Book Description
Most World War II submarine stories are glorifications of war written by submarine captains about their own boats. The USS Pampanito, however, was not a typical submarine. The sub and its crew caused plenty of destruction, but they found the pinnacle of their honor and fame in a dramatic sea rescue. Gregory F. Michno relates the experiences of the crewmen--both enlisted men and officers--who served on the USS Pampanito. The Pampanito story begins with the boat's construction in 1943, continues through its six combat missions, and concludes with its decommissioning after the war in 1945. The heart of the book is the September 12, 1944, attack on a Japanese convoy carrying English and Australian POWs from the Burma-Siam Railway (of Bridge on the River Kwai fame) to prison camps in Japan. The Pampanito helped sink two of the prison ships, unwittingly killing hundreds of Allied soldiers, but then returned to rescue the victims. The crew picked a record seventy-three men from the sea.


About the Author
Gregory F. Michno is the son of a USS Pampanito crewman. To write this book, he reviewed audio and video tapes, diaries, and letters and interviewed fifty Pampanito veterans.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Gregory F. Michno is the son of a USS Pampanito crewman. To write this book, he reviewed audio and video tapes, diaries, and letters and interviewed fifty Pampanito veterans.

SYNOPSIS

Most World War II submarine stories are glorifications of war written by submarine captains about their own boats. The USS Pampanito, however, was not a typical submarine. The sub and its crew caused plenty of destruction, but they found the pinnacle of their honor and fame in a dramatic sea rescue. Gregory F. Michno relates the experiences of the crewmen—both enlisted men and officers—who served on the USS Pampanito.

The Pampanito story begins with the boat's construction in 1943, continues through its six combat missions, and concludes with its decommissioning after the war in 1945. The heart of the book is the September 12, 1944, attack on a Japanese convoy carrying English and Australian POWs from the Burma-Siam Railway (of Bridge on the River Kwai fame) to prison camps in Japan. The Pampanito helped sink two of the prison ships, unwittingly killing hundreds of Allied soldiers, but then returned to rescue the victims. The crew picked a record seventy-three men from the sea.

"Gregory F. Michno does a beautiful job of capturing the nuances of human hardship and endeavors in the Pampanito while the boat glided silently beneath the seas. And extensive wartime rescues of friend and foe alike justify the boat's accolades. Michno never loses sight of the average submariner's role and always keeps in focus the dedication and commitment of the Pampanito crewmen to the corporate whole—to their shipmates, their boat, and the mission."—Carl Boyd, coauthor of The Japanese Submarine Force and World War II

"An enthralling story, not soon forgotten."—Tulsa World

FROM THE CRITICS

Naval War College Review