My Grandfather was the Radio and Sonar Operator on the Harder for it's first five patrols. He was supposed to go on the sixth but switched his leave with another sailor. My mom, aunt, two cousins, myself and my daughter wouldn't be here today if he hadn't. He spoke very highly of Dealy but also noted he was very aggressive with his tactics. His stories about the depth charge attacks were very eye opening. He served 20 years on subs but the Harder was the only one he spoke much about. I wish he would have lived long enough to hear the news about it being found.
@@CapricornEGO It's kinda ominously equivalent to "The abyss calls to me." As if Lady Sea is calling Dealey to her cold dark embrace, like a Siren's singing with her dreaded enchanting song of peril. The Command should have taken this pattern seriously and prohibited them from going to another sortie sternly. Pushing your luck too much will end in trouble, and that of the crew were already exhausted to the point that even Dealey has become numb to the dangers of recklessness, that he overlooked his responsibility to his brothers-in-arms to return in one piece.
Yea those type of lines are usually res flags mental health wise. Usually some sort of survivor's guilt or the like. But I don't know much about his service record prior nor his personal relationships
For soldiers its called the veterans bias. When youve survived 10 battles you biastly think youll survive the 11. even tho your ords are exactly the same as before.
@@dogcarman IIRC, it used to be a 4 mission limit. With the idea that skippers would either be too timid or too reckless to run a submraine by that point. I guess after Eugene Fluckey sank a train on his 5th Patrol, that rule was relaxed.
And rightly so - those brave men lie there to this day - it is for us to remember the sacrifice they made to give us the freedoms we have today. Rest well Harder for you shall remain forever on patrol!
The admiral shouldn’t have let them go out again. The boat had already taken a lot of punishment, and the captain had already done all his patrols. It was the needless endangerment of a crew, and they paid the price for it.
@@keithsimpson2150 I can’t talk on the behalf of the US, but British generals certainly did. The country was devastated by the First World War, and had to savour every fighting soldier it could, because getting replacements was very difficult. It was often detrimental to Imperial command, as many British generals (most famously Auchinleck) failed to launch counterattacks or offensives which led to the defeats further down the line (read North African campaign). The UK armed forces were also adherent to the doctrine of ‘steel not flesh’, meaning to conserve all available manpower and instead use their enormous industrial capacity to win. I can’t speak on behalf of the US in WW2 though. For all I know you could be right, this is an American sub we’re talking about here.
Christie should have overruled Dealey. Christie knew that with these stunning successes it was only a matter of time until luck ran out. Overconfidence is a silent killer, with ignornance taking front seat. As mentioned, Dealey was becoming too careless with Japanese Anti-submarine tactics. It only requires 1 mistake before its too late. Its unfortunate cause had Dealey taken the advice, he and his crew would have likely survived the war. RIP to Harder and her crew.
It seems that the Wild Weasels are not the first instance of the Americans deciding that when the enemy comes up with a counter to a unit of a specific type, that unit should just try harder.
Yes, and exhausted/fatigued/sleep-deprived/burned-out/"combat-fatigued" people lose performance and make far more errors of judgment and actions. Regardless of how macho or invulnerable someone thinks they are or acts, human beings have biological limits that absolutely must be respected, or else. Hopefully the US Navy and the US military in general have learned this.
Thank you for this video. A relative of mine, last name of Keckler, was an electricians mate on the Harder. I saw the memorial to the crew at Pearl Harbor a couple of years ago. So glad the sub was found and final respects could be paid. What an amazing crew. Keep up the great work with your videos!
Walked through the WWII sub SS Torsk, on display in Baltimore, an updated Gato-class submarine. How anyone crammed themselves into that thing, and fought a war, is unimaginable.
@@Jacks_Bad_Ideas well, it takes a certain kind of men who volunteer (then and now) for subs. One major requirement is that they are not claustrophobic, another is they must possess physical and psychological fortitude to withstand 50 to 60 day patrols in these subs.
@@jessicaregina1956 in 1944, the Mk 14 torpedo's contact exploders were improved significantly, thanks to the work spearheaded by Admiral Charles Lockwood et al in 1943 (He received the Legion of Merit for this work). And by this time, the Mk 18, that American "Chinese copy" of the German G4e electric torp, is introduced in service.
@@Beecher_Dikov People say that, but I think if you were to ask them, or the men of Varus' legions or Custer's 7th Cavalry; they'd have some colourful words to describe their commander's overconfidence.
Thanks for this narrative, of which I was previously unaware. I am PARTICULARLY grateful to know that the wreck had been discovered just this year (2024). Thank you.
There was a quest in wow where a monkey shouts "come at me Brokkers". It means the same and I like the monkey version more. But yeah that was my 1st though too
I've always been absolutely fascinated with the war in the Pacific, mainly because my grandfather served their along with one of his brothers. His other brother served in the European theater. And I've read many books about the submarine fleet, and Admiral Christie was criticized for the fact that he let him go on that last patrol. I believe after that it was actually put into the regulations that no Captain was allowed to make more than four War Patrols. Because by that point in the war they were getting enough experience captains there was no need to risk guys so many times.
I loved watching that movie with my dad growing up! Whenever my mom and sister would go on a girl scout trip that would take them somewhere overnight, dad and I would watch Run Silent, Run Deep! I was probably the only kid who grew up in the early 90s that had Run Silent, Run Deep in his top 5 favorite movies!
Obviously RSRD borrowed heavily (but not entirely) from the Harder's exploits for the movie's plot. Not only the repeated "torpedoes down a charging destroyer's throat" aspect, but also the friction between the CO and XO, who suspected the CO was cracking up and unnecessarily risking the lives of his crew. The movie's plot took a different turn than the Harder's real life story, however.
