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When Fluckey chose his 8 volunteers for shore dutyin enemy territory one night he had two requirements, One that they be single and two that they all have been Boy Scouts., As a former Eagle scout he knew that scouts knew how to use a compass and read a map, This cut the chances down of the shore party getting lost,. As it turned out they all returned safely and successfully planted thier explosives, This moment was mentioned by ADM Nimitz at a Boy Scout convention in St Louis MO. In 1947, Funny Fluckey was there as the Admirals aide,,,
As an Eagle Scout (Class of 89), there is no such thing as a former Eagle Scout. They are Eagle Scouts. Which Fluckey was and still is. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle.
Too bad the Boy Scouts don't mean much anymore.... After all the scandals, I no longer regret never having been one. Still, the rank of Eagle Scout yet has some honor...
@@Svensk7119 My aunt was a genius, she made my cousins get their Eagle before they could get their drivers license. Growing up in the late 80's early 90's that was one hell of a motivator!!!
"A military filled with Fluckies would be scary AF." Scary to those who wish us ill, good people to serve with. USN Retired here. I wish I could have met the Admiral.
Fluckey was an insanely courageous BEAST with the creativity and military prowess of a savant. You're right, a military full of Fluckeys wouldn't just be scary AF, they'd dominate everything everywhere.
It also shows how much he considered and cared for her. He likely knew what a toll that worrying about him would take on her, and did what he could to lessen the burden for her. Thank you to all U S Service Veterans, and thank you to all their family members that support them. You are heroes in my book, as well, peace be with you
i met him at a get together for mids going submarine duty in the late 80s. he told me the story of how they destroyed the train using one of the submarines scuttling charges.
Thank you for this video. Out of all the TV/video and documentaries of US Subs in WWll, Fluckey and the USS Barb seem to be the most overlooked. Great Captain and Sub commander! I had the personal honor and pleasure of being able to speak to Admiral Fluckey via telephone while ordering his awesome book 'Thunder Below'. He also graciously personally autographed it, too. And while O'Kane may have an equal or better record, I have read both of their books and by far I would have given anything to have served under Fluckey. He commanded great respect from his crew in the way he treated and interacted with them! Awesome American patriot!
I read his book. He was a true genius concerning submarine warfare. He retired as an admiral. A true patriot. I know one of his ansestors who loaned me his personally signed book. Every submariner I've talked to know more about "Lucky Flucky Flucky's" exploits.
Odd that you don't mention that he brought cases of beer on board, storing them in one of the two showers in officer country, would put enough into cold storage before attacking to pass out to the crew after success. Which was deeply appreciated. Despite being illegal (the US Navy being officially dry). O'Kane, also a great commander, bragged about his soft-serve ice cream machine.
There are a lot of little yet interesting details that could not be covered in a video. My humble suggestion is to read the book. Much like the trailer for a movie, you only get a taste of the whole picture
It may have helped the accuracy of his torpedoes. It's probably a myth, but supposedly American sailors stole alcohol from the guidance systems of their torpedoes so they could denature it and make hooch. This adversely affected the torpedoes' accuracy. With a supply of beer on board, it wouldn't be necessary. Does anybody know anything about that?
In 'Thunder Below', Fluckey refers to a few occasions where they failed to do a successful attack - and then realized they hadn't put beer into the cooler beforehand. Making sure the beer was on ice before heading into combat became very much a thing for the crew.
I recall a certain incident aboard the Barb, where MP's had brought a drunken sailor back to the ship. In their orders book, Fluckey had written 'General Courts Martial' as the prescribed punishment for the sailor. This surprised the MP's because the offense had hardly warranted such a drastic form of punishment. Word got around to his superiors what he had written and he was called before them. He confided that the Barb didn't even have a Mast Book; he had thrown it over the side a long time ago, and he just wanted the MP's off his back. This got a few good laughs. But that was Eugene Fluckey for you, his crew loved him because he took care of them.
It's in 'Thunder Below'. (Spoilers) At least as written, the sailor wasn't drunk, the MPs had hauled him back to the Barb because he'd committed the grave cardinal sin of having his cap on the back of his head. Fluckey sent the MPs on their way, and then let the sailor go with a VERY mild reprimand. THEN the MPs' officer contacted him, wanting to know what punishment had been put on the sailor, and Fluckey told them 'General Court Martial'. This shocked the MPs so much they reported it to Fluckey's CO, thinking he'd gone crazy. Upon hearing the true story, the admiral thought it absolutely hilarious.
To tack onto what Sealord said, Flucky almost lost his 5th patrol because of that incident, that is also mentioned in “Thunder Below”. Lockwood thought Flucky had lost his mind upon hearing the report from the MPs
My dad told me an cool anecdote about Fluckey and my grandfather, who was also a decorated submarine commander during the war. My dad was a midshipman at Annapolis at the time and my granddad and Fluckey were both stationed in Annapolis and were close friends. One day, they all went out to lunch. After eating my dad had to rush off to his next class. It was a hot day so my dad didn't put on his jacket when he left the restaurant but just carried it. When he got to the classroom and started putting on the jacket, he realized that there was a medal of honor ribbon on the jacket sleeve. He decided it would be better to be late for class then walk in wearing the decorated jacket. So he hurried back to the restaurant retrieved his own jacket and returned Fluckey's. My dad was a bit flustered but Fluckey and my granddad had a good laugh.
I had read that the 5 ships sunk was a bet, not an agreement. And as far as I'm concerned, I feel strongly that this sub, commander and their experiences, especially the commando raid to destroy the train, should be made into a film!
