDS,
THE DESTROYER HAS TIME TO EVADE,
BUT WITHIN 700 YARDS,
THE TORPEDO WON'T HAVE TIME
TO ARM AND DETONATE.
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
Narrator:
THEY RELEASE TWO TORPEDOES.
♪
♪
THE FIRST FLIES WIDE.
THE SKIPPER AND HIS CREW
MUST WAIT AND HOPE
THE SECOND TORPEDO
FINDS ITS MARK.
♪
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
Narrator: AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE
FIRES AT A JAPANESE DESTROYER
DEEP IN AN OCCUPIED HARBOR
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
ON PATROL WITH A NEW COMMANDER,
THEIR FIRST FIVE SHOTS HAVE
GONE WIDE OF A JAPANESE SHIP.
THEIR HOPE NOW RESTS
ON A FINAL TORPEDO-
A RISKY SHOT NOW RACING TOWARDS
THE NARROWEST PART OF THE SHIP.
LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER
THE PREVIOUS SHOT FLIES WIDE,
THE SECOND TORPEDO TO FIRE-
DOWN THE THROAT-
LANDS A DIRECT HIT.
THE BLOW CRIPPLES
THE DESTROYER'S HULL.
O'Kane: WE GOT A HIT.
Narrator: WAHOO PLUNGES DEEP
UNDER THE DAMAGED SHIP
TO AVOID A COLLISION
AND ESCAPE THE CARNAGE.
THE WARSHIP REMAINS AFLOAT
ON THE SURFACE.
Scott: AFTER AN ATTACK,
SOMETIMES A SHIP
GOES DOWN RIGHT AWAY.
OTHER TIMES IT CAN TAKE HOURS.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN TORPEDO
A SHIP, AND IT DOESN'T SINK.
Narrator: THE WOUNDED SHIP
STARTS TO DROP ITS CACHE
OF DEPTH CHARGES.
[EXPLOSIONS]
MORE THAN 80 FEET DOWN,
WAHOO'S CREW
MUST PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
[EXPLOSIONS]
Scott: A DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK
CAN BE A TRULY TERRIFYING THING
FOR THESE SUBMARINE SAILORS
BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A,
YOU'RE IN A WINDOWLESS BOAT,
SO YOU CAN'T SEE WHERE
THE DANGER IS COMING FROM.
YOU'RE JUST TRAPPED
IN THIS TIN CAN,
WITH EXPLOSIONS
THAT ARE SHAKING YOUR BOAT.
Friedman: IT'S A LOT OF NOISE.
THEY GO OFF,
YOU HEAR THEM GO OFF,
IT'S NERVE-RACKING.
[EXPLOSIONS]
Narrator:
SUDDENLY THE EXPLOSIONS CEASE.
[CREAKING]
A VIOLENT CRACKING NOISE
PENETRATES WAHOO'S HULL.
[CREAKING]
Dienesch: THEY'RE NOT THAT FAR
FROM THE BOAT TO BEGIN WITH,
SO YOU CAN HEAR THIS
RIGHT THROUGH THE HULL,
THE SOUND OF THE WATER RUSHING,
THE SOUND
OF THE BOILERS EXPLODING,
AND CERTAINLY THE SOUND OF
STEAM AND WATER BOILING.
Narrator: THE CREW
RECOGNIZES THE SOUND
OF THE DOOMED DESTROYER'S
BOILERS HITTING COLD SEAWATER.
THE DESTROYER HAS SPLIT OPEN.
WAHOO ASCENDS
TO PERISCOPE DEPTH
TO CONFIRM THE KILL.
IT BURNS AS ITS BOW
TILTS INTO THE SEA.
MORTON BANKS HIS FIRST WIN
AS A SUBMARINE COMMANDER.
HE NOW NEEDS TO STEER CLEAR
OF ENEMY COUNTER MEASURES
TO ESCAPE THE BAY.
O'Kane: DOWN SCOPE.
Narrator: HE DROPS WAHOO DOWN
TO 100 FEET AND SLIPS AWAY.
AS DARKNESS FALLS, THE JAPANESE
LIGHT FIRES ON WEWAK'S SHORES,
PERHAPS TO REVEAL A GLIMPSE
OF THE SUB SAILING BY.
WAHOO CRUISES DEEP,
PAST THE FLAMES.
"MUSH" MORTON CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATES TO HIS CREW
THE POTENTIAL OF
THE GATO-CLASS ENGINEERING.
AND DESPITE THE VICTORY,
HE'S NOT READY FOR HOME.
THEY HAVE 18 TORPEDOES LEFT
TO SINK JAPANESE SHIPS.
MORTON AND HIS NEW CREW
ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.
THE NEXT LEG OF HIS PATROL
TAKES WAHOO NORTH...
TOWARDS AN ISLAND CHAIN
ALSO OCCUPIED BY THE JAPANESE.
AFTER THE ATTACK
ON PEARL HARBOR,
JAPAN CONTINUED
ITS SWEEP ACROSS ASIA.
THE CONQUESTS CREATE A REALM
TRIPLE THE SIZE
BY THE MIDDLE OF 1942.
Friedman: THE JAPANESE MESSAGE
THAT THEY SEND THE WORLD
IS ASIA FOR THE ASIANS,
BUT IT REALLY MEANS
ASIA FOR THE JAPANESE.
THEY'D BEEN FIGHTING A WAR
IN CHINA SINCE 1931, REALLY,
AND VERY INTENSIVELY SINCE 1937.
ONCE IT LOOKED AS THOUGH
THE JAPANESE WERE GONNA TRY TO
CONQUER ALL OF SOUTHERN ASIA,
WE WANTED TO STOP THEM.
Narrator: AS AN ISLAND NATION,
JAPAN RELIES ON SPOILS
FROM FRESHLY ANNEXED LANDS
TO FUEL ITS SMELTERS
AND FEED ITS MEN.
SHIPPING ROUTES
CRISS-CROSS THE PACIFIC.
Scott: THE JAPANESE
WERE MATERIALLY BANKRUPT
FOR ALL THEIR SUPPLIES.
THEY HAD TO BRING IN EVERYTHING
ALMOST FROM OTHER PLACES,
NOT ONLY FOOD TO FEED
ITS BURGEONING POPULATION,
BUT ALSO ALL OF
ITS WAR MATERIALS-
THE BAUXITE NEEDED
TO MAKE ALUMINUM,
RUBBER FOR TIRES,
COTTON FOR UNIFORMS,
AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OIL,
WHICH IS THE MOST VITAL THING
TO BE ABLE TO POWER THEIR
BATTLESHIPS, FIGHTER PLANES,
AND BOMBERS.
IT REALLY DEPENDED
ON A MARITIME HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
IF THE JAPANESE ECONOMY
IS CUT OFF,
YOU CAN CUT OFF ITS ABILITY
TO BUY AND BRING IN
THE IMPORTS IT NEEDS
TO BUILD THE WAR GOODS
THAT IT NEEDS
AND TO FUEL ITS WAR MACHINE.
♪
Narrator: IN 1943,
CHESTER WILLIAM NIMITZ COMMANDS
THE AMERICAN PACIFIC FLEET.
HIS FORCES PRACTICE
UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE
IN THE PACIFIC.
Friedman: UNRESTRICTED
SUBMARINE WARFARE MEANS,
"IF I SEE IT, I SINK IT."
ONCE EVERYTHING IS FAIR GAME,
THAT'S TOTAL WAR.
Narrator: UNDER NIMITZ,
SUBMARINES ARE ASSIGNED
TO SPECIFIC PATROLS
TO ATTACK THE JAPANESE.
WAHOO HEADS FOR AN ISLAND PASS
USED TO FAST-TRACK GOODS
FROM PALAU TO JAPAN.
PALAU EXPORTS
KEY NATURAL RESOURCES.
Hayashi: THERE'S BAUXITE,
WHICH IS USED FOR ALUMINUM,
WHICH BECOMES THE AIRFRAMES
FOR THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT.
AND SECONDLY, OF COURSE,
PHOSPHATE FOR FERTILIZER.
YOU CAN FERTILIZE YOUR CROPS
AND GET BETTER FOOD PRODUCTION.
Narrator: BUT OPERATING
IN THESE WATERS WON'T BE EASY.
JAPAN HAS BUILT
WARSHIPS UNCHECKED
SINCE IT PULLED OUT OF A NAVAL
DISARMAMENT TREATY IN 1936.
ITS NAVY IS THE THIRD LARGEST
IN THE WORLD
AND CONCENTRATES
PREDOMINANTLY IN THE PACIFIC.
Friedman: THEY SPENT MOST
OF THE PERIOD BETWEEN WARS
BUILDING UP A LARGE FLEET.
THE LARGE FLEET WAS EXCELLENT.
IN 1941, THEY WERE PROBABLY
ABOUT AS GOOD AS YOU COULD GET.
AND THEY MOVE,
THEY MOVE RAPIDLY.
THEIR ARMY IS VERY EFFECTIVE.
THE ODDS IN THE FAR EAST
ARE VERY MUCH IN THEIR FAVOR.
Narrator: WELL-ENTRENCHED,
JAPANESE FORCES
HAVE A CLEAR ADVANTAGE.
♪
TO HELP TIP THE BALANCE,
WAHOO NEEDS TO LOCATE
ENEMY SHIPS.
MORE THAN 30 HOURS
INTO THE SEARCH,
THE CREW SPOTS SMOKE
ON THE HORIZON.
O'Kane: CAPTAIN,
YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE THIS.
Narrator:
WAHOO HAS FOUND NOT ONE SHIP,
BUT THREE.
A JAPANESE CONVOY.
TWO FREIGHTERS CARRY GOODS.
THE THIRD IS A TROOP TRANSPORT.
MORTON KNOWS THAT ALLIED CONVOYS
WERE PERFECT TARGETS
FOR NAZI GERMANY
EARLIER IN THE WAR.
Friedman: THE GERMANS
COMBINE NUMBERS OF U-BOATS.
THE WOLFPACKS WERE A WAY
OF FINDING CONVOYS
AND THEN CONCENTRATING
AGAINST THEM.
Narrator: IN THE PACIFIC, MORTON
FACES THESE THREE SHIPS ALONE.
Friedman: YOU'RE BY YOURSELF
DEEP IN ENEMY WATERS.
YOU HAVE TO BE
VERY SELF-RELIANT.
EVERY TIME YOU DO ANYTHING,
YOU'RE EXPOSING YOURSELF
TO DESTRUCTION.
Narrator: WAHOO'S NEW SKIPPER
MUST DECIDE HOW TO STRIKE
AN ENTIRE CONVOY.
