Hell Below - Episode 5: Destroyer Killer | Free Documentary History

[@FreeDocumentaryHistory]

June, 1944. Six allied commandos spying on Japanese ship movement fall under threat when their covert operation is discovered by the enemy. Stuck in the jungles of occupied Borneo, the only hope for rescuing them is USS Harder, an American Gato Class submarine. To save the operatives, Commander Sam Dealey and his crew ply through waters guarded by a key Japanese Naval base, an act that pits the single submarine against dozens of warships. The daring rescue puts USS Harder's strength and stealth to the test.

[@williamunknown7209]

You have some of the best documentaries on the web. Thanks for sharing!

[@FreeDocumentaryHistory]

@@williamunknown7209 Thank you! And for stopping by to let us all know.

[@butternutmunchkin]

Thank you for uploading these episodes. I've been waiting for these full videos for years. Looking forward to more episodes of Hell Below in the months to come. Tawi-Tawi, by the way, is not on Borneo itself but rather to the east in the Philippines. It forms the westernmost island of the Sulu Archipelago. Not only is Tawi-Tawi the nearest island to Borneo but the waters around it provide good anchorage, which is why the Imperial Japanese Navy chose to anchor their capital ships there, especially when their naval base in Truk came under US naval air attacks by early 1944.

[@hodaka1000]

"Loose lips sink ships"

[@kevinmccarthy7195]

That politicians should have been charged with treason!

[@jerryplotts1014]

I served on the USS Jallao (SS 368) from 1968 to 1972 as a 19 year old Torpedo-man. Greatest years of my 21 year naval career. I later did 16 patrols as a Poseidon Missile Technician on 3 different Fleet Ballistic Missile Subs. The thing I miss the most is the camaraderie of my sub shipmates. As has been said it takes someone special to serve in a submarine, and I'm proud to be one of them!

[@petersanders5321]

@jerryplotts1014 Did any of your SLBM's boats make it up to Holyloch? I did a stretch on the Holland and Hunley there. If so, we probably met. Went on to the Fulton too. A small, but vital group.

[@jerryplotts1014]

@@petersanders5321 I did 9 or 10 patrols out of the Loch on the George Marshall 654 and Kamehameha 642. Holy Loch was great. I enjoyed every trip there. As a missile Tech, I interfaced a lot with the weapons guys on the Holland and the Lake. Great guys. Even went to dinner a few times at one of the guys house there in Dunoon.

[@s.porter8646]

​@@jerryplotts1014I was on KAM in 01

[@paulroustan3643]

As a ex submarine sonar technician, I take my hats off to these WW2 submariners, as to been depth charged and go out and do it again is heroically inspiring.

[@s.porter8646]

And how many showers did you take before that comment

[@flywheel986]

Another full crew of "The Greatest Generation", not unafraid, but undeterred by fear. RIP Heroes.

[@romans325kjb]

amen.

[@MotherBrigidMcCarthy]

Thanks!

[@alexfogg381]

As of June 2024 the wreck of USS Harder has been located. May her crew Rest in peace.

[@BucksSuperStereoWorld]

Thank you for sharing this information with us sir. USS Harder was a very courageous and dedicated vessel that was crewed by some of the best crews in the US Navy...and the world. She ranks among such vessels as USS Wahoo and her amazing commander Dudley Mush Morton. I have always had great admiration for our submariners of WWII. Thank you gentlemen!

[@BellaZuikaku4785]

RIP Samuel Dealy you were a aggressive role model for a sun skipper

[@parrot849]

Where did they locate the wreck?

[@lonewolf5238]

From Smithsonian Magazine "The​ vessel is submerged under 3,000 feet of water in the South China Sea near Luzon, an island at the northern end of the Philippines. The USS Harder is sitting upright on the seafloor and is relatively intact, except for damage to its conning tower from the Japanese depth-charge that sank the submarine."

[@whoabro615]

South china sea sank really deep which has hindered previous searches ​@parrot849

[@TravisBrady-wn8fr]

Rest in peace to the sailors of the Harder

[@docholidayoutlaws104]

He was one hell of a Submarine Captain ! It’s how wars are won because of individual Soldiers like this Captain , RIP Captain Dealy, RIP !!!

