Silent Servicefirst aired in 1

[Music] I'm rear Admiral Thomas M Dyer's retired in this chapter of the silent service you will see the skipper the USS tyan Lieutenant Commander George El Street carry out an attack for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor this achievement was all the more noteworthy in that it occurred on the Tan's first war Patrol under a skip entrusted with his Maiden command in enemy Waters and especially because the whole thing sprang from a brilliant hunch we bring it to you as a true story as athentic as we can make it instructing a Navy pilot why sure waves help train Navy pilots in instrument flying today's waves are performing important tasks in varied and interesting career Fields one of these is right for you see your Navy recruiter in March 1945 as events were mounting to a climax in the war against Japan an Empire now fighting desperately for its life the USS tan departed from the island of sipan Bound for her patrol area in the Yellow Sea between Japan and Korea her first Patrol the captain and his executive officer shared two things a burning desire to Crown the Tan's first Patrol with success and a deep mutual respect this is a skipper Commander George L Street of Richmond Virginia his confidence in his executive officer Ned Beach hailing from paloalto California who after the war became Naval Aid to President Eisenhower was such that street regarded Beach as his alter ego dividing the burdens of command almost equally between them and this was her Gunner officer Lieutenant UT PE former All-American guard at Harvard and Son of a famous educator Dr PE of Groen school like many of Minister's son Chuck pey was full of fight and vinegar and he was a natural leader this is Lieutenant Ed camel of Philadelphia the engineer officer and Lieutenant stocky stalker a language student before joining the Navy the strongest man on board was Dale W rley chief of the boat it was said that rley could lift the torpa singlehanded one end [Music] anyway shortly after the tandi arrived on station West of Japan the captain called a meeting in the wardrobe wonder what the old man has in mind this wasn't the captain's idea wow wow thank you thank you thank you very much play a little ball hey easy with that thing Peabody how many times do I have to tell you it's pey you ever handle one of those no well neither have I anyway you're now grenade officer see I think remley knows about hand grenades that's right why don't you stick remley with the job I want you you get with remley so you can instruct all the members of the boarding party I I sir hi sker Captain gentlemen this meeting was all by Mr PNY so I suggest we turn the meeting over to Mr PNY Captain I know this boarding party idea is going to pay off why in San I heard the Japanese were using 3,000 junks and S pants anything as a last resort to transport oil drums goods and supplies a lot of small craft that we can't waste a torpedo on okay okay you told us about that part last time now what about the tactics that's what I want everybody's opinion on now my idea is that we Ram that junk at about three knots that'll penetrator planks just far enough so we can hold her while we board and we board her in two waves the first wave secures grapel to her gunels rounds up the crew searches a below deck for cargo grabs a ship's paper and loog then we sink it how many of you stalker Spence rley and I can handle it just the four of you suppose they act real hostile well now that's for the second wave under Ed camel if I can recruit him now the second wave mans a deck guns and uses automatic rifles to cover Us in case the enemy fires back well how does it sound any holes one maybe just one most of this crew thought they were being trained as uh submariners not Pirates think you can count on any volunteers I've already got five I've been Drilling and I think I can count on a few more you for instance Ned oh I can hardly wait well anyway if the plan has the captain's okay you've got my blessing at least it'll keep us from getting bored until we can find some big targets and maybe we can find a prisoner and then we can find out where the big ones really are you know when the tandi was christened everybody knew that she was a lucky ship and we're not going to go home from this Patrol empty-handed any questions nothing for me nothing no nothing that's it you got a minute Captain sure Ned what's your inspiration this time now look don't tell me you're still thinking about that oniki saki area I've decided that they wouldn't risk putting their big ones in those Harbor areas the answer is no I've given up on that idea too I got a new one you're really going to shoot me down on this one that's almost pure hunch I won't shoot you down if it holds water after all we know they're hiding their big one somewhere here on quart Island you see this indentation on the northwest coast behind an island mhm it's a perfect spot for them to use why well we know they've been getting through this route here by daylight I've got to hold up somewhere overnight most likely