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A career Naval officer, Fluckey served on various ships until April 27, 1943, when he was given command of Barb, a submarine. He became one of the most accomplished submarine skippers of the war, credited with sinking more tonnage than any other U.S. submarine captain during World War II, including a Japanese aircraft carrier, a cruiser, and a frigate. Fluckey was also responsible for another wartime milestone: he commanded the only landing of U.S. forces on the Japanese Home Islands, sending a landing party ashore to blow up a train line, taking a supply train at the same time. He ordered that the raiders consist of representatives from every division on his submarine (and divided between regular Navy and Reserve sailors) to help spread the credit, and specified that as many of the men as possible be ex-Boy Scouts since he figured they'd be better equipped to find their way in enemy territory. Fluckey received four Navy Cross Medals for extraordinary heroism, and the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity". His proudest accomplishment during the war was that all of his men not only survived, but came home without any combat-related injuries. He retired as a Rear Admiral in 1972, and died on June 28. He was 93. From This is True for 24 June 2007 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Mark Stille List Price: $17.95 Amazon Price: $12.21 Editorial Review: Imperial Japanese Battleships '41-45  By: James D. Hornfischer List Price: $15.00 Amazon Price: $10.20 Editorial Review: “This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.” With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history. In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory. From the Hardcover edition.  By: E. B. Potter List Price: $21.95 Amazon Price: $14.93 Editorial Review: Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet in World War II, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful warriors such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality to help readers appreciate the contributions he made as the principal architect of Japan's defeat. The book covers his full life, from a poverty-stricken childhood to postwar appointments as Chief of Naval Operations and U.N. mediator. It candidly reveals Nimitz's opinions of Halsey, Kimmel, King, Spruance, MacArthur, Forrestal, Roosevelt, and Truman.  By: Mark Stille List Price: $17.95 Amazon Price: $12.21 Editorial Review: Japanese Naval Air Carriers1921  By: Mark Stille List Price: $17.95 Amazon Price: $12.21 Editorial Review: US Naval Aircraft Carriers 1942-45 |
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