The Silent Service in World War II: The Story of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force in the Words of the Men Who Lived It.

Book review by Dennis D. McDonald

On balance this is an excellent compilation of WWII submariner "war stories." Writing and editing vary greatly but you can't help but shake your head at the incredible variety of experiences. Humor, excitement, and outright terror course through the pages.

You also see how technology (radar and sonar) had advanced the hunting and killing process over submarines from the WWI era.

Another takeaway is how much WWII naval experiences must have changed the young people who participated in the Pacific War. The distances were vast and the places visited foreign. Yet the submarine was home and you get the sense of how attached the sailors were to their metal seagoing homes -- and their shipmates.

Review copyright (c) 2018 by Dennis D. McDonald