in the shallow Coastal Waters where they won't expect submarines wellp part island is a logical Hiding Place let's see to reach that area a subber have to go through miles of shallow water where she couldn't die because of reefs and Shores I know you're right they would field safe there and it's beyond the range of our aerial reconnaissance it's a natural you know Ned you might just have something there but as you say it's only a hunch with a college education I tell you what we'll do if we can get more concrete evidence oh such as presence of Minds Shore based radar I'll consider it seriously I either in the meantime let's look up up some sampin for peab oh I'm sorry I mean peab sail bearing 045 Lieutenant P to the bridge on the double see what I see Commando a nice fat junp for you perfect perfect let me out of you really think those Commandos of yours are ready ready they're over trained you give me 10 minutes and watch us now remember second wave hold your fire unless those Sports from the junk starts something saki you and Ry take your positions behind me on the bullnose and don't jump until I get a border first come on let's go [Music] 4 and a half knots captain make it four knot and hold it right on the button stand by the RAM stand by the ram all engines back full [Music] we're pulling clear it looks like all you'll need next time is remley or Spence I had to restrain him he lost a brother in the trigger you know Al Captain to work like a charm not a hitch and there she goes to the bottom with a full cargo good work Chuck we'll have to try this more often oh tell stalker to start interrogating those prisoners immediately oh here's the ship's papers and log thank you and a souvenir for you Ned oh thanks Cano say this is a very valuable clock Priceless you might say says right here made in [Music] USA with this auspicious beginning people his Commandos carried out many more successful boardings volunteers ceased to be a problem every man in the crew suddenly wanted to be a member of the boarding party V [Music] even that beach although he couldn't rid his mind of that sheltered Harbor at Kart Island he became more convinced than ever that here was where they'd find some really big game [Music] well I give up he can't speak Japanese and he won't speak Korean not your brand of Korean anyway I bet we get sweat it out of him maybe if we played that way I guess that's out how you doing Gustavo another dud afraid we got a pretty sorry excuse for an interpreter here I never tried to pound myself off as any language expert okay okay just keep trying you guys these fishermen just may know something about quart Island they've been running around in these Waters all through the war I'll make a deal with you Ned if we get the dope we need to bag a big ship you lay off the remarks about my winning the war my way it's a deal well let's get this deaf mute out of here and bring in the next one sorry I speak English why didn't you say so heard man say quart Island I changed mine you know quart Island no quot Island very well good when was the last time you were there you pay money sure we PID plenty of money come on soccer get it up I'm strapped I'll pay you back when I can [Applause] big ships in Harbor many mines many guns many airplane in Sky many towers with sail turning like this radar everything cigarette thanks Captain about that qu part Island you yeah boys have been interrogating that fisherman we picked up and I'm satisfied that part of his information is reliable well he's a Korean there's not much for him to lose no there's no love for Japan there that's for sure from what he says there are mines and numerous Patrol vessels in the area and an unusual amount of air coverage and you really believe this guy huh yes he's convinced me I'd say now that we got more than a hunch to go on yeah but it's still only a hunch but it's a good one you know maybe we haven't been wasting our time with peod Commandos after [Music] all there's only one way for us to find out Ned and that's to poke our nose in there get going and work me out a detailed plan got it right here [Music] hey there D arino what's your plan the coolest swingingest exciting man satellite space flying I got it made a chance to see the universe with all expenses paid I'm with you Dad let's get off the dime with four years ahead let's not waste our time find out where you fit that's what we say see your na recruiter today at midnight of April 14th 1945 the tanti executed a Ry approach to the hidden Harbor at quart Island she crossed a 10 fathom curve only 60 ft of water under the boat hardly enough to cover a big ship like Tanny from here in she was committed the Lookouts and Commander Peach has off to the deck for all eyes and ears anything happening Patrol boat bearing 030 it just barely make her out at first I thought she was starting to close on us but now she's turned away let's hope so at least we haven't flushed out a flock of torpedoes or sh guns no the only sign of Life are those five Shore based Radars we've monitored apparently air search type