I agree and whole heartedly respect your opinion on exactly why you chose lucky!!! You can tell by his record, his old pictures, and the words spoken of him that he was a not only first a great guy and human being but a great captain
Some years ago I bought a copy of "Thunder Below!" at a used bookstore. Inside was a Polaroid photo of the admiral. It was also signed and dated in red ink, and he used that same red pen to correct the three typographical errors in the book. It will never leave my collection.
That last photograph is of the 8 saboteurs that went ashore in Japan to successfully blow up the ammunition / troop train. The narrator didn't say this, but the Barb and those 8 men represented the only ground invasion of the Japanese mainland in WWII.
I noticed the ribbons on Adm. Flucky - 13 of them including the CMH ribbon on top center. This guy was the real deal. Then I compare his ribbon count to the jokers who run the US military today with vast numbers of ribbons almost resembling North Korean Generals in absurdity. A lottle modesty would go a long way.
I entered the US Naval Academy in June 1971 while RAdm. Fluckey was still on active duty! I was too busy surviving plebe year to appreciate all the WW2 legends while they were still alive. Senior year I was able to hear Adm Burke, “31 knot Burke” who delivered Gen. MacArthur to the Philippean Islands.
My grandfather, William Milo Fannin, served three tours on the USS Barb, but not for the reasons that some may think. They and Fluckey were so efficient that they quickly found and emptied ALL of their ordinances three different times into unsuspecting enemy vessels and had to return to get reloaded shortly after. If a rock was left on that sub, they would have thrown it at an enemy ship. My grandfather was in the party for the recon on the shores of Japan for the freight train mission but wasn't in the party that later set the charges. They were almost left behind on the shore because they almost didn't make it back to the Barb in time before sunrise. I don't think I would be here if it weren't for Fluckey. My dad was born the same year my grandfather returned from the last mission. Milo received several medals and citations, one of which was the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against the Japanese forces. Probably because of the whole recon thing. Fun fact, my grandfather was one of the very first in the military to ever set foot on Japanese soil during the war. In the widely spread photo, Milo is near the top of the mast, second row on the right with his hat tilted toward the right.
Many years ago I came across a copy of Thunder Below in a used book store in Long Beach Ca. As a kid in the 50s I remember watching the movie, Run Silent Run Deep, and I was hooked on submarines. I have been lucky to find many books written by sub commanders of ww2. Something not mentioned in this video is that Fluckys daughters name was Barbra, and she thought the submarine BARB was named after her.
I was lucky to meet one of the sons of a crewman that served on the Barb when I was in the Navy back in 79. At that time I had no clue of his Dad's exploits during the Pacific theater. My Dad was one of Merril's Marauders in Burma. We became good friends but lost contact with each other years ago. My Mother use to tell me that I was a nut like my Dad and my pal told me that his Mother said the same about him.
Great history lesson. Thanks. I had the honor to serve aboard the U.S.S. Tigrone as it was being decommissioned in 1975. It was the last diesel boat to be in operation on the East coast. Those old boats had a lot of character and really made me appreciate the SSBN that I spent most of my time on. DBF!
Dave, I visited the Tigrone as a young Boy Scout in 1974. My Dad was stationed at the Sub Base in New London as a Career Counselor. He became one of the first men to convert to the NC rate. DK1 to NC1 and a year later made Chief in 1975. He retired in 1978 after 3 years on recruiting duty in Norwich.
I just finished my copy of "thunder below". I can easily see why his men loved him and why Admiral Lockwood approved a fifth war patrol for him. I can only imagine the damage that would've been done if the Barb and Richard O'kane's Tang worked in a Wolfpack together. I read that one time though, O'kane received a message from Fluckey about a convoy that might be headed to Tang's area. For anyone who has a copy of "clear the bridge" by O'kane, he describes it on page 139.
@@HiddenHistoryYT both of them are fantastic books. I would say that in "thunder below" he tells his story in plain, easy to understand, context like you'd expect in a novel. While "clear the bridge" goes more in depth on the technical details, especially during an attack. But I love both of those aspects!! Anyway, both are fantastic books and you will love both.
My local library has a copy of Thunder Below with the front page written with Flucky's great comments on the crew and missions written with a red editors pen. His editing of of spelling and paragraph placements corrected with the same red pen. Any one looking for a real page turner should read this book. I felt honored to be reading said book. Thank you for this video.
Ohhhh, what a GLORIOUS battle Captain, boat, crew and record. Thunder Below is a MUST READ for those whole love such history. One day, hopefully soon, I'm going to return to the joy of model building and acquire a plastic model of the The Barb and enjoy making it and putting it on display.
First of all; I SALUTE YOU!!!! There is no such thing as luck, good or bad. Just odds, and chances. Odds and chances, have nothing to do, with skill. Skill is what Fluckey, possessed🤨😁!!!
My wife is a cousin ( her mother was a Fluckey). We have a personal addressed autograph copy of Thunder Below. Mother in Law corresponded with him. When she was visiting Pearl Harbor, she told staff her relationship, and they graciously removed his MOH citation from the display and photocopied it. Family history is the first Fluckey was from Germany, and while in England, was abducted and pressed into service in the British military to fight the upstart colonists. While at anchor, he made his escape, being shot in the leg. Later, while being searched for, a girl hid him in the chimney of her home. He fought directly with Washington, and married the girl who hid him out. Eugene Fluckey comes from unique stock, for sure.
