THE SILENT SERVICE

[Music] I'm Rear Admiral Thomas m-type is retired and this is a well worn baseball cap I fart from its owner the cause in a sense that it's a symbol in fact the men involved in the true story we will document for you would probably have preferred going into combat without ammunition and without this cap in August 1943 the USS grayling was concluding her fifth Pacific patrol a skipper was Lieutenant Commander John Ely of Rancho Santa Fe California a veteran of 14 consecutive months of combat duty lieutenant Robert Bonin was executive officer lieutenant junior grade Edward Camel gunnery officer radium and second class John C Smith was radar operator and chief talk pediment Joseph day was chief of the boat the grayling was down to a last torpedo and it's been waiting for just the kind of target he now had in her sights stand by forward stand my number one final observation and shoot bearing mark 3:05 range mark to 5mm bet shoot down scope by one whole it tops go that's what I gonna watch so far so good ten seconds [Music] five seconds [Music] bullseye take a look Bob she's living out a flight path captain look on a square amidships oh boy what a beautiful shot the crews been talking for days about making this last one count sort of a going-away present for you no they couldn't give me a better one don't go well what say we head for home [Music] there was a customary welcome awaiting the grayling when she returned to base at Fremantle Australian but it was a special moment for commander Li not only had this last patrol been highly successful but within the hour he'd be getting his leave papers from Admiral Christie then of both the home Oh hello jack morning sir well welcome home it's wonderful to have you back thank you sir it's good to be back you know I'm sorry I put you down the dot to be a part of the welcoming committee that's all right I got your message ah staff meetings every time I turn around oh no thank you well I I've read your personal report I know you haven't sitting on your thumbs the past 60 days well we had a little luck and a good hot area well I got another one just as hot Phoenix for sure next Patrol sir there is beating around the bush Jack my leaves been canceled I'm sorry jack would you see enemy shipping is tripled in the last three months experienced skippers and crews are a must well I understand what about the men sir this effect the 25 percent co2 replacement it affects all personnel now Jack we have the manpower they're all green kids I just can't take a chance in selling them out excuse me yes Johnson come I'll be right in well letter staff meeting I'll be going sir now we can talk about this later Jack what about some Genesis afternoon fine or Clarke as usual four o'clock it's really good see back thank you sir see you for a budget it took it only three weeks to refit the grayling and on October 1st 1943 she started on a six combat patrol all the men didn't take leave casting as hard as I thought they would oh you know why don't you know why well you got a loyal bunch here I think the men operate the grayling colors down the Main Street of Tokyo if you ask them well that's piece of luck I've had is to get a crew like this as long as we're underway I think I'll cut them in on some of our orders captain speaking our orders it to proceed to the coast of Borneo for a five-day patrol of enemy shipping lanes then proceed to the Philippines flying laid-off Corregidor for anything going in or out of Anila babe I didn't tell you this will be no Sunday picnic good luck and route to that destination every mile of the ocean was considered enemy water three days out of Fremantle on October 4th 1943 the routine of shipboard life settled down on the grayling and the traditional playoff for the patrol check a championship started any widget they're just starting the summer final this first in skipper's playing beaver Rankin hey that should be pretty good let me tell the championship once hey my money's on chief day [Music] okay Ragan your move hold it [Music] captain to the Conn $8 captain to the conning tower remember it's my move where you got radar contacted about 10,000 yards captain bearing three five zero closing in take her down bob baer the branch [Music] execute sir very well bring up anything I have a contact sir bearing three five zero go stay with it up school [Music] can't see anything with weather and none of it good [Music] Oh Pizza uh-huh anything more something more than a guess sir I'd say as twin screws maybe a tanker closing him fast though this might be a good chance captain to see how good or bad radar is not on your life they send us out with a full load of fish tunneling experiment besides you'd have to surface no this fog is like we might run right out in the open you're not me tell you what have you got against radar captain oh nothing really can't say much for it either Jeff I ain't perfected can't see a thing no hold it wait a minute brought in the open just barely make him out he doesn't start digging we got ourselves a sitting duck have to work fast it's too hazy to make him out there you're gonna get one crack at him when that fog closes in again come on let's go angle on the bow 60 starboard final observation ship burying mark 3-5 to range mark one five double oh shoot fire one [Music] everyone's a clean miss to God's floor to the bomb number two I can't tell you just spread the fog I mean we won't get credit for a sinking it doesn't look that way wait a minute I've got an idea let's take her up Bob and try out that radar viewers [Music] that's it names out it looks to me as if he's got a double image in the screen don't believe me it's nothing caught a right amidships she's breaking into that's the second half you see nothing contact sir five thousand yeah I was closing in fast what's with the escort two-seven-zero the bridge [Music] did you make them out yet yeah bombers for maybe more service contact closing in fast captain I think God is coming and going shall we rig for silent running captain no I want that destroyer to find us as long as we can keep a surface vessel on that till we've got a perfect umbrella those bombers won't dare drop anything for fear of hitting their ship crush them trick us to stay clear the destroyers depth charges captain Lee's strategy work using the enemy destroyers and umbrella the attacking bombers were unable to drop their bombs they feel low they finally left the area captain leave and rig for silent running and lost the circus buster a battery's charged the grayling was on a way at dawn the next