As I understand it commanders were repalced every 4th partol, because the idea was that they would either get _too timid_ or _too reckless_ to command. This was definitely the latter. 2:40 Turning away was a deadly mistake. Taking the salvo head-on gives the best survival chance. Pointing right into the salvo minimizes the surface area torpedoes can hit. And the bow isn't exactly the most critical part. Even if the torpedo get's close, I doubt the fuse would detonate if it started scraping along the hull. But staying on course was probably insanely hard from a psychological point of view. 4:15 The chance to hit was still bad. Ships - especially destroyers - don't have a wide profile from the front. 4:50 They got it right. A careful manevuer that avoided ramming their bow into Nr. 2. Without driving their aft into 3-6. 9:47 That is why you stay on course. The best chance that the entire salvo will just miss. Admittedly, in that animation he barely gave the enemy _time_ to dodge. And if the enemy does not maneuver, you have no real chance of hitting.
It is important to remember that there were other men on that ship beside Dealey who lost their lives. Here are their names: William Gordon Zander Buford John Young, Sr. Leonard Maurice White John T. Swagerty Nelson Spice Lloyd Hammond Sommerschield Walker Neal Snyder Austin Smith Vernard Leslie Sloggett Melvin Schwartz Donald John Simon Francis Xavier Scheibelhut Philip Thomas Sampson Robert Barnwell Roosevelt Mervin M. Rogers Max Myrval Rogers Robert Peter Przybilla Ralph Edson Pratt Richard Semple Pick Elroy Rufus Peck Freeman Paquet, Jr. Larry Anzo Opisso Thomas Daggett Ogilvie, II John William Snipes, Jr. Myles Harlan Murray Roy Benjamin Moss Arthur Bernard Morgan Robert Moore Otto Junior Moore Charles Allen Moffett, Jr. Robert Ray Mills Chester Miller Benjamin Ralph Medley Gordan Keith McWilliams Frank Bartlett McGrevy Ralph Erskine Manning Frank Paul Majuri, Jr. Harvey Austin Lynn, Jr. John Peyton Lonas Samuel Moore Logan Angelo LoCascio Sylvester Benjamin Lilley George Bernard Levin Henry Wilfred Lawson Joseph Melvin Lane George William Lakey James Hubbell Kellogg Roland Wilbur Keckler Roy Edward Jones Daniel Richard James Vard William Hutcherson Earl Verner Hood Hiram Delbert Hatfield Walter Orville Haloupek Daniel John Gully Joseph Lewis Glueckert Robert Lee Gifford Charles Raymond Altherr Robert Orville Baber Walter Francis Beutelspacher Robert Aloyious Blum Wayne Allen Brostrom Sumter Bourg Thomas Wooldridge Buckner Calvin Arthur Bull Vivian Jewell Cash Roland Raymond Chenard Wilbur Lee Clark John Chester Conley Harold Frederick Crask James Edward Cromwell George Eugene Fisher, Jr. Carl Edwin Finney James McKinley Edgar William Vernon Diamond Edwin Warren De Voe Vincent Louis Dallessandro Donald Bernard Dahlheimer
Reviewing the exploits of the USN Harder and the sinking of 9 destroyers, its ultimate demise was quite predictable, and any blame lies at the feet of Admiral Christy. There was a good reason that captains were rotated to desk duty after 5 missions. All those reasons were being exhibited by Commander Dealy. They don't mention how man depth charging attacks the Harder had undergone, but they mention two that were so severe that crew didn't think the vessel would remain intact. Sinking 9 destroyers in that short of time undoubtedly would lead to a false sense of security, invincibility, and with each successful attack an increase in high-risk behaviors. ADM Christy should have never allowed Commander Deal to command another rotation at sea. The signs of battle fatigue and the stress of daily command had obviously taken their toll on Cdm Dealy. Had Commander Dealy been rotated to shore time, he could have been assigned to the advanced submarine school for commanders where his knowledge and exploits could have been passed onto a new generation of sub commanders. Any of the crewmembers on their 5th rotation should have also been rotated shore side and used at the submarine schools. Instead, all lives were lost along with all there knowledge!
The War under the pacific is a wonderful book that give access to a lot of the surface level information on many interesting patrols by US submariners I highly recommend this to anyone who wants more stories
Small issue I noticed: With LT Commander Lynch's Insignia, you gave him one that's a Commander's (Silver Oakleaf) when it should be a LT Comm's (Bronze Oakleaf). Other than that VERY minor issue, wonderful video, very well done.
There's a little bit more to the change in tactics regarding destroyer attacks. American intelligence had discovered that -- unlike the Americans and British -- the IJN did not have a large program to build more destroyers or tankers. Japan never really got over the idea that it would be a short war. The USN then realized that sinking these 2 ship types would be particularly damaging to the Japanese war effort as there were no replacement ships in the pipeline. The results were devastating.
It's not that Japan didn't think it would be a long war. They simply understood they stood no chance in a long war. And so there is no reason to sacrifice resources and plans that will hopefully bring victory early for a defeat that happens farther in the future. And as far as destroyers go, Japan knew they needed them. Pretty much all battleships and even some cruisers were halted except for some at very late stage construction. This was in favor of more destroyers and carriers which even as early as 1941, Japan acknowledged they needed more of. Akizuki and Matsu classes for example are war time production and we're fairly numerous in addition to the continued production of pre-war Kagero designs under the Yugumo-class designation. Japan however wasn't willing to sacrifice qualitative features in favor of quantity until the Matsu and Kaibokans late war. The US thoroughly embraced the destroyer escorts early on but also enjoyed a much larger industrial base. Even without DDEs and CVEs, US still out produced Japanese DDs and Kaibokans combined with just DDs alone. The entire Fletcher class was the size of the Japanese DD fleet.