Well done - well told and illustrated. One request: MAPS. Particularly the last patrol: I had difficulty pinpointing locations on Google maps. I suspect they may have been on Sakhalin Island, Japanese after the Russo-Japanese War but returned to Russia after WW2. And the place names were changed. . .
I love this channel. When I was a kid , many of the WW2 vets were still alive. Most kids read about fighter pilots , me it was Sub stories. If you are the same go to Richard Damm on you tube . Keep up the great work . And keep the truth of history! Oh by the way you just earned my subscription!
This is a great story about a great warrior. One thing all the great military storylines have in common is the frank testament of the mass bloodshed, human carnage. Times were brutal
Last year I received a copy of Fluckey's memoir, "Thunder Below", as a gift from my wife's cousin. It had belonged to her father who was a PT boat gunners mate in the Pacific war. I read it aloud to my wife, who found it engrossing. You did a fine job highlighting the main events of Fluckey's war experiences. My only regret when we finished the book was that he never mentioned what eventually became of their Japanese prisoner, Kitojima Sanji (actual name Yasujiro Kitamura), after they turned him over to Marine guards at Midway.
Excellent video! thank you for that. I've read the book "Thunder Below", it is excellent and recommended esp if you want to learn more of the Pacific war and US subs, etc.
I remember seeing him on base back in the day someone asked what he was most proud of in WWII no one under his watch got a Purple Heart and a side note there is a new USS Barb to be built SSN 804
Served aboard the SS337 Carbonero. Paul "Swish" Saunders, Gunner's Mate, led the operation to destroy the train .by blowing up the trestle the the train used on its trip going south. He was the COB when I served aboard the Carbonero
It would seem that betting on sinking a large number of ships on his final patrol would prove what the US Navy said about captains on their final patrol, he was over confident and reason enough not to let them go out.
@@patrickmccrann991 literally the only way you could possibly be more incorrect is if you misspelled your own name. That's the problem with trying to sound like you know what you're talking about as opposed to actually knowing what you're talking about. There's no way you can convince me that this is a fluke. I'm sure you've spent most of your life just being wrong and loud.
@ughettapbacon Try again. The problems were solved by the torpedo shop at Pearl Harbor during the fall of 1943. First the depth problem, then the exploder problem. When the Bureau of Ordnance refused to take action on the complaints submitted by skippers, Admiral Lockwood ordered tests conducted by his own torpedo experts. He was backed up by Admiral Nimitz. These facts are well documented.
Of all the hundreds of war videos and documentaries I've seen in my years, nothing is as funny as this one. This man and his ship is the living definition of sheer terror on the Japanese. I Almost felt sorry for the Japanese, Almost.
Ya I’ve done a video on the USS Tang (terrible video IMO lol was one of the first I ever did). Have been wanting to do one on Richard O’Kane himself. I’m currently working on a video of the USS Wahoo and Mush Morton, so due to Kane’s involvement with a lot of that I’ll probably have to make a video on him very soon!
@@daniellucas1494 Appreciate the kind words Daniel! And thank you for watching the video! It’ll be coming out on Thursday (or Sunday if I take too long lol). Will be quite an interesting video in my opinion due to the amount of notoriety of the Wahoo, her crew, commanders, and some very very controversial events! Hope you have a great week :)
Fluckey was a lucky pluckey Flucker indeed. He earned that Medal of Honor by bravely inflicting the most damage to the enemy he could using what he had. Medals have been awarded for less. 🤠
I am surprised that no one has made a movie about this guy. What a riot this guy was. What luck for the guys that got to serve under him. I would have loved it. He was a winner, like all our great American fighting forces throughout our great history.
Awesome content. Admiral Fluckey, is a hero , amongst heroes. I cannot beleive I had not ever heard of him, or the USS Barb, before. What an absolutely, epic story.
In Sept of 1995 I was on vacation in Hawaii. I went to the sub museum at Pearl Harbor and at the entrance was an older gentleman and his wife selling a book. After taking to him I found out I was talking to Rear Admiral EB Fluckey, MOH recipient. Needless to say I bought his book and had him autographed it. Unfortunately I loaned it to my father in law and never got it back. BTW the book was a great read! If you can find a copy of Thunder Below you should buy it.
No disrespect intended to Eugene Fluckey, but Richard O'kane is considered by the U.S. Submarine Service as the greatest submarine skipper of World War Two. Not only for his time as USS Tang's skipper, but his performance as the USS Wahoo's XO and Navigator. The Tang is ranked the number 1 submarine in ships sunk during the war. All those sinkings came under only one skipper in 5 patrols, Richard O'kane.
Sorry Mac, but I know about Richard O'Kane. I never heard of Fluckey until today, although I heard stories of the BARB. But, Fluckey had a better record in scored hits and sinkings, but the tonnage by this time in the war were diminishing as most were already sunk. Plus Kane's boat was sunk by his carelessness. Remember Kane had been in boats since 1942, but Fluckey didnt start patrols (other his very first one, a complete flop back in 1943) until 1944. He went on a terror, not unlike Dick O'kane.
@@billyjoe415 How was O'Kane careless? Torpedo made a circular run from a jammed rudder. This was not the only boat that suffered this fate from a Mk 18 electric torpedo.
Well, now that you have very thoroughly douced this channel with cold water, we will think back to what we were doing...and what we were doing is appreciating WWII SubPac and one of her stars. We were not here with our tape measures, to measure the length pf each man's junk...just telling some wartime stories.
I'm only a couple minutes into it, but until mid 1944, American torpedoes rarely functioned properly. Many targets were hit without exploding. FDR incident is hilarious.