Morton: CLOSE ON TARGET.
[KLAXON HORN]
Narrator: IN JANUARY 1943,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE
HAS NOT SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED
A JAPANESE CONVOY.
THE CHOICE WILL MAKE
MORTON AND WAHOO FAMOUS...
AND INFAMOUS.
♪
IN JANUARY 1943,
USS WAHOO STALKS
A JAPANESE CONVOY NEAR PALAU
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
THE ASSAULT WILL EXPOSE
DUDLEY MORTON'S SUBMARINE
MUCH LONGER WITHIN ENEMY WATERS
THAN ATTACKING ONE SHIP.
Scott: SUBMARINES
ARE UNIQUELY VULNERABLE
TO ATTACKS FROM DEPTH CHARGES,
AERIAL BOMBS, EVEN GUNFIRE.
Friedman: THE MORE
AGGRESSIVE YOU ARE,
THE MORE CHANCES YOU GIVE
THE ENEMY TO GET YOU.
Narrator:
WAHOO SETS OUT IN PURSUIT.
ONCE IN POSITION,
THEY TARGET THE LEAD FREIGHTER.
IN MORTON'S TIME,
AMERICAN SKIPPERS
WILL EXPEND ON AVERAGE
NEARLY 12 TORPEDOES
PER SHIP SUNK.
WAHOO HAS 18 WARHEADS
AGAINST SHIPS LOADED WITH
ENEMY TROOPS AND SUPPLIES.
HE WILL NEED
TO BE MORE EFFICIENT
IF HE WANTS TO SINK THEM ALL.
Friedman:
I'M FIRING A TORPEDO AT A SHIP.
HE'S MOVING, I'M MOVING.
THE ANGLES ARE ALL TRICKY.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE HE'S MOVING AND HOW FAST.
Narrator:
THE TORPEDO DATA COMPUTER
IS THE SUBMARINER'S
MATHEMATICIAN.
Friedman:
THE TORPEDO DATA COMPUTER
IS A WAY OF FIGURING OUT
WHERE THE TARGET IS,
HOW FAST IT'S GOING,
WHAT DIRECTION IT'S GOING,
THEN WORKING OUT
WHAT THE TORPEDO HAS TO DO
TO GET TO IT.
Narrator:
READINGS FROM THE PERISCOPE
TELL THE DATA COMPUTER, OR TDC,
THE ENEMY'S RANGE,
BEARING, AND ANGLE
RELATIVE TO THE SUBMARINE'S BOW.
IT TRACKS THE TARGET
AND SETS A PRECISE COURSE
FOR THE TORPEDO.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR,
THE AMERICAN NAVY
RELIES HEAVILY ON THE TDC.
Friedman: YOU'VE GOT IT,
HE AIMS, FIRE THE TORPEDO,
DOES THE REST.
NO ONE ELSE HAD QUITE
THAT INTEGRATED SYSTEM.
Narrator:
THE FIRST TWO TORPEDOES
RACE TOWARDS A DAKAR MARU,
A JAPANESE FREIGHTER
WITH A 56-FOOT BEAM.
MORTON QUICKLY
TURNS ON HER SISTER SHIP,
A 475-FOOT-LONG ARIZONA MARU.
Morton: STAND BY FOUR.
Torpedo Operator:
FOUR ON STANDBY.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Dienesch: THE MARK 14
STEAM TORPEDO LEAVES A WAKE,
A VERY VISIBLE WAKE
IN THE WATER.
SO AS THE TORPEDO IS FIRED,
YOU'RE LITERALLY
IDENTIFYING YOUR LOCATION
WITH A LINE
FROM WHERE THE TORPEDO IS
TO WHERE YOU WERE.
THE LONGER YOU TAKE TO FIRE,
THE GREATER YOUR CHANCE
OF BEING CAUGHT.
Narrator: THE FIRST TWO
TORPEDOES HIT THEIR MARK.
THE DAKAR MARU STARTS TO LIST.
BUT ONLY ONE OF TWO TORPEDOES
MEANT FOR THE SECOND FREIGHTER
STRIKES,
AND JUST SLOWS
THE ARIZONA MARU DOWN.
WITH TWO SHIPS WOUNDED,
WAHOO'S SKIPPER SHIFTS
HIS FOCUS TO THE THIRD.
Morton: STAND BY THREE.
Narrator:
A SIEWA MARU TRANSPORT-
THE CONVOY'S PRIZE.
Dienesch:
IF IT'S CARRYING PEOPLE,
YOU ARE LITERALLY
ELIMINATING THE THREAT
OF A BRIGADE OR A DIVISION,
WHICH, IN THE END,
THE MARINES WOULD HAVE
TO STORM THE BEACH TO DEFEAT.
Narrator: MORTON DECIDES
TO FIRE THREE TORPEDOES
INTO THE TRANSPORT SHIP.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Narrator: IT DRAWS DOWN
WAHOO'S SUPPLY OF ORDNANCE,
BUT IT INCREASES
HIS CHANCE AT A KILL.
MORTON DOESN'T WANT
TO LET IT GET AWAY.
HE KNOWS THE SHIP
IS PROBABLY LOADED WITH TROOPS
KEY TO JAPAN'S WAR EFFORT,
ON THEIR WAY TO FIGHT AMERICANS.
TWO OF THE THREE WARHEADS HIT.
THE TRANSPORT IS CRIPPLED.
BUT THE SECOND FREIGHTER
RETURNS TO THE FIGHT
AND CHARGES STRAIGHT AT WAHOO.
IT'S A TACTIC CALLED "RAMMING."
Dienesch: IF YOU CAN
RAM THE SUBMARINE,
YOUR CHANCE OF ESCAPE
OBVIOUSLY IS VERY, VERY HIGH.
IF YOU TRY TO RUN AWAY,
THE SUBMARINE
WILL ALWAYS CATCH YOU.
SO, BY CHARGING IT,
WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO
IS ELIMINATE THE THREAT
THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN.
Narrator: FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN THREE DAYS,
MORTON'S SUBMARINE
FACES A CHARGING SHIP.
FOR THE SECOND TIME,
THEY DON'T BACK DOWN.
Scott: UP UNTIL THIS POINT,
SUBMARINE SKIPPERS WOULD GO OUT
AND THEY WOULD SHOOT AT A SHIP,
AND HOPEFULLY SINK IT.
AND THEN THEY
WOULD OFTEN RETREAT.
AND RATHER THAN TO GO IN
AND JUST FIRE AND THEN FLEE,
HE CAME BACK TIME AND AGAIN.
Narrator: WAHOO FIRES
TWO MORE TORPEDOES
AT THE CHARGING FREIGHTER.
THE FREIGHTER KEEPS COMING.
MORTON ABANDONS
THE COLLISION COURSE
AND DIVES HIS SUB.
Dienesch:
NOW THE WAHOO, THE HUNTER,
IS NOW BEING HUNTED.
BUT THE WAHOO HAS
MOST OF THE ADVANTAGES HERE.
IF THE WAHOO CAN DIVE,
THE TRANSPORT WILL EVADE HIM,
AND THEY CAN FOLLOW
THE TRANSPORT.
IF THE TRANSPORT GETS HIT
BY THE TORPEDOES, SAME RESULT-
YOU STILL SINK THE TRANSPORT.
WAHOO STILL HAS THE ADVANTAGE
DESPITE THE FACT
THAT IT'S BEING ATTACKED.
Narrator: MORTON HAS SPENT
FOUR PRECIOUS TORPEDOES
ON THE ARIZONA MARU,
BUT HAS FAILED TO SINK IT.
HE ALLOWS THE FREIGHTER
TO LIMP OFF
AND TURNS BACK TO
THE TROOP-FILLED SIEWA MARU.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Narrator: TWO MORE TORPEDOES
SEAL THE SHIP'S FATE.
Dienesch: THE EXPLOSION
REGISTERS HIGH ENOUGH,
IT OBSCURES THE BRIDGE,
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
70 FEET IN THE AIR.
THE CREW, OF COURSE,
IS NOW TRYING TO ABANDON SHIP.
HUGE EXPLOSION,
WHICH COULD MEAN THE MARU
WAS CARRYING EXPLOSIVES.
IT COULD MEAN IT WAS CARRYING
SOMETHING OF HIGH VOLATILITY,
AVIATION FUEL MAYBE,
AND THAT'S WHAT WAS STRUCK.
Narrator: THEY HAVE NOW SUNK
TWO-THIRDS OF THE CONVOY.
BUT MORTON STILL WANTS
THE FREIGHTER THAT GOT AWAY.
THE MARU HAS NOW BEEN
JOINED BY A TANKER.
BUT THE COST OF ATTACKING
THREE TARGETS FROM UNDERWATER
SCUTTLES THE PLAN.
WHILE WAHOO IS SUBMERGED,
IT RUNS OFF OF 250
LEAD ACID BATTERY CELLS,
EACH FOUR FEET HIGH.
Scott: THEY CAN STAY UNDERWATER
ON BATTERY POWER
FOR UP TO 48 HOURS,
BUT ONLY IF THEY'RE
GOING AT 2 KNOTS,
WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONLY
ABOUT 3 MILES AN HOUR.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE PACE MOST
PEOPLE WOULD JUST GO WALK.
Narrator: AFTER HOURS
OF RUNNING AND GUNNING,
WAHOO'S BATTERIES ARE DRAINED.
MORTON MUST CALL OFF THE CHASE,
AND HE'S FORCED TO SURFACE.
TWO ENGINES ARE SACRIFICED
TO RECHARGING.
WITH LIMITED SPEED AND RANGE,
HE DECIDES TO CIRCLE BACK
AND CHECK ON THE TARGET
HE HIT EARLIER.
Friedman: THE TRANSPORT
SINKS SLOWLY ENOUGH
THAT THOSE ON BOARD
GET INTO THE BOATS.
Narrator: 20 JAPANESE LIFEBOATS
DOT THE BISMARCK SEA.
HUNDREDS OF MEN
ARE IN AND AROUND THEM.
VICTIMS OF MORTON'S TORPEDOES.
BUT ALSO DECLARED ENEMIES
WHO MORTON BELIEVES
ARE COMMITTED
TO DESTROYING AMERICANS.
Friedman:
HE THINKS THEY'RE TROOPS,
THEY'RE GOING TO GO ASHORE,
THEY'LL STILL BE
EFFECTIVE ASHORE,
THEY'LL BE KILLING US
WHEN THEY GET THERE.
BETTER TO KILL THEM NOW.