[@robertliskey420]

First, RIP to all who passed in that terrible war, My Mother lost her first husband (My Father was with Patton) Cross of honor on the Ploesti Raid. This is a tremendous series thank you very much. I did have a little chuckle at the very end, I have the radio in the sub in my garage! Though mine came out of a B-24. Came from an Uncle who was a Catalina pilot in the Pacific.

[@Lawrence1203-f7s]

It takes a special person to serve on a sub. I don't know if I could do it even on a modern boat. Thank you for serving.

[@hodaka1000]

At wars end my father was close to death and hiding in the jungle in Japanese occupied central North Borneo He had survived Sandakan POW camp the first Death March and escaped from the extermination camp at Ranau Eventually he and his companions were recovered by Australian "Z" special operatives He was one of six survivors from more than two thousand four hundred British and Australians originally held at Sandakan

[@masroor5672]

Salute to the bravery of ur papa gee... ( In our language gee is a word used to respect the relatives who are elder to you like papa gee mama gee auntie gee etc . )

[@masroor5672]

Here in India and Pakistan parents live with one of their sons ( usually the eldest one ) and his wife and kids ... Rest of their sons and daughters visit them regularly...i m the only kid of my parents and is 56 still living with parents... my two kids share bedroom with their grand parents.... i like this culture... i have energy resources and desperately wants to migrate to Europe but only after the death of both of my parents....What is culture on ur side.. ?

[@danduffy7974]

OMG!!!! that was a great video! I just subscribed. Thank you.

[@FreeDocumentaryHistory]

@@danduffy7974 Excellent - glad you like this one and welcome! In the PLAYLISTS tab you’ll find all the series we’ve got. Hopefully you’ll find more docs you’ll like :)

[@ahmadfarrall2097]

These videos are very good thank you.

[@texaspapa9445]

I proudly served on two submarines in the USN.

[@FreeDocumentaryHistory]

Our thanks and respect Sir.

[@AlanMydland-fq2vs]

thank you sir😮😮❤❤

[@jeffdundon9895]

Oh this was a good one..ty very much.. listening again.

[@wesleyblacksher1641]

I have never understood why the American submarine fleet didn’t get more praise. They crippled Japan

[@hughw10]

I THINK it had to do with the submariners not talking much about what they did. Especially since a congressman gave away critical info , which was referenced in this documentary. There is a stellar documentary named Blind Man's Bluff that discusses some of the silent service stories that were absolutely unreal. There is a book of the same name. I HIGHLY recommend watching the documentary and reading the book. Our submariners are some BRAVE guys. Kudos to all of you that have the dolphins.

[@t.l.1610]

@@hughw10Thank you for those recommendations!! Will def look it up. Just downloaded ‘A Game of Birds and Wolves,’ about the Wrens. So many facets of sub warfare I had no idea about.

[@t.l.1610]

@@hughw10Found the doc! It’s on YT. Thanks again!

[@kencrotty3984]

I live in Perth Western Australia. I often go into Fremantle and I have seen photos of the submarine base from the war years. One of my aunties married an American there who was stationed at the base, eventually moving to America, after the war. We had a bit of a family reunion about thirty years ago and Ken Rynes and Thelma came back to Perth; it was really good to meet them back here. Later, after returning back to the US, I noticed that a book had been published about Freo's sub base, so I emailed Ken about it - he replied, saying he would 'put it on his Xmas gift list!' I had viewed a youtube, some time back about this gutsy captain and his, later, unfortunate demise. You have to take your hat off to all those gutsy crews. There's a monument in Fremantle, commemorating the 600. or so, who are on an eternal voyage and never returned to base. (Very good documentary, but scary stuff)!

[@ahmadfarrall2097]

I also live in Perth, I am 65 years old. Just as Covid hit I had Tickets to fly to sandakan. Haven’t been yet. It’s on my next trip after this one I am on. Why do I want to go there. To visit the memorial. The young kids nowadays wouldn’t know anything about.

[@johncaldwell-wq1hp]

You can always depend,on a "Politition"-to be real helpful.

[@Group73historians73]

good epispde

[@SeadogCVA41]

Mission complete 80 years ago today 😢

[@richardkeilig4062]

The bravery of the sub crews is amazing. This crew and t heir sub gave it their all. The sub was lost in action by depth charge. They are on eternal patrol.