True! I've read much about those faulty torpedoes. Just think what would have happened if those torpedoes would have not been defective early on in the war.
I listened to the "Thunder Below" audiobook a few weeks ago. You have done a very good overview of the 15.5 hour reading. You could have mentioned how he motivated the crew with beer through all patrols.
This guy outta get a beret from every special operations unit in the world. His intelligence is one thing. But his command initiative is unreal. Butcher & bolt.
This report helps to give the new generation of submariners a strong sense of the spirit which they are the inherits of -- Worth making this available to the young. Gripping!
Trawlers and other small ships were also lookouts, remeber the Doolittle raid and what caused them to launch much further away than they should have. Small boats.
Fluckey wanted to go ashore himself to do the infamous train job, but his own men believed that he was too important to lose for the War effort and threatened to report him if he didn't stay aboard The Barb... How good of a commander do you have to be that your own men don't want to risk losing you? I know he prioritized not losing a single sailor under his own watch, and maybe they were motivated to not let him down? 🤔
Let's get it straight - World War Two started on September 3rd 1939. America joined in directly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7th 1941. By that time Britain had successfully evacuated its forces from France through Dunkirk and had decisively beaten the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain!
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You can check it out here: hiddenhistoryyt.beehiiv.com/
When Fluckey chose his 8 volunteers for shore dutyin enemy territory one night he had two requirements, One that they be single and two that they all have been Boy Scouts., As a former Eagle scout he knew that scouts knew how to use a compass and read a map, This cut the chances down of the shore party getting lost,. As it turned out they all returned safely and successfully planted thier explosives, This moment was mentioned by ADM Nimitz at a Boy Scout convention in St Louis MO. In 1947, Funny Fluckey was there as the Admirals aide,,,
As an Eagle Scout (Class of 89), there is no such thing as a former Eagle Scout. They are Eagle Scouts. Which Fluckey was and still is. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle.
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Io😢poor 😢😢
Too bad the Boy Scouts don't mean much anymore....
After all the scandals, I no longer regret never having been one.
Still, the rank of Eagle Scout yet has some honor...
@@Svensk7119 My aunt was a genius, she made my cousins get their Eagle before they could get their drivers license. Growing up in the late 80's early 90's that was one hell of a motivator!!!
Flucky lying to his wife was hilarious.
I wish it were possible to clone men like this. A military filled with Fluckies would be scary AF.
"A military filled with Fluckies would be scary AF." Scary to those who wish us ill, good people to serve with. USN Retired here. I wish I could have met the Admiral.
@@robertf3479 Yeah for sure on both counts. His crew obviously loved working for him.
Fluckey was an insanely courageous BEAST with the creativity and military prowess of a savant. You're right, a military full of Fluckeys wouldn't just be scary AF, they'd dominate everything everywhere.
It also shows how much he considered and cared for her. He likely knew what a toll that worrying about him would take on her, and did what he could to lessen the burden for her.
Thank you to all U S Service Veterans, and thank you to all their family members that support them. You are heroes in my book, as well, peace be with you
I met Admiral Flucky in Annapolis in the 90's & have his signed book. Great Honor!
Lucky you!
i met him at a get together for mids going submarine duty in the late 80s. he told me the story of how they destroyed the train using one of the submarines scuttling charges.
Thank you for this video. Out of all the TV/video and documentaries of US Subs in WWll, Fluckey and the USS Barb seem to be the most overlooked. Great Captain and Sub commander! I had the personal honor and pleasure of being able to speak to Admiral Fluckey via telephone while ordering his awesome book 'Thunder Below'. He also graciously personally autographed it, too. And while O'Kane may have an equal or better record, I have read both of their books and by far I would have given anything to have served under Fluckey. He commanded great respect from his crew in the way he treated and interacted with them! Awesome American patriot!
Completely agree and thanks for watching!
This was an amazing men in the model of the captain of the USS Constitution..
❤
I read his book. He was a true genius concerning submarine warfare. He retired as an admiral. A true patriot. I know one of his ansestors who loaned me his personally signed book. Every submariner I've talked to know more about "Lucky Flucky Flucky's" exploits.
Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)
I Read The Book Also ,A Great Man No Doubt !
Odd that you don't mention that he brought cases of beer on board, storing them in one of the two showers in officer country, would put enough into cold storage before attacking to pass out to the crew after success. Which was deeply appreciated. Despite being illegal (the US Navy being officially dry).
O'Kane, also a great commander, bragged about his soft-serve ice cream machine.
There are a lot of little yet interesting details that could not be covered in a video. My humble suggestion is to read the book. Much like the trailer for a movie, you only get a taste of the whole picture
Simple understanding of his men and how important a moment of calm and decompression is vitality important
It may have helped the accuracy of his torpedoes. It's probably a myth, but supposedly American sailors stole alcohol from the guidance systems of their torpedoes so they could denature it and make hooch. This adversely affected the torpedoes' accuracy. With a supply of beer on board, it wouldn't be necessary. Does anybody know anything about that?
@@rimshot2270 not likely...
In 'Thunder Below', Fluckey refers to a few occasions where they failed to do a successful attack - and then realized they hadn't put beer into the cooler beforehand. Making sure the beer was on ice before heading into combat became very much a thing for the crew.
