The Most Successful Submarine the U.S. Ever Built

On paper, America's submarines should have been winning the Pacific War. For almost two years, they had almost nothing to show for it — because their torpedoes were broken. This is the story of USS Tang (SS-306) and her captain, Richard "Dick" O'Kane — the most successful submarine the United States ever sent to sea. In a single year of combat, the Tang sank more enemy ships than any other American submarine of World War II. And then, on her fifth and final patrol, she was destroyed by a defect in her own last torpedo. From the torpedo scandal that crippled the U.S. submarine force… to the daring night-surface attacks that made the Tang a legend… to a desperate escape from one hundred and eighty feet down and the brutal captivity that followed — this is the full story of the boat, the crew, and the disputed record that took decades to settle. One number is in the title. Two others claim to be the truth. By the end, you'll know which one is real. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 — The Torpedoes Were Broken 01:30 — The Scandal the Navy Wouldn't Admit 06:50 — The Captain Who Rewrote the Rules 10:50 — First Blood 13:45 — The Rescue 16:45 — The Deadliest Patrol of the War 21:00 — Into the Strait 24:10 — The Last Torpedo 27:35 — One Hundred and Eighty Feet Down 31:10 — 31, 24, or 33? 📚 Sources & further reading Richard H. O'Kane — "Clear the Bridge!: The War Patrols of the USS Tang" Alex Kershaw — "Escape From the Deep" U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (DANFS) — USS Tang (SS-306) If you want more stories like this one, subscribe — there are more on the way. #WWII #PacificWar #Submarine