USS Barb - Guide 382

The legendary train-wrecking submarine USS Barb, of the United States Navy, is today's subject.
Read more about the subs here:
www.history.navy.mil/research...
www.amazon.co.uk/Thunder-Belo...
www.amazon.co.uk/U-S-S-Barb-S...
Naval History books, use code 'DRACH' for 25% off - www.usni.org/press/books?f%5B...
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'Legionnaire' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@juanmc5731]

Not related to the video at hand. But could you look into the strength of the naval squadron that supported the attempt to take Buenos Aires?

[@JimmyCricket93]

In the period that the channel covers, at what range does hitting a target with a torpedo go from "probable" to "throw enough at a wall and some of it will stick"? Tides and water temperature would only be some of the variables that I can imagine would become more pronounced over a distance

[@Cbabilon675]

Would you do a video if you haven't on the USS Boston, From the spanish american war. From what little information I can find about her, She took the most damage and hits. And still kept right on fighting and floating😊

[@bkjeong4302]

@UNSCForwardontodawn I’d have to say I-19’s double kill.

[@bkjeong4302]

Has there ever been a ship built that ended up being able to steam faster than her hull could physically handle?

[@TheRogueWolf]

USN: "Commander, you are ordered to disrupt and destroy enemy shipping operations." Fluckey: "Hmm. Trains are used for shipping...."

[@ethanmcfarland8240]

“I GOT AN IDEA!”

[@danielstarnes7354]

"hold my beer" -Fluckey

[@Thirdbase9]

Barb's CO, "They don't pay me to bring back ammunition."

[@bigblue6917]

You get the feeling his biggest disappointment was running out of ammo.

[@Thirdbase9]

@@bigblue6917 Nah, because when he ran out of ammo he just started ramming things.

[@brianbalster3521]

@@bigblue6917 It "SEEMS LIKE" his biggest disappointment was Peace breaking out.. But, as he says in his book; they were Glad to go home

[@Sherwoody]

The sub was well named. I dated a girl named Barb and she sunk a lot of hearts.

[@BlahCraft1]

It was actually because of a bet Fluckey made with Tom King, the duty officer, that they'd sink 15 vessels of any type.

[@cartmann94]

"i'm a Barb sub, in a Barb world. Life in the Pacific is terrific".

[@tbjtbj7930]

Rockets in the air, torpedoes everywhere... Life's fantastic, not in the Atlantic.

[@rollsroycegriffon2375]

"Come on Barb sub, let's go hunting"

[@CSSVirginia]

Come on barb lets go party.

[@Kevin_Kennelly]

I'm just Kennelly

[@999theeagle]

Oh Skipper!

[@fallen_saint6939]

USS Barb: 1.) Got a double kill on an escort carrier and tanker, 2.) Provided bombardment with rockets, 3.) Sank a train of all things, and 4.) In the process of 3, landed troops in an offensive action against the Japanese home islands, the only case I know of this occurring.

[@user-qm7rs9fq1t]

This was hero ship , they were doing challenge run/campaing

[@a_funyun]

"Sank a train" hahahaha

[@fallen_saint6939]

@@user-qm7rs9fq1t I kind of want a new silent hunter / sub sim game series with not just U-boats but all the other major navies as campaigns.

[@JABN97]

@@fallen_saint6939Cold Waters is pretty decent sub game, but mostly has an Cold War (1984) campaign. A 1960’s and a 2006 campaign are secondary

[@fallen_saint6939]

@@JABN97 Yeah I know about Cold Waters, but it's just not the same as with wired torpedoes.

[@ramal5708]

The fact that Fluckey used the next Barb, the Permit class nuclear submarine one, as his flagship when he became flag Admiral

[@williestyle35]

is awesome! 😊

[@hourlardnsaver362]

Wasn’t just an admiral at that point. I think he was COMSUBPAC.

[@ryangale3757]

I imagine the decision was made basically as soon as he saw there was a ship with that name on the roster. "USS Barb? Yep, that's my flagship; I will take no objections to this."

[@hourlardnsaver362]

He was also present for the sub’s launching, and his wife had the honors of smashing the champagne bottle.