I recall a certain incident aboard the Barb, where MP's had brought a drunken sailor back to the ship. In their orders book, Fluckey had written 'General Courts Martial' as the prescribed punishment for the sailor. This surprised the MP's because the offense had hardly warranted such a drastic form of punishment. Word got around to his superiors what he had written and he was called before them. He confided that the Barb didn't even have a Mast Book; he had thrown it over the side a long time ago, and he just wanted the MP's off his back. This got a few good laughs. But that was Eugene Fluckey for you, his crew loved him because he took care of them.
It's in 'Thunder Below'. (Spoilers) At least as written, the sailor wasn't drunk, the MPs had hauled him back to the Barb because he'd committed the grave cardinal sin of having his cap on the back of his head. Fluckey sent the MPs on their way, and then let the sailor go with a VERY mild reprimand. THEN the MPs' officer contacted him, wanting to know what punishment had been put on the sailor, and Fluckey told them 'General Court Martial'. This shocked the MPs so much they reported it to Fluckey's CO, thinking he'd gone crazy. Upon hearing the true story, the admiral thought it absolutely hilarious.
Great tidbit!
To tack onto what Sealord said, Flucky almost lost his 5th patrol because of that incident, that is also mentioned in “Thunder Below”. Lockwood thought Flucky had lost his mind upon hearing the report from the MPs
My dad told me an cool anecdote about Fluckey and my grandfather, who was also a decorated submarine commander during the war. My dad was a midshipman at Annapolis at the time and my granddad and Fluckey were both stationed in Annapolis and were close friends. One day, they all went out to lunch. After eating my dad had to rush off to his next class. It was a hot day so my dad didn't put on his jacket when he left the restaurant but just carried it. When he got to the classroom and started putting on the jacket, he realized that there was a medal of honor ribbon on the jacket sleeve. He decided it would be better to be late for class then walk in wearing the decorated jacket. So he hurried back to the restaurant retrieved his own jacket and returned Fluckey's. My dad was a bit flustered but Fluckey and my granddad had a good laugh.
Wow, incredible info thanks for sharing. Also thank you to your father for his service as well! Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)
I had read that the 5 ships sunk was a bet, not an agreement. And as far as I'm concerned, I feel strongly that this sub, commander and their experiences, especially the commando raid to destroy the train, should be made into a film!
Late 50s or early 60s there was a TV series called ‘Silent Service.’ One episode dealt with the commando raid on the train.
I thought the same thing
@@marcoosvald8429 It would STILL make a great WWII feature film.
I agree and whole heartedly respect your opinion on exactly why you chose lucky!!! You can tell by his record, his old pictures, and the words spoken of him that he was a not only first a great guy and human being but a great captain
Thanks Dylan, appreciate you watching!
Some years ago I bought a copy of "Thunder Below!" at a used bookstore. Inside was a Polaroid photo of the admiral. It was also signed and dated in red ink, and he used that same red pen to correct the three typographical errors in the book. It will never leave my collection.
I still need to read mine! Is it as good as I assume it? Appreciate you watching :)
@@HiddenHistoryYT Yes sir, highly recommended.
That last photograph is of the 8 saboteurs that went ashore in Japan to successfully blow up the ammunition / troop train. The narrator didn't say this, but the Barb and those 8 men represented the only ground invasion of the Japanese mainland in WWII.
Great tidbit there!
I noticed the ribbons on Adm. Flucky - 13 of them including the CMH ribbon on top center. This guy was the real deal. Then I compare his ribbon count to the jokers who run the US military today with vast numbers of ribbons almost resembling North Korean Generals in absurdity. A lottle modesty would go a long way.
That's my mom's uncle. Glad history has honored him like this. Proud
His wife, Jean, is alive at the age of 103 in Arizona.
I entered the US Naval Academy in June 1971 while RAdm. Fluckey was still on active duty! I was too busy surviving plebe year to appreciate all the WW2 legends while they were still alive. Senior year I was able to hear Adm Burke, “31 knot Burke” who delivered Gen. MacArthur to the Philippean Islands.
Thank you for your service!
Thank you for your service. Peace be with you
Did you go subs?
My grandfather, William Milo Fannin, served three tours on the USS Barb, but not for the reasons that some may think. They and Fluckey were so efficient that they quickly found and emptied ALL of their ordinances three different times into unsuspecting enemy vessels and had to return to get reloaded shortly after. If a rock was left on that sub, they would have thrown it at an enemy ship. My grandfather was in the party for the recon on the shores of Japan for the freight train mission but wasn't in the party that later set the charges. They were almost left behind on the shore because they almost didn't make it back to the Barb in time before sunrise. I don't think I would be here if it weren't for Fluckey. My dad was born the same year my grandfather returned from the last mission. Milo received several medals and citations, one of which was the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against the Japanese forces. Probably because of the whole recon thing. Fun fact, my grandfather was one of the very first in the military to ever set foot on Japanese soil during the war. In the widely spread photo, Milo is near the top of the mast, second row on the right with his hat tilted toward the right.
Great job buddy and please do one on Dick O'Kane and the USS Tang
That is definitely on my to do list. Thanks for watching!
Many years ago I came across a copy of Thunder Below in a used book store in Long Beach Ca. As a kid in the 50s I remember watching the movie, Run Silent Run Deep, and I was hooked on submarines. I have been lucky to find many books written by sub commanders of ww2. Something not mentioned in this video is that Fluckys daughters name was Barbra, and she thought the submarine BARB was named after her.
I still need to start the book!
The entire 1950's TV series "Silent Service" can be seen on TH-cam. It was made directly from the submarine's logs.
I think maybe she has it backwards She was named after the sub.
Acres of Books, gone but not forgotten.