[@patrickrutherford1934]

Overall a good presentation. What about the mission thwarting Japanese re-supply efforts at Guadelcanal, where the Harder hit 5 destroyers in that one mission; pitting confusion into the minds of the Japanese admirals - that an entire navy was there

[@josephlinck1892]

Did his torpedos work that early in the war?

[@MikeSkinner-d7l]

Nothing but respect for all servicemen & women

[@whoabro615]

My great grandfather and his brotherbwere in ww2 one a submariner the other my grandfather was almostncourtmatshalled for executing camp guard when he first seen a prison camp he admited he lost it and coukdnt hold it together ill always remeber his word's "sadness with the ability to avenge those savagely destroyed creates a strong cocktail for a good hearted man whos not afraid do somethibg about it" he still stated his brothers experiences as a submariner were far more frightening... his brother died young after beibg depth charged he went back with heart although terrified great grandfather said he wishes he could have tradedbplaces with his brother... of his last words and love were semper fi... he loved his brothers as much as he loved us he died at 92

[@randallcline1176]

Submarines did not release air bubbles when opening torpedo tube outer doors because they always flooded the tubes with water. It not only prevented air bubbles, but also allowed the torpedo to already be in water upon launching.

[@vladimator1842]

21:13 Here's what I don't get... Instead of finding yourself under the destroyer's release of depth charges, why isn't the submarine traveling into a different direction in order to avoid those explosions?? Why is it that in all of the battles between a Submarine and a Destroyer, those depth charges sink the sub due to the charges exploding near him or right beside him?

[@stargazer5784]

A destroyer is much faster and more maneuverable than a submerged submarine and has listening gear to keep track of where the sub is, which way it's turning, and whether it's descending or ascending. They were the scourges of the submariners.

[@user-sg4zi1bh8o]

The Gato class subs were really great subs.

[@myriaddsystems]

Bloody terrifying

[@anselmmendoza6103]

Why will a politician mention the depth charge at a new conference?

[@markrowland1366]

Twenty Australian soldiers missed the last ship home, from Dutch island, East Temor. No supplies, money nor radio. For eight months, "Sparrow Force" kept 50,000, Japanese occupied. Without boots, in tattered clothes and negotiating a tribal war, they created a radio, identifying an officer's wife to an army which knew they were dead. One was a kangaroo shooter, who found Japanese officer's heads were far easier targets. Australian fighting beat Japan's in three quick battles, showing we were not so vulnerable.

[@josephlinck1892]

Australia was never vulnerable. Too far logistically for Japs to invade. Especially after Coral Sea battle. Admiral King spread that lie in order to justify his illegal order to invade Guadalcanal. He ignored FDR’s orders to concentrate of Europe first. His navy was not prepared in 1942 for the Guadalcanal operation. We got incredibly lucky at Guadalcanal. King lost more ships there than we did at Pearl Harbor. And we had radar, but no one knew how to use it. Except Admiral Lea.

[@flagstafup5857]

Still on patrol, RIEP men.

[@daystatesniper01]

RIP brave men and fair winds

[@samashkannejad8440]

WOWO MAN,,CAN BE VERY VERY GOOD MOVIE

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

One of the most famous submarines of World War II, she received the Presidential Unit Citation.

[@kennethdeanmiller7324]

Very Deserving. It's not that there luck ran out. Submarines were very vulnerable in WW2. It was there job to take the fight to the enemy and they gallantly put themselves in harms way to do so. Very disappointing that they didn't survive the war. But it was because of them & others like them that the Allies defeated the aggression of the Axis Powers!!! Thanks for telling us the tale of USS Harder. I hope & pray their shining example & sacrifice will be forever remembered in US Navy lore.

[@williamgoolsby2517]

Fun fact: Dealy Plaza in Dallas is named after Commander Dealy’s uncle

[@FreeDocumentaryHistory]

@@williamgoolsby2517 that is a fun fact - thank you!

[@yt_alphagaming7940]

A 5TH TOO THE SERIES 🥹 found this channel recently and have been enjoying the Hell below series enough to watch the first 3 in a row! brilliant films!

[@stargazer5784]

Thermoclines are our friends.

[@tomwarner2468]

I've got the paperback book on the harder. I've read it multiple times!

[@VernonHall-n2k]

Back then it took a differnt breed of men to man the subs. My dad was on 6 different ships during the war. 3 were destroyers.