HE THINKS OF THE BOATS
AS LEGITIMATE TARGETS.
AND IF THEY'RE
LEGITIMATE TARGETS,
OF COURSE YOU SHOOT THEM UP.
Narrator: AS MORTON
CONSIDERS THE SITUATION,
HE ORDERS HIS CREW
TO BE AT THE READY.
Morton: FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: BUT MORTON
IS WRONG ABOUT THESE TROOPS.
Scott: HE ORDERS HIS GUNNERS
TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN FIRE.
HE DOESN'T KNOW IT, BUT A LOT
OF THESE PEOPLE IN THE WATER
ARE ACTUALLY INDIAN POWs
THAT THE JAPANESE
HAVE ACTUALLY PICKED UP.
AND HE ASSUMES THAT THEY'RE ALL
JUST JAPANESE SOLDIERS,
TROOPS THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN TRANSPORTED.
AND THEY GO ON AND THEY END UP
SHOOTING AND KILLING
195 OF THESE INDIAN POWs
IN ADDITION TO ABOUT
87 JAPANESE TROOPS.
[GUNFIRE]
Morton: KEEP FIRING.
Scott: MORTON WAS NEVER
REPRIMANDED FOR THIS ACT.
IN FACT, HE WAS AWARDED THE ARMY
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
BY GENERAL MacARTHUR
FOR SINKING THESE SHIPS.
Friedman: WE TENDED NOT TO THINK
THAT YOU SHOULD
SHOOT UP SURVIVORS.
HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO
AN EXTREMELY SAVAGE WAR
IN WHICH JAPANESE SURVIVORS
OFTEN KEPT FIGHTING.
SO THAT ALSO FEEDS
INTO WHAT HAPPENS.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON'S KILLING
OF THESE, OF THESE POWs,
IT'S REALLY A DARK CLOUD
THAT EVEN TODAY
STILL HANGS OVER
THE LEGACY OF THE WAHOO.
Narrator: BY 2 P. M.,
WAHOO'S SKIPPER MOVES ON.
THE SUBMARINE'S BATTERIES
ARE CHARGED.
WAHOO CAN NOW PURSUE
THE SHIPS THAT ESCAPED.
THE FREIGHTER AND A TANKER
HAVE A HEAD START
OF AT LEAST TWO HOURS.
TO CATCH UP,
MORTON MUST REMAIN SURFACED.
THIS MAKES WAHOO VULNERABLE.
THE JAPANESE HAVE ALMOST
CERTAINLY DEPLOYED
ANTI-SUBMARINE UNITS
TO PROTECT WHAT'S LEFT
OF THEIR CONVOY.
Friedman: YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN
A SURFACE FIGHT WITH SOMEONE
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
TAKE THAT MUCH
TO PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS.
THAT'S AN AWFULLY
DANGEROUS THING TO DO.
Narrator:
JUST AFTER 3:30 P. M.
A PUFF OF SMOKE,
THEN THE PROFILE OF TWO SHIPS
OFF THE PORT BOW.
A TANKER CARRYING
MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF OIL
FLANKS THE FLEEING ARIZONA MARU.
BUT WAHOO HAS ONLY
SEVEN TORPEDOES LEFT.
MORTON PLANS TO SPEND THREE
ON THE TANKER.
A HIT WILL DENY PRECIOUS FUEL
TO JAPAN'S WAR MACHINES,
BUT LEAVES LIMITED OPTIONS
IN CASE OF COUNTER ATTACK.
Dienesch:
AS SOON AS THE TORPEDO COUNT
IS DOWN TO JUST A HANDFUL
OR A COUPLE OF TORPEDOES,
MORTON'S ABILITY TO ATTACK
IS SERIOUSLY DIMINISHED.
Narrator: AS DARKNESS FALLS,
WAHOO READIES
FOR A FINAL OFFENSIVE.
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
FIRE THREE.
[FIRING]
FIRE FOUR.
[FIRING]
Narrator: THREE TORPEDOES RACE
TOWARDS THE MANZYA MARU TANKER.
♪
JUST ONE HITS.
AND THE SHIP STILL SAILS.
[FIRING]
IT COSTS TWO MORE
TO HALT THE TANKER.
MORTON HAS TWO TORPEDOES LEFT
TO SINK THE FREIGHTER
HE'S CHASED FOR HOURS.
BEFORE HE CAN FIRE...
THE MARU LAUNCHES
ITS OWN ATTACK.
MUNITIONS LIGHT UP
THE NIGHT SKY,
SHELLS DROP INTO THE WATER,
AND SOME RICOCHET
OVER THE PERISCOPE.
Dienesch: THE SUBMARINE
SACRIFICES ARMOR PLATE
FOR STEALTH.
SO IF THAT HULL IS PUNCTURED
IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM,
IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED.
THAT SUBMARINE CAN NEVER DIVE,
WHICH MEANS
ITS GREATEST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL
IN ENEMY-CONTROLLED WATERS
JUST VANISHES.
SO TO BE ON THE SURFACE AND
UNDER DIRECT FIRE FROM A SHIP,
WHETHER IT'S A DESTROYER
OR A TRANSPORT,
IS EXTREMELY SCARY,
AND FOR THE CREW,
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Narrator: JANUARY 1943,
OFF THE COAST OF PALAU
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
A SUBMARINE COMMANDER
HAS DOWNED A JAPANESE FREIGHTER
AND A TROOP SHIP.
AN ARIZONA CLASS FREIGHTER
FROM THE CONVOY
NOW ATTACKS THE AMERICAN CREW.
[WHIZZING]
O'Kane: SCOPE DOWN.
♪
Narrator: WAHOO DIVES 90 FEET
TO ESCAPE THE GUNFIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
THE SPLASH OF SHELLS CONTINUES
TO ECHO THROUGH THE HULL.
[BOOMING]
EVEN THOUGH MERCHANT SHIPPING
IS NOT USUALLY ARMED
WITH DEPTH CHARGES,
OUT OF PERISCOPE RANGE,
THE SUBMARINE IS HELPLESS
AND CAN'T FIGHT BACK.
♪
ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER,
MORTON CREEPS BACK
TO THE SURFACE.
THE FREIGHTER
HAS STOPPED FIRING.
BUT A COLD LIGHT
SWEEPS OVER THE HORIZON.
A SUBMARINE-KILLING DESTROYER
IS NOW ON THE HUNT FOR WAHOO.
MORTON DOESN'T HAVE
THE FIREPOWER TO TAKE IT ON.
Dienesch: THERE'S NOT MUCH
YOU CAN DO ABOUT A DESTROYER.
THEY'RE OFTEN AS FAST
OR FASTER THAN YOU ARE.
SO IT PUTS THE SUBMARINE
AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE.
Narrator: BUT WAHOO'S SKIPPER
MAKES THE DECISION
TO FINISH WHAT HE STARTED.
AS THE DESTROYER CLOSES IN,
MORTON FIRES
HIS LAST TWO TORPEDOES
AT THE FINAL SHIP OF
THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE CONVOY.
♪
O'Kane: WE GOT A HIT.
♪
Narrator: THE FREIGHTER
SLIPS FROM THE LIGHT.
AS THE DESTROYER
DEALS WITH THE CARNAGE,
WAHOO RETREATS TO THE SAFETY
OF THE OPEN SEA.
COMMANDER "MUSH" MORTON
GETS HIS KILL.
♪
ON FEBRUARY 7, 1943,
WAHOO STEAMS PROUDLY
INTO PEARL HARBOR,
A BROOM LASHED TO ITS PERISCOPE.
IT'S A SLY WINK
TO THE NAVAL TRADITION
OF CLAIMING A CLEAN SWEEP.
THE NAVY AND THE PRESS LOVE IT.
THE BRASS HOLDS UP
MORTON AND HIS CREW
AS THE FIRST U. S. SUBMARINE
TO SINK A CONVOY:
MORE THAN 11,000 TONS OF
JAPANESE SHIPS AND SHIPPING.
DESPITE SUBMARINERS
BEING NOTORIOUS
FOR THEIR "SILENT SERVICE,"
MORTON AND WAHOO
MAKE THE PAPERS.
HE EVEN CONSULTS ON CARY GRANT'S
WARTIME THRILLER,
"DESTINATION TOKYO."
MORTON'S AGGRESSIVE TACTICS
CHANGE THE CONDUCT OF THE
AMERICAN SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.
Scott: THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
IN THE WAR
WHEN ANY SUBMARINE SKIPPER
HAD ACTUALLY DONE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
NO ONE HAD REALLY DARED TO THINK
THAT, HEY, COULD
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE GO IN
AND DESTROY EVERY SHIP?
WELL, "MUSH" MORTON SHOWED
THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
IT SET A HIGHER BAR
FOR SUBMARINE SKIPPERS
GOING OUT AFTER THAT.
IT WASN'T JUST "MUSH" MORTON.
IT WAS THE SUPPORT TEAM HE HAD,
PRIMARILY WITH DICK O'KANE.
AS A LEADER,
HIS MEN REALLY LOVED HIM.
Narrator: WAHOO'S TRIUMPH
WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED.
BEFORE YEAR'S END,
WAHOO IS STRUCK
BY A HAIL OF ENEMY BOMBS
IN THE SEA OF JAPAN.
IT WOULD BE DECLARED OVERDUE
AND PRESUMED LOST.
AT 36 YEARS OLD,
SKIPPER "MUSH" MORTON
GOES DOWN WITH HIS SHIP.
BUT HIS IMPACT
ON SUBMARINE WARFARE
IS CRITICAL FOR THE U. S. NAVY.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON
WAS THE TRAILBLAZER.
IF YOU LOOK AT
THE TOTALITY OF THE WAR,
HE IS SORT OF THE CENTER FULCRUM
ON WHICH ALL THE STRATEGY
AND TACTICS REALLY CHANGE.
IT'S FASCINATING BECAUSE
ALL OF THAT REALLY FALLS ON THE
SHOULDERS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL.
Narrator: MORTON
AND THE CREW OF WAHOO
DEMONSTRATE THE TENACITY
AND TACTICS NEEDED
TO TIP THE BALANCE OF POWER
IN THE PACIFIC.
Scott: HE SHOWED
THE REST OF THESE SKIPPERS
WHAT COULD BE DONE,
WHAT THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH
WITH THIS AMAZING SUBMARINE
THAT THE AMERICAN NAVY
HAD CONSTRUCTED.