@@AndyChalmers YES!! Thank you Andy, that was the name of the store
I believe the Kriegs marine would have been impressed with this Man.
I agree! Thanks for watching and have a great week David :)
I was lucky to meet one of the sons of a crewman that served on the Barb when I was in the Navy back in 79. At that time I had no clue of his Dad's exploits during the Pacific theater. My Dad was one of Merril's Marauders in Burma. We became good friends but lost contact with each other years ago. My Mother use to tell me that I was a nut like my Dad and my pal told me that his Mother said the same about him.
Incredible. And thank you to your father for his service!
Tremendous courage and ingenuity…..
Absolutely agree Frank! Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
This would make a great movie! A tribute to all the crew!
Completely agree! Appreciate you watching Daniel!
Another great account of another Great American hero who was served by a dedicated crew. Colin UK 🇬🇧
Appreciate it Colin! Have a great weekend :)
OUTSTANDING Aggressiveness ingeniously inventive Patience STRIKING with everything you got.
Thanks for watching!
Go Navy and Go Admiral Flucky. Thank you for highlighting a great American. Live free or Die 🇺🇸.
Thanks John!
"war is not dying for your Country, it is getting the other guy to die for his." General George S Patton..
Great history lesson. Thanks. I had the honor to serve aboard the U.S.S. Tigrone as it was being decommissioned in 1975. It was the last diesel boat to be in operation on the East coast. Those old boats had a lot of character and really made me appreciate the SSBN that I spent most of my time on. DBF!
Thanks for watching, and most of all thank you for your service!
Dave, I visited the Tigrone as a young Boy Scout in 1974. My Dad was stationed at the Sub Base in New London as a Career Counselor. He became one of the first men to convert to the NC rate. DK1 to NC1 and a year later made Chief in 1975. He retired in 1978 after 3 years on recruiting duty in Norwich.
@@patrickmccrann991 pretty awsome your dad was a fellow chief
@@s.porter8646 So am I. OSCS(SW) USN RET'D 1978-2002
@@patrickmccrann991 oh fuck an even chief...greaaaat
What a great tale!!!
Appreciate the kind words Tom! Thanks for watching and hope you have a great rest of your day :)
Even though I read Thunder Below from cover to amazing cover, this was still a joy to listen to. Thank you narrator.
Appreciate the kind words Bradley! Thunder Below is currently on my bookshelf but I haven’t started it yet 😨
I just finished my copy of "thunder below". I can easily see why his men loved him and why Admiral Lockwood approved a fifth war patrol for him. I can only imagine the damage that would've been done if the Barb and Richard O'kane's Tang worked in a Wolfpack together. I read that one time though, O'kane received a message from Fluckey about a convoy that might be headed to Tang's area. For anyone who has a copy of "clear the bridge" by O'kane, he describes it on page 139.
I still need to read both books, just sitting on my bookshelf right now!
@@HiddenHistoryYT both of them are fantastic books. I would say that in "thunder below" he tells his story in plain, easy to understand, context like you'd expect in a novel. While "clear the bridge" goes more in depth on the technical details, especially during an attack. But I love both of those aspects!! Anyway, both are fantastic books and you will love both.
My local library has a copy of Thunder Below with the front page written with Flucky's great comments on the crew and missions written with a red editors pen. His editing of of spelling and paragraph placements corrected with the same red pen. Any one looking for a real page turner should read this book. I felt honored to be reading said book. Thank you for this video.
Remarkable American, that innate Battle Field awareness, all Warrior have. So glad I now have this Barb Wired history. Stunning... God Bless all.
Ohhhh, what a GLORIOUS battle Captain, boat, crew and record. Thunder Below is a MUST READ for those whole love such history. One day, hopefully soon, I'm going to return to the joy of model building and acquire a plastic model of the The Barb and enjoy making it and putting it on display.
I need to start it this week, is just sitting on my bookshelf right now!
Not only sinking ships, but blowing up a train as well. That is a badass!
Thanks for watching and have a great rest of your week :)
If Tom Hanks is reading, he should make a series about the USS Barb like Band of Brothers. It would be an incredible series.
Hopefully they can finally get the Air Force series out finally lol
First of all; I SALUTE YOU!!!! There is no such thing as luck, good or bad. Just odds, and chances. Odds and chances, have nothing to do, with skill. Skill is what Fluckey, possessed🤨😁!!!
Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
This man's book can be found, in both print and audio format, both in the public domain on the Internet Archive.
thx, will look it up
Magnificent exploits -- Magnificent reporting to match -- Fluckey would approve.
Just amazing!
everyone might know this, but a soon to be built Virginia class will be named the USS Barb.
Love that the Barb, Tang, and Wahoo have new life!
Excellent! Thank you.
Thanks for watching Burt!
My wife is a cousin ( her mother was a Fluckey). We have a personal addressed autograph copy of Thunder Below. Mother in Law corresponded with him. When she was visiting Pearl Harbor, she told staff her relationship, and they graciously removed his MOH citation from the display and photocopied it.
Family history is the first Fluckey was from Germany, and while in England, was abducted and pressed into service in the British military to fight the upstart colonists. While at anchor, he made his escape, being shot in the leg. Later, while being searched for, a girl hid him in the chimney of her home.
He fought directly with Washington, and married the girl who hid him out. Eugene Fluckey comes from unique stock, for sure.
That is incredible! Appreciate you watching!
A unique story for sure...