[@swiftmatic]

@ 26:44, Dudes, you're not going to get many hits, or do significant damage to a Gato-class sub with small-arms or machine guns (up to cal .50/14mm) at a range of 6000 yards - three nautical MILES.

[@RalphTempleton-vr6xs]

Incorrect statement at 9:30. The US eighth air force in Europe sustained the highest casualty rate of any allied military arm in WWII

[@hsmedsvik]

I’ve read 3rd infantry division

[@crisslastname9417]

🙏Harder.

[@reedsilvesan2197]

The U.S. Navy conducted depth charge trials during W.W.II. It was discovered that a depth charge at 100 yards when detonated it would cause extensive damage. At 50 yards or less, the sub was destroyed, and I mean every time.

[@williammoreno2378]

At what depths?

[@reedsilvesan2197]

@@williammoreno2378 I don't recall

[@williammoreno2378]

@reedsilvesan2197 I remember reading that a 300lb depth charge at 250' had to be within 40-60 feet to breach the hull. At 400' it had to be within 25'. That was many years ago, and my numbers may be wrong.

[@reedsilvesan2197]

@@williammoreno2378 actually, it was a long time ago for me also, but in retrospect I believe your closer.

[@williammoreno2378]

@@reedsilvesan2197 Later, I think the IJN started rolling off 600lb charges. Man, I bet that made things even more terrifying!!

[@stevekoolie1977]

I have to say the mapping of enemy routes in the sea are very useful for the silent hunter submarine games-

[@MikeHunt-fo3ow]

id keep eating so id be to big to be chosen to serve on a sub

[@robbinsteel]

On WW II videos I ALWAYS leave a comment about how The Greatest Generation was the high point of American history.

[@TomMeredith-n9k]

By 1945 many of the Japanese soldiers grew disenchanted with the war they were fighting. Many young Kamikaze pilots thought Yamamoto was full of Chyt. And the great Japanese emperor was a fraud. The notion by giving one’s life brings high honors to the soldiers and their family. A lasting legacy to use their piloting skills to use their plane as a weapon of mass destruction by aiming at warships and causing havoc. Several Japanese pilots would be standing in a circle sipping Sake when one soldier said he was hoping to make it home alive at war ends to take over the family Chopsticks manufacturing company and marrying his fiance who was cuter than a box of kittens and sporting an amazing figure. As he guzzled down his last drink of Sake he said Scroo Yamamoto and the Emporer.

[@Torahboy1]

Norman Jolin Naval Analyst….. played by Dan Aykroyd

[@docholidayoutlaws104]

Hats off to the Submariners help win the war with his aggressive maneuvers taking the fight to the enemy above the call of duty ; RIP submariners & thank you All RIP now for my freedom that I will never take for granted as long as I am breathing , thank you & Thank you Jesus !!!

[@hahaha9076]

Andrew Jackson May. A spectacular fool. 🫣 Imagine the morale afterwards.

[@evilstorm5954]

Dealy needs to keep his head down??? Should’ve done that at the completion of each of these tasks and looked after his crew and boat. Reckless is what he was. Acting like there wasn’t another US Submarine in the ocean.

[@grahamwood8085]

Lest we forget

[@RDBean]

IDK, as I spend a cruise or 4 on DDs in 70s, we could find everybody but Ohios & LAs, Britt, French, Japanese, you name it. In 1 wargame got sunk 3x by an Ohio

[@wildboar7473]

Hard to imagine not a fair fight, those Destroyers did not have any Sonars??? Guess Everyone was sleeping, can not even see Torpedoes? Lazy Captains!

[@stevemc01]

Smartest politician in Congress:

[@edcew8236]

"underwater bombs?"

[@JackSmith-jj3bi]

Correct Name: Depth Charges”

[@michaelcarpenter557]

23:00 Trim party.

[@jw451]

Call me a "landlubber" but the idea of smelling other people's farts and BO stink for weeks/months on end doesn't appeal. I'd go gah gah

[@jamesbrock8498]

Outback pool both shafts

[@tpk158]

Dealey Plaza in Texas was named after captain ted dealey's father

[@davecorley5514]

Actually, Dealey Plaza is named after George Bannerman Dealey, Sam Dealey’s great uncle and the first publisher of the Dallas Morning News. Source: Wikipedia

[@laurasalazar9222]

RIP Captain , you the reason why we won the war , sacrifice & the will to fight for freedom !!

