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Thunder Below!: The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II Hardcover – July 1, 1992

by Eugene B. Fluckey (Author)

4.7 3,328 ratings

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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, videogame style of battle than the exploits of the captain and crew of the USS Barb, where they 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.

A Main Selection of the Military Book Club. Winner of the Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature given by the Naval Order of the United States, New York Commandery.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The USS Barb was the Navy's most successful submarine in WW II. Operating mainly in the South China Sea, the Formosa Strait and the forever mysterious Sea of Okhotsk, the Barb sank at least 29 Japanese ships and climaxed its final patrol with an audacious commando raid on land during which the crew destroyed a 16-car train. This was the sole U.S. military landing on Japanese soil during the war. Drawing on ship's logs, letters, interviews, diaries and his own memory, Fluckey, a retired rear admiral, reconstructs every attack by and against the sub from its eighth through its 12th and last patrol. This was the 15-month period when he served as the Barb's skipper, winning the Medal of Honor and four Navy Crosses for his daring exploits. Fluckey is a fine writer with a lively, colorful style. His book is packed with action and suspense and is rich in details about the day-today operation of a submarine in combat. Photos. Military Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Medal of Honor holder Fluckey relates the story of his wartime command, U.S. submarine Barb , in a well-told and -researched narrative of undersea resourcefulness and courage. Barb set an unparalleled record of exploits in the naval war against Japan, and Fluckey has used both U.S. and Japanese naval records to re-create the vessel's story. The quality of his writing is far above the usual wartime memoir. This title will appeal to readers of both military history and Tom Clancy-style technothrillers. Highly recommended for World War II collections. Military Bk. Club main selection.-- Stanley Planton, Ohio Univ.
Chillicothe Lib.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The real story of a real hero."--Tom Clancy

From the Back Cover

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 untilit sank. Thunder Below! is a first-rate, true-life, inspirational story of the courage and heroism of ordinary men under fire.

About the Author

Eugene B. Fluckey, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.), was a 1935 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. For his valor under fire, Lt. Cdr. Fluckey was awarded four Navy Crosses and the Congressional Medal of Honor, unequalled by any living American. The crew of the USS Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Unit Commendation. In 1989 the U.S. Navy honored Fluckey by naming the nuclear submarine Combat Systems Training Center, the largest and highest building in New London Connecticut, Fluckey Hall, the only building there named for a living person. His last active duty was as NATO Commander in Chief of the Iberian Atlantic Area in Lisbon, Portugal, from which he retired in 1972. In June 1991 he did research for Thunder Below in remote villages on the coast of China. Of his many citations, Fluckey said he was most proud of the one medal no member of his crew was ever awarded: the Purple Heart, given to those wounded under fire.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Illinois Press; First Edition (July 1, 1992)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 444 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0252019253
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0252019258
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.55 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.25 x 7.25 x 10.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #418,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #745 in Naval Military History
- #838 in WWII Biographies
- #3,659 in World War II History (Books)

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4.7 3,328 ratings

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Scout Man

neat story and well written

Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024

Verified Purchase

this sub was a commanders dream in WWII. they used every bit of weaponry to hurt the enemy. good read.

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David from NC

Best American WWII Sub Book! Best American SUB!

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2023

Verified Purchase

I am SO embarrassed that-being an American and something of a WWII historian, AND being fairly knowledgeable about GERMAN submarines/submariners/campaigns-I had never heard of the USS Barb! This is excusable. Thanks to The Fat Electrician on YouTube however, I became aware and ordered this book the same week I watched his video (bonus tip-go THIS MINUTE and watch his scholarly expose on YouTube for a quick summary of the Barb's WWII exploits under Captain Eugene Fluckey!)

The book is huge (one of the first in my collection I'd grab if I had to hit someone with a book) and starts pretty much from the start in the action. It is written in first person since it's written by the sub's captain (later Admiral) Eugene Fluckey. I personally find first person writing easier to read and comprehend and usually prefer it. This one emphasizes first person SPEECH without much elaboration which is somewhat different but easy enough to immerse in; most paragraphs in fact are quotations of conversations. There is still enough descriptive detail to "see the drama as it unfolds".

We KNOW he's the Captain and in charge but he never harps on this or excessively "beats his own chest" but on almost every page is giving accolades and showing respect for the devoted work of the CREW, by NAME. THAT is a leader!

I relate to Captain Fluckeys leadership style and see some of myself (I'm semi-retired law enforcement officer-previously a patrol supervisor for night shift in a medium sized sheriff's office). He pulled in as much knowledge of his job and the way others done it (to learn better ways to do his job and ways NOT to do it, from other's mistakes) as he could-one section mentioned he read old submarine patrol logs in his off time. He was not afraid to take risks-sometimes an aggressive pro-active response is SAFER and more effective than a "let's wait and see" approach (to wit-the old adage that "a-good-plan-today-is-better-than-a-perfect-plan-tomorrow"). However, in spite of risks he was constantly cognizant of the safety of his crew, within reason, and within the bounds of they were still a front line SUBPAC boat in "hot spots" of the conflict. As evidenced in the book (and highlighted in the Barb story by the Fat Electrician) no sailor on his boat was seriously injured or killed from combat operations in all of Fluckey's patrols. At the end of the conflict, he proved that these two goals (success in battle and safety of his crew) were NOT mutually exclusive!

