Strike of the Sailfish

Two Sister Submarines and the Sinking of a Japanese Aircraft Carrier

By: Stephen L. Moore

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

A gripping true-life thriller about the first US submarine to sink a Japanese aircraft carrier—and the sub’s tragic twist of fate

In 1939 off the New England coast, the submarine USS Squalus accidentally sinks to the bottom of the sea during a training exercise, killing half her crew. Coming to the rescue is the USS Sculpin, in many ways the Squalus’s twin. As their oxygen supply dwindles, the remaining crew aboard the Squalus are saved in a time-consuming, white-knuckle operation. Eventually the sunken submarine is raised, repaired, and returned to duty, with a new name: the Sailfish.

Four years later, on patrol during the darkest days of the Pacific War, the Sailfish’s radarman picks up the tell-tale signs of a Japanese convoy, known by U.S. intelligence to include aircraft carriers, the most formidable of all enemy ships. Never before has an American submarine taken down a carrier—much less in the middle of a typhoon. Immediately, the crewmen swing into action, embarking on a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as this once-dead boat evades enemy cruisers to stalk closer and closer to their prized target. Little do they know that aboard the Japanese carrier are survivors of an attack on the USS Sculpin, the very boat that saved the Squalis-turned-Sailfish back in ’39.

Author Stephen L. Moore takes readers inside the nine-hour duel, narrating the action aboard both the Sailfish and the doomed carrier, where the American POWs fight against all odds to save their own lives before the ship goes down. Employing a wealth of new information, including long-lost survivors' accounts, fresh interviews with the last of the sub's crew, and official patrol reports, Strike of the Sailfish is the thrilling story of this strange chapter of naval history.

Strike of the Ssilfish

I liked the story of the U.S.S. Squalus to Sailfish and what true service / sacrifice is from the crew experiences.
it's unfortunate that the day is rapidly approaching when hearing these stories from the greatest generation will happen only in recordings. So many unbelievable (yet true) experiences have not (or likely will) be captured for the historical record.

Great insights into life on submarine

I recently went to the submarine museum near the Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

This book was recommended at that museum

As a Marine Corps infantry veteran, I found this very interesting as far as the overall day-to-day life in a sub.

If I had to make a single tiniest bit of criticism, it would be that the author introduces so many characters in the book that it was almost impossible for my small brain to Remember them well.

Great history!!

What an amazing view into World War II Pacific Submarine Warfare! Thanks Dillion and Moore!

Interesting - worth it if you enjoy WWII stories

There is a lot of detail in this book. Some of it might be too much or might be why the book works depending on your tastes. There is a lot of time spent on the life story of many individuals that become involved with the ship(s). This is showing due respect for the individuals that worked and sacrificed for the ultimate objective of WWII. But they don't necessarily move the narrative along. Like many war stories there is excitement, challenges, victories, and losses. This is a fine one.

Wow…what a ride!

Everything about this book was great. The story itself was dynamic, but the voice was perfect for the book. I could hardly tear myself away from it.