[@yansthea3591]

History write by the winner

[@rolandvoss3600]

Of course. 🤔 Why would the loser write it?

[@parrot849]

Does it make a difference who writes history as long as it’s accurate and truth?

[@chejlr]

Anyone see rhe bottle of A1 steak sauce?😮.

[@bobd9193]

I know that people occasionally miss details from time to time, We're all human after all. But Why, at @23:29 when the sub is at battle stations and under attack, is any of the crew in their skivys laying in a bunk? I'm sorry, But I'm a 20 year, Retired, U.S. Navy sailor, And I have a hard time not calling this out. I realize it's just a video, but Somebody involved in making this video dropped the ball on this one.

[@jamesyoung3998]

USS 257

[@coodudeman]

that james m scott guy is a fool.

[@garygraham4679]

Who comes up with these "facts". The sub is 6,000 yds. out and they are talking about risk of even small arms fire!!

[@evilstorm5954]

1 hr of power under batteries??? 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 Bullsht. 6-8hrs or why bother building a submarine?

[@stargazer5784]

The Captains of Wahoo and Harder were too aggressive. You're no longer of any use to the war effort if you get your crew killed and lose the boat. RIP.

[@kennethdeanmiller7324]

Only thing is that in WW2 submarines are very vulnerable! And there was a war going on & you had to put your ship in harms way to deal torpedoes to the enemy. Too aggressive? Maybe. But that is what the Captain of a warship is supposed to be. In order to deal decisive blows to the enemy you had to be aggressive. The big draw back for operating subs in the Pacific was the fluorescent green light that would show the wake of a passing ship. It would also show the wake of a periscope as well & the Japanese having optics specialized for night fighting were highly adept at spotting that green light give away in glassy waters. My opinion is that the odds just caught up with them. And they died like millions of others in that war. But they went down fighting for a nation that they loved & believed in too.

[@wenthulk8439]

I agree with both points of view. Yes Dealy was dangerously aggressive as a commander but also that kind of behavior was at times necessary in WWII

[@kennethdeanmiller7324]

@@wenthulk8439 Yeah that was my point. It was expected of them. And they knew it before going back out.

[@wenthulk8439]

Indeed

[@wenthulk8439]

@@kennethdeanmiller7324 Indeed

[@michaelbryant2071]

Dealey was 37. This actor looked like he was 22.

[@kevinpurcell2093]

Excuse my ignorance, but I have a hard time for him releasing 6 torpedoes while they're closing in on the enemy.

[@kennethdeanmiller7324]

Actually if you knew much about the dud rates of the Mark 14 torpedo during the first 2 years of the war it might make a little more sense. Some submarines would fire every torpedo in their arsenal, hit the ship it was aiming for with no explosion. Search KZbin- Drachinifel/ Mark 14 torpedo and it will help you understand.

[@hairmetal2]

YES lady's just keep the doctors pockets full of you cash . NEVER have i seen this many CRAZY women , and i am a boomer.

[@jamesbrock8498]

At least one of the destroyers don't don't think the convoy sync the destroyer

[@Theearthtraveler]

Japan had the best destroyers.

[@r.castano4325]

music is too loud, I can not hear the vocals. so I stopped watching

[@rudytagala7076]

IMHO, the sacrifices made by the allies living or had met untimely their Creator in this region during WWII can go to naught if the involved superpowers are going to sleep again in order for the awakened giant in the region to gobble up with cabbage diplomacy all of the small fries nearby and their associated EEZs if you know what I mean 🥶

[@ghbcattendants5843]

6 Torpedoes???....wreckless commander too

[@xeutoniumnyborg1192]

Your comment sounds like something a pre-war US submarine commander would have said, the same ones who early in the war folded like cheap suits under lesser strain.

[@studleyjb3172]

I'd rather be wreckless than wrecked.

[@Japimon87]

Very poorly and cheaply done documentary. Many lies been told also in this episode. All the animations and part of the livescenes are the same from episode to episode. Giving thumb down.

[@thewey]

Yo! Check your numbers. The U.S. Army Air Corps lost nearly 30% in the war and the Bombers lost up to 50%.

[@jamesyoung3998]

USS 257