There should be a film made of this
Well done - well told and illustrated. One request: MAPS. Particularly the last patrol: I had difficulty pinpointing locations on Google maps. I suspect they may have been on Sakhalin Island, Japanese after the Russo-Japanese War but returned to Russia after WW2. And the place names were changed. . .
Appreciate the kind words and thanks for watching! I will have to look into that, but if I had to guess your theory is probably correct on the change
I love this channel. When I was a kid , many of the WW2 vets were still alive. Most kids read about fighter pilots , me it was Sub stories. If you are the same go to Richard Damm on you tube . Keep up the great work . And keep the truth of history! Oh by the way you just earned my subscription!
Thank you S.M.R.!
Fluckey was a great submarine commander, right up there with Dick O'Kane and Bobby Moore. But he was no Mush Morton.
This is a great story about a great warrior. One thing all the great military storylines have in common is the frank testament of the mass bloodshed, human carnage. Times were brutal
Completely agree! Appreciate you watching and have a great week Johnny :)
Last year I received a copy of Fluckey's memoir, "Thunder Below", as a gift from my wife's cousin. It had belonged to her father who was a PT boat gunners mate in the Pacific war. I read it aloud to my wife, who found it engrossing. You did a fine job highlighting the main events of Fluckey's war experiences. My only regret when we finished the book was that he never mentioned what eventually became of their Japanese prisoner, Kitojima Sanji (actual name Yasujiro Kitamura), after they turned him over to Marine guards at Midway.
Good video but I winced at some of your pronunciations of naval terms.
Excellent video! thank you for that. I've read the book "Thunder Below", it is excellent and recommended esp if you want to learn more of the Pacific war and US subs, etc.
Thanks for watching! The book is on my bookshelf but I still need to read it!
I remember seeing him on base back in the day someone asked what he was most proud of in WWII no one under his watch got a Purple Heart and a side note there is a new USS Barb to be built SSN 804
At around 3:40 he is wearing brand new uniform you can see the horizonal creases fresh out of the packaging.
This story is amazing! We need more men like Cmdr. Fluckey & the men of the Barb right NOW! 🇺🇸
Completely agree! Thanks for watching Steve, have a great weekend :)
Very nice!
Amazing
Fluck was a 1 man wolf pack, all by himself and his great crew
Appreciate you watching and have a great week
Lol... I can't help grinning in approval... ramming a trawler... classic
Awesome!! What an Incredible Story…..
Appreciate you watching and have a great rest of your weekend :)
Legend!
That he is! Thanks for watching Michael and have a great weekend :)
Served aboard the SS337 Carbonero. Paul "Swish" Saunders, Gunner's Mate, led the operation to destroy the train .by blowing up the trestle the the train used on its trip going south. He was the COB when I served aboard the Carbonero
Thank you for your service! Have a great week :)
A true American Hero. American exceptionalism.
Although I never met the man, I was in the Navy before he retired. Everybody in the Navy knew of this amazing man and his exploits.
Thank you for your service Robert!
@@HiddenHistoryYT Thank you! I am honored to have served my country by way of the Navy. I wasn't drafted. My family is made up of Navy Men.
@@robertscheinost179 Sounds like a great family!
OUTSTANDING, If you have not read his book.....you need too........One heck an Officer......
I still need to start it, is currently on my bookshelf! Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
It would seem that betting on sinking a large number of ships on his final patrol would prove what the US Navy said about captains on their final patrol, he was over confident and reason enough not to let them go out.
Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)
Not even the mk14 could stop lucky fluckey
Imagine the record he would have run up had he had worthwhile torpedoes.
It is a shame how poor our torpedoes were to start the war
@@HiddenHistoryYT Crime.
When he had become Captain f the Barb, the torpedo problems had already been solved.
@@patrickmccrann991 literally the only way you could possibly be more incorrect is if you misspelled your own name. That's the problem with trying to sound like you know what you're talking about as opposed to actually knowing what you're talking about. There's no way you can convince me that this is a fluke. I'm sure you've spent most of your life just being wrong and loud.
@ughettapbacon Try again. The problems were solved by the torpedo shop at Pearl Harbor during the fall of 1943. First the depth problem, then the exploder problem. When the Bureau of Ordnance refused to take action on the complaints submitted by skippers, Admiral Lockwood ordered tests conducted by his own torpedo experts. He was backed up by Admiral Nimitz. These facts are well documented.
Now THIS is worth a Band of Brothers/Pacific-level mini-series.
Agreed!
Of all the hundreds of war videos and documentaries I've seen in my years, nothing is as funny as this one.
This man and his ship is the living definition of sheer terror on the Japanese.
I Almost felt sorry for the Japanese, Almost.
Thanks for watching :)
A true hero indeed - but let us not forget Richard O'Kane - commander of the USS Tang.
Ya I’ve done a video on the USS Tang (terrible video IMO lol was one of the first I ever did). Have been wanting to do one on Richard O’Kane himself. I’m currently working on a video of the USS Wahoo and Mush Morton, so due to Kane’s involvement with a lot of that I’ll probably have to make a video on him very soon!
@@HiddenHistoryYT I look forward to seeing it. You do an excellent job!
@@daniellucas1494 Appreciate the kind words Daniel! And thank you for watching the video! It’ll be coming out on Thursday (or Sunday if I take too long lol). Will be quite an interesting video in my opinion due to the amount of notoriety of the Wahoo, her crew, commanders, and some very very controversial events! Hope you have a great week :)
It's a shame they scrapped the most decorated submarine in US history. Should have been made a museum ship.
That and the Big E!
You pronounced Okhotsk incorrectly...ahk-HO-tsk
Great Stuff
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
What a brilliant career. His story would make a great movie or miniseries !
