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Product Description: By October, 1944, the U.S. Navy submarine Tang was legendary-she had sunk more enemy ships, rescued more downed airmen, and pulled off more daring surface attacks than any other Allied submarine in the Pacific. And then, on her fifth patrol, tragedy struck-the Tang was hit by one of her own faulty torpedoes. The survivors of the explosion struggled to stay alive in their submerged “iron coffin” one hundred-eighty feet beneath the surface. While the Japanese dropped deadly depth charges, just nine of the original eighty-man crew survived a harrowing ascent through the escape hatch. But a far greater ordeal was coming. After being picked up by a Japanese patrol vessel, they were sent to a secret Japanese interrogation camp known as the “Torture Farm.” They were close to death when finally liberated in August, 1945, but they had revealed nothing to the Japanese-not even the greatest secret of World War II. Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-06
Powerfull History of Those Who Served
I have the privilege of being the friend of the son of one of the men who served on the USS Tang, and through him I learned of this book that includes considerable mention of his father. This personal aspect amplified the impact of the book for me, but even without this I could not have read the book and not been humbled by reading this true story of those who served. In these troubling times when irreverence and disrespect are rampant on virtually every front, "Escape from the Deep" is a welcomed and refreshing look at men who knew honor.
These submariners were true pioneers in many ways. Operations while under attack and previously untried escape techniques from a disabled submarine pushed them into extraordinarily dangerous uncharted territory. Additionally, when they served they did not know what the outcome of the war would be, and neither did their families. Germany and Japan were winning in those first years of the war. The times were perilous. We need to be reminded of this history and take nothing for granted.
The USS Tang was an aggressive attack submarine commanded by a determined and focused captain and a crew that rapidly became a formidable team. This story of first their operations and later the capture and imprisonment of the few survivors after the sub's sinking makes these men's lives and the lives those who never escaped real to the reader. Inasmuch as it is possible, you begin to try to imagine what it would be like if you were in those circumstances, and you know that it would take everything you have and then much more to endure. This is about courage, honor, guts, agony, and victory.
You come away from this book with a great appreciation for all those who sacrifice so much to try to ensure a future for the generations to come. These are the kinds of people who deserve our great thanks and respect. This book goes a long way to achieve this recognition. It is very easy to read, does not embellish at all, and simply is powerful. Alex Kershaw has done these men and us a service by telling this story.
Rating:
Date: 2008-06-30
Very Good Book.
I really enjoyed this book. It talks about the trials these men went through before the Tang sank, after it sunk, their imprisonment and when they came home. Another home run for Alex.
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Date: 2008-06-26
A tribute to the boat and crew
Alex Kershaw did a very compelling job on this book. My name is Bruce Keller and one of the survivors of the Tang,Floyd Caverly, is my uncle.The book, Escape from the Deep, is very informative as the the happenings that went on aboard the boat after it went down.I know that Alex did a lot of research when writting it.When I heard of the book I got one as soon as I could and had a hard time putting it down until I read it cover to cover. Then went back a read it again.
Being that I have a connection to one of the survivors, it was rather emotional at times in reading it. I would have to put the book down and compose myself to continue. Floyd Caverly, Unk as we call him has maitained quite a sense of humour in spite of all the hardship that him and the other survivors endured.
I would like to thank Alex for writting this book to tell the story of these brave men and what they did for this country and the world.
Thank you
Bruce Keller Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-25
A Valuable contribution of WWII Submarine History
Review: Escape From the Deep
Author: Alex Kershaw
Details: Hardback, 270 pages, by Da Capo Press, 2008, ISBN 9780306815195
Current retail: [...]
Premise: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine (USS Tang), her struggles after being hit by its own torpedo and the survivors and their interment as POWs.
Some of this story will be familiar to readers of Richard O'Kane's book, Clear the Bridge! O'Kane was CO, Medal of Honor winner, and one of the survivors of the accident. But this author has taken the story to new levels with interviews in the past of the survivors. It makes a much better learning experience and I found the descriptions of the escape from the escape trunk much more vivid and real. Only 62 pages were devoted to the buildup prior to the circular run of the Mk 14. A large portion was given to the escape and capture, then the interment and finally the post life accounts of the survivors. Clear the Bridge had none of those life stories.
The pictures were great and certainly most were never before seen photos from the families. The reunion pictures from 88 and 91 showed most to be in very good health with only O'Kane being a little older than the rest although he didn't pass until 1994. The book portrays him as near death upon their rescue at war's end. I'd never see an aerial view of the submarine dock at Midway and the picture of the emaciated POWs will stick in my mind. The most vivid was Clad Decker (one of the Wahoo survivors) photo being taken with a group of POWs at War's end. Thanks to the author for those pictures.
From the beginning when that Congressman in 1943 mentioned to the press that the Japanese were setting their torpedoes too shallow to closing when O'Kane's daughter tells us that he lived with guilt because he did not go down with this ship (he was on the bridge when the torpedo struck) the book was a superb read and of vast historical importance. One bit of the story that wasn't discussed was the trials after the war of the Japanese commanders of the camps and their superiors.
This book is a must for all serious WWII submarine collectors, historians, and enthusiasts. I rate it a 4 of 5, only because I didn't want it to end and wanted more and because only Fluckey's book Thunder Below, Blair's U-Boat War, and Blair's Silent Victory get a 5 of 5. I appreciate the author's work and his research and only wish others would use it as an example.
Ron Martini
SS 339 and SSBN 599 in the 60's
Rating:
Date: 2008-06-17
A Great Tale
I have often heard it said that no subject in history (with the possible exception of Jesus) has received as much attention in the written word as the Second World War. Even today, more than sixty years after it drew to a close, the war continues to fascinate. We still see a constant stream of books, movies and video games drawing upon that worldwide conflict. This makes good sense, I suppose. With countless millions involved in the war in one way or another, and with each person having a story to tell, we will never lack for interesting tales. Like so many others, I never tire of reading these stories.
Escape from the Deep tells the tale of one of the U.S. Navy's most successful submaries--the Tang. The book was recommended by Dr. Al Mohler in a list he prepared to recommend books for dads and this is where I learned of it. Even in the final months of 1944, the Tang had achieved infamy, having sunk more enemy ships, rescued more downed airmen, and pulled off more daring surface attacks than any other submarine in the Pacific war. But on her fifth patrol, one that took the crew to the Formosa Straight, disaster struck. Near the end of what would have been her most successful patrol yet, the Tang was struck by her own torpedo, killing half of the crew and sinking the submarine in 180 feet of water. Some men were blown clear of the boat and struggled to survive in the water; others went down with the ship and sought to escape from the ocean floor. The handful who survived were captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of the war facing the brutal conditions of prison camps.
Here is a quote from the book that Dr. Mohler provided in his brief review:
After the last man had exited, he would bang on the trunk--the signal for the escape door to be closed by a lever from inside the torpedo room. Then the seawater would be allowed to drain into the bilges and another four men would take their place in the escape trunk. Unfortunately, because of the Japanese patrol boats above, banging on the trunk placed the men in a terrible double bind. The only way they could communicate with the men waiting their turn was by banging, and yet the sound was bound to give away the Tang's position to the enemy at some point. It seemed that they were doomed if they didn't and doomed if they did.
Escape from the Deep is a fast-moving account and one that just about anyone can read and enjoy. With only 220 pages of text and written in a popular style, any reader with even a passing fancy in the Second World War is bound to enjoy it. It comes highly recommended! |