day and again the crews settled down to the routine of shipboard life now hear this the game for the grayling six patrol checker championship is scheduled for 1400 captain Lee versus chief of the boat Joe day all right gentlemen no money showing your markers good there is no gambling in the United States Navy just a friendly vote of confidence and your choice all markers redeemed or collected before your first Liberty so step right up your credits good with good old Honest John now oh who else for Day who else for the champion huh I hear we got a Miss please gentlemen let the man through let the man too and your name sir is [Music] you already captain the Challenger his first move about okay hi buddy day if you are the skippers moved ages took his black king my money is on day this that I'll stick with the skipper we beat her be her watski and then her be with chant before a day [Music] hey the skipper just took date and bearing zero one zero elevation twenty well the bread [Music] did you arrange this lieutenant after all your money is on day keep going sorry [Music] the date of the bombers attack was October 14th it was important to the grayling not only because it was a near fatal encounter but it marked the beginning of the most furious combat action the grayling was ever to see [Music] it was as Captain Lee had told his men no Sunday picnic as the submarine thought away to her side destination the Philippines arriving off Corregidor on October 21st [Music] captain to the bridge let's do that in something along the shoreline hard to tell but I think it moves all right Kevin recording in must look like I can't make it out Kevin we're gonna get out of sight pretty soon take it down blob dancing all right clear the bridge [Music] take the convoys you have breakfast [Music] control room is the captain down there no I thought he was with you we've left it in the bridge [Music] I'm alright I'm alright sorry captain that I just didn't see you forget it dad it was my fault but the Navy ever has a contest for the running broad jump into a hatch I'll hide I recommend you once you read my last two pickles and go home huh [Music] beats me take a look Bob it's like inter-island transport probably a supply ship that's in there for two hours I'll send somebody down for it yeah never mind probably left down the bridge she's either crippled him dropped out of a convoy or she's waiting for an escort let's take her and go home pop stop [Music] bearing mark zero three zero range mark to 5mm [Music] I don't know I've seen sitting ducks before but this sure takes the cake top school take it Bob to Train do credit that set it 18 feet very long looks like a clean shot to me stand by bottle raising shoot rings mark 2,000 yards that shoot fire one [Music] thank you I was trying to charge 20 seconds the number one captain captain Mitaka just started turning his propellers oh boy talk about that it's the two difference he's ready for action we sure walked into this one down scope all ahead full left full rudder all ahead full left full rudder take her down 180 feet big for depth charge we for silent running [Music] any change Tom no change then stay with it [Music] he's passing overhead captain [Music] [Applause] [Music] check and report all compartments where's Eastown turning heading this way again captain's right full rudder all ahead full [Music] all compartments report no damage captain Campello speeding up he's starting a run he's right on us you got the first one they're too free [Laughter] [Music] we come [Music] left full rudder [Music] shake him off a tail [Music] what is the date one of the men Patrick ordered and saw this hanging there sir I think we'd all feel a lot better if you award sure thanks Dean underwater object approaching sir what whatever it is is moving directly toward us sure it couldn't be something coming from the surface ship those are super ships and other bearings do you think they've got a new tracking device could be anything's possible do you think it's a one-man sub no sir both sound of screws and he changed in brain no sir no change it's coming directly toward us stand by the sound collision alarm wait a minute sir stop on the Bob yes sir holy steady you know may sound crazy captain but could it be a man propelled torpedo sort of a suicide depth charge raise your things in that of heaven why would he stop maybe to take a new bearing objects moving again sir coming toward us surface craft starting a run too sir whatever that is in the water is moving directly over us [Music] during deport now the surface cross bearing off the poor kill following the underwater object yes sir they're both on the same course of course it's what I think it is gentleman who just become the first submarine in naval history to be saved by the curiosity of a whale I think it was your move captain [Music] I'll be back in a moment with our special guests and now I'd like you to meet the real-life skipper of tonight's story Rear Admiral Johnny Lee retired now resident of Rancho Santa Fe California since you're here in person Jack I'd like to return the lucky baseball cap we borrowed Thank You Tommy feet up as it is is one of my prized possessions I can understand that the men aboard the grayling had a lot of faith in its lucky properties didn't they so much so in fact that someone always brought it to me we were going into action and I'd forgotten it you left the grayling after that six patrol didn't eject yes I was relieved of command and replacements were made for 25% of the crew unfortunately they six was the last patrol the grayling made on her seven she disappeared and all hands were lost that was certainly a great loss to the submarine force it was not only a great loss to our submarine force but it was a great personal loss to me as you know from experience Tommy there's a real comradeship that exists between the skipper and his crew and the grayling crew was one of the finest ever came in contact with one more question Jack do you recall how you felt when you were left on the bridge when the grayling submerged I was so busy reason for anything higher than I was that I didn't do much thinking at one point I remember I caught sight of the land and I wished I'd had more sleep it looked like a long swim we all join your lovely wife Glen and being very glad you didn't have to try it thanks Jack for being with us Thank You Tommy for extraordinary heroism Rear Admiral Lee was awarded the Navy Cross be with us again when we bring you another true and exciting story of the silent service [Music] maybe [Music]