USS Aspro 'The Aspro Story'

[@davekjell9198]

My Great uncle James Ashley Jr. was the skipper of this boat on this mission. He won his 2nd Navy Cross. I have many of his war memorabilia including his Skippers hat and dress sword. many other service medals. I loved hearing his stories as a child. This one in particular has some drama that you won't see in the show with how the mission went down.

[@MrRoadchaser]

Dave Dave How wonderful it would have been to listen to him.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

@@MrRoadchaser maybe some day you could relate the rest of the story somewhere on the internet. Stories like his will never get old, or out of fashion. We will again go to war, and the navy college could use his story for useful content I am positive. Your great uncle was one of the best of the best. We are all thankful to him for our freedom in these times of Socialist nonsense. Thanks to him forever.

[@electron4784]

Did your great Uncle ever live in Clinton Indiana?

[@romansroad2007]

Very alsome

[@robertfromcalifornia4111]

During this rescue, the captain ordereda dive. The gunner stayed topside until he shot down thag plane. He jumped overboard and the sub surfaced later for the gunner and the pilot. Both were rescued. The gunner received several medals for his actions.

[@robertansley6331]

My total respect for these men. I’m grateful for their service.

[@Ronclown]

Our subs did a great job in rescuing our pilots. The crew of the Aspro was daring in rescuing this pilot. I always like when they have a special guest from the crew. Loved this show. Thanks for sharing.

[@billhuber2964]

My dad was on a destroyer , u.s.s. John d. Henley (dd-553) he said about submariners "tough sharp guys". Good assement.

[@zetty8130]

My great grandfather was on the sub and he was the one with the Mustache

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Kool!!!!!

[@rodfirefighter8341]

Hell of a mustache!

[@dougshaw4287]

Any chance he's in this photo of the 1988 USS Aspro reunion? facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204691653798278&set=a.10204691621357467&type=3&theater

[@ThePyramidone]

Ross Elliott was a radio actor on Orson Wells' infamous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast in 1938. A seasoned film and TV actor (Kelly 's Heroes, The Towering Inferno) and TV (The Virginian, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Zone, et.al.) , he passed away in 1999

[@Steve_1999]

18:10 That explosion was so powerful it almost knocked that guys mustache off...

[@mechanicmike2858]

That was a cigar in his mouth

[@Steve_1999]

@@mechanicmike2858 it was only a joke.. Don't lose your mustache.

[@sgt.davideswigerusmc5113]

Interesting how the binoculars back then could show a view of the planes from above them

[@Chauncy63]

Had the honor of being on SSN-648 another Aspro

[@danielbenedict8818]

Big Bill O'Reilly dont be a TROLL!

[@mikegallegos7]

Ahoy, Shipmate: 617, 640, 585, and 596 !

[@artsummers2095]

Chauncy63 good for you, I’ll Road the henry Clay SSBN 625. You are right that is a great honor.

[@lhartatt]

The minute I subscribed I received many episodes. Thanks. I am army. Still I love the action of other branches. I would live in fear on a submarine or as a parachute. I respect these men and what they accomplished.

[@panagdimi]

Thank you Richard Damm for making these videos available, I am "nuts" with anything that has to do with submarines and this series about the "Silent Service" is truly a gem. By the way, "Aspro" in Greek means ..."White". Interesting, eh?!

[@jstetzer01]

My best friend in High School was Dimitrios Papodimitropolous..I lived in Chicago off Greek Town. Probably messed his last name up. We were friends and that's all that matters. He was Greek and I was German.

[@genenoud9048]

It's a type of fish

[@johnpower8356]

I absolutely love these

[@oscarsusan3834]

Most dangerous moustache of the war.

[@Straswa]

Great vid, thanks for upload.

[@johnbockelie3899]

The captain has a handle bar mustache. My grandpa had one of those too.

[@buddylight2191]

Sunk as a target off San Diego, California on 16 November 1962

[@amadeusamwater]

These episodes show the vast difference between us and the Japanese in economic might near the end of the war. We could spare planes to fly cover for rescue missions of one pilot, they couldn't even fill their carriers with planes. BTW, that actor didn't look much like the real Murphy.

[@gradychowan6777]

23:33 fly lands on Captain's shoulder near collar, hope he had a SAG card :). Love the series and the actors list who appeared (fly included).

[@alfredneuman6488]

The term "Over and Out" often used in this series is totally incorrect. If you say "Over" then you are expecting further communications. If you say "Out" then you are not expecting further communications.

[@jstetzer01]

You have that right Bill. I was 23 active and another 8 as an instructor. 1SG US Army retired.

[@dougmoore5252]

Excellent!

[@abes.4040]

The host of the show is a classic 1950's stereotype

[@rodfirefighter8341]

See, the chief of the boat was the special guest this time!

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

The chief of the boat was almost the most important one just under the captain. I have known several chiefs, on submarines and destroyers, and every one a fine fighting man.

[@jstetzer01]

Don't discount the Chief's of Boats. I was a Master Sergeant and 1SG in the Army

[@seanberry-kelly4551]

My grandpa was on the aspro

[@dougshaw4287]

Any chance he's in this photo of the 1988 USS Aspro reunion? facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204691653798278&set=a.10204691621357467&type=3&theater

[@ledwardsak]

That is so awesome!

[@tedsmith6137]

So if the Catalina was circling, why didn't he land and pick up the pilot, rather than wait 2 hours for the sub?

[@mikegallegos7]

'Cause it's the Navy ... lol Seas may have been too rough for the Cats. (Have been in those seas, but further off shore and it always seem to have plenty of large white caps and steep waves.)

