The Silent Service

Name: Pearl Harbor Tours
Price range: $

Submarine Warfare in the Atlantic and Pacific

“The only thing that ever truly frightened me during the conflict was the threat of U-boats.” – Winston Churchill admitted at the end of World War II

It wasn’t the Blitz bombing, the Nazi occupation of France, or any other danger, but rather the silent menace of German submarines. During World War II, German U-boats sank 2,937 ships, a figure that excludes vessels lost to Allied submarines and the countless ships sunk in World War I due to unrestricted submarine warfare. Historian James Goldrick said, “Submarines are the apex predators of maritime conflict.”

The submarine’s stealth makes it incredibly hard to detect and hunt, enabling it to bypass entire blockades, conduct reconnaissance deep in enemy territory, carry out sabotage, and deliver powerful strikes without warning. The threat of submarines intensified even further when they began to carry nuclear weapons.

In the Beginning – The Turtle

US_Navy_submarine_types_of_1940s_and_1950s_drawing_1967

Van_Drebbel Submarine of Cornelius Jacobszoon Drebbel, 1620 and 1624

The first functional submersible prototype was created by Cornelius Drebbel in 1620 for the British Navy. Although it operated successfully, it didn’t gain traction. Fast forward about 150 years, the American Revolution marked a historical milestone by being the first conflict to deploy a submarine in combat, known at the time as a “Waters Machine.” David Bushnell and Isaac Doolittle were developing a timed bomb for underwater detonation. To deliver this bomb, they designed the “American Turtle,” or simply The Turtle, a Waters Machine that could accommodate only one operator and had no supplemental oxygen supply.

To drive the British Navy out of New York Harbor, the Americans sent Ezra Lee to pilot the Turtle under the cover of night on September 6, 1776. His mission was to blow up the British HMS Eagle by attaching a powder keg to its hull. Unfortunately, the mission failed when Lee’s augur struck metal instead of wood, forcing him to abandon the bomb and retreat. Despite this setback, the attempt demonstrated the potential of underwater vessels.

The Turtle wasn’t done yet. The revolutionaries deployed it two more times, but each attempt to attach the bomb failed, just like the first. Ultimately, the Turtle was sunk during the Battle of Fort Lee and never recovered.

Horace_L_Hunley_1860(Submarine designer)

Conrad_Wise_Chapman_-_Submarine_Torpedo_Boat_H.L._Hunley,_Dec._6,_1863

USS_Alligator_The French-designed 1862 Alligator, first submarine of the U.S. Navy

H.L. Hunley — The First Submarine To Sink An Enemy Vessel

The Civil War was more technologically advanced than one might expect. It marked the first instance of a submarine sinking an enemy vessel. Horace Hunley financed the H.L. Hunley, built in 1863 for the Confederate States. Constructed from rolled iron boiler plate, it included a hand-operated crank screw, hand-pumped water ballast tanks, diving planes, and the iconic conning tower that remains a staple of submarines today.

On February 17, 1864, the H.L. Hunley was armed with a “spar” torpedo. Unlike modern torpedoes, this device was essentially a copper-coated explosive mine attached to the submarine by a long pole, necessitating the Hunley ram the target for it to be effective. That night, the Hunley successfully struck the Union ship USS Housatonic, delivering a fatal blow. However, the Hunley mysteriously sank along with its target.

The WW I German U-Boat That Sank Lusitania

World War I marked a turning point for submarines, especially with the top-tier German U-boats or Unterseeboots. While these submarines were primitive compared to today’s underwater fortresses, sailors endured cramped living conditions filled with diesel fumes and could not shower. Despite these hardships, U-boats proved to be highly effective. On May 7, 1915, the Germans launched a campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, meaning they began sinking any ship they encountered without warning. Soon after, one of the greatest tragedies of the war occurred with the sinking of the Lusitania, resulting in the deaths of 1,195 innocent passengers. 128 American civilians died in the attack, turning American opinion against Germany, making the Lusitania tragedy a turning point in the war.

By February 1917, unrestricted submarine warfare was in full swing—at one point, sinking 13 ships a day—until the end of the war in 1918.

