USS Puffer in World War II

Craig R. McDonald is director of information and data services within the University Division at Indiana University in Bloomington.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgments      Foreword by Commander John D. Alden, USN (Retired)       Foreword by Rear Admiral Maurice H. Rindskopf, USN (Retired)       Preface      1. QUALIFYING FOR THE SUBMARINE SERVICEBoot Camp      Specialty School      Submarine School      2. BUILDING THE PUFFER AND THE BONDING OF THE CREWSubmarines in Wisconsin      Building the Puffer      Plank Owners      The Bonding of the Crew      Down the Mississippi River      Final Training and on to Brisbane      3. THE INITIAL OFFICERS OF THE PUFFERCommander Marvin J. Jensen      Franklin G. Hess      Lawrence G. Bernard      Carl R. Dwyer      William M. Pugh II      Walter Mazzone      Kenneth Dobson      4. THE POLITICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICALTorpedo Politics      The Physical Environment      Lack of Light      Sleep Deprivation and Irregular Sleep      Perception of Time      Heat and Humidity      Hypoxia and Carbon Dioxide Poisoning      Adrenaline      Summary      5. THE FIRST WAR PATROL BEGINNINGSRepairs and Rest at Brisbane      The First Attack      Bad Weather and Disaster      6. THE DEPTH CHARGING OF THE PUFFERThe Dangerous Escorts      Caught at Periscope Depth      Heat and Humidity Rise      Sinking Deeper      Waiting It Out      Decision Time      Surface! Surface!      The Puffer’s Return      Awards      7. THE SECOND WAR PATROLDistorted History      Corrected History      New Crew and Boat Repairs      The New Commander      Departure for Subic Bay      The First Attack      Frustration Again      Waiting for Action      No Christmas Presents      Happy New Year      Deck Gun Action      8. THE THIRD WAR PATROLNew Crew Members and Training      Lombok and Makassar Straits      Invasion Scare      A Second Chance      A Dangerous Destroyer      No Contacts and Return to Fremantle      9. R & R AT PERTH AND FREMANTLECompanionship and Craziness      The Extreme      The Tragic      10. THE FOURTH WAR PATROLNew Crew Members      Repairs and More Repairs      Lifeguard Duty      Tawi Tawi—Carrier Carrier      Tanker Tanker      Mechanical Troubles      Resistance in the Sibutu Passage      Friendly Natives      Awards      11. THE FIFTH WAR PATROLNew Men and New Equipment      Return to the Makassar Strait      Shallow Water      Sibutu Passage      Basilan Strait Attack      Torpedo Transfer      Cape Calavite Attack      Another Assignment?      Awards      30 Days Leave      12. THE SIXTH WAR PATROLA New Commander and a Larger Crew      New Weapons and Technology      Waikiki Bound      Okinawa      Dive! Dive!      Heavy Seas and Heavy Action      A Trap      R & R at Guam      13. THE SEVENTH WAR PATROLA Full Boat and Refit      Lifeguard Duty      A Near Miss      Man Overboard!      Thirsty Lookouts      Air Support      Junks      Artillery Action      Return to Saipan      Midway via Wake      14. R & R AT MIDWAYArrival      Fun and Games      Navy Cross      Victory in Europe Day      Training      Good-Bye      15. THE EIGHTH WAR PATROLMore Personnel Changes      Back to Saipan      Back to War      Tragedy      The South China Sea      Java Sea and Bali      Fremantle      R & R in Perth      16. THE NINTH WAR PATROLThe Last Departure      The Numbers Game      Peace      The Last Loss      17. BACK TO THE STATES54 or Bust      Subic Bay Wait      Off to Pearl Harbor      San Francisco      Navy Day Celebration      Home Again      What Next?      18. POSTWAR SERVICEHawaii      Seattle      The End of the Puffer      Reunions      Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations      Appendix 1. List of Awards      Appendix 2. Summary of Claimed Successful Attacks      Appendix 3. Postwar Puffer Service Roster      Bibliography      Index

“McDonald affords a comprehensive record of the Puffer’s service, and the inclusion of first-hand accounts from former crew members adds a precious resource for future researchers”—The Journal of Military History; “engaging...author obviously devoted much time to in-depth research...McDonald’s work is masterful and commended to all hands”—USNI.