For Japan, the war on mainland China took precedence offensively. Everything in the Pacific was defensive. Hold and defend. But that robs one of initiative. Defensive tactics are easy to predict and require greater resources to sustain.
If you read between the lines of the decision to give Deally an against protocol sixth mission commanding Harder, you see a power struggle with the Captain and the First Officer, who should rightfully take command. The First Officer basically throws him under the bus, but Deally manages to get the get the ship and tactical command of two others.
The Japanese navy was chronically short of destroyers, literally from day 1 of the war with the US with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The carrier attack force had but nine destroyers escorting the six most valuable ships in the fleet - the six fleet carriers - that launched the air attack. Never enough destroyers to put into their fleet formations, let alone perform escort duty for merchant shipping. The specific targeting of Japanese destroyers by HARDER had an outsize effect on the Japanese Navy's ability to fight its battles with the US Navy as well as maintain its lines of transport within its empire.
Having learned about the submarine war against the Japanese in WWII and how incompetently the Japanese handled that crucial aspect of the war (never developing either the techniques or technologies the US and British developed to handle the German Wolf Pack), one can pretty accurately say the outcome of the Pacific Theater was predestined by the fact that the US had a large and powerful submarine fleet that could interdict and sink the near entirety of the Japanese merchant fleet, starving it of the resources the Japanese Islands themselves lacked and would be needed to fuel, arm, and run the Japanese Navy and Army.
The IJN simply didnt have enough ships to cover everything. Theres a reason why the IJN preferred the Kantai Kessen - the Decisive Battle doctrine because they know they cant hold everything. Also despite the obsessiveness of the IJN over planning, they just somehow didnt anticipate the sheer amount of coverage you need to fully transport everything that they dont have enough cargo ships. So now the IJN found itself needing more destroyers and more cargo ships - but it simply cant keep up. It wouldnt have been bad if they had secured a peace deal not too long afterwards but they didnt. The IJN simply didnt think they would be fighting up to the point where new technologies and strategies would be crucial.
The older I get the more sensitive I become to the casualties of war , the statement of “ with no survivors “ instantly brings images of young children with no father coming home , that being said the Japanese did terrible things during the war , so I suppose you reap what you sow
The older I get the less I care. The further away you live from me or if you're not family I'm not going to even send up a prayer. "This just in, 10,000 people in northern England died from an asteroid impact." Me, "Glad it didn't hit where I or my family lives."
Submarine duty was one of the most dangerous duties you can do for anyone in WWII. There's many examples of great accomplishments by them from for example the Kriegsmarine and US Navy. But they also had in common high losses. Also, the biggest killer of Japanese Destroyers in WWII were not from surface action, land or carrier based air power. Submarines inflicted the most losses, which was a surprise to me.
I don’t know how I would feel being part of Dealey’s crew. Like I’d be proud of all the badass shit but at the same time I’d be like this guy is completely insane.
Probably about the same as the crew of USS Johnston would have felt as they defended Taffy 3 honestly. Or anyone who flew with Dick Best at Midway. It was always the insane ones who turned the tide at the end of the day.
@@PaladinCasdinWell, plenty of insane ones just died. It's the few that survive and since they took the risk, they reap the rewards. You can't win if you don't play. But when the majority of those that play loses, you got to ask if it really was worth it.
Thank you so much for making this video. The crew of USS Harder deserve recognition for their courage. I also have two requests: would you be willing to do a video like this about the sinking of the Japanese battleship Kongo on November 21, 1944 by USS Sealion II? You might also be interested in Operation Praying Mantis on April 18, 1988. I hope that you will at least consider it. Thanks.
was Harder the first to adopt the tactic of charging the destroyer? The Mk 14 high speed is 46 kt. A destroyer is rated for 35kt+ but may be 30 kt with barnacles on hull + some plug boiler tubes. So, a closing speed of 75kt. 3min rule is 100yd per kt, so 7500 yd per 3min, or 2500 yd in min and 800 yd in 20sec. Would be nice to know what the spread angles were. Early in the war, Japan did not set their depth charges correctly. This was told to a reported, who published it. The Japanese got the paper, and passed it on
Loved the video @historigraph! Can't wait for the next video man! So, Harder was another Iconic Gato-class Submarine to have been lost during the War. I wonder if Anyone has done a Custom Stat Card for her in "Axis & Allies: War at Sea"? Her Sister, The Barb, is a Somewhat Basic Gato being the Only Boat in the Class that's in the Official Sets. Barb has the Submerged Shot like all Submarines in the Game as well as Audacious Attack which allows her to make Two Attacks against Separate Targets in the Submarine Attack Phase of the Turn. This, combined with her Torpedo Attack Values of 3/3/2/- at Ranges 0/1/2/3 respectively and her Armor, Vital Armor and Hull Points of 3, 6 and 2 respectively and a Speed of 1 equals to 12 Points in the Game. Harder, Given her Service, would likely have the Destroyer Killer (+1 Attack Die when Attacking Destroyers) as well as the Wolfpack (+1 Attack Die when Attacking with Another Submarine with the Same Ability) Special Abilities in Addition to Barb's Submerged Shot and Audacious Attack. I'm guessing that with this Set-up, Harder would Probably be about 14 or 16 Points in the Game. The Respective Dates for the Sub's are 1942 for Barb and Maybe a 1944 Date for the Harder. Before I forget, Submerged Shot allows your Submarines to make Torpedo Attacks against Enemy Submarines. I know that there aren't that many People who are into the Tabletop Wargaming scene, But for those who are She'll be a Great Addition to your Fleet for any Games you may find yourself in even if it's a bit of a Tribute to the Submarine and her Crew. Let me know what you think about this and I'll catch you in your next video man!