[@twright3802]

@Big Bill O'Reilly you mean retreating trump....tax fraud trump...Putin's bitch

[@twright3802]

@Big Bill O'Reilly draft dodger trump....

[@stuart8663]

@@twright3802 take your stupid politics to another KZbin channel.

[@24kGoldenRocket]

Does anyone know the composer and title of the music in the background starting at 4:50 and ending at 6:31 ? It is beautiful. This is so well done. It is way ahead of its time.

[@thelton100]

Of like this as well.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Yank know how. Sub, flying boat, fighters.

[@revview5594]

Thank you.

[@michaelsullivan4213]

The Dumbo was able to land on water, also known as a PBY!!!!

[@topgeardel]

KInd of confusing events in this video. A PBY is doing "air cover" for the sub? It shoots down a fighter?

[@johnvargo5695]

PBY's had 5 machine guns (3 - 30's & 2 - 50 cal.) PBM's had eight 50's. Formidable defense, but fighter cover was best till they ran out of fuel. Dumbo's picked up the slack.

[@456swagger]

That"s one whacky Submarine.

[@mikegallegos7]

😎

[@wendielangborders4116]

Clinton Indiana just north of terre haute Indiana my first Sargent didn't 2 tours in Nam was from Clinton

[@thomasb1889]

The guy with the mustache must think he is Robin Olds. In reality the submariners got away with a lot of stuff that no one else was allowed to but they earned that ability.

[@davidroby7290]

Good food and the royal Hawaiian

[@mizzyroro]

In a previous episode I watched, they were called 'chickens' not 'zoomy's'.

[@josephpadula2283]

By the time I was in the Navy 1975-1987 active and reserve Only Air Force pilots were zoomies not Navy.

[@josephpadula2283]

Correct . It is slightly derogatory so only the Air Force pilots are Zoomies not our Naval Aviators!

[@topgeardel]

So should I assume those "Dumbo" aircraft were not capable of being seaplanes and pick up the pilot ?

[@packingten]

A sub could Dodge bullets easier than a plane less than minute to dive a plane had to land then take off much greater risk!.

[@raybin6873]

What's the difference between full speed and flank speed?

[@seanthornton4382]

Think of it as the difference between 90% throttle and 100%+ throttle. On a Balao class this was 2ish knots on smooth seas.

[@johnrogan9420]

Maypoole

[@dannz2603]

This is one episode of Silent Service that doesn't make sense to me. Why would a submarine rescue a single downed flyer when there were three Catalinas overhead any one of which could have landed and rescued the pilot? I also don't understand how a Catalina could shoot down a Zero???

[@taylor7772]

Dan NZ did have machine guns in the blisters could be possible but very rare

[@davidlogansr8007]

That area is known for heavy seas. A Catalina couldn’t “land” in rough or heavy seas.

[@dewayneweaver2744]

There is no way a Catalina could win a dogfight with a Zero.

[@davidlogansr8007]

DeWayne, the Catalina could and did. I don’t think this was the only instance. Yes the Catalina was slow and ungainly compared to a Zero, but it only takes a lucky shot! Think about the odds of ground flak hitting a fighter making 400 knots! Happened over Germany many times.

[@dougshaw4287]

There weren't actually Catalinas involved. A B-17 dropped a 25' wooden life boat. Two PB4Y-2 Privateers (Navy variant of the B-24) were on scene and shot down two Petes, not Zeroes. facebook.com/doug.shaw.102/posts/10217637926567006

[@MrKen-wy5dk]

23:43 "I'll be back". Sound familiar?

[@bobbyormston9674]

Isn't the handlebar mustached, cigar smoking Chief, Walter Matthau?

[@bobbyormston9674]

Nope. The credits say it was Ken Mayer.

[@stevemcconnico1837]

He does look like him and kinda sounds like him, but it ain't him.

[@rodfirefighter8341]

They interviewed him. The guy was not Walter, but a good mustache anyway. I am just saying!!??

[@stevenhj3124]

Three days before the first atom bomb. The war was over.☮

[@paulredinger5830]

Why didn’t the PBY just land and pick up the downed pilot?

[@matrox]

The gunner was funny.

[@johnrogan9420]

August 2,1945..HIROSHIMA A BOMB WAS DROPPED ON THE 6TH OF AUGUST 1945

[@judithradtke8569]

Mines in the water. It wasn't safe to land there.

[@jimnelson8926]

'

[@waynebutcher3788]

I served on ASPRO 309 in 1959-60 as Quartermaster on her return to Westpac. The same area as this event. The boat was never modified and still original. What a privilege!

[@rdbjrseattle]

Including a future U.S. President - George H.W. Bush.

[@AndrewVelonis]

I'm not buying Murph's mustache.

[@billhuber2964]

On some subs things were lax.

[@cedarwest37]

That damn horn...hear for 97 miles!!! Cut it off

[@garygraham4679]

Watched it as a kid but never noticed how dead and monotoned these guys talked. And talk about "scripted"!

[@billyost1479]

57 thumbs down. Ungrateful to the core!

[@GermanShepherd1983]

It's a good thing these courageous boys didn't chicken out like trump and claim "bone spurs".

[@AndrewVelonis]

I agree, but do we really have to say that here? BTW, wasn't Carter a sub Captain?

[@GermanShepherd1983]

@@AndrewVelonis Nuclear engineer. I don't think he was ever a capt.

[@randymagnum143]

@@GermanShepherd1983 he would have been a tech, not an engineer,, had he finished school. Not sure he finished before his father died and he left service to farm. He reached the rank of lieutenant.

[@jamessmith530]

Too much drama