well they shouldn't be to effective against us five of them you say that shows we're on the right track floating mine off the port fou right 10° Rudder right 10° Rudder plenty of margin yeah we're okay better of mid ships Steady As You Go apparently that prisoner of yours was right when he said there were mines in here maneuvering Bridge make turns for six knots maneuvering making turn for six [Music] knots the durandy moved closer to a small island which blocked the Inner Harbor where she hoped to find an enemy Anchorage she had a choice of penetrating the Inner Harbor from the North or from the south the tan was now probing the southern approach nine fathoms but as far as we can go on this approach Ned yeah you see anything in there that looks like ships thought for a minute I saw something better did I it's hard to tell against the shoreline though we can't see ships from this range we couldn't see the shoot you think the Anchorage is empty no not necessarily maybe we can get a better look if we try the northern approach keep about 12200 yd offshore and circle the island all right Captain left 20° Rudder left 20° Rudder continue your single ping Peter readings every 3 to 5 minutes all right sir the Tanny skirted around the island Sheltering the harbor until she was in position for another cautious approach from the north once again she crossed the 10 fathom curve 10 fathoms nine fathoms eight fathoms you sure that thing's working remlin I see what you mean sir this keeps up we might as well get out and walk 7 fathoms well another 5 minutes we'll know one way or the other see anything not yet all moving off on the port Bean it's an escort vessel she's paralleling us two Patrol vessels I don't think they see us could be Battle Stations Ned man your Battle Stations mind your Battle Stations Battle Stations [Applause] [Music] torpedo I think three or four sh ships three big on patrol vessel turning toward us man the deck guns man the deck guns man the de guns gun crew on Deck man the deck gun gun crew on De [Music] Captain she's turning away looks like a false alarm but station your gun Cruise just in case why eyes we'll hug the island a little closer come left at 5° come left 5° Captain radar has three ship contacts TDC plot them to speed zero good we caught them at anchor secure the Peter readings if they can get in there so can we I looks like an ammo ship two frigs nearer okay we'll move in closer and get this over with get on the largest Target all captain we're ranging on the bigger ship now 2500 yd that's about right we'll try a sighting inshot using TBT bearings the Tanny backed down and laid two a bow towed slightly out to combat the set of the current anytime you're ready n [Music] exploded against the beach yeah missed to the right anyway we know there's no torpedo [Music] Nets they think it's aircraft [Music] [Music] ready up to pick off the two frgs [Music] group number one fired [Music] electrically Fire group number two fire [Music] totically we got two more of them now let's get out of here left full rder all and [Music] full leaving as she had entered skirting close to the small island to escape detection the tan raced to evade one of the patrol boats now hot on her [Music] Trail she reached deep water and then the inevitable depth charging [Music] began but after what the tan had been through there was little Panic so believe it or not everything worked out just the way we planned Captain radio just picked up a message the president is [Music] dead send out a report to the Force Commander S three ships for FDR [Music] I I'll be back in a moment with our special guest about those electronic supersonic Adam powered aircraft carriers you mean the ones that fly fly that's a rumor the Navy has no such thing I got it straight from my uncle I say it's a rumor no easy man easy anything's possible for the Navy but let's get it straight let's see the nearest Navy recruiter sure you all would like to meet the commander of the USS tan and his executive officer this is Captain George L street the real life Skipper of the tan and Captain Edward L Beach former executive officer I agree with you about that slight smell of suicide well it would have been too bad if we'd been boxed in at kport where we couldn't dive the government has rewarded you with a congressional BAL of Honor for this Patrol did it seem at the time like your plan was above and beyond the Call of Duty at the time I'd just say it seemed like a good idea a good idea with a strong smell of nerve and genius this time Ned everyone has been enjoying your submarine story so much do you have another one in preparation well after all my main job is being an officer of the United States Navy but in answer to your question I I I do have a few ideas it's too bad that the old team of Street and Beach can't sail together again that's one of the prices we pay for getting older well congratulations to you both on this truly outstanding Patrol in the tan please join us again for another exciting chapter of the silent service [Music] [Music] la all [Music]