Overview

The fate of the USS Flier is one of the most heroic stories of the Second World War. On August 13, 1944, the submarine struck a mine and sank to the bottom of the Sulu Sea in less than one minute, leaving only fourteen of its eighty-six crewmen alive. After enduring eighteen hours in the water, the eight remaining survivors swam to a remote island controlled by the Japanese. Deep in enemy territory and without food or drinking water, the crewmen soon realized that their struggle for survival had just begun. Noted historian Michael Sturma's vivid recounting of the harrowing story of the USS Flier has all the elements of a classic World War II survival tale: sudden disaster, physical deprivation, a ruthless enemy, friendly guerrillas, and a dramatic escape from behind enemy lines. The eight sailors who survived the disaster became the first Americans of the Pacific conflict to escape from a sunken submarine and return safely to the United States. Though some of the Flier's mysteries remain with the submarine beneath the sea, this account sheds light on the nature of underwater warfare and naval protocol and demonstrates the high degree of cooperation that existed among submariners, coast watchers, and guerrillas in the Philippines. Sturma fills a historical gap by detailing this important episode of the Second World War.

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9780813124810

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Sturma sheds light on the trauma and personal tragedies of the Pacific war, recounting the great sacrifice and heroism of these remarkable men. -- Lone Star Book Review --

One of the few submarine war stories with a happy ending.After the USS Flier was sunk off the Philippines in 1944, survivors faced harrowing conditions behind Japanese lines, but they were eventually rescued. Submarines, not the infantry, were the most dangerous service of World War II, writes Sturma (History/Murdoch Univ., Australia; Death at a Distance: The Loss of the Legendary USS Harder, 2006, etc.). American subs wreaked more havoc on the Japanese than Nazi U-Boats did on Allied shipping, but the United States lost 52 craft and more than 3,500 crewmen during the war. Not a lucky vessel, the Flier ran aground before its first tour of duty, requiring more than two months of repairs. During its sole successful patrol, it probably sank one Japanese ship. Barely two weeks into a second patrol, a sudden, catastrophic explosion (the ship may have hit a mine) sank it in less than a minute. Of the 82 crewmen, only 14 escaped, none wearing life jackets. After 18 hours drifting and swimming, eight survivors reached an island 12 miles away. Finding no fresh water, they built a raft and struggled to two more islands, also waterless. Finally, after four days of starvation and thirst, skin blistered by the sun and feet lacerated from walking on coral reefs, they reached a larger island and found water. The next day, Filipino guerrillas arrived and led the Americans to their camp. Ten days later, a submarine evacuated them. Having immersed himself in World War II submarine lore, the author fills his entertaining book with diversions into related areas. Readers will encounter lively essays about undersea tactics, the claustrophobic world of submariners, the history of mines and of torpedoes, the American-supported Filipino guerrilla movement and the nasty politics of the U.S. submarine high command.Making no attempt to elevate these events beyond their modest significance, Sturma tells an engrossing story of courage, suffering and survival. (Kirkus Reviews)

<p> The story of how eight men managed to survive the boat's loss, a look at guerrilla operations in the Philippines, and more, give us an engaging and valuable account that is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the undersea war in the Pacific. --NYMAS --

It is an enlightening addition to World War II Pacific Theater of Operations historiography. -- Walter E. Kretchik Military History of the West

Author Information

Michael Sturma is chair of the history program at Murdoch University in Australia. He is the author of several books, including Death at a Distance: The Loss of the Legendary USS Harder and South Sea Maidens: Western Fantasy and Sexual Politics in the South Pacific.

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