To paraphrase the Fat Electician, when hunting the USS Barb, all the IJN was doing was playing the worlds most deadly game of "Fluck around and find out!"

This book and in fact ADM Fluckey's entire career should be a model for leadership in military circles, and even wider possibly.

Get this book and learn about the most successful US submarine of WWII and the only one that sank a train!

4 people found this helpful

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TigerTC

A Rousing Sub Tale!

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2013

Verified Purchase

Eugene “Lucky” Fluckey’s “Thunder Below: The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II” is the rousing, real-life tale of the last five combat patrols by the USS Barb in World War II.

Unlike most similar books, this one reads like a novel and relies heavily on dialogue to tell the story. Fluckey relied on the official log, reports, messages, letters, oral histories made during the war, and even an “illegal diary” that was kept by a crewman. He also researched Japanese archives to find the Japanese reports for their perspective of some of the events. Even though it was written over 40 years after the events depicted, one crewman who read the manuscript told Fluckey, “You must have had a tape recorder.” [pg. ix]

This method helps bring life to some exciting and fascinating war patrols. Fluckey was a “fighting captain” in the best tradition and worked long and hard to press his attacks. The highlights of his patrols include a surfaced attack in shallow water on the Chinese coast against a Japanese convoy (for which he won the Medal of Honor), the first ever rocket attacks from a submarine, and a landing party that blew up a Japanese train (the only Americans to land on Japanese soil during WWII).

If I had to criticize one aspect of the book, it’s the sterile, sanitized view of the war he gives. Fluckey glosses over the real fear and terror they must have felt when depth-charged, and he never acknowledges the death and destruction he and his crew caused.

This book is an incredible account of incredible actions, full of good maps and great anecdotes. And the discerning reader can learn some strong leadership lessons from Fluckey. The stories he tells read more like fiction than real-life accounts – it’s hard to believe they actually happened.

4 people found this helpful

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J. Tully

Good narrative about the Navy's best sub

Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

I thought this was a pretty well written narrative about the last few patrols of the Barb during WWII. The writing got a little stilted at times. People just didn't talk like that in the 40s. They cursed very differently than today though and he portrays that accurately. After a while it got to be a bit more of the same and that's probably me being a get to the point person while Fluckey brings you along with him minute by minute to the point where they are shooting the torpedoes and the emotional roller coaster when some of them fail when most needed. I cannot imagine what it was like to get to a firing solution only to have the torpedoes malfunction and then all hell breaks loose in the form of depth charges. and you are helpless. These guys were true heroes at the pointy end of the spear and they suffered the worst casualties of any branch of the service with 80% KIA. Even worse than the bomber crews out of England at 67%. For the WWII history nut this is a not to be missed picture of life in a thin hulled sub during the last year of the war.

6 people found this helpful

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Placeholder

A vivid window into combat submarine in Pacific

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

Well written, generous in giving credit, interesting in the innovative ways Barb took the war to Japan. The account is carefully supported by acknowledged facts.

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024

Verified Purchase

Excellent read about one of the most successful submarines in WWII. Takes you into the sub with the crew and what they faced on a daily basis.

Helpful

Robert V.

Inspiring Stories of Courage, Competence and Culture

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2023

Verified Purchase

This is a Band of Brothers type collection of stories of courage and daring in war, but in the rarely described environment of a submarine versus a platoon of soldiers. What the men of the submarine force contributed to the victory over Japan in World War II, and what they risked to accomplish it, is a page-turning story of inspiration for those who served the country and helped restore peace to the world in the unseen depths of the Pacific Ocean in World War II.

One person found this helpful

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LBF

Great read

Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

My cousin who went to Naval Academy said that what the commander Flukey did was taught in classes.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Dustin Waters

Absolutely Fantastic!!!

Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2023

Verified Purchase

Loved this book. I received the book on a Monday and by the time that Friday had rolled around I had powered through it. I couldn't put it down. Adm Fluckey is an absolutely amazing writer. The best part.. It's history, not fiction. Everything he wrote in his book is backed up with facts and primary documentation. It reads like a Thriller that you just can not put down.

Fredrick W.

Repetitive

Reviewed in France on April 25, 2023

Verified Purchase

After the first few chapters, book quickly become repetitive unfortunately.

Paul Downing

Great read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent read, very enjoyable. Lots of information, but written in a way that's entertaining.

One person found this helpful

Paul

Let's try "Wow" as a description

Reviewed in Australia on July 22, 2023

Verified Purchase

The writer is the Captain of the USS Barb, Gene Fluckey, The USS Barb was one of the most effective and good-humored subs in the Navy during WW2. It's the only sub ever to have sunk a train. A must-read for WW2 buffs, and very useful as a research book. If you're a sub person, you'll be right at home.

Donovan

A must read for history enthusiasts

Reviewed in Canada on December 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

I am an avid reader on history and WW2. This is one of the top 10 books I have ever read on the second world war. The exploits of the USS Barb are truly one of a kind and proof that fact is much more fascinating than fiction.

One person found this helpful

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