Looking at the pic…. It looks like the aft of the submarine is completely missing…. I recall in Eugene Fluckys book “Thunder Below” that he suspected that maybe the sub was lost after a circular run torpedo rather than the result of a failed “down the throat shot” that Harder had by then become known for. Wonder if that is what in fact sunk her, sending her men onto internal patrol.
_"Dealey overconfidence"_ was a curse for US sailors... JFK decided he could ride through _Dealey Plaza_ in Dallas in a convertible despite being warned of its dangers. It didn't work out well for the former sailor.
The basic summary: "You know all the stuff the Americans, British, and Canadians have come up with to fight submarines effectively? Don't do that." Although, to be fair, they didn't have the ships to do it.
Wakatsuki was NOT an older Mutsuki class ship...she was a modern Akizuki class vessel. Also, Ikazuchi did her best, but it wasn't enough. (Obligatory DesDiv 6 KanColle reference.)
American destroyers, too. Numerous Japanese warships escaped severe damage or destruction because US destroyers fired torpedoes at them that didn't work. One of the worst instances of this was during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
@@tatumergo3931 But we are not speaking Portuguese or Spanish, this is an English channel communicating in English, basic English should be understood before pressing that publish button.
@Sandhoeflyerhome . Proper names are pronounce in their language of origin, regardless of what the pronunciation might be in another language. It's called having culture and a higher education, so as not to come across as an ignoramus. Just because someone's upbringing was unable to provide them with a sophisticated learning is no reason to continue to educate oneself and become better! Otherwise what would be the purpose of living...... just to occupy space and consume?
The US torpedoes up until late 1943 were not trustworthy. Therefore, engaging with a destroyer when your weapon was non-functional was an obvious bad idea. But, once the improved torpedoes that actually explode were available, and found to be reliable in the field, taking on a destroyer was no longer a fool's errand. This period was a sweet spot for that. The Japanese were well aware that US torpedoes were unlikely to be effective, so had little fear of them. Obviously, that changed.
Destroyers were considered too small, too dangerous and a distraction from the more valuable targets they protect. Dealey recognized that by sinking them there would be nothing to protect the ships they normally escort. Meaning future targets would either be easier to engage or Japan wouldn't risk sending them out in the first place. It was a philosophy that paid off by the end of the war. Sad that Dealey didn't see the vindication of his risks.
Damn that picture3D looks like they really had bad time I think the crew heard the depth change touch the submarine and knew they were doomed I hope we see the inside
Play Call of War for FREE on PC, iOS or Android: 💥 callofwar.onelink.me/q5L6/HIST001
KISS my A$$
SORRY RETRACK COMMENT IT WAS MENT FOR HARRIS
SORRY IT WAS MENT FOR HARRIS
7th 9@@stevensulak2387
My Grandfather was the Radio and Sonar Operator on the Harder for it's first five patrols. He was supposed to go on the sixth but switched his leave with another sailor. My mom, aunt, two cousins, myself and my daughter wouldn't be here today if he hadn't. He spoke very highly of Dealy but also noted he was very aggressive with his tactics. His stories about the depth charge attacks were very eye opening.
He served 20 years on subs but the Harder was the only one he spoke much about. I wish he would have lived long enough to hear the news about it being found.
Dealer disassembled every torpedo he was given, knowing the mark 14 deficiencies, his torpedoes worked
When a man says things like "I have to do this" without any concrete reason you know a death flag was raised sky high.
@@CapricornEGO It's kinda ominously equivalent to "The abyss calls to me." As if Lady Sea is calling Dealey to her cold dark embrace, like a Siren's singing with her dreaded enchanting song of peril.
The Command should have taken this pattern seriously and prohibited them from going to another sortie sternly. Pushing your luck too much will end in trouble, and that of the crew were already exhausted to the point that even Dealey has become numb to the dangers of recklessness, that he overlooked his responsibility to his brothers-in-arms to return in one piece.
@@Rhi25 "You aren't leading your men to victory, you are leading them home."
Yea those type of lines are usually res flags mental health wise. Usually some sort of survivor's guilt or the like. But I don't know much about his service record prior nor his personal relationships
I believe that's called foreshadowing, to bad things.
Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer.
The 5 mission limit was probably reasonable in light of what happened to the USS Harder.
For soldiers its called the veterans bias. When youve survived 10 battles you biastly think youll survive the 11. even tho your ords are exactly the same as before.
Those who survive a long time on the battlefield start to think they're invincible.
I bet you do, too, Buddy.
The ancestor grimly smiles
@@dogcarman IIRC, it used to be a 4 mission limit.
With the idea that skippers would either be too timid or too reckless to run a submraine by that point.
I guess after Eugene Fluckey sank a train on his 5th Patrol, that rule was relaxed.
Japanese destroyers: everything is too easy, we should fight something harder
Something Harder:
"just because you are built to counter me, does not mean you can counter me"
Lamo
😂
Very clever.
Japanese Commanders after seeing CMDR Harder : SHIT GO BACK
This video was surely made because of the recent discovery of USS Harder, in eternal patrol off the coast of Luzon.
Yes I started it a couple of days after the news - there's your example of how long our production cycle is!
@@historigraph kudos for your effort! thank you
RIP. They're on patrol for Cthulu now.
And rightly so - those brave men lie there to this day - it is for us to remember the sacrifice they made to give us the freedoms we have today. Rest well Harder for you shall remain forever on patrol!
The admiral shouldn’t have let them go out again. The boat had already taken a lot of punishment, and the captain had already done all his patrols. It was the needless endangerment of a crew, and they paid the price for it.
