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    Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
    Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
    Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
    Audiobook15 hours

    Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II

    Written by Eugene B. Fluckey

    Narrated by Corey M. Snow

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The thunderous roar of exploding depth charges was a familiar and comforting sound to the crew members of the USS Barb, who frequently found themselves somewhere between enemy fire and Davy Jones's locker. Under the leadership of her fearless skipper, Captain Gene Fluckey, the Barb sank the greatest tonnage of any American sub in World War II. At the same time, the Barb did far more than merely sink ships-she changed forever the way submarines stalk and kill their prey. This is a gripping adventure chock-full of "you-are-there" moments. Fluckey has drawn on logs, reports, letters, interviews, and a recently discovered illegal diary kept by one of his torpedomen. And in a fascinating twist, he uses archival documents from the Japanese Navy to give its version of events. The unique story of the Barb begins with its men, who had the confidence to become unbeatable. Each team helped develop innovative ideas, new tactics, and new strategies. All strove for personal excellence, and success became contagious. Instead of lying in wait under the waves, the USS Barb pursued enemy ships on the surface, attacking in the swift and precise style of torpedo boats. She was the first sub to use rocket missiles and to creep up on enemy convoys at night, joining the flank escort line from astern, darting in and out as she sank ships up the column. Surface-cruising, diving only to escape, "Luckey Fluckey" relentlessly patrolled the Pacific, driving his boat and crew to their limits. There can be no greater contrast to modern warfare's long-distance, video game style of battle than the exploits of the captain and crew of the USS Barb, where the sub, out of ammunition, actually rammed an enemy ship until it sank. Thunder Below! is a first-rate, true-life, inspirational story of the courage and heroism of ordinary men under fire.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 12, 2013
    ISBN9781452685465
    Thunder Below!: The USS *Barb* Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II

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    Reviews for Thunder Below!

    4.5/5

    106 ratings10 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Great Book a must listen for any History buffs .
    • 5/5
      When I qualified on submarines, we selected each a passage from this book, which was read aloud by our chief as we got our dolphins pinned. While the narrator here doesn’t quite carry the same booming gravitas of Chief Raimondo, I have nothing but good things to say about the courage and determination shown by those who went before me written and read here.
    • 5/5
      Listening to this book was about 3 times better than any movie that I watched. I was intrigued by the extreme teamwork and the leadership as portrayed in the book. Now, I am trying to find a similar book. It was mentioned that one family was praying for the Barb and its crew. I wonder if that helped them get through the war?
    • 5/5
      Fantastic book. Probably the best WWII book that I have read. Reads like an action novel.
    • 5/5
      Unique insights from a hero of WWII. Obviously someone who cared for YT he men under his command and was committed to carrying out his mission with courage and innovation.
    • 4/5
      Another informative book about one particular submarine in action in the Pacific. Good history of WWII. Not well written but still good.
    • 5/5
      Execellent book! Details the aggressive, bold, and initiative of one of America's finest submarine commander's during World War 2. The writing style puts you on the submarine and in the mind of the Captain while the exploits will keep you from putting the book down.
    • 5/5
      Eugene Fluckey's reflection of his WWII experience as Captain of the submarine USS Barb. An in depth look at the missions he and his crew experienced while battling the Japanese. Become a part of the crew as you dive into this book.
    • 5/5
      This is an outstanding account of the author's five triumphant patrols in the USS Barb in the Pacific in 1944 and 1945. The intensity of the account at times rivals fiction. One is filled with admiration for the superb technical knowledge and effective leadership of the author as a sub commander. He lost not a man while commanding the sub despite the very aggressive and gung-ho manner in which he pursued the enemy. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, despite his position that only dead people should get that. An outstanding book on a brilliant career.
    • 5/5
      No doubt about it, this is the absolute BEST American submarine account out there that I have read. Usually I tell folks if you want an exciting submarine warfare book you need to read the German stuff, but now I finally have an American account to recommend. This guy had b$^ls that clanked and knew when and how to push things to the brink. Get it, read it, you will LOVE it!!!