♪
LESS THAN TEN DAYS INTO HIS
FIRST PATROL ABOARD USS WAHOO,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE SKIPPER
PERFORMS RECONNAISSANCE
OF A JAPANESE BASE
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
NINE MILES INTO
THE OCCUPIED HARBOR,
HE SPOTS THE MOST DANGEROUS
POSSIBLE THREAT:
AN ENEMY DESTROYER...
ARMED WITH UNDERWATER BOMBS
CALLED DEPTH CHARGES,
DESIGNED TO SINK SUBMARINES.
[EXPLOSIONS]
BEFORE THE WAR, THE DECISION
WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY:
STAY SAFE.
BUT TO DEFEAT JAPAN,
THEY'LL NEED
A NEW GENERATION OF COMMANDER
TO TAKE THE OFFENSIVE
AND PURSUE EVERY CONTACT...
AGAINST EACH ENEMY SHIP...
PUTTING HIS VESSEL AND CREW
IN THE LINE OF FIRE.
[SONAR PING]
[PING]
[PING]
IN WORLD WAR II,
A SUBSEA WEAPON ALLOWS WARRIORS
TO FIGHT FROM BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH CUNNING, FORCE,
AND TENACITY,
THEIR ENEMIES STRIKE BACK.
REVOLUTIONARY,
BUT STILL SOMETIMES PRIMITIVE,
IT'S A DESPERATE BID
TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF WAR.
THEIR STORIES ARE LEGEND.
1 P. M., JANUARY 24, 1943.
AS THE NEW COMMANDER
OF USS WAHOO,
DUDLEY MORTON DISCOVERS
A JAPANESE DESTROYER
IN WEWAK HARBOR.
THE SAFE CHOICE IS TO REMAIN
CONCEALED AND RETREAT UNNOTICED.
IF THEY'RE SPOTTED,
THE WATERS HERE ARE TOO SHALLOW
TO AVOID A SUSTAINED
DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK.
BUT MORTON IS DETERMINED
TO INFLICT SERIOUS DAMAGE
ON THE ENEMY'S FLEET.
THE DESTROYER
WILL NOT BE SPARED.
HE POSITIONS HIS SUBMARINE
3,000 YARDS FROM THE DESTROYER
AND PREPARES FOR ATTACK.
HIS STRATEGY
IS TO FIRE THREE TORPEDOES,
BETTING AT LEAST ONE WILL HIT.
Dudley Morton: TDC, GIVE ME A
ONE-DEGREE SPREAD ON EACH OF THOSE FISH.
WE'RE GONNA FIRE TUBES
TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
FIRE THREE.
Torpedo Operator:
THREE FIRING.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Torpedo Operator:
FOUR FIRED ELECTRICALLY.
Narrator:
BUT THE DESTROYER CLIPS ALONG
FASTER THAN EXPECTED.
ALL THREE TORPEDOES
RUN THROUGH ITS WAKE.
MORTON INCREASES THE INPUT SPEED
FOR THE DESTROYER.
WAHOO FIRES AGAIN.
BUT THIS TORPEDO ALSO MISSES.
THE DESTROYER
HAS CHANGED COURSE.
THE FAILURE TO LAND THESE SHOTS
ALLOWS THE ENEMY
TO ZERO IN ON WAHOO.
THE DESTROYER CHARGES,
BETTING IT CAN RAM THE SUB
IN THE SHALLOW WATERS.
♪
MORTON'S AGGRESSION
EXPOSES A RADICAL SHIFT
IN THE RISK TOLERANCE OF
AMERICAN SUBMARINE CAPTAINS.
THIS SCENARIO WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNIMAGINABLE ABOARD WAHOO
UNDER ITS FIRST COMMANDER.
[AIRPLANES ROARING]
IT WAS COMMISSIONED
AND BROUGHT INTO SERVICE
JUST FIVE MONTHS AFTER
THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR.
[EXPLOSION]
WITH SO MANY BATTLESHIPS,
ESCORTS, AND AIRCRAFT
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED,
SUBMARINES ARE CHARGED
WITH TAKING THE FIGHT TO JAPAN,
TO TARGET
JAPANESE MERCHANT SHIPPING.
James Scott: THIS IS GOING TO BE
A WAR OF ATTRITION.
IT'S GONNA BE FOUGHT EVERY
CONVOY, EVERY SHIP AT A TIME.
Narrator: WAHOO BEARS
THE NAME OF A FISH,
A TRADITION FORGED
IN THE EARLIEST DAYS
OF AMERICAN SUBMARINES.
IT'S A GATO-CLASS SUB:
312 FEET LONG
AND 27 FEET ACROSS THE BEAM.
ITS COMBINATION OF SPEED,
ENDURANCE, AND PAYLOAD
ARE ALMOST UNRIVALED.
Norman Friedman:
THE GATO IS PROBABLY
THE BIGGEST MASS PRODUCTION
SUBMARINE OF WORLD WAR II
BY A LONG SHOT.
IT'S ABOUT THE TWICE THE SIZE
OF WHAT THE GERMANS DID.
IT'S BIG FOR A REASON.
IT'S BIG BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNED
TO OPERATE VERY FAR FROM HOME
FOR A LONG TIME.
Narrator: THERE'S SUFFICIENT
FOOD AND SUPPLIES ON BOARD
FOR THE CREW TO REMAIN AT SEA
FOR 75 DAYS.
AND ENOUGH DIESEL TO CRUISE
NEARLY HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD
WITHOUT REFUELING.
Friedman:
AND BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG SUB,
YOU COULD PUT IN THINGS
THAT WERE EXTRA.
SIZE PAID OFF BIG.
Narrator: AUGUST 23, 1942,
WAHOO EMBARKED
ON ITS FIRST PATROL:
TO SINK JAPANESE SHIPS
AND DISRUPT SUPPLY LINES.
UNFORTUNATELY, ITS LEADERSHIP
DID NOT LIVE UP
TO THE BOAT'S PROMISE.
THE SKIPPER WAS MARVIN KENNEDY.
HIS CREW DESCRIBED HIM
AS "GENTLEMANLY."
THE U. S. NAVY
SPENT PEACETIME YEARS
TRAINING ITS SUBMARINE FORCE
AS SCOUTS
TO COLLECT INTELLIGENCE
AND AVOIDING CONTACT
WITH THE ENEMY.
WHEN AMERICA ENTERED THE WAR,
THIS RISK AVERSION FAILED TO
DELIVER SUCCESSFUL STRIKES.
Scott:
THEY HAD TOO MANY SKIPPERS
THAT JUST WERE TOO TIMID.
THEY WANTED TO STAY
FAR AWAY FROM THEIR PREY,
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO RAISE
THE PERISCOPES REALLY HIGH
FOR FEAR OF BEING SEEN,
THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO RUN ON THE SURFACE
FOR FEAR THAT A JAPANESE
PATROL PLANE MIGHT SEE THEM.
Narrator:
ON OCTOBER 5, 1942,
KENNEDY FAILED TO PURSUE
A JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
THE CREW WATCHED
AS ONE OF THE MOST
PRESTIGIOUS TARGETS OF THE WAR
SAILED FROM THEIR GRASP.
Robert Dienesch:
THEY'VE PUT A LOT AT RISK,
A LONG DISTANCE TRAVELED,
THEY'RE PUTTING THEMSELVES
IN HARM'S WAY.
AND THEN TO NOT ATTACK
AGGRESSIVELY
AND GET THE SINKING
IS DEMORALIZING.
IT HAS TO HURT THEIR MORALE,
AND KENNEDY
HAS TO SEE IT AS WELL.
Narrator: THE SECOND PATROL
WASN'T MUCH BETTER.
UNDER KENNEDY'S COMMAND,
THEY RETURN TO PORT WITH MOST
OF THEIR TORPEDOES UNUSED.
IN DECEMBER,
WAHOO'S FIRST SKIPPER
IS RELIEVED
OF SUBMARINE COMMAND.
THE U. S. NAVY REPLACES
OVER 40 SKIPPERS,
NEARLY ONE IN THREE,
BY YEAR'S END.
Scott: AMERICA HAD BUILT
THIS PERFECT FIGHTING MACHINE
IN THE GATO-CLASS SUBMARINE,
BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE TALENT
EARLY IN THE WAR
TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE
THAT SUBMARINE
FOR ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
Narrator: WAHOO'S NEW SKIPPER
IS DUDLEY "MUSH" MORTON.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON
TAKES COMMAND OF THE WAHOO
AT THE START OF ITS THIRD PATROL
IN A REALLY PIVOTAL TIME
IN THE SUBMARINE WAR.
HE'S A KENTUCKY BAPTIST,
HE HAS BROAD SHOULDERS
AND BIG HANDS,
AND A JAW THAT
TIME MAGAZINE DESCRIBES
AS LOOKING LIKE A BOULDER.
AND HE'S KIND OF THIS
JAMES DEAN-LIKE FIGURE
OF SUBMARINE SERVICE, YOU KNOW.
Narrator: MORTON WATCHED KENNEDY
FUMBLE WAHOO'S SECOND PATROL
BEFORE TAKING COMMAND.
HE PROMISES HIS MEN
THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT.
Scott: MORTON RECOGNIZES
THAT A LOT OF SUBMARINE SKIPPERS
AREN'T AS AGGRESSIVE
AS THEY NEED TO BE
IN ORDER TO TRULY FIGHT
THE JAPANESE.
HE SEES A LOT OF WEAKNESSES
IN THE STRATEGY
THAT OTHERS ARE EMPLOYING.
♪
Narrator: MORTON'S FIRST MISSION
HAS TWO OBJECTIVES:
RECONNOITER A JAPANESE SUPPLY
BASE CALLED WEWAK HARBOR,
THEN ENTER THE PATROL AREA
AROUND THE ISLAND OF PALAU
TO HUNT AND SINK
JAPANESE SHIPPING.
[GUNFIRE]
WAHOO LEAVES THE SUBMARINE BASE
IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA,
JANUARY 16, 1943.
BUT JUST FINDING WEWAK
PROVES A CHALLENGE.
Scott:
THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS VAST.
THE AREA SORT OF ENCOMPASSING
MUCH OF WHERE THE AMERICAN
SUBMARINERS WOULD PATROL
WOULD BE ABOUT
8 MILLION SQUARE MILES.
Narrator:
THE COORDINATES ARE VAGUE.
THEIR TARGET LIES SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN 4 DEGREES SOUTH
AND 144 DEGREES EAST,
A GRID OF NEARLY
4,700 SQUARE MILES.
WITHOUT ACCURATE CHARTS,
DIRECTION COMES
FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE.
A CREWMEMBER PURCHASED
A SCHOOL ATLAS FOR HIS KIDS
WHILE IN AUSTRALIA.