And his XO had said the Capt was showing strain and was downplaying enemy anti-sub capabilities. A dangerous combo.
And, there was a war going on….
You're deluded if you think command really cared about their lives it was all just about the total resources expended versus destroyed
@@keithsimpson2150 I can’t talk on the behalf of the US, but British generals certainly did. The country was devastated by the First World War, and had to savour every fighting soldier it could, because getting replacements was very difficult. It was often detrimental to Imperial command, as many British generals (most famously Auchinleck) failed to launch counterattacks or offensives which led to the defeats further down the line (read North African campaign). The UK armed forces were also adherent to the doctrine of ‘steel not flesh’, meaning to conserve all available manpower and instead use their enormous industrial capacity to win.
I can’t speak on behalf of the US in WW2 though. For all I know you could be right, this is an American sub we’re talking about here.
The admiral misplaced his trust on the Captain's skill over protocol.
Christie should have overruled Dealey. Christie knew that with these stunning successes it was only a matter of time until luck ran out.
Overconfidence is a silent killer, with ignornance taking front seat.
As mentioned, Dealey was becoming too careless with Japanese Anti-submarine tactics. It only requires 1 mistake before its too late.
Its unfortunate cause had Dealey taken the advice, he and his crew would have likely survived the war.
RIP to Harder and her crew.
The fact that he attempted a torpedo run on a sub-chaser definitely proves that point.
Hindsight , dealey was at the top of his game, Christie just sounded like a hater
It seems that the Wild Weasels are not the first instance of the Americans deciding that when the enemy comes up with a counter to a unit of a specific type, that unit should just try harder.
The history of every weapon and counter throughout history. I you're looking for a justification for your pun, you'll have to try harder.
Damn guys, the harder you try the harder the joke will punch
Oh my god, I am an unintentional comedy genius. Pun not intended, but gladly accepted.
@@sciencetube4574 hahaa yes
And we took our punches at the joke
Well as they say
Harder we punch the harder they fall
The perfect example of no matter how skilled you are, everyone eventually makes mistakes.
Yes, and exhausted/fatigued/sleep-deprived/burned-out/"combat-fatigued" people lose performance and make far more errors of judgment and actions. Regardless of how macho or invulnerable someone thinks they are or acts, human beings have biological limits that absolutely must be respected, or else. Hopefully the US Navy and the US military in general have learned this.
Amazing what fully functional torpedoes can do. Those first two or more years for the USN subs had to have been frustrating and awful.....and angry.
And torpedo planes. Emmerich’s Midway shows how disappointing and dangerous they were for low and slow torpedo bombers.
Thank you for this video. A relative of mine, last name of Keckler, was an electricians mate on the Harder. I saw the memorial to the crew at Pearl Harbor a couple of years ago. So glad the sub was found and final respects could be paid. What an amazing crew. Keep up the great work with your videos!
Walked through the WWII sub SS Torsk, on display in Baltimore, an updated Gato-class submarine. How anyone crammed themselves into that thing, and fought a war, is unimaginable.
In Swedish Torsk is the fish called cod.
The US Navy probably named it as such because there's a sub named Cod (which you can visit in Cleveland, Ohio).
I went to the USS Silversides in Muskegon, I hit my head several times and was not trying to fight, it must have been awful
@@Jacks_Bad_Ideas well, it takes a certain kind of men who volunteer (then and now) for subs. One major requirement is that they are not claustrophobic, another is they must possess physical and psychological fortitude to withstand 50 to 60 day patrols in these subs.
Probably 40 years ago I went on the Torsk with my family on a trip to Baltimore. I very much agree with you!
Wake up babe, new Historigraph video
Dealey really should have been promoted ashore. You could see Harders loss coming as soon as they left Freemantle
Last time I was this early USN torpedoes were still not working
Really 1942 vs 1944 are like completely different wars to a submariner
Usn torpedoes work?
@@jessicaregina1956 in 1944, the Mk 14 torpedo's contact exploders were improved significantly, thanks to the work spearheaded by Admiral Charles Lockwood et al in 1943 (He received the Legion of Merit for this work). And by this time, the Mk 18, that American "Chinese copy" of the German G4e electric torp, is introduced in service.
Great tribute to the Harder and its crew.
Unbelievably risky. Not sure the crew would have appreciated the Captains quest for destroyers.
I'd bet they were 100% with him...
@@Beecher_Dikov You could not be a submarine skipper without full trust to your captain, submarine duty is insanity in itself already
@@Beecher_Dikov
People say that, but I think if you were to ask them, or the men of Varus' legions or Custer's 7th Cavalry; they'd have some colourful words to describe their commander's overconfidence.
@@DomWeaselif the fragging wouldn’t have also crippled their submarine I doubt it wouldn’t have been seriously considered
Thanks for this narrative, of which I was previously unaware.
I am PARTICULARLY grateful to know that the wreck had been discovered just this year (2024).
Thank you.
Sam Dealey: "Come at me, bro."
There was a quest in wow where a monkey shouts "come at me Brokkers". It means the same and I like the monkey version more. But yeah that was my 1st though too
I've always been absolutely fascinated with the war in the Pacific, mainly because my grandfather served their along with one of his brothers. His other brother served in the European theater.
And I've read many books about the submarine fleet, and Admiral Christie was criticized for the fact that he let him go on that last patrol. I believe after that it was actually put into the regulations that no Captain was allowed to make more than four War Patrols. Because by that point in the war they were getting enough experience captains there was no need to risk guys so many times.
After that rule, the only exception was Eugene Fluckey's "graduation" fifth patrol, which is more like a test run for new technology and tactics.