[@Briandnlo4]

No sailor who ever served with Fluckey as their CO was ever awarded a Purple Heart. (source: Drach’s occasional collaborators, The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War). It’s said that they were going to make a movie about him, but he was just too damned good. No drama, no redemption arc, no costly mistake to atone for, no emotional loss to avenge. He just went out, and won.

[@dannycalley7777]

B ...............I'll still want the movie ..............all Action !!!!!!!!!!

[@sr7129]

Make it a comedy. A la McHale’s Navy but with some good ass action set pieces.

[@Guysm1l3y]

"We're here to shoot rockets and launch torpedoes. And we're all out of torpedoes."

[@mogilews]

You'd have to change up the story a bit, have Fluck be more of a sort of Ahab "man versus nature" character, except instead of a supernatural whale monster he's fighting the limited internal stores of a submarine. I think the story of sending people onshore to start fires and blow things up would be a pretty good story. I'm having a hard time getting my head around ramming another ship _with your submarine_. That seems more than a little insane; it's a _submarine_, it _wants_ to sink, for God's sakes don't _help_ it.

[@landak136]

Sounds like Chuck Norris. Fluckey didn't destroy a Japanese train. Rather, the train committed Seppuku when hearing the sound of Barb's propeller, and IJA had to invent a surprise attack story to save their face.

[@bmouch1018]

Rear Admiral Fluckey's book "Thunder Below!" Is beyond a good read. USS Barb's exploits with Fluckey in command are beyond unbelievable, even for those already familiar with the matter.

[@corystansbury]

Love that book!

[@earlyriser8998]

fantastic book

[@jonnhieu]

Great audio book!

[@thomas_dries]

I was going to make a comment recommending Thunder Below! Myself, looks like you beat me to it! :)

[@Jon6429]

added to my list

[@robomonkey1018]

Sounds like Fluckey was that perfect combination of aggressive, competent, and fortunate.

[@silverjohn6037]

There's an old story about some people trying to get the Emperor Napoleon to promote a young officer. They told Napoleon he was brilliant, courageous and loved by all his troops. Napoleon supposedly replied, "Yes, but is he lucky?"

[@hannesromhild8532]

with the right enemy/target.

[@elcastorgrande]

They nicknamed him "Lucky Flucky."

[@robomonkey1018]

@silverjohn6037 yeah napoleon was a walking warcrime factory (by today's standards at least) but the man was not dumb about war. Edit he may have over valued loyalty at times. People can do a good job for a paycheck without full commitment to a cuase. An example doesn't immediately come to mind. But I recall having the impression this was one of his great failures. I'll do some research later.

[@lancerevell5979]

​@@elcastorgrande A very "Luckey Flucker"! 😅

[@cliffsimmons9692]

Ah, the sub that sank a train.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

A litoral Trainwreck😂

[@Sherwoody]

I’ve heard of destroyers doing this, but never a sub.

[@tcpratt1660]

Should have teamed up with the USS Wisconsin during the Korean Peace Action / Conflict * ... ...CINCPAC would have had his hands full with them both! * [The Gloucestershire Regiment has entered the chat.] "Bloody hell! It was a war, no matter what the politicians said!"

[@Jman7133]

​@@comentedonakeyboardthat was beautiful

[@Captain_Seafort]

One of the subs that sank a train - HMS E11 pulled a similar stunt a few decades earlier.

[@scooterdescooter4018]

"We do a little trolling around here." - Uss Barb

[@ethanmcfarland8240]

We partake in a mild bit of tomfoolery

[@michaelbourgeault9409]

Amazing what a crew of highly motivated submariners and their properly functioning weapons can do.

[@andrewkessinger5966]

My favorite part is that Barb rammed the last trawler on the 12th patrol to ensure it's sinking so that Fluckey could win a bet with an admiral and win a quart of whiskey.

[@williamcostigan91]

Imperial Japan: "This train brakes for nobody!" USS Barb: "You're gonna wish you had some dive brakes in a minute."

[@saoirseewing4877]

Glad to see a modern Barb, as the USN so often falls down on keeping alive great old ship names.