ONE OF ITS MAPS NARROWS
THE SEARCH FOR WEWAK.
THEY USE IT TO PRODUCE
A HAND-DRAWN VERSION
AS A NAVIGATIONAL CHART.
WITH HEADINGS LAID IN,
THE CREW PROCEEDS
ON THE SURFACE TOWARDS WEWAK,
EVEN DURING THE DAYTIME.
THIS WAY, THE SUB CAN TRAVEL
AT OVER 20 KNOTS,
OR 23 MILES PER HOUR.
SUBMERGED, IT CAN ONLY PUSH
9 KNOTS FOR SHORT BURSTS.
IT'S FASTER, BUT MAKES THE SUB
MUCH EASIER TO DETECT.
MORTON MITIGATES THE RISK
WITH EXTRA LOOKOUTS.
♪
AFTER SPOTTING
AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT,
THE CREW MOVES
TO CLEAR THE BRIDGE.
SINCE THEY ARE UNSURE WHETHER
THE PLANE HAS DISCOVERED THEM,
MORTON INSISTS THEY WAIT
UNTIL IT IS WITHIN SIX MILES
OF THE SUB.
HE WEIGHS THE RISK
OF POSSIBLE AERIAL BOMBS
AGAINST MORE
SURFACE RUNNING TIME.
AS THE PLANE GETS CLOSER,
THE CREW WATCHES AND WAITS,
WONDERING IF THIS NEW SKIPPER
MIGHT BE PUSHING
HIS LUCK TOO FAR.
♪
♪
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE CREW
WATCHES WITH DREAD
AS AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT APPROACHES.
UNDER THEIR PREVIOUS COMMANDER,
USS WAHOO WOULD HAVE PLUNGED
SAFELY BENEATH THE WAVES.
WITH THEIR NEW SKIPPER,
DUDLEY MORTON,
THEY KEEP VISUAL CONTACT
WITH THE JAPANESE AIRPLANE.
IT'S A RISKY GAME.
PLANES ARMED WITH BOMBS ARE
A SUBMARINE'S DEADLIEST THREAT.
♪
TENSE MINUTES PASS.
JUST BEFORE IT CROSSES
INTO MORTON'S SAFETY PERIMETER,
THE PLANE TURNS AWAY
WITHOUT DETECTING WAHOO.
MORTON SAVES TIME
AVERTING THE CRASH-DIVE
AND KEEPS THE CREW'S EYES
PEELED FOR TARGETS,
ASSERTING THEIR MISSION
TO SINK SHIPS.
♪
AT 3 A. M.
ON JANUARY 24, 1943,
WAHOO REACHES THE MOUTH
OF WEWAK HARBOR.
PERCHED ON THE EDGE
OF A FIERCELY PROTECTED
SHIPPING ROUTE
IN THE BISMARCK SEA,
IT SHELTERS
A JAPANESE SUPPLY BASE
ON THE NORTH COAST
OF OCCUPIED NEW GUINEA.
Brian Hayashi:
BASES AT WEWAK HARBOR
ARE POSITIONED IN SUCH A WAY
SO THAT THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE
FORCES CAN VERY QUICKLY MOBILIZE
AND STRIKE OUT AND KNOCK OFF
SOME OF THE SUPPLY LINES
TO AUSTRALIA.
Narrator:
MORTON MAKES THE DECISION
TO PROWL THE SHALLOW BAY.
[KLAXON HORN]
Dienesch: FOR THE SUBMARINE
TO ENTER THE HARBOR,
WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS ENTERING AN AREA
WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF ROOM TO MANEUVER.
WEWAK HARBOR WILL BE DEFENDED.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY INFANTRY,
THERE'S GUNS,
AND THE POTENTIAL FOR WARSHIPS.
SO TO ENTER THE HARBOR
IS VERY RISKY,
BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO GET A GOOD RECONNAISSANCE.
Narrator: NINE MILES IN,
WAHOO DISCOVERS
A JAPANESE DESTROYER.
Friedman: NORMALLY YOU'RE TOLD
NOT TO GO AFTER DESTROYERS
BECAUSE YOU SHOULD CONCENTRATE
ON THE MERCHANT SHIPS.
A LOT OF THE QUESTION
WITH SUBMARINES
IS HOW DO YOU DECIDE
WHAT'S WORTH THE EFFORT?
WHICH SHIPS ARE WORTH ATTACKING
AND TAKING A CHANCE
WITH YOUR LIFE?
Narrator:
IT'S NOT JUST THE TARGET,
BUT THE LOCATION.
Dienesch: HE'S BETTER OFF
SNEAKING BACK OUT OF THE HARBOR
AND THEN MAKING AN ATTACK
AS THE SHIP LEAVES,
BECAUSE THAT WAY
HIS SHIP IS SAFE,
AND THE CREW,
BY EXTENSION, ARE SAFE.
Narrator: BUT MORTON DECIDES
TO TAKE ON THE TEMPTING TARGET.
Friedman: THE JAPANESE COULDN'T
PRODUCE DESTROYERS VERY FAST.
THE FLEET DESTROYERS WERE
NOT ONLY HARD TO REPRODUCE,
BUT THEY HAD ELITE CREWS.
Scott: EVERY SHIP
THAT THE AMERICANS SANK
OF THE JAPANESE,
NOT ONLY DID THEY LOSE THE SHIP,
THEY LOST THEIR
EXPERIENCED SAILORS,
THEY LOST THE MONEY THAT IT TOOK
TO BUILD THAT SHIP
AND THE RESOURCES INVOLVED.
YOU WOULD ERODE
THEIR POWERFUL WAR MACHINE.
Narrator: BEFORE HE STRIKES,
WAHOO'S CAPTAIN GAMBLES
ON A SURPRISING SUBSTITUTION.
HE HANDS CONTROL
OF THE PERISCOPE
TO HIS SECOND IN COMMAND.
Norman Jolin: LIEUTENANT
COMMANDER DUDLEY MORTON
IS REVOLUTIONARY
IN THE WAY HE CONDUCTS
ATTACKS FROM HIS SUBMARINE.
HE USES HIS EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ON THE PERISCOPE
AS THE CO-APPROACH OFFICER,
AND HE SETS UP THE ATTACK
IN HIS HEAD,
WITHOUT BEING A SLAVE
TO ONE PARTICULAR AREA,
IN THIS CASE THE PERISCOPE,
WHICH IS TRADITIONAL
FOR SUBMARINE CAPTAINS.
Scott: IT'S REALLY EASY,
IF YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH
THE PERISCOPE,
TO GET HUNG UP ON
EXACTLY WHAT YOU SEE
IN THAT NARROW FRAME OF FIELD.
MORTON BELIEVES
IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR HIM
TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF STEP BACK,
HAVE THAT 30,000-FOOT-VIEW
OF THE WHOLE BATTLEFIELD,
'CAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY EVOLVING,
IT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING,
AND HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BE
FOCUSED ON THE BIG PICTURE.
Narrator: THE JOB GOES TO
RICHARD HETHERINGTON O'KANE.
Friedman:
YOU ONLY GET A FEW SHOTS
OF LOOKING THROUGH A PERISCOPE.
WHAT YOU DO IS YOU MAKE A GUESS
AS TO WHERE THE TARGET IS
AND HOW FAST IT'S GOING
AND WHAT DIRECTION.
HE TAKES A QUICK LOOK AROUND
WITH THE PERISCOPE.
IT WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED
BY OTHER THINGS,
BUT IT'S REALLY
ALL ON HIS SHOULDERS.
Richard Hetherington O'Kane:
DISTANCE 2,200 YARDS
AND DECREASING.
Narrator: O'KANE CALLS
THE DESTROYER'S RANGE.
MORTON PLOTS THE ATTACK.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Torpedo Operator:
THREE FIRING.
Narrator:
AS HE FIRES THREE TORPEDOES,
IT COSTS MORTON AN EIGHTH
OF WAHOO'S ORDNANCE,
BUT INCREASES THE ODDS
HE'LL SINK THE TARGET
BEFORE IT SINKS HIM.
WHEN THE FIRST
THREE TORPEDOES MISS,
MORTON INCREASES THE DESTROYER'S
SPEED IN HIS CALCULATION
TO 20 KNOTS,
AND FIRES.
THEY MISS AGAIN.
WAHOO HAS EXPENDED
ITS AMMUNITION TO NO AVAIL.
WORSE, THEY HAVE DRAWN THE
ATTENTION OF THE SUB DESTROYER.
Friedman:
YOU'RE A SUBMARINE OFFICER.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE SUBMERGED,
NOT BOTHERING ANYBODY,
YOU'RE INVISIBLE
AND YOU'RE SAFE.
EVERY TIME YOU FIRE A TORPEDO,
IF IT'S VISIBLE,
THAT GIVES THE OTHER SIDE
AN INCENTIVE TO GET YOU.
Narrator: BUT MORTON DOES NOT
ATTEMPT TO DIVE INTO DARKNESS.
HE LEAVES THE PERISCOPE UP,
ANNOUNCING WAHOO'S
EXACT POSITION.
HE HAS JUST TWO MORE TORPEDOES
LOADED IN THE FORWARD TUBES.
THE DESTROYER CHARGES.
RAMMING A SUBMARINE
TO DAMAGE ITS HULL
IS A CRUDE BUT EFFECTIVE TACTIC.
FOR WAHOO,
THE CLOSE PROXIMITY
LEAVES NO TIME TO EVADE
IF ITS TORPEDOES MISS.
THE ONLY OPTION LEFT
IS AN EXTREMELY RISKY SHOT.
SAILORS CALL IT
"DOWN THE THROAT."
MORTON AIMS A SHOT STRAIGHT
AT THE SHIP'S NARROW BOW.
[FIRING]
Dienesch:
HE HAS NO OTHER OPTION.
IF HE DOESN'T,
THE DESTROYER HAS ALL THE SPEED
AND MANEUVERABILITY
TO POUND HIM INTO THE SILT,
AND THERE'S NOTHING
HE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO HE'S FORCING HIM TO ATTACK
AND TRYING TO CHANGE THE ATTACK
INTO A SITUATION WHERE
HE CAN HAVE THE ADVANTAGE.
Narrator:
AS THE DESTROYER CLOSES IN,
MORTON'S TIMING
HAS TO BE PERFECT.
IF THEY FIRE FROM
MORE THAN 1,200 YARDS,
THE DESTROYER HAS TIME TO EVADE,
BUT WITHIN 700 YARDS,
THE TORPEDO WON'T HAVE TIME
TO ARM AND DETONATE.
