- 4 months ago
A submarine trying to rescue downed American pilots comes under attack from Japanese destroyers.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykes, retired.
00:30Glad to have you aboard as we bring you another chapter in the Exploits of the Silent Service.
00:36This story deals with the submarine lifeguard operation,
00:40a daring cooperation between our forces in the air and those under the sea,
00:46which resulted in the saving of literally hundreds of our fliers.
00:50This story is based on the exploits of the USS Tigron, and it opens in May 1945 on Guam.
00:59Let's get underway.
01:07It is May 1945, Guam, the headquarters of Rear Admiral Richardson.
01:13And we found this submarine lifeguard setup pays off,
01:16even better than General Lemay and I expected it would.
01:20We've seen the rescue score of the total number of fliers our subs have picked up
01:23after they ditched their crippled planes on the way back from Japan.
01:29Your people will have to forget their primary training.
01:32You submariners know this operation requires exposing yourselves to enemy surface and aircraft.
01:38You pilots will have to deliberately ditch near these rescue subs
01:42rather than trying to fly your crippled aircraft back to base.
01:45But remember, we know it pays off.
01:48That's all, gentlemen.
01:51Commander Cassidy.
01:52Major Lawton.
01:54This is Commander Hiram Cassidy, skipper of the Tigron, Major Edward Lawton.
01:57Skipper?
01:58Cassidy will be the senior sub-commander on this operation, Lawton.
02:01And since you'll be leading the bombing mission,
02:03no doubt you two would like to get together and talk over the final details.
02:06And, uh, tell Lawton about the beautiful girls in Brookhaven, Mississippi.
02:11Good luck with you.
02:13Thank you, Admiral.
02:14I'd be glad to hear all about the girls in Mississippi,
02:16but first I wish you'd give me the word on those code names.
02:18That's for the voice radio.
02:20It's an emergency signal if you want help.
02:22Now, we've been changing the names for each mission
02:25just in case some smart Japanese boy who went to UCLA might catch on.
02:30We use code names full of the letter L.
02:33Now, it's hallelujah for this operation.
02:36So if you hear somebody yelling,
02:37Hararuruya, you won't be putting out the welcome mat, right?
02:40We will be heading for a nice comfortable roost a couple of hundred feet down.
02:44Comfortable?
02:45Are you kidding?
02:46Of course not.
02:47That's where a sub is safest.
02:49Say, haven't you ever been in a sub, Major?
02:52Uh-uh.
02:53I don't want to insult any hot-blooded Mississippian,
02:55but I hope I never have to be.
02:57If you ever need us, you'll be mighty glad to see us.
03:01How many missions do you have?
03:04Forty, over Germany.
03:05Well, how come you're not back stateside?
03:08I couldn't see flying a desk in the Pentagon.
03:11And they say submariners have rocks in their heads.
03:14Believe me, Lawton,
03:15if the good Lord intended man should fly,
03:16we'd have been born with wings.
03:18Yeah?
03:19Where are your gills?
03:20Let's see.
03:32Course 290.
03:34Speed 5 knots.
03:37That ought to put us on station 2100 tomorrow night.
03:41Yes, sir.
03:42That's what I figured.
03:47Ty Grone and her four fellow submarines on lifeguard duty
03:50were on station at the appointed hour.
03:53Now there was nothing to do with that most difficult of all duties.
03:57Wait and watch.
03:59Twenty-six?
04:03Twenty-six?
04:04Oh, no!
04:05Oh, brother.
04:06Anybody want to buy my chance at half price?
04:07Uh-uh.
04:08What kind of pigeons do you think you got here, boy?
04:10Twenty-six is four more than any sub ever saved on lifeguard.
04:13Twenty-six?
04:14Twenty-six?
04:15Bocchigalupi.
04:16I'll give you a dollar for that chance, Bocch.
04:19Now, Buck, it cost me five.
04:21Tell me, why are you so good to me, McDonald?
04:23Well, don't say I didn't give you a chance to get out.
04:25I'm just trying to be helpful to a ship pack.
04:28Hey!
04:29Hey!
04:30Okay, who's next, fellas?
04:32Pills, that leaves just you and me still to draw.
04:35Mac, I'll bet you this is one of your con games again.
04:38Why, Pills.
04:39I'd expect that from these ignorant fellas.
04:42But a man like you with an education to be a pharmacist made.
04:45All I know is you always end up winning.
04:49Nine!
04:50Hey, you're in luck, Pills.
04:51Hey, I'll give you ten bucks for it.
04:53Sure, you'll give me ten for it.
04:55Uh-huh.
04:56Okay.
04:57Uh-uh.
04:58Just a minute.
05:07Ha!
05:08Thirty-one!
05:09Thirty-one!