[@ph89787]

Still waiting for the U.S. Navy to name some of their remaining Gerald R Ford-Class Carriers the following; Yorktown, Hornet, Lexington, Saratoga and Ranger

[@owenwoodall5642]

Three future Virginia class submarines will be named Wahoo, Tang and Silversides in addition to Barb.

[@jameson1239]

@@ph89787I mean the US is going to run out of presidents before they stop building carriers

[@fishingthelist4017]

It is good to see US subs named after fish again.

[@comstr]

Wait wait wait. Hold on a sec. THE ENTIRE CONVOY GOT SUNK?? This deserves it's own video! Heck it deserves it's own movie. From the Japanese perspective. Like trying to fight Godzilla or a Predator.

[@d.olivergutierrez8690]

Greyhound u-boat screeching intensifies but now gatos and balaos rise to the surface instead

[@sr7129]

@@d.olivergutierrez8690And you know, ACTUALLY successfully blockade their target island nation

[@davideidolon927]

The book Thunder Below is definitely worth reading, no number of videos could ever cover it properly (unless you just uploaded the audiobook to KZbin)

[@bebo4807]

Of course it depends on how many ships were in the convoy. One convoy mentioned in the video consisted of 4 merchant ships and 4 escorts. Not a large convoy.

[@MaxwellAerialPhotography]

@@d.olivergutierrez8690uboats wish they were that good

[@joericher10]

"There is a touch of the pirate about every man who wears the dolphins badge." Commander Jeff Tall RN

[@jony663]

That is true in any navy that operates submarines.

[@joericher10]

@@jony663 indeed!

[@2011Kestrel]

The bit about the train reminds me of a great scene in an old movie where a mishap on board a submarine cause a torpedo to fire prematurely. The torpedo missed the ship they were targeting, hit a beach, travelled up the beach and blew up a truck driving by. The look of sheer disbelief and despair on the captain’s face when he informed the bridge crew “they sunk a truck” is priceless.

[@zxjim]

Operation Petticoat with Cary Grant. Awesome movie. (If anybody here hasn't heard of it, and wants to find some clips, make sure you're not watching the 1977-79 television series - that version is... not as good). EDIT - Found the clip: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKCaeX9jZ7SfpJY

[@Sherwoody]

The only pink sub in any navy.

[@Mathwayb]

Operation Petticoat us such a fantastic movie. Highly recommended for anyone that hasn't seen it.

[@kevdupuis]

Cary Grant and Tony Curtis were great co-stars, they played off each other so well. Thankfully I picked up a copy on dvd a number of years ago I watch it every now and then.

[@Sherwoody]

@@kevdupuis another movie that was out around the same time was The Wackiest Ship in the Army, about a schooner that would sail into Japanese waters.

[@donbaccus2074]

Dick O'Kane of the USS Tang was proud of the soft serve ice cream machine he was able to get installed on her. Fluckey was proud of the number of cases of beer he could smuggle aboard and keep in one of the reefers, rewarding each crew member with a nice cold beer after a successful attack. Of which there were many. (US Navy was officially dry)

[@geoffburrill9850]

Too early today. Bard was the Warspite of the sub world. Great vid.

[@JD-tn5lz]

Naw. More like Barb is the kind of boat that ships, even Warspite, long to be.

[@hannesromhild8532]

Look up SM-35. They list of ships sunk takes a while to scroll through.

[@maestromecanico597]

If memory serves Flucky used the boat’s scuttling charge to blow the bridge when the train came.

[@Knuck_Knucks]

Fluckey: So. What do we have left? You telling me we fired "everything" ? Chief: Sir. All we have left are the scuttling charges and I don't suspect there's anything we can do with those unless we train a dolphin... Fluckey: Did you say 'train'? 🤔 💭💭💭 💥 🚂🚃🚃🚃 😃👍

[@generalilbis]

You're correct...the Barb's scuttling charge (or one of them) was used in concert with a homemade pressure plate detonator as an IED to blow the train hundreds of feet into the air and then into the ocean. Between the fact that the men from the Barb's crew who planted the charge were the only members of the US military to successfully invade the Japanese home islands in WW2, and the fact that the Barb is the only sub with a train kill on its battle flag...the subs story deserves its own movie.

