Strike of the Sailfish

Two Sister Submarines and the Sinking of a Japanese Aircraft Carrier

By: Stephen L. Moore

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

A gripping true-life thriller about the first US submarine to sink a Japanese aircraft carrier—and the sub’s tragic twist of fate

In 1939 off the New England coast, the submarine USS Squalus accidentally sinks to the bottom of the sea during a training exercise, killing half her crew. Coming to the rescue is the USS Sculpin, in many ways the Squalus’s twin. As their oxygen supply dwindles, the remaining crew aboard the Squalus are saved in a time-consuming, white-knuckle operation. Eventually the sunken submarine is raised, repaired, and returned to duty