Japanese Midget Submarines type Ko-Hyoteki used in Pearl Harbor Attack

Japanese Midget Submarine being recovered near entrance to Pearl Harbor July 1960 It's torpedoes had not been fired

Japanese I-400-class submarine, the largest submarine built in World War II

Midget Submarine run aground during Pearl Harbor Attack Windward Oahu Dec 7th 1941 (Kazuo Sakamaki captured)

Japanese Midget Submarines And The Pearl Harbor Raid

While everyone knows that the attack on Pearl Harbor was an aerial assault, not everyone is aware that submarines were involved as well. Japan deployed several “midget” submarines weighing less than 150 tons. These vessels had a limited range but were harder to detect on sonar and could navigate shallower waters than larger submarines. During the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese Empire sent in midget submarines to target additional ships while their aircraft struck from above. However, only one midget sub entered the harbor, which the USS Ward sank before the main raid.

Unfortunately, the midget submarines faced numerous issues, and none returned to Japan. One even washed ashore the day after the attack. Midget subs continued to be deployed in the Pacific Theater, but their track record of failure did not improve. They were spotted at locations like Sydney and Guadalcanal; some were even discovered in the Aleutians near Alaska.

USS Bowfin Submarine at Pearl Harbor Oahu

Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum Torpedo and visitors Pearl Harbor Oahu

Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum Entrance Walkway Pearl Harbor Oahu

Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum Battle Flags Room Pearl Harbor Oahu

USS Bowfin

Launched exactly one year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Bowfin (SS-287) earned the nickname “Pearl Harbor Avenger.” It became one of the most decorated submarines in the Pacific Theater, credited with sinking over a dozen enemy vessels.

Commissioned on May 1, 1943, the USS Bowfin immediately entered combat. It completed nine patrols across the Pacific, operating in waters from the South China Sea to the Sea of Japan. During its missions, the Bowfin sank several enemy vessels, including the Kirishima Maru, which it helped the USS Billfish sink on its first patrol. The Bowfin is credited with sinking over 30 ships and damaging another seven. Among the 288 submarines deployed by the U.S. Navy that saw combat during World War II, the Bowfin ranked 15th in terms of the number of enemy vessels sunk.

After her final decommissioning in 1971, the USS Bowfin might have faced the fate of being dismantled and sold for scrap, like many other U.S. Navy vessels. Instead, this iconic submarine was destined for a greater purpose: to serve as a lasting tribute to how the United States rose from the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor and ultimately triumphed in the Pacific Theater. When you visit Pearl Harbor, make sure to visit the USS Bowfin and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. You will learn how submarines became an integral part of the Navy’s attack plan in the Pacific.

Nautilus_core USN Nautilus's reactor core prototype at a facility in Idaho 1950

USS_Tang_(SS-306)_off_the_Mare_Island_Naval_Shipyard,_California_(USA),_2_December_1943_(NH_42273)

Kuahua Peninsula Naval depot (Magazine Island) Naval Submarine Base Pearl Harbor Aug 22 1941

The Rise of Nuclear-Powered Subs – The USS Nautilus

During World War II, submarines were formidable in the oceans but faced significant limitations. Powered by diesel engines, these submarines had to surface frequently for fuel and air, which was necessary for both the crew and the engines, limiting their time submerged. This changed with the introduction of the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine.

Launched by the U.S. Navy in 1954, the Nautilus could remain underwater for extended periods since nuclear reactors do not require oxygen. One of its most notable achievements was becoming the first vessel to navigate beneath the North Pole’s ice pack. This feat had been impossible due to the freezing risks associated with diesel engines. Beyond this landmark, the Nautilus served effectively as a naval vessel.

USS Whale at the North Pole, in April 1969

Petty Officer John Erikson STS2 SS at the North Pole with USS Whale (Helens Brother)

Submarines at the North Pole – The USS Whale

USS Whale (SSN-638) was a Sturgeon-class nuclear-powered attack submarine. She surfaced at the North Pole to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary’s arrival in 1909. While not the first submarine to surface at the Pole – that was the USS Skate – she was one of a small group to have that honor.

Submarine Memorial and USS Bowfin Pearl Harbor Oahu

Submarines In Great Power Combat

Submarines have consistently demonstrated their adaptability in significant power conflicts. Whenever commanders required the destruction of a convoy, the evacuation of a garrison, or the rescue of a downed pilot, submariners rose to the occasion, often succeeding when no other naval asset could.