[@AWildTWOcard]

A landing party blew up a train. This is the stuff of legends.

[@greybeard6488]

Dad served on 596, saw the launch of her in Pascagoula myself, ate a few family dinners on the Barb when in Honolulu, looked through the periscope and saw the plaques showing all these kills, great to hear the stories again of the Barb linage.

[@BDCF100]

Was your Dad on board in 1964? I still have my "Honorary Submariner" card signed by the C.O. Cdr. R.W. Bulmer on 13 August, 1964 after Sea Trials following the nine month Post Shakedown Availability at Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

[@greybeard6488]

@@BDCF100 yes he was, we were living in Napa at the time while this was going on, then on to Peal Harbor, he left the Barb around late 1965 . Fun times for you I'm sure.

[@RuralTowner]

Damn shame the crew found out too late the Barb was being sold for scrap. They would've gladly bought & brought it back to become a museum. Of the many US subs that had made names for themselves...THIS one would be right at the top.

[@danielstarnes7354]

The crew of Barb was having so much fun, i listened to this twice

[@trentonarney6066]

Drach your telling of the Barb and Admiral Flucky years ago prompted me to buy Thunder Below on audio book. One of the best books written by a WWII veteran. Thanks for the work you do.

[@stephenryan1988]

At our local library I read a book by Admiral Flukey and it was edited by him and signed copy!. Very interesting read, especially the details of the train raid, They used the scuttle chargers of the boat and a homemade pressure switch

[@lovelessissimo]

When your boat is named after grizzled tough-as- nails waitresses, you know it's going to be great.

[@sadams12345678]

It was actually named for a species of fish. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barb_(fish)

[@lovelessissimo]

@sadams12345678 No no, the Unites States Navy absolutely named a submarine after a stereotype.

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

I bet that Barb got her own ice cream machine.

[@liberalsockpuppet4772]

SHE DID! Lucky stole one!

[@danielseelye6005]

​@@liberalsockpuppet4772 No, no, no. They don't _steal,_ they just Strategically Transported the Equipment to an Alternate Location. 😁

[@Briandnlo4]

I believe that was Tang. Her COB, CPO William Ballinger nicked the gedunk stand from the wardroom aboard USS Tennessee in San Francisco, got it back to Mare Island, and somehow got it down the hatch of Tang. He later was awarded a Silver Star. Probably just got an “attaboy!” from Tang’s CO, Dick O’Kane.

[@SynchronizorVideos]

Every time Barb sank something, the cooks would bake a special cake with the sinking vessel sculpted in frosting. Captain Flucky also would sneak beer aboard so everyone could celebrate after a successful attack. It became considered bad luck to start an attack without a few cases chilling in the cooler.

[@AdmRose]

Surprised that after they were reduced to only small arms they didn’t start boarding enemy ships and scuttling them.

[@Sherwoody]

They would have been looking for booty and using words like arrrrrr mateys.

[@hourlardnsaver362]

I believe there was at least one instance on either Barb’s 11th or 12th war patrol where some of her men boarded a sinking ship to recover intel. I need to re-read “Thunder Below!” to verify that.

[@headforthehillsuk]

Eugene B 'Lucky' Fluckey. The galloping ghost of the China coast. Later Director of Naval Intelligence for the USN.

[@davidmurphy8190]

My boss at a defense contractor was on CLAMAGORE but had been at ONI. CLAMAGORE had served with the Turkish Navy (TDK) as the Ismet Inonu but was returned to the USN and was a museum ship until recently. My boss had great stories about his time on the CLAMAGORE.

[@TheBaldParakeet]

Would recommend reading up on some of his cold war shenanigans if you get the chance. A good start is the book "Blind Man's bluff"

[@spacemastermind8866]

Question: how many targets can USS Barb attack? Answer: Yes.

[@deaks25]

Talk about efficiency!! Using every torpedo, rocket, shell and bullet and then remembering that the sub herself can be used as a torpedo. Forget the nukes, I’m now convinced Imperial Japan surrendered to get a reprieve from USS Barb. Pretty sure if they hadn’t, she’d have attempted to capture a port and stage a landing of her own!

