I’m a day late, but Happy Birthday to the US Navy!
And a bit of throwback… From 1945, the capture of U-505 by the USS Guadalcanal off the Azores. It’s 19 minutes long, but was filmed during the operation and it is rather interesting, in that you actually get to see the participants. And the data/code books/etc. was a MASSIVE intel coup for the US Navy!
Yes, I would do it again, given the chance. 🙂
Interesting video. I had the opportunity to re-enlist a CPO on the conning tower of the U-505 when I was stationed at one of the Reserve VP squadrons at the now closed NAS Glenview. The Chief had it all arranged with the Museum of Science and Industry, which owns the sub, and it was done before the doors were open to the public. I thought it was a bit weird, but it was a truly unique experience and the Chief was all smiles after taking the Oath again.
I grew up around Chicago; one of my favorite memories was going to the Museum of Science & Industry and going on the U-505 Tour. Back then it was outside in the rain, now they’ve got it indoors in it’s own special pen.
As a young lad, I read some of Admiral Gallery’s fiction works–
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_V._Gallery
Names changed in the stories to protect the guilty. For anyone who wore the uniform, absolutely hilarious.
I first encountered U-505 story (and Daniel Gallery’s writing) nearly 50 years back, but didn’t know that this documentary existed. If anything, he managed to make the sub’s capture seem far easier and much more humorous than the bare facts given here.
I understand that the Navy used to have quite a few Dan Gallery stories floating around – he was A Character in many ways. But a dedicated and effective naval officer too.
My favorite Gallery story was the Blues flying F8F’s on a transit down the west coast, between cloud layers, and meeting a P5M going the other way. Blues lead rolls the formation inverted causing the P5’s guest pilot at the controls, who thought he was the one inverted, to try to roll the P5 upright. Hilarity ensued…
Agree RHT447, I also read Admiral Gallery’s as a young member of the E-4 mafia. Very funny stuff indeed!
Capt’n Fatso was my hero as an E-4!
Hawaiian- That had to be interesting!
Maj- Huh, didn’t know that. But I haven’t seen it in over 20 years.
RHT et al- Yeah, I remember the Gallery books floating around every squadron I was in. And yes, Capt’n Fatso was our hero!!!
Amazing what happened after the Coast Guard ran out of patches.
Something else FYI https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/25/uss-samuel-roberts-sammy-deepest-shipwreck/