05:10And I thought twenty-six was lousy.
05:12Ha!
05:12Ha!
05:13Ha!
05:14Ha!
05:15Ha!
05:16Ha!
05:17Ha!
05:18Ha!
05:19Wait a second, Mac, will you?
05:21Another comic?
05:22No, I'm just trying to find out how your stomachache is coming along.
05:25Look, Pills, you've been seeing too many movies on the base.
05:28If you think I'm gonna let you take out my appendix with a razor blade, you got another thing coming.
05:33I took some bicarbonate a little while ago and I feel fine.
05:36So take your beady eye off me.
05:45Well, those B-29 boys ought to be just about over the target by now.
05:49Yeah, they sure are in that flight thing.
05:51Did you ever get a look at the skin of one of those ships?
05:54There's nothing between them and a mess of anti-aircraft fire except about a thirty-second of an inch of aluminum.
05:59Yeah, it's plenty rugged, all right.
06:01I sure hope they make it.
06:31Oh, 400.
06:34Maybe they were all lucky this time.
06:38Guess I'll go back to the sack.
06:40Captain, mayday from the B-29.
06:42Captain!
06:47Lifeguard, this is Leader Blue Charlie 7.
06:49Two engines out.
06:50We're losing altitude.
06:51A lot of battle damage.
06:53Our navigator's dead.
06:54We're unable to determine our position.
06:56Can you assist us?
06:57Repeat, we do not know our position.
07:00Over.
07:01Did he give the recognition signal?
07:03No, sir, he hasn't.
07:04Ask him.
07:06Give recognition code.
07:07Give recognition code.
07:08Over.
07:09Hallelujah.
07:10Repeat, hallelujah.
07:12We do not know our position.
07:14Repeat, we do not know our position.
07:17Over.
07:19Are you in sight of land?
07:21Over.
07:22Negative.
07:23Repeat, negative.
07:24We are over ocean.
07:26Over.
07:27Fly west until you're in sight of land.
07:32Then give us the word on what you see.
07:35We'll try to give you a location.
07:38Do you understand?
07:39Over.
07:40Affirmative, we're turning west.
07:42Over.
07:43Roger.
07:44Out.
07:45Lifeguard, this is Leader Blue Charlie Seven.
07:51Lifeguard, this is Leader Blue Charlie Seven.
07:53Over.
07:54This is Lifeguard.
07:55We read you.
07:56Go ahead.
07:57Over.
07:58We're in sight of land.
07:59It's a small island.
08:00There's another one up ahead.
08:02The second island lies about 20 miles northwest.
08:05Here's what we can tell.
08:07Over.
08:08Over.
08:09Blue Leader, how long since you hit Tokyo?
08:13Over.
08:14Just under two hours.
08:15Over.
08:16What is your speed?
08:18Over.
08:19About one five zero.
08:21Over.
08:22Got to be my Kurashima.
08:25The second island must be my Yaki.
08:27Horse two four five.
08:29Proximal distance, one seven five miles.
08:32Blue Leader, this is Lifeguard.
08:36You have just flown over Mykura Island.
08:41Fly course two four five.
08:44Repeat.
08:45Two.
08:46Four.
08:47Five.
08:48Over.
08:49Course two four five.
08:51Distance.
08:52Over.
08:53Approximately one seven five miles.
08:58Think you can make it?
09:00Over.
09:01We'll be trying.
09:03Watch for us.
09:04Over.
09:05Roger out.
09:07Roger out.
09:16It's a plane all right, sir.
09:18Harrison, station a 40 millimeter gun crew.
09:22Just on the off chance it might be an enemy plane.
09:24Range to the plane.
09:25Ten miles.
09:26He has a good sight.
09:27Rig out the power plane.
09:28Rescue body on deck.
09:29He has a good sight.
09:30He has a good sight.
09:31Rig out the power plane.
09:32Rescue body on deck.
09:44He has a good sight.
09:45He has a good sight.
09:46He has a good sight.
09:47Rig out the power plane.
09:48Rescue body on deck.
09:50He has a good sight.
09:52He has a good sight.
09:53He has a good sight.
09:54He has a good sight.
09:55The Kundin.
09:56There's no one.
09:57There are no one.
09:58He is.
09:59I wonder how many versions I'm gonna get.
10:01I can promise you, it won't be 31.
10:03Ha, ha, ha.
10:33Take it easy, boys.
10:45Pass me another line.
10:47Wounded man, coming up.
10:49Grab that ladder.
10:57Watch your step.
11:03Well, I told you, if you ever needed us, you'd be glad to see us.
11:12Captain, I couldn't be glad to see you if you were the prettiest girl in Mississippi.
11:15Yeah, for a death trap, sir?