The first destroyer kill sounds like the basis of the movie "Run Silent, Run Deep."
I loved watching that movie with my dad growing up! Whenever my mom and sister would go on a girl scout trip that would take them somewhere overnight, dad and I would watch Run Silent, Run Deep! I was probably the only kid who grew up in the early 90s that had Run Silent, Run Deep in his top 5 favorite movies!
Obviously RSRD borrowed heavily (but not entirely) from the Harder's exploits for the movie's plot. Not only the repeated "torpedoes down a charging destroyer's throat" aspect, but also the friction between the CO and XO, who suspected the CO was cracking up and unnecessarily risking the lives of his crew. The movie's plot took a different turn than the Harder's real life story, however.
As I understand it commanders were repalced every 4th partol, because the idea was that they would either get _too timid_ or _too reckless_ to command. This was definitely the latter.
2:40 Turning away was a deadly mistake. Taking the salvo head-on gives the best survival chance. Pointing right into the salvo minimizes the surface area torpedoes can hit. And the bow isn't exactly the most critical part.
Even if the torpedo get's close, I doubt the fuse would detonate if it started scraping along the hull.
But staying on course was probably insanely hard from a psychological point of view.
4:15 The chance to hit was still bad. Ships - especially destroyers - don't have a wide profile from the front.
4:50 They got it right. A careful manevuer that avoided ramming their bow into Nr. 2. Without driving their aft into 3-6.
9:47 That is why you stay on course. The best chance that the entire salvo will just miss.
Admittedly, in that animation he barely gave the enemy _time_ to dodge.
And if the enemy does not maneuver, you have no real chance of hitting.
USS England: _”Okay, let’s roll these dice.”_
It is important to remember that there were other men on that ship beside Dealey who lost their lives. Here are their names:
William Gordon Zander
Buford John Young, Sr.
Leonard Maurice White
John T. Swagerty
Nelson Spice
Lloyd Hammond Sommerschield
Walker Neal Snyder
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Roy Benjamin Moss
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Thank you. It's not just the Captain operating that boat. It requires a lot of skilled men who are mission driven, just like the Captain.
Buford Young was my cousin (1x rem) and I found this video researching him. Thank you for posting this.
Wonderful commentary, thank you.
Should've been called The Destroyer Destroyer
The destroyer²
Reviewing the exploits of the USN Harder and the sinking of 9 destroyers, its ultimate demise was quite predictable, and any blame lies at the feet of Admiral Christy. There was a good reason that captains were rotated to desk duty after 5 missions. All those reasons were being exhibited by Commander Dealy. They don't mention how man depth charging attacks the Harder had undergone, but they mention two that were so severe that crew didn't think the vessel would remain intact.
Sinking 9 destroyers in that short of time undoubtedly would lead to a false sense of security, invincibility, and with each successful attack an increase in high-risk behaviors. ADM Christy should have never allowed Commander Deal to command another rotation at sea. The signs of battle fatigue and the stress of daily command had obviously taken their toll on Cdm Dealy.
Had Commander Dealy been rotated to shore time, he could have been assigned to the advanced submarine school for commanders where his knowledge and exploits could have been passed onto a new generation of sub commanders. Any of the crewmembers on their 5th rotation should have also been rotated shore side and used at the submarine schools. Instead, all lives were lost along with all there knowledge!
"hittem' harder"
so cool
The War under the pacific is a wonderful book that give access to a lot of the surface level information on many interesting patrols by US submariners I highly recommend this to anyone who wants more stories
@@shadowwarriorshockwave3281 another excellent work is Clay Blair's definitive history of the submarine war in the Pacific, "Silent Victory".
Small issue I noticed: With LT Commander Lynch's Insignia, you gave him one that's a Commander's (Silver Oakleaf) when it should be a LT Comm's (Bronze Oakleaf).
Other than that VERY minor issue, wonderful video, very well done.
There's a little bit more to the change in tactics regarding destroyer attacks.
American intelligence had discovered that -- unlike the Americans and British -- the IJN did not have a large program to build more destroyers or tankers. Japan never really got over the idea that it would be a short war. The USN then realized that sinking these 2 ship types would be particularly damaging to the Japanese war effort as there were no replacement ships in the pipeline. The results were devastating.
It's not that Japan didn't think it would be a long war. They simply understood they stood no chance in a long war. And so there is no reason to sacrifice resources and plans that will hopefully bring victory early for a defeat that happens farther in the future. And as far as destroyers go, Japan knew they needed them. Pretty much all battleships and even some cruisers were halted except for some at very late stage construction. This was in favor of more destroyers and carriers which even as early as 1941, Japan acknowledged they needed more of. Akizuki and Matsu classes for example are war time production and we're fairly numerous in addition to the continued production of pre-war Kagero designs under the Yugumo-class designation.
Japan however wasn't willing to sacrifice qualitative features in favor of quantity until the Matsu and Kaibokans late war. The US thoroughly embraced the destroyer escorts early on but also enjoyed a much larger industrial base. Even without DDEs and CVEs, US still out produced Japanese DDs and Kaibokans combined with just DDs alone. The entire Fletcher class was the size of the Japanese DD fleet.
For Japan, the war on mainland China took precedence offensively. Everything in the Pacific was defensive. Hold and defend. But that robs one of initiative. Defensive tactics are easy to predict and require greater resources to sustain.
If you read between the lines of the decision to give Deally an against protocol sixth mission commanding Harder, you see a power struggle with the Captain and the First Officer, who should rightfully take command. The First Officer basically throws him under the bus, but Deally manages to get the get the ship and tactical command of two others.
Phenomenal video as always, thank you!