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
Narrator:
THEY RELEASE TWO TORPEDOES.
♪
♪
THE FIRST FLIES WIDE.
THE SKIPPER AND HIS CREW
MUST WAIT AND HOPE
THE SECOND TORPEDO
FINDS ITS MARK.
♪
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
Narrator: AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE
FIRES AT A JAPANESE DESTROYER
DEEP IN AN OCCUPIED HARBOR
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
ON PATROL WITH A NEW COMMANDER,
THEIR FIRST FIVE SHOTS HAVE
GONE WIDE OF A JAPANESE SHIP.
THEIR HOPE NOW RESTS
ON A FINAL TORPEDO-
A RISKY SHOT NOW RACING TOWARDS
THE NARROWEST PART OF THE SHIP.
LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER
THE PREVIOUS SHOT FLIES WIDE,
THE SECOND TORPEDO TO FIRE-
DOWN THE THROAT-
LANDS A DIRECT HIT.
THE BLOW CRIPPLES
THE DESTROYER'S HULL.
O'Kane: WE GOT A HIT.
Narrator: WAHOO PLUNGES DEEP
UNDER THE DAMAGED SHIP
TO AVOID A COLLISION
AND ESCAPE THE CARNAGE.
THE WARSHIP REMAINS AFLOAT
ON THE SURFACE.
Scott: AFTER AN ATTACK,
SOMETIMES A SHIP
GOES DOWN RIGHT AWAY.
OTHER TIMES IT CAN TAKE HOURS.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN TORPEDO
A SHIP, AND IT DOESN'T SINK.
Narrator: THE WOUNDED SHIP
STARTS TO DROP ITS CACHE
OF DEPTH CHARGES.
[EXPLOSIONS]
MORE THAN 80 FEET DOWN,
WAHOO'S CREW
MUST PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
[EXPLOSIONS]
Scott: A DEPTH CHARGE ATTACK
CAN BE A TRULY TERRIFYING THING
FOR THESE SUBMARINE SAILORS
BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A,
YOU'RE IN A WINDOWLESS BOAT,
SO YOU CAN'T SEE WHERE
THE DANGER IS COMING FROM.
YOU'RE JUST TRAPPED
IN THIS TIN CAN,
WITH EXPLOSIONS
THAT ARE SHAKING YOUR BOAT.
Friedman: IT'S A LOT OF NOISE.
THEY GO OFF,
YOU HEAR THEM GO OFF,
IT'S NERVE-RACKING.
[EXPLOSIONS]
Narrator:
SUDDENLY THE EXPLOSIONS CEASE.
[CREAKING]
A VIOLENT CRACKING NOISE
PENETRATES WAHOO'S HULL.
[CREAKING]
Dienesch: THEY'RE NOT THAT FAR
FROM THE BOAT TO BEGIN WITH,
SO YOU CAN HEAR THIS
RIGHT THROUGH THE HULL,
THE SOUND OF THE WATER RUSHING,
THE SOUND
OF THE BOILERS EXPLODING,
AND CERTAINLY THE SOUND OF
STEAM AND WATER BOILING.
Narrator: THE CREW
RECOGNIZES THE SOUND
OF THE DOOMED DESTROYER'S
BOILERS HITTING COLD SEAWATER.
THE DESTROYER HAS SPLIT OPEN.
WAHOO ASCENDS
TO PERISCOPE DEPTH
TO CONFIRM THE KILL.
IT BURNS AS ITS BOW
TILTS INTO THE SEA.
MORTON BANKS HIS FIRST WIN
AS A SUBMARINE COMMANDER.
HE NOW NEEDS TO STEER CLEAR
OF ENEMY COUNTER MEASURES
TO ESCAPE THE BAY.
O'Kane: DOWN SCOPE.
Narrator: HE DROPS WAHOO DOWN
TO 100 FEET AND SLIPS AWAY.
AS DARKNESS FALLS, THE JAPANESE
LIGHT FIRES ON WEWAK'S SHORES,
PERHAPS TO REVEAL A GLIMPSE
OF THE SUB SAILING BY.
WAHOO CRUISES DEEP,
PAST THE FLAMES.
"MUSH" MORTON CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATES TO HIS CREW
THE POTENTIAL OF
THE GATO-CLASS ENGINEERING.
AND DESPITE THE VICTORY,
HE'S NOT READY FOR HOME.
THEY HAVE 18 TORPEDOES LEFT
TO SINK JAPANESE SHIPS.
MORTON AND HIS NEW CREW
ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.
THE NEXT LEG OF HIS PATROL
TAKES WAHOO NORTH...
TOWARDS AN ISLAND CHAIN
ALSO OCCUPIED BY THE JAPANESE.
AFTER THE ATTACK
ON PEARL HARBOR,
JAPAN CONTINUED
ITS SWEEP ACROSS ASIA.
THE CONQUESTS CREATE A REALM
TRIPLE THE SIZE
BY THE MIDDLE OF 1942.
Friedman: THE JAPANESE MESSAGE
THAT THEY SEND THE WORLD
IS ASIA FOR THE ASIANS,
BUT IT REALLY MEANS
ASIA FOR THE JAPANESE.
THEY'D BEEN FIGHTING A WAR
IN CHINA SINCE 1931, REALLY,
AND VERY INTENSIVELY SINCE 1937.
ONCE IT LOOKED AS THOUGH
THE JAPANESE WERE GONNA TRY TO
CONQUER ALL OF SOUTHERN ASIA,
WE WANTED TO STOP THEM.
Narrator: AS AN ISLAND NATION,
JAPAN RELIES ON SPOILS
FROM FRESHLY ANNEXED LANDS
TO FUEL ITS SMELTERS
AND FEED ITS MEN.
SHIPPING ROUTES
CRISS-CROSS THE PACIFIC.
Scott: THE JAPANESE
WERE MATERIALLY BANKRUPT
FOR ALL THEIR SUPPLIES.
THEY HAD TO BRING IN EVERYTHING
ALMOST FROM OTHER PLACES,
NOT ONLY FOOD TO FEED
ITS BURGEONING POPULATION,
BUT ALSO ALL OF
ITS WAR MATERIALS-
THE BAUXITE NEEDED
TO MAKE ALUMINUM,
RUBBER FOR TIRES,
COTTON FOR UNIFORMS,
AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OIL,
WHICH IS THE MOST VITAL THING
TO BE ABLE TO POWER THEIR
BATTLESHIPS, FIGHTER PLANES,
AND BOMBERS.
IT REALLY DEPENDED
ON A MARITIME HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
IF THE JAPANESE ECONOMY
IS CUT OFF,
YOU CAN CUT OFF ITS ABILITY
TO BUY AND BRING IN
THE IMPORTS IT NEEDS
TO BUILD THE WAR GOODS
THAT IT NEEDS
AND TO FUEL ITS WAR MACHINE.
♪
Narrator: IN 1943,
CHESTER WILLIAM NIMITZ COMMANDS
THE AMERICAN PACIFIC FLEET.
HIS FORCES PRACTICE
UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE
IN THE PACIFIC.
Friedman: UNRESTRICTED
SUBMARINE WARFARE MEANS,
"IF I SEE IT, I SINK IT."
ONCE EVERYTHING IS FAIR GAME,
THAT'S TOTAL WAR.
Narrator: UNDER NIMITZ,
SUBMARINES ARE ASSIGNED
TO SPECIFIC PATROLS
TO ATTACK THE JAPANESE.
WAHOO HEADS FOR AN ISLAND PASS
USED TO FAST-TRACK GOODS
FROM PALAU TO JAPAN.
PALAU EXPORTS
KEY NATURAL RESOURCES.
Hayashi: THERE'S BAUXITE,
WHICH IS USED FOR ALUMINUM,
WHICH BECOMES THE AIRFRAMES
FOR THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT.
AND SECONDLY, OF COURSE,
PHOSPHATE FOR FERTILIZER.
YOU CAN FERTILIZE YOUR CROPS
AND GET BETTER FOOD PRODUCTION.
Narrator: BUT OPERATING
IN THESE WATERS WON'T BE EASY.
JAPAN HAS BUILT
WARSHIPS UNCHECKED
SINCE IT PULLED OUT OF A NAVAL
DISARMAMENT TREATY IN 1936.
ITS NAVY IS THE THIRD LARGEST
IN THE WORLD
AND CONCENTRATES
PREDOMINANTLY IN THE PACIFIC.
Friedman: THEY SPENT MOST
OF THE PERIOD BETWEEN WARS
BUILDING UP A LARGE FLEET.
THE LARGE FLEET WAS EXCELLENT.
IN 1941, THEY WERE PROBABLY
ABOUT AS GOOD AS YOU COULD GET.
AND THEY MOVE,
THEY MOVE RAPIDLY.
THEIR ARMY IS VERY EFFECTIVE.
THE ODDS IN THE FAR EAST
ARE VERY MUCH IN THEIR FAVOR.
Narrator: WELL-ENTRENCHED,
JAPANESE FORCES
HAVE A CLEAR ADVANTAGE.
♪
TO HELP TIP THE BALANCE,
WAHOO NEEDS TO LOCATE
ENEMY SHIPS.
MORE THAN 30 HOURS
INTO THE SEARCH,
THE CREW SPOTS SMOKE
ON THE HORIZON.
O'Kane: CAPTAIN,
YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE THIS.
Narrator:
WAHOO HAS FOUND NOT ONE SHIP,
BUT THREE.
A JAPANESE CONVOY.
TWO FREIGHTERS CARRY GOODS.
THE THIRD IS A TROOP TRANSPORT.
MORTON KNOWS THAT ALLIED CONVOYS
WERE PERFECT TARGETS
FOR NAZI GERMANY
EARLIER IN THE WAR.
Friedman: THE GERMANS
COMBINE NUMBERS OF U-BOATS.
THE WOLFPACKS WERE A WAY
OF FINDING CONVOYS
AND THEN CONCENTRATING
AGAINST THEM.
Narrator: IN THE PACIFIC, MORTON
FACES THESE THREE SHIPS ALONE.
Friedman: YOU'RE BY YOURSELF
DEEP IN ENEMY WATERS.
YOU HAVE TO BE
VERY SELF-RELIANT.
EVERY TIME YOU DO ANYTHING,
YOU'RE EXPOSING YOURSELF
TO DESTRUCTION.
Narrator: WAHOO'S NEW SKIPPER
MUST DECIDE HOW TO STRIKE
AN ENTIRE CONVOY.
Morton: CLOSE ON TARGET.