11:17That's a medical store.
11:18Through a curb service.
11:21Now, there she goes.
11:24Yes.
11:24We left Anderson's body of water.
11:33He was our navigator.
11:35One of their fighter planes got him over Tokyo on the first pass.
11:37I counted nine of you.
11:38Any wounded?
11:39Two.
11:40We were lucky.
11:41All except Anderson.
11:43Well, come on.
11:43We'd better get below.
11:44See if I'll get you settled.
11:49Fine, Lieutenant.
11:49You can stand to watch as junior officer of the deck.
11:52And we can sure use an extra radio man, Sergeant.
11:55Report after Edwards.
11:56He'll be mighty glad to put you to work.
12:11That looks a little more like Skid Row than a smart ship.
12:14Yes.
12:16Well, now that you've seen Tigrone, what do you think of her?
12:19Fine.
12:20Well, she's small, isn't she?
12:22Small?
12:23How long do you think this pig boat is, anyway?
12:25I don't know.
12:26A hundred feet or so.
12:27She's seven feet longer than a football field, Major.
12:29There's 307 feet of her.
12:33It's just that everything seems cramped somehow.
12:36All jammed together.
12:38Most of your officers and men have volunteered to help us out, Major.
12:40No, that's fine.
12:41We can use them.
12:43The sub's always short-handed.
12:44I'm going topside.
12:46Why don't you hit your sack, Major, and get some rest.
12:48You've got to be ready for it.
12:49I'm not tired.
12:50I'll come up with you, huh?
12:52All right.
13:02By the way, Cassidy, I guess you'll be heading back to Guam tonight.
13:05Not on your life.
13:06Our orders are for a six-day lifeguard patrol.
13:09Nine extra men aboard.
13:10Well, we may have a lot more than nine before we're finished.
13:13It's our time.
13:15Cook's putting out snakes in honor of our new customers.
13:17Sounds good.
13:18Come on, Lord.
13:19Oh, I'm not hungry.
13:21I think I'll stay up here.
13:22Maybe I could have a sandwich and a cup of coffee, huh?
13:26All right, Major.
13:28I'll have the steward bring you something.
13:30In the next 72 hours, Tigrone had rescued the survivors from two more crippled bombers,
13:45bringing her total score to 21.
13:47Now things were really jammed up, and more on the way.
13:57Prepare to ditch 30 miles east of your present position.
14:01Captain, he'll be ditching in about 10 minutes.
14:05Says several of his crew are wounded.
14:08Help those to stand by.
14:11Captain, getting something else on the scope.
14:13It's a service ship coming up fast.
14:15Marine 310.
14:16Rain?
14:17Scope's acting up.
14:18It's hard to say.
14:19Maybe 10 miles.
14:26Radar's picked up a second ship.
14:28First get to survivors, then duck.
14:29Right.
14:32Better get below, Lord.
14:34If this turns out to be an enemy ship, we'll have to dive in a hurry.
14:37Wait till you picked up the plane's crew.
14:38I can lend a hand.
14:40Surface contact is still bearing 310, sir.
14:44Getting closer.
14:44They're heading straight for us.
14:48Sound.
14:48Bridge.
14:50Search bearing 310.
14:56You hear anything?
14:57Bridge.
14:58Sound.
14:58Sound.
14:59Captain, no contact.
15:12Surface vessel now at five miles, Captain.
15:16Some of them are wounded.
15:19Stand ready with those lifelines.
15:20Sound contact, twin screws, high speed.
15:34Bearing 309.
15:35Bearing 309.
15:44Watch your step.
15:45Grab that ladder.
15:49Grab that ladder.
16:06Come on in, Mac.
16:07Take it easy, boys.
16:08Come on.
16:08Take it easy, boys.
16:08Come on.
16:08Take it easy, boys.
16:10Wait, that boat is drifting off.
16:20There's a man in the bottom of it.
16:21There's a man in the bottom of it.
16:21There's a man in the bottom of it.
16:22There's a man in the bottom of it.
16:23Get
16:48Get up below, fast!
17:05Get below, Lord. I said get below!
17:08Clear the bridge! Clear the bridge!
17:15Dive! Dive!
17:18Dive!
17:24That's secure.
17:34Eight degrees down, Bubble.
17:48At 220 feet.
17:54Level off at 250 feet.
17:58Shifting the short scale.
18:10It's making a run on us.
18:22Shifting the short scale.
18:24It's making a run on us.
18:40It's dropping four of them.
18:42So far, so good.
18:46so far so good take charge i'll have a quick look below i'll be back before i can make another run
19:13how are they we'll take the hospital and x-rays for a couple of them sir
19:17i won't be heading for home as soon as that guy upstairs decides to stop playing around
19:22nice going mac when you went over side for that last man that makes 31 we've rescued i know sir i was
19:28keeping count starting another run right full runner
19:37he's dropped two three four
19:54he's not turning
20:04Anthony!