I agree! Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
Thank you Commander Fluckey for your service
Outstanding !
Thank you! Cheers!
What an awesome person he was. Long live his name!
Fluckey was a lucky pluckey Flucker indeed. He earned that Medal of Honor by bravely inflicting the most damage to the enemy he could using what he had. Medals have been awarded for less. 🤠
O'Kane was the "unluckiest" of sub-commanders in being sunk by his own, erratic toroedo and losing most of his crew in the disaster.
Great Hidden History. This would make for a Tremendous Movie! Thank you so much.
Thanks for watching Benjamin!
I am surprised that no one has made a movie about this guy. What a riot this guy was. What luck for the guys that got to serve under him. I would have loved it. He was a winner, like all our great American fighting forces throughout our great history.
A true American hero!
Dude. Forecastle is pronounced "Foc'sule"
First that I ever heard of this sub commander, interesting. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for watching Phil!
His book thunder below is AMAZING! A MUST READ for anyone who is interested in our history in WWII. Incredible man.
On my bookshelf but I still need to start it!!
Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)
Awesome content. Admiral Fluckey, is a hero , amongst heroes. I cannot beleive I had not ever heard of him, or the USS Barb, before. What an absolutely, epic story.
"Working his eye muscles" aka memorizing the eye chart :D
😂 Thanks for watching :)
Nonsense, it was ADM Hymen Rickover, _just ask him._ he will tell you.
In Sept of 1995 I was on vacation in Hawaii. I went to the sub museum at Pearl Harbor and at the entrance was an older gentleman and his wife selling a book. After taking to him I found out I was talking to Rear Admiral EB Fluckey, MOH recipient. Needless to say I bought his book and had him autographed it. Unfortunately I loaned it to my father in law and never got it back.
BTW the book was a great read! If you can find a copy of Thunder Below you should buy it.
That’s awesome! It’s sitting on my shelf rn actually, I just still need to start it!
Probably the best video I've ever seen. That's America!
Aidan from Canada.
Appreciate the kind words Aidan! Have a great weekend!
No disrespect intended to Eugene Fluckey, but Richard O'kane is considered by the U.S. Submarine Service as the greatest submarine skipper of World War Two. Not only for his time as USS Tang's skipper, but his performance as the USS Wahoo's XO and Navigator. The Tang is ranked the number 1 submarine in ships sunk during the war. All those sinkings came under only one skipper in 5 patrols, Richard O'kane.
Sorry Mac, but I know about Richard O'Kane. I never heard of Fluckey until today, although I heard stories of the BARB. But, Fluckey had a better record in scored hits and sinkings, but the tonnage by this time in the war were diminishing as most were already sunk. Plus Kane's boat was sunk by his carelessness. Remember Kane had been in boats since 1942, but Fluckey didnt start patrols (other his very first one, a complete flop back in 1943) until 1944. He went on a terror, not unlike Dick O'kane.
@@billyjoe415 How was O'Kane careless? Torpedo made a circular run from a jammed rudder. This was not the only boat that suffered this fate from a Mk 18 electric torpedo.
Well, now that you have very thoroughly douced this channel with cold water, we will think back to what we were doing...and what we were doing is appreciating WWII SubPac and one of her stars. We were not here with our tape measures, to measure the length pf each man's junk...just telling some wartime stories.
Only Timothy Breault, earned his Medal of honor on submarines...
@@s.porter8646 Wrong! Try again and do some research this time. Multiple men were awarded the Medal of Honor in the submarine service.
I'm only a couple minutes into it, but until mid 1944, American torpedoes rarely functioned properly. Many targets were hit without exploding. FDR incident is hilarious.
True! I've read much about those faulty torpedoes. Just think what would have happened if those torpedoes would have not been defective early on in the war.
Pleased you brought the Barb, its skipper and crew to light !!!!!!!!
I listened to the "Thunder Below" audiobook a few weeks ago. You have done a very good overview of the 15.5 hour reading. You could have mentioned how he motivated the crew with beer through all patrols.
Yep that is my one regret with the video that I didn’t mention that!
This guy outta get a beret from every special operations unit in the world. His intelligence is one thing. But his command initiative is unreal. Butcher & bolt.
What a fantastic record.😁👌👌👌👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hope the new Barb (SSN-804) that's on order is also a lucky boat
I absolutely love that they are naming new subs after the legendary WW2 boats
He came on the scene when the war was almost over. Others contribute more at more crucial times. OKane and Cutter to name just two
I bet you are fun at parties.
This report helps to give the new generation of submariners a strong sense of the spirit which they are the inherits of -- Worth making this available to the young. Gripping!
An excellent video about an American hero. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Trawlers and other small ships were also lookouts, remeber the Doolittle raid and what caused them to launch much further away than they should have. Small boats.
Very true and great point!
Fluckey wanted to go ashore himself to do the infamous train job, but his own men believed that he was too important to lose for the War effort and threatened to report him if he didn't stay aboard The Barb... How good of a commander do you have to be that your own men don't want to risk losing you? I know he prioritized not losing a single sailor under his own watch, and maybe they were motivated to not let him down? 🤔
Interesting!
Let's get it straight - World War Two started on September 3rd 1939. America joined in directly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7th 1941. By that time Britain had successfully evacuated its forces from France through Dunkirk and had decisively beaten the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain!
He sounds like the perfect naval commander, bet he could have got his crew to take on the entire IJN by themselves.
Completely agree! Thanks for watching :)