[@ph89787]

Imagine if Barb joined up with Warspite and Enterprise.

[@bkjeong4302]

The first ever missile sub.

[@Paludion]

Good thing for the Axis the USS Barb wasn't deployed in european waters later in the war. ^^ I can imagine Flucky and his crew raiding a V2 launch site, and strap the missile on the deck to increase their firepower.

[@baconpwn]

I can just picture Flucky picking through Axis docks for new toys. "They have this battleship just idling in the fjords. How do we strap a battleship to a sub? Will duct tape do the trick?"

[@tcpratt1660]

​@baconpwn for better plot armour, the Prinz Eugen would have been a better choice.

[@Tuning3434]

Come on Drach, give a shout-out to Bill and Seth's 2 hr episode on 'Lucky Fluckey and his Barb-arians. The Legend of USS Barb'

[@mattd7566]

Currently rereading Thunder Below! Love it Drach, thank you!

[@PFCranssen]

Same here. Drach's folk read alike.

[@danielseelye6005]

I quite enjoy now having the choice to enjoy Drach and The Fat Electrician's takes on "Lucky" Fluckey and the _Barb._ 😁

[@GearGuardianGaming]

the history guy also did a video on uss barb

[@Tuning3434]

Bill and Seth from 'The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War' did a 2 hr special on USS Barb, with some personal anekdotes from Bill because he met Fluckey when he was wrapping up his submariner training. I can also highly recommend Captain (Bill) Toti's special episodes on touring Pearl Harbour: his previous office which was used by Admiral Nimitz early 1942 (and adm. Kimmel during 7 Dec. 1941), a personal tour on USS Bowfin and the Lockwood Hall deep into submariners R&R legend.

[@hazchemel]

Fantastic record. Thanks Drach. The apprehension when the subject is a submarine, anticipating it's loss or disappearance was happily, wasted effort.

[@auscolpyrtosspott9175]

The Unauthorized History of the Pacific Theater has a great episode of her exploits.

[@PalleRasmussen]

They did? I got to watch that. Bill will have been so happy about that, and he seems like a great guy and a good commander to serve under, so when he is happy, it is good.

[@paul4835]

Hopefully they will Invite Drach back !

[@DarinRWagner]

One of the most storied submarines in the US fleet!

[@CorporalDan2312]

I'm glad you finally did this boat! Such an interesting service record.

[@angfast5647]

One of my favorite video games, when I was much younger, was Silent Service. Love sub hunters.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Can you _imagine_ the grin on the sailor painting a train on the conning tower beside the carrier and transport ships.😁

[@easynovember5423]

A fighting crew, and a fighting skipper on patrol in a fighting boat. Fluckey's book Thunder Below, is one of the best reads of WW2 history you will ever find.

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Barb, the fish: lively, hardy, and colorful fish Barb, the submarine: *[The Only Thing They Fear is You starts playing]*

[@LukeBunyip]

Barb the Kelpie: manic AND stealthy

[@davefellhoelter1343]

Studied Barb's Luckey actions for years! SUCH A LEGEND! Trailblazer! Solid crews, fearless, and unconventional. her crew's cakes for victory tradition was outstanding.

[@bigblue6917]

When it come to submariners bragging rights having a train on your list of kills will take some beating.

[@robertsneddon731]

A British sub in the Mediterranean destroyed a couple of Italian railway bridges with its deck gun but I don't think they actually hit any trains.

[@khaelamensha3624]

Thanks Drach I know have the Benny Hill music in the head as well as a sub running full speed to catch some ladies 🤣

[@charleschristensen663]

I was lucky enough to serve on 596 during the Cold War. Two different commanding officers where I got to see both poor and excellent captains. Having Fluckey’s battle flag in the crew’s mess was awesome inspiring.

[@Rick-Rarick]

Lucky Flucky! The Barb was one amazing boat!

[@ianseddon9347]

A shame Fluckey couldn’t save her to be a museum boat - none more deserving of that honour.

[@richardmalcolm1457]

The question I have is: Did the train count in Barb's tonnage sunk?