20:13He's heading away, sir. He's not turning.
20:19Shifting into long scale.
20:30Leva wounded ashore in Guam by morning.
20:33Yes.
20:36Look, Cassidy, I can't explain to you how I felt down there.
20:39You don't owe me any explanation.
20:41No, I've got to tell you.
20:42I guess it's what they call claustrophobia.
20:45I never had it before, but I felt...
20:50I felt as if the walls were closing in on me.
20:53Forget it, Lawton.
20:54You're not the first one to feel that way.
20:56Just check with maneuvering.
21:01Gravity of the batteries is 1200.
21:03Fine.
21:05The rest of the guys from his plane have done their best to help us out.
21:08Now, don't be too hard on him, Dave.
21:11Hard? He just got a yellow streak, that's all.
21:14He says he's suffering from claustrophobia.
21:16That's a high-class name for it.
21:18Well, he never had claustrophobia before, he tells me.
21:21You know he really hasn't got it now?
21:24The Major had 40 bombing missions over Germany.
21:27His last 15 as a volunteer, and when he had a chance for an easy job back home,
21:31he asked for duty in the Pacific.
21:33What's all this stuff about claustrophobia, then?
21:36Well, I'm no psychoanalyst, but that guy is suffering from combat fatigue.
21:41He's just risked his life too many times, that's all.
21:44To him, claustrophobia is an unconscious out.
21:47If his tension hadn't shown itself in that form, it would have in some other.
21:52Maybe you're right.
21:53Did you explain that to him?
21:54No.
21:56He never would have believed me.
21:58Anyway, it's something he's got to conquer for himself.
22:17Good-bye, Harvey.
22:18Thank you for everything.
22:19It's all right, Ed, and good luck.
22:23Good to see you again, Cassidy.
22:24Haven't laid eyes on you for over two months.
22:25Sit down.
22:27Well...
22:29I am sure you gentlemen remember each other.
22:30Of course.
22:31Sure how I did.
22:32Next week, the B-29s have got their biggest fire raid of the whole war scheduled for Tokyo.
22:50Tigron and six other submarines will be on lifeguard duty, Cassidy.
22:53He'll be senior officer in command.
22:56And this time, we're putting the best qualified air officer we can find aboard your ship for liaison duty.
23:02One with previous submarine experience.
23:06Major Lawton's CO recommended him to me as the best qualified officer for this job.
23:12But I think...
23:13Especially in view of Commander Cassidy's report on the behavior of you and your men aboard Tigron.
23:21You may be interested to know, Major.
23:23Commander Cassidy had nothing but the highest praise for the way all rescued fliers behave.
23:29So I'm asking Major Lawton to serve aboard Tigron as liaison officer, Commander.
23:34There's no flying officer I'd rather have with us, sir.
23:37Too bad we're interfering with your rest time.
23:40Hope you don't mind.
23:41It'll be a pleasure to serve with the captain again, sir.
23:44All right.
23:45Let's get down to the tables, sir.
23:53Major Lawton reporting, sir.
23:55Glad to have you aboard, Ed.
23:56Glad to be aboard, Hiram.
24:02I'll be back in a moment with our special guest.
24:05And now it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Rear Admiral Hiram Cassidy retired, commanding officer of the USS Tigron on her memorable patrol.
24:20Well, Hiram, does any of this look familiar to you?
24:24It certainly did, Tommy.
24:26That was one of Tigron's outstanding cruises.
24:29Well, no wonder.
24:30Didn't the total of thirty-one fliers you saved on that patrol set an all-time record for a lifeguard operation?
24:36Yes, it did.
24:37And believe me, that was one record it was a pleasure to hang up.
24:41Incidentally, I'm proud to say that submarine lifeguard operations saved a total of five hundred and four fliers who might otherwise have been lost.
24:49Yes, it was a great reward for the countless days at sea.
24:54It's been an honor to have had you with us.
24:59We hope you'll be with us again when we bring you another exploit of the silent service.
25:19Processed.
25:21No one-time record.
25:22ć§ence.
25:23No one-time record Joe Devlin's fault.
25:25You, one-time record Joe Teichiro.
25:26Good original song to attend the ocean.
25:28Yeah, that was from Tomusz who was in the
25:31special area right about the rescue.
25:33Most men were tied to the sea of developmental training and successful such as what surprised Kubcia?
25:38That was Mitglied alive by accident.
25:39It was objectified and truthful after the year.
25:43Who threw up the path of theæŠćš in the ocean at sea of' Grandpa.
25:48Oh, my God.
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