Watching this on 24th August for the first time
The Japanese navy was chronically short of destroyers, literally from day 1 of the war with the US with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The carrier attack force had but nine destroyers escorting the six most valuable ships in the fleet - the six fleet carriers - that launched the air attack. Never enough destroyers to put into their fleet formations, let alone perform escort duty for merchant shipping. The specific targeting of Japanese destroyers by HARDER had an outsize effect on the Japanese Navy's ability to fight its battles with the US Navy as well as maintain its lines of transport within its empire.
Having learned about the submarine war against the Japanese in WWII and how incompetently the Japanese handled that crucial aspect of the war (never developing either the techniques or technologies the US and British developed to handle the German Wolf Pack), one can pretty accurately say the outcome of the Pacific Theater was predestined by the fact that the US had a large and powerful submarine fleet that could interdict and sink the near entirety of the Japanese merchant fleet, starving it of the resources the Japanese Islands themselves lacked and would be needed to fuel, arm, and run the Japanese Navy and Army.
The IJN simply didnt have enough ships to cover everything. Theres a reason why the IJN preferred the Kantai Kessen - the Decisive Battle doctrine because they know they cant hold everything. Also despite the obsessiveness of the IJN over planning, they just somehow didnt anticipate the sheer amount of coverage you need to fully transport everything that they dont have enough cargo ships.
So now the IJN found itself needing more destroyers and more cargo ships - but it simply cant keep up. It wouldnt have been bad if they had secured a peace deal not too long afterwards but they didnt. The IJN simply didnt think they would be fighting up to the point where new technologies and strategies would be crucial.
if US torpedoes had actually worked more than 10% of the time for the first two years of the war, it would have probably lasted half the time.
The older I get the more sensitive I become to the casualties of war , the statement of “ with no survivors “ instantly brings images of young children with no father coming home , that being said the Japanese did terrible things during the war , so I suppose you reap what you sow
The older I get the less I care. The further away you live from me or if you're not family I'm not going to even send up a prayer.
"This just in, 10,000 people in northern England died from an asteroid impact."
Me, "Glad it didn't hit where I or my family lives."
Sad. The rear admiral should have insisted on the crew taking time off. Battle fatigue destroys judgement.
I did something similar to this in the Silent Hunter games, never knew that this actually was considered by real captains
was my go to strategy in U-boat.
I love your content! Thanks from Romania!
Always a good day when Historigraph video drops.
Submarine duty was one of the most dangerous duties you can do for anyone in WWII. There's many examples of great accomplishments by them from for example the Kriegsmarine and US Navy. But they also had in common high losses.
Also, the biggest killer of Japanese Destroyers in WWII were not from surface action, land or carrier based air power. Submarines inflicted the most losses, which was a surprise to me.
Great story told in a moving way as usual
Always seem to forget the us boats had rear facing torpedo tubes the ability to attack from both ends of the sub definitely came in handy
This channel is so good
I don’t know how I would feel being part of Dealey’s crew. Like I’d be proud of all the badass shit but at the same time I’d be like this guy is completely insane.
Probably about the same as the crew of USS Johnston would have felt as they defended Taffy 3 honestly. Or anyone who flew with Dick Best at Midway. It was always the insane ones who turned the tide at the end of the day.
@@PaladinCasdinWell, plenty of insane ones just died. It's the few that survive and since they took the risk, they reap the rewards. You can't win if you don't play. But when the majority of those that play loses, you got to ask if it really was worth it.
That 6:00 animation is crisp.
Thank you so much for making this video. The crew of USS Harder deserve recognition for their courage. I also have two requests: would you be willing to do a video like this about the sinking of the Japanese battleship Kongo on November 21, 1944 by USS Sealion II? You might also be interested in Operation Praying Mantis on April 18, 1988. I hope that you will at least consider it. Thanks.
The old semi-documentary television series THE SILENT SERVICE features the Harder in one of its episodes. It was a good tv series.
I’m sure the Harder was partial inspiration for the great sub movie “Run Silent, Run Deep” that follows a destroyer-hunting skipper fond of bow shots.
First destroyer: These idiots aren't diving
Second, third, and fourth destroyers: Oh fuck, they're not diving
was Harder the first to adopt the tactic of charging the destroyer? The Mk 14 high speed is 46 kt. A destroyer is rated for 35kt+ but may be 30 kt with barnacles on hull + some plug boiler tubes. So, a closing speed of 75kt. 3min rule is 100yd per kt, so 7500 yd per 3min, or 2500 yd in min and 800 yd in 20sec. Would be nice to know what the spread angles were.
Early in the war, Japan did not set their depth charges correctly. This was told to a reported, who published it. The Japanese got the paper, and passed it on
@@joechang8696 the culprit to that depth charge fiasco is IIRC, a boastful Republican congressman (if it is, go figure).
Nice video! Well timed and informative!
Loved the video @historigraph! Can't wait for the next video man! So, Harder was another Iconic Gato-class Submarine to have been lost during the War. I wonder if Anyone has done a Custom Stat Card for her in "Axis & Allies: War at Sea"? Her Sister, The Barb, is a Somewhat Basic Gato being the Only Boat in the Class that's in the Official Sets. Barb has the Submerged Shot like all Submarines in the Game as well as Audacious Attack which allows her to make Two Attacks against Separate Targets in the Submarine Attack Phase of the Turn. This, combined with her Torpedo Attack Values of 3/3/2/- at Ranges 0/1/2/3 respectively and her Armor, Vital Armor and Hull Points of 3, 6 and 2 respectively and a Speed of 1 equals to 12 Points in the Game. Harder, Given her Service, would likely have the Destroyer Killer (+1 Attack Die when Attacking Destroyers) as well as the Wolfpack (+1 Attack Die when Attacking with Another Submarine with the Same Ability) Special Abilities in Addition to Barb's Submerged Shot and Audacious Attack. I'm guessing that with this Set-up, Harder would Probably be about 14 or 16 Points in the Game. The Respective Dates for the Sub's are 1942 for Barb and Maybe a 1944 Date for the Harder. Before I forget, Submerged Shot allows your Submarines to make Torpedo Attacks against Enemy Submarines.