[@kenle2]

I can see some adjutant at COMSUBPAC having to get a ruling on that from the Pentagon. "How much does a Japanese locomotive weigh?" Long pause. "Why does the Navy want to know?"

[@Swimavidly]

If you haven't yet read it, I highly recommend "Thunder Below" by Eugene "Lucky" Fluckey. It's an enrapturing account of his war patrols in the USS Barb.

[@Archie2c]

The fightingest Sub in this man's navy.

[@williamerickson1238]

The U.S. Navy finally woke up and started naming new submarines after legacy boats. PCU (pre-commissioning unit) BARB SSN 804 has been authorized. Not sure if she's been laid down as yet.

[@robertf3479]

USS Barb was a busy girl for sure. Active in all three major theaters of WWII (Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific,) hers was a service life worthy of books and movies. As books go, let me recommend "Thunder Below" by Admiral Eugene Fluckey which, even though it's a history of USS Barb's service under his command reads very much like an adventure novel. This book spent a lot of time in the hospital with me as I recovered from one of three abdominal (cancer) surgeries. I wish I had had a chance to meet him.

[@michaelpfister1283]

Glad to hear that the latest “Virginia” class SSN will carry on the name. 😊

[@ph89787]

Fluckey: Let's blow this popsicle stand Barb: Kaboom? Fluckey: Yes barb, kaboom. (train blows up)

[@GearGuardianGaming]

outcome: train go boom

[@Inquisitor6321]

So a US Naval vessel staying in the fight until ALL ammo is expended wasn't unique to the Battle off Samar.

[@danieldunlap4077]

It's crazy that The tonnage she sank is roughly equivalent to one US supercarrier today

[@MMitchellMarmel]

Becuna, incidentally, is on display in Philadelphia next to the Olympia! :)

[@RCAvhstape]

One-boat wrecking crew. Sends a cutting-out party to blow up a train. Awesome.

[@mitchm4992]

Holy Fluckey!

[@quentinking4351]

USS Barb: *sees something Japanese and unexploded* USS Barb: Absolutely not

[@robkarnis7020]

... love his book!

[@hourlardnsaver362]

YES! The guide I’ve been waiting to see for a while! Thank you, Drach!

[@user-hw1qo2mu9e]

Thanks Drach.

[@acostajj427]

Having that prestigious of a name on a block V Virginia class sub has all the potential.

[@derrickstorm6976]

That bit about a sea bird landing repeatedly on the sub's periscope is straight out of a cartoon

[@ryangale3757]

"Alright men, raise periscope! ..... Lower periscope!" "Is there a problem, sir?" "Yes; all I can see is bird butt! ......... Okay, that should have taken care of it, raise it again." ..... "Boys, you're not going to believe this..." I can just imagine the sea bird hanging onto the periscope for dear life every time they tried to shake it off. Birds can be real stubborn like that sometimes, as anyone who's had food too close to a seagull can attest to.

[@jerrysolomon7623]

Commander Flucky once said he could never convince his daughter Barbara that his sub wasn't named after her.

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

Ah yes. As The Fat Electrician put it; Flucky was no longer content with just spawn camping the convoys. He was going to crush them in the loading screen.

[@tcpratt1660]

IJN Combined Fleet HQ: "Nobody can stop a Trane!" USS Barb: "HAI!" Train engineer: "...mother!?" Train: violently disassembled.

[@jona.scholt4362]

The channel Historigraph has a great video on the train attack, though I'm sure most people in the comments of a Drach video have already seen it.

[@jannarkiewicz633]

I saw an interview on the Galveston Naval Musuem channel with a guy named Alex. Man, he looks just like you, Drach.

[@The_ZeroLine]

No one releases as steady a stream of top rate content as Drach.

[@timshelby2324]

Love the train story .

[@tomcatfoolery]

I've been waiting for this. I thank you for this.

[@danagiles5100]

The History Guy has a USS Barb piece as well... First time I ever heard about this particular boat.