[KLAXON HORN]
Narrator: IN JANUARY 1943,
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE
HAS NOT SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED
A JAPANESE CONVOY.
THE CHOICE WILL MAKE
MORTON AND WAHOO FAMOUS...
AND INFAMOUS.
♪
IN JANUARY 1943,
USS WAHOO STALKS
A JAPANESE CONVOY NEAR PALAU
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
THE ASSAULT WILL EXPOSE
DUDLEY MORTON'S SUBMARINE
MUCH LONGER WITHIN ENEMY WATERS
THAN ATTACKING ONE SHIP.
Scott: SUBMARINES
ARE UNIQUELY VULNERABLE
TO ATTACKS FROM DEPTH CHARGES,
AERIAL BOMBS, EVEN GUNFIRE.
Friedman: THE MORE
AGGRESSIVE YOU ARE,
THE MORE CHANCES YOU GIVE
THE ENEMY TO GET YOU.
Narrator:
WAHOO SETS OUT IN PURSUIT.
ONCE IN POSITION,
THEY TARGET THE LEAD FREIGHTER.
IN MORTON'S TIME,
AMERICAN SKIPPERS
WILL EXPEND ON AVERAGE
NEARLY 12 TORPEDOES
PER SHIP SUNK.
WAHOO HAS 18 WARHEADS
AGAINST SHIPS LOADED WITH
ENEMY TROOPS AND SUPPLIES.
HE WILL NEED
TO BE MORE EFFICIENT
IF HE WANTS TO SINK THEM ALL.
Friedman:
I'M FIRING A TORPEDO AT A SHIP.
HE'S MOVING, I'M MOVING.
THE ANGLES ARE ALL TRICKY.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE HE'S MOVING AND HOW FAST.
Narrator:
THE TORPEDO DATA COMPUTER
IS THE SUBMARINER'S
MATHEMATICIAN.
Friedman:
THE TORPEDO DATA COMPUTER
IS A WAY OF FIGURING OUT
WHERE THE TARGET IS,
HOW FAST IT'S GOING,
WHAT DIRECTION IT'S GOING,
THEN WORKING OUT
WHAT THE TORPEDO HAS TO DO
TO GET TO IT.
Narrator:
READINGS FROM THE PERISCOPE
TELL THE DATA COMPUTER, OR TDC,
THE ENEMY'S RANGE,
BEARING, AND ANGLE
RELATIVE TO THE SUBMARINE'S BOW.
IT TRACKS THE TARGET
AND SETS A PRECISE COURSE
FOR THE TORPEDO.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR,
THE AMERICAN NAVY
RELIES HEAVILY ON THE TDC.
Friedman: YOU'VE GOT IT,
HE AIMS, FIRE THE TORPEDO,
DOES THE REST.
NO ONE ELSE HAD QUITE
THAT INTEGRATED SYSTEM.
Narrator:
THE FIRST TWO TORPEDOES
RACE TOWARDS A DAKAR MARU,
A JAPANESE FREIGHTER
WITH A 56-FOOT BEAM.
MORTON QUICKLY
TURNS ON HER SISTER SHIP,
A 475-FOOT-LONG ARIZONA MARU.
Morton: STAND BY FOUR.
Torpedo Operator:
FOUR ON STANDBY.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Dienesch: THE MARK 14
STEAM TORPEDO LEAVES A WAKE,
A VERY VISIBLE WAKE
IN THE WATER.
SO AS THE TORPEDO IS FIRED,
YOU'RE LITERALLY
IDENTIFYING YOUR LOCATION
WITH A LINE
FROM WHERE THE TORPEDO IS
TO WHERE YOU WERE.
THE LONGER YOU TAKE TO FIRE,
THE GREATER YOUR CHANCE
OF BEING CAUGHT.
Narrator: THE FIRST TWO
TORPEDOES HIT THEIR MARK.
THE DAKAR MARU STARTS TO LIST.
BUT ONLY ONE OF TWO TORPEDOES
MEANT FOR THE SECOND FREIGHTER
STRIKES,
AND JUST SLOWS
THE ARIZONA MARU DOWN.
WITH TWO SHIPS WOUNDED,
WAHOO'S SKIPPER SHIFTS
HIS FOCUS TO THE THIRD.
Morton: STAND BY THREE.
Narrator:
A SIEWA MARU TRANSPORT-
THE CONVOY'S PRIZE.
Dienesch:
IF IT'S CARRYING PEOPLE,
YOU ARE LITERALLY
ELIMINATING THE THREAT
OF A BRIGADE OR A DIVISION,
WHICH, IN THE END,
THE MARINES WOULD HAVE
TO STORM THE BEACH TO DEFEAT.
Narrator: MORTON DECIDES
TO FIRE THREE TORPEDOES
INTO THE TRANSPORT SHIP.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Narrator: IT DRAWS DOWN
WAHOO'S SUPPLY OF ORDNANCE,
BUT IT INCREASES
HIS CHANCE AT A KILL.
MORTON DOESN'T WANT
TO LET IT GET AWAY.
HE KNOWS THE SHIP
IS PROBABLY LOADED WITH TROOPS
KEY TO JAPAN'S WAR EFFORT,
ON THEIR WAY TO FIGHT AMERICANS.
TWO OF THE THREE WARHEADS HIT.
THE TRANSPORT IS CRIPPLED.
BUT THE SECOND FREIGHTER
RETURNS TO THE FIGHT
AND CHARGES STRAIGHT AT WAHOO.
IT'S A TACTIC CALLED "RAMMING."
Dienesch: IF YOU CAN
RAM THE SUBMARINE,
YOUR CHANCE OF ESCAPE
OBVIOUSLY IS VERY, VERY HIGH.
IF YOU TRY TO RUN AWAY,
THE SUBMARINE
WILL ALWAYS CATCH YOU.
SO, BY CHARGING IT,
WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO
IS ELIMINATE THE THREAT
THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN.
Narrator: FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN THREE DAYS,
MORTON'S SUBMARINE
FACES A CHARGING SHIP.
FOR THE SECOND TIME,
THEY DON'T BACK DOWN.
Scott: UP UNTIL THIS POINT,
SUBMARINE SKIPPERS WOULD GO OUT
AND THEY WOULD SHOOT AT A SHIP,
AND HOPEFULLY SINK IT.
AND THEN THEY
WOULD OFTEN RETREAT.
AND RATHER THAN TO GO IN
AND JUST FIRE AND THEN FLEE,
HE CAME BACK TIME AND AGAIN.
Narrator: WAHOO FIRES
TWO MORE TORPEDOES
AT THE CHARGING FREIGHTER.
THE FREIGHTER KEEPS COMING.
MORTON ABANDONS
THE COLLISION COURSE
AND DIVES HIS SUB.
Dienesch:
NOW THE WAHOO, THE HUNTER,
IS NOW BEING HUNTED.
BUT THE WAHOO HAS
MOST OF THE ADVANTAGES HERE.
IF THE WAHOO CAN DIVE,
THE TRANSPORT WILL EVADE HIM,
AND THEY CAN FOLLOW
THE TRANSPORT.
IF THE TRANSPORT GETS HIT
BY THE TORPEDOES, SAME RESULT-
YOU STILL SINK THE TRANSPORT.
WAHOO STILL HAS THE ADVANTAGE
DESPITE THE FACT
THAT IT'S BEING ATTACKED.
Narrator: MORTON HAS SPENT
FOUR PRECIOUS TORPEDOES
ON THE ARIZONA MARU,
BUT HAS FAILED TO SINK IT.
HE ALLOWS THE FREIGHTER
TO LIMP OFF
AND TURNS BACK TO
THE TROOP-FILLED SIEWA MARU.
Morton: FIRE FOUR.
Narrator: TWO MORE TORPEDOES
SEAL THE SHIP'S FATE.
Dienesch: THE EXPLOSION
REGISTERS HIGH ENOUGH,
IT OBSCURES THE BRIDGE,
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
70 FEET IN THE AIR.
THE CREW, OF COURSE,
IS NOW TRYING TO ABANDON SHIP.
HUGE EXPLOSION,
WHICH COULD MEAN THE MARU
WAS CARRYING EXPLOSIVES.
IT COULD MEAN IT WAS CARRYING
SOMETHING OF HIGH VOLATILITY,
AVIATION FUEL MAYBE,
AND THAT'S WHAT WAS STRUCK.
Narrator: THEY HAVE NOW SUNK
TWO-THIRDS OF THE CONVOY.
BUT MORTON STILL WANTS
THE FREIGHTER THAT GOT AWAY.
THE MARU HAS NOW BEEN
JOINED BY A TANKER.
BUT THE COST OF ATTACKING
THREE TARGETS FROM UNDERWATER
SCUTTLES THE PLAN.
WHILE WAHOO IS SUBMERGED,
IT RUNS OFF OF 250
LEAD ACID BATTERY CELLS,
EACH FOUR FEET HIGH.
Scott: THEY CAN STAY UNDERWATER
ON BATTERY POWER
FOR UP TO 48 HOURS,
BUT ONLY IF THEY'RE
GOING AT 2 KNOTS,
WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONLY
ABOUT 3 MILES AN HOUR.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE PACE MOST
PEOPLE WOULD JUST GO WALK.
Narrator: AFTER HOURS
OF RUNNING AND GUNNING,
WAHOO'S BATTERIES ARE DRAINED.
MORTON MUST CALL OFF THE CHASE,
AND HE'S FORCED TO SURFACE.
TWO ENGINES ARE SACRIFICED
TO RECHARGING.
WITH LIMITED SPEED AND RANGE,
HE DECIDES TO CIRCLE BACK
AND CHECK ON THE TARGET
HE HIT EARLIER.
Friedman: THE TRANSPORT
SINKS SLOWLY ENOUGH
THAT THOSE ON BOARD
GET INTO THE BOATS.
Narrator: 20 JAPANESE LIFEBOATS
DOT THE BISMARCK SEA.
HUNDREDS OF MEN
ARE IN AND AROUND THEM.
VICTIMS OF MORTON'S TORPEDOES.
BUT ALSO DECLARED ENEMIES
WHO MORTON BELIEVES
ARE COMMITTED
TO DESTROYING AMERICANS.
Friedman:
HE THINKS THEY'RE TROOPS,
THEY'RE GOING TO GO ASHORE,
THEY'LL STILL BE
EFFECTIVE ASHORE,
THEY'LL BE KILLING US
WHEN THEY GET THERE.
BETTER TO KILL THEM NOW.
HE THINKS OF THE BOATS
AS LEGITIMATE TARGETS.