I know that there aren't that many People who are into the Tabletop Wargaming scene, But for those who are She'll be a Great Addition to your Fleet for any Games you may find yourself in even if it's a bit of a Tribute to the Submarine and her Crew.
Let me know what you think about this and I'll catch you in your next video man!
Quite an accomplishment.
Thanks so much!!!
Looking at the pic…. It looks like the aft of the submarine is completely missing…. I recall in Eugene Fluckys book “Thunder Below” that he suspected that maybe the sub was lost after a circular run torpedo rather than the result of a failed “down the throat shot” that Harder had by then become known for. Wonder if that is what in fact sunk her, sending her men onto internal patrol.
_"Dealey overconfidence"_ was a curse for US sailors... JFK decided he could ride through _Dealey Plaza_ in Dallas in a convertible despite being warned of its dangers. It didn't work out well for the former sailor.
Can you do a video explaining what were the anti submarine tactics of the imperial Japanese Navy..
This would be extremely interesting - tricker to source in English I imagine than some topics - but really interesting
The basic summary: "You know all the stuff the Americans, British, and Canadians have come up with to fight submarines effectively? Don't do that."
Although, to be fair, they didn't have the ships to do it.
Wakatsuki was NOT an older Mutsuki class ship...she was a modern Akizuki class vessel.
Also, Ikazuchi did her best, but it wasn't enough. (Obligatory DesDiv 6 KanColle reference.)
I like your videos because there very very detailed thank you for putting in all of that work
Thank you
Thanks for the video
So, only captains get rotated out? Not the whole crew? I would assume its incredibly stressful for everybody on the boat.
The crew do not make the critical strategic choices nor see much or anything outside their work areas.
Reminds me of Clark Gable in "Run Silent, Run Deep".
Incredible!
HARDER/DARTER/PARCHE/TROUT, never in, always out
Amazing what WW2 American subs can do when they have actually working torpedoes
American destroyers, too. Numerous Japanese warships escaped severe damage or destruction because US destroyers fired torpedoes at them that didn't work. One of the worst instances of this was during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
Of course it helped that American subs finally had good torpedos that werent duds.
Amazing story!
Have you done one on the engagement between the USN Taffy 3 and the Japanese Center Force during the Battle of Leyte?
Hubris, then no one goes home.
Both Admiral Lockwood and Cdr Dealey had ships named after them: FF-1064 and DE-1006, respectively.
King’s ban on fish usage was silly,as you should trust your subordinates on such usage.
GATO... Remember the effect of vowels. The O changes the sound of the A. Thus GATO LIKE gate with an oh on the end.
Not like GATE, but more GAH - TOH.... it means cat in Spanish and other several romance languages like Italian and Portuguese.
@@tatumergo3931 But we are not speaking Portuguese or Spanish, this is an English channel communicating in English, basic English should be understood before pressing that publish button.
@Sandhoeflyerhome . Proper names are pronounce in their language of origin, regardless of what the pronunciation might be in another language.
It's called having culture and a higher education, so as not to come across as an ignoramus.
Just because someone's upbringing was unable to provide them with a sophisticated learning is no reason to continue to educate oneself and become better!
Otherwise what would be the purpose of living...... just to occupy space and consume?
@@tatumergo3931 I speak 3 languages and have a degree in meteorology
@Sandhoeflyerhome . And you're still complaining....?
This captain had balls!
The goat upload another vid
I wonder how the rest of the crew felt about doing these extremely risky scenarios that the captain was putting them in.
Great video
Harder is still on patrol
That's like a deer killing 4 mountain lions
It fought harder than others.
The Silent Service tv show did a great episode on the USS Harder.
Japanese Destroyers: exist
USS Harder: "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with me!"
Submarine Destroyer, meet Submarine Destroyer Destroyer Submarine
Someone missed a golden opportunity to call Captain Dealy "the destroyer destroyer".
Rest in peace Harder
Did the writer use this in the movie, "Run Silent, Run Deep"?
A smaller boat is a hader target to hit then a larger boat.
The US torpedoes up until late 1943 were not trustworthy. Therefore, engaging with a destroyer when your weapon was non-functional was an obvious bad idea. But, once the improved torpedoes that actually explode were available, and found to be reliable in the field, taking on a destroyer was no longer a fool's errand. This period was a sweet spot for that. The Japanese were well aware that US torpedoes were unlikely to be effective, so had little fear of them. Obviously, that changed.
lovely, new video
Maybe daft punk was onto something
"Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after hour
Work is never over"
Destroyers were considered too small, too dangerous and a distraction from the more valuable targets they protect. Dealey recognized that by sinking them there would be nothing to protect the ships they normally escort. Meaning future targets would either be easier to engage or Japan wouldn't risk sending them out in the first place. It was a philosophy that paid off by the end of the war. Sad that Dealey didn't see the vindication of his risks.
Damn that picture3D looks like they really had bad time I think the crew heard the depth change touch the submarine and knew they were doomed I hope we see the inside
how do you even compute a firing solution for a head-on aspect shot?
Very interesting
History TH-camr: They all DIED.
History TH-camr: ...
History TH-camr: Anyway PLAY THIS GAME!
RIP brave crew of the Harder 🇺🇲
Dealey: Rock
Japanese: Paper
Dealey: I win