[@danielseelye6005]

The Fat Electrician's video of "Lucky" Fluckey and the _Barb's_ battle flag is hilarious

[@halfbritgeoff7769]

I met Admiral Fluckey in 1991 while standing watch at the BOQ ( bachelor officer quarters ) at Subase Groton while I was in Advanced Enlisted Submarine School. He came up to me and asked if i knew what time the documentary "Submarine, Steel Boats and Iron Men" came on tv and that he was interviewed on that the show. I did not know what time it was on. He was very polite and came off as a sweet gentle old man. I did not know who he was until I saw his picture in the newspaper the next day.

[@PapaMav]

I read a book on BARB as a youngster. Cheers.

[@kencoleman7762]

"Still annoyingly afloat"!!! Well, he knew what to do about that. No wonder we won WW2.

[@clangerbasher]

Fantastic boats.

[@crazypetec-130fe7]

I guess no one ever told Fluckey that boarding cutlasses never run out of ammo.

[@_hench__5251]

Love Your submarine vids

[@jaimepowell5033]

Great boat! (That phrase includes all those ballsy crewmembers aboard her.)

[@itsjohndell]

Legend

[@jasonz7788]

Bravo Sir thank you

[@calculusmaximus5078]

Train vs submarine... there's something I didn't know I needed in my life.

[@danielseelye6005]

The Fat Electrician's video about the _Barb_ and the Train is worth the watch.

[@illegalclown]

I just want to go on record to say that I officially like the current theme song more than the old one. I often find myself restarting the videos just for the song.

[@dennisfariello4852]

My father served as a Torpedoman in Barb in the 50s, before and after her GUPPY conversion.

[@montecorbit8280]

I love these videos that you do!! Do you take requests?? USS Batfish: she is a museum ship, (boat?), in Oklahoma. I told her up the Arkansas River.... USS Razorback: she apparently served with I believe the Turkish navy for a while, ended up in Little Rock Arkansas I think....

[@glennricafrente58]

Re-post this in the pinned post at the top where he will more likely see this.

[@Knuck_Knucks]

Fluckey: So. What do we have left? You telling me we fired "everything" ? Chief: Sir. All we have left are the scuttling charges and I don't suspect there's anything we can do with those unless we train a dolphin... Fluckey: Did you say 'train'? 🤔 💭💭💭 💥 🚂🚃🚃🚃 😃👍

[@lioninwinter9316]

The American Fleet submarines were almost accidentally excellent designs. Torpedoes were terrible, but the subs themselves were excellent.

[@Sherwoody]

The “fired a spread of six torpedoes” may have been the result of unreliable torpedoes.

[@kenle2]

There was nothing "accidental" about how well the subs themselves were designed and built. The engineering for putting pressure hulls and diesel engines in the water was widely chewed over and TESTED in relatively clear air to an inch of their metal existence. The Bureau of Ordnance kept torpedo data and what testing they did locked away and guarded like the gold in Fort Knox, so no one could prove them wrong about the capabilities of their "fantastic" magnetic exploder or the other characteristics of the Mark 14. Completely different approaches.

[@d.olivergutierrez8690]

By early 1944 onwards that problem became mostly irrelevant

[@Sherwoody]

@@d.olivergutierrez8690 true that the torpedoes improved, but some habits die hard.

[@sirboomsalot4902]

It’s kinda the opposite of Japanese subs; mediocre to sub-par designs with fantastic torpedoes

[@yes_head]

Not taking anything away from an amazing record, although Barb was very lucky to have been sent to the Pacific *after* the early disfunction around leadership, strategy, and torpedos was more or less ironed out. And is that 'Smilin' Ernie King' on the far left at 6:00? 😄

[@Wolfeson28]

4:04 "And still more of them were hit...and damaged." We ALL grimaced knowing the reason why that last clarification was essential.

[@jazeroth322]

Such a cool sub

[@jjhead431]

Thunder Below is an excellent book.

[@TSholly195]

I have Adm. Fluckey's book "Thunder Below" on Audible & it's one of my favorites to listen to at work. It tells the Barb's story through his command in great detail. "Put four cases of beer in the cooler!"

[@ForHonorHater]

Drach, could you possibly do a video on the USS Silversides? She’s got a great museum up in Muskegon, and had one hell of a combat record.

[@fiodarkliomin1112]

Brave US Navy team 🎉 Respect !🌏🌹