AND IF THEY'RE
LEGITIMATE TARGETS,
OF COURSE YOU SHOOT THEM UP.
Narrator: AS MORTON
CONSIDERS THE SITUATION,
HE ORDERS HIS CREW
TO BE AT THE READY.
Morton: FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: BUT MORTON
IS WRONG ABOUT THESE TROOPS.
Scott: HE ORDERS HIS GUNNERS
TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN FIRE.
HE DOESN'T KNOW IT, BUT A LOT
OF THESE PEOPLE IN THE WATER
ARE ACTUALLY INDIAN POWs
THAT THE JAPANESE
HAVE ACTUALLY PICKED UP.
AND HE ASSUMES THAT THEY'RE ALL
JUST JAPANESE SOLDIERS,
TROOPS THAT MAY HAVE
BEEN TRANSPORTED.
AND THEY GO ON AND THEY END UP
SHOOTING AND KILLING
195 OF THESE INDIAN POWs
IN ADDITION TO ABOUT
87 JAPANESE TROOPS.
[GUNFIRE]
Morton: KEEP FIRING.
Scott: MORTON WAS NEVER
REPRIMANDED FOR THIS ACT.
IN FACT, HE WAS AWARDED THE ARMY
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
BY GENERAL MacARTHUR
FOR SINKING THESE SHIPS.
Friedman: WE TENDED NOT TO THINK
THAT YOU SHOULD
SHOOT UP SURVIVORS.
HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO
AN EXTREMELY SAVAGE WAR
IN WHICH JAPANESE SURVIVORS
OFTEN KEPT FIGHTING.
SO THAT ALSO FEEDS
INTO WHAT HAPPENS.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON'S KILLING
OF THESE, OF THESE POWs,
IT'S REALLY A DARK CLOUD
THAT EVEN TODAY
STILL HANGS OVER
THE LEGACY OF THE WAHOO.
Narrator: BY 2 P. M.,
WAHOO'S SKIPPER MOVES ON.
THE SUBMARINE'S BATTERIES
ARE CHARGED.
WAHOO CAN NOW PURSUE
THE SHIPS THAT ESCAPED.
THE FREIGHTER AND A TANKER
HAVE A HEAD START
OF AT LEAST TWO HOURS.
TO CATCH UP,
MORTON MUST REMAIN SURFACED.
THIS MAKES WAHOO VULNERABLE.
THE JAPANESE HAVE ALMOST
CERTAINLY DEPLOYED
ANTI-SUBMARINE UNITS
TO PROTECT WHAT'S LEFT
OF THEIR CONVOY.
Friedman: YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN
A SURFACE FIGHT WITH SOMEONE
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
TAKE THAT MUCH
TO PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS.
THAT'S AN AWFULLY
DANGEROUS THING TO DO.
Narrator:
JUST AFTER 3:30 P. M.
A PUFF OF SMOKE,
THEN THE PROFILE OF TWO SHIPS
OFF THE PORT BOW.
A TANKER CARRYING
MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF OIL
FLANKS THE FLEEING ARIZONA MARU.
BUT WAHOO HAS ONLY
SEVEN TORPEDOES LEFT.
MORTON PLANS TO SPEND THREE
ON THE TANKER.
A HIT WILL DENY PRECIOUS FUEL
TO JAPAN'S WAR MACHINES,
BUT LEAVES LIMITED OPTIONS
IN CASE OF COUNTER ATTACK.
Dienesch:
AS SOON AS THE TORPEDO COUNT
IS DOWN TO JUST A HANDFUL
OR A COUPLE OF TORPEDOES,
MORTON'S ABILITY TO ATTACK
IS SERIOUSLY DIMINISHED.
Narrator: AS DARKNESS FALLS,
WAHOO READIES
FOR A FINAL OFFENSIVE.
Morton: FIRE TWO.
[FIRING]
FIRE THREE.
[FIRING]
FIRE FOUR.
[FIRING]
Narrator: THREE TORPEDOES RACE
TOWARDS THE MANZYA MARU TANKER.
♪
JUST ONE HITS.
AND THE SHIP STILL SAILS.
[FIRING]
IT COSTS TWO MORE
TO HALT THE TANKER.
MORTON HAS TWO TORPEDOES LEFT
TO SINK THE FREIGHTER
HE'S CHASED FOR HOURS.
BEFORE HE CAN FIRE...
THE MARU LAUNCHES
ITS OWN ATTACK.
MUNITIONS LIGHT UP
THE NIGHT SKY,
SHELLS DROP INTO THE WATER,
AND SOME RICOCHET
OVER THE PERISCOPE.
Dienesch: THE SUBMARINE
SACRIFICES ARMOR PLATE
FOR STEALTH.
SO IF THAT HULL IS PUNCTURED
IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM,
IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED.
THAT SUBMARINE CAN NEVER DIVE,
WHICH MEANS
ITS GREATEST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL
IN ENEMY-CONTROLLED WATERS
JUST VANISHES.
SO TO BE ON THE SURFACE AND
UNDER DIRECT FIRE FROM A SHIP,
WHETHER IT'S A DESTROYER
OR A TRANSPORT,
IS EXTREMELY SCARY,
AND FOR THE CREW,
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Morton: FIRE THREE.
Narrator: JANUARY 1943,
OFF THE COAST OF PALAU
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
A SUBMARINE COMMANDER
HAS DOWNED A JAPANESE FREIGHTER
AND A TROOP SHIP.
AN ARIZONA CLASS FREIGHTER
FROM THE CONVOY
NOW ATTACKS THE AMERICAN CREW.
[WHIZZING]
O'Kane: SCOPE DOWN.
♪
Narrator: WAHOO DIVES 90 FEET
TO ESCAPE THE GUNFIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
THE SPLASH OF SHELLS CONTINUES
TO ECHO THROUGH THE HULL.
[BOOMING]
EVEN THOUGH MERCHANT SHIPPING
IS NOT USUALLY ARMED
WITH DEPTH CHARGES,
OUT OF PERISCOPE RANGE,
THE SUBMARINE IS HELPLESS
AND CAN'T FIGHT BACK.
♪
ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER,
MORTON CREEPS BACK
TO THE SURFACE.
THE FREIGHTER
HAS STOPPED FIRING.
BUT A COLD LIGHT
SWEEPS OVER THE HORIZON.
A SUBMARINE-KILLING DESTROYER
IS NOW ON THE HUNT FOR WAHOO.
MORTON DOESN'T HAVE
THE FIREPOWER TO TAKE IT ON.
Dienesch: THERE'S NOT MUCH
YOU CAN DO ABOUT A DESTROYER.
THEY'RE OFTEN AS FAST
OR FASTER THAN YOU ARE.
SO IT PUTS THE SUBMARINE
AT A MAJOR DISADVANTAGE.
Narrator: BUT WAHOO'S SKIPPER
MAKES THE DECISION
TO FINISH WHAT HE STARTED.
AS THE DESTROYER CLOSES IN,
MORTON FIRES
HIS LAST TWO TORPEDOES
AT THE FINAL SHIP OF
THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE CONVOY.
♪
O'Kane: WE GOT A HIT.
♪
Narrator: THE FREIGHTER
SLIPS FROM THE LIGHT.
AS THE DESTROYER
DEALS WITH THE CARNAGE,
WAHOO RETREATS TO THE SAFETY
OF THE OPEN SEA.
COMMANDER "MUSH" MORTON
GETS HIS KILL.
♪
ON FEBRUARY 7, 1943,
WAHOO STEAMS PROUDLY
INTO PEARL HARBOR,
A BROOM LASHED TO ITS PERISCOPE.
IT'S A SLY WINK
TO THE NAVAL TRADITION
OF CLAIMING A CLEAN SWEEP.
THE NAVY AND THE PRESS LOVE IT.
THE BRASS HOLDS UP
MORTON AND HIS CREW
AS THE FIRST U. S. SUBMARINE
TO SINK A CONVOY:
MORE THAN 11,000 TONS OF
JAPANESE SHIPS AND SHIPPING.
DESPITE SUBMARINERS
BEING NOTORIOUS
FOR THEIR "SILENT SERVICE,"
MORTON AND WAHOO
MAKE THE PAPERS.
HE EVEN CONSULTS ON CARY GRANT'S
WARTIME THRILLER,
"DESTINATION TOKYO."
MORTON'S AGGRESSIVE TACTICS
CHANGE THE CONDUCT OF THE
AMERICAN SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN.
Scott: THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
IN THE WAR
WHEN ANY SUBMARINE SKIPPER
HAD ACTUALLY DONE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
NO ONE HAD REALLY DARED TO THINK
THAT, HEY, COULD
AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE GO IN
AND DESTROY EVERY SHIP?
WELL, "MUSH" MORTON SHOWED
THAT IT WAS A POSSIBILITY.
IT SET A HIGHER BAR
FOR SUBMARINE SKIPPERS
GOING OUT AFTER THAT.
IT WASN'T JUST "MUSH" MORTON.
IT WAS THE SUPPORT TEAM HE HAD,
PRIMARILY WITH DICK O'KANE.
AS A LEADER,
HIS MEN REALLY LOVED HIM.
Narrator: WAHOO'S TRIUMPH
WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED.
BEFORE YEAR'S END,
WAHOO IS STRUCK
BY A HAIL OF ENEMY BOMBS
IN THE SEA OF JAPAN.
IT WOULD BE DECLARED OVERDUE
AND PRESUMED LOST.
AT 36 YEARS OLD,
SKIPPER "MUSH" MORTON
GOES DOWN WITH HIS SHIP.
BUT HIS IMPACT
ON SUBMARINE WARFARE
IS CRITICAL FOR THE U. S. NAVY.
Scott: "MUSH" MORTON
WAS THE TRAILBLAZER.
IF YOU LOOK AT
THE TOTALITY OF THE WAR,
HE IS SORT OF THE CENTER FULCRUM
ON WHICH ALL THE STRATEGY
AND TACTICS REALLY CHANGE.
IT'S FASCINATING BECAUSE
ALL OF THAT REALLY FALLS ON THE
SHOULDERS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL.
Narrator: MORTON
AND THE CREW OF WAHOO
DEMONSTRATE THE TENACITY
AND TACTICS NEEDED
TO TIP THE BALANCE OF POWER
IN THE PACIFIC.
Scott: HE SHOWED
THE REST OF THESE SKIPPERS
WHAT COULD BE DONE,
WHAT THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH
WITH THIS AMAZING SUBMARINE
THAT THE AMERICAN NAVY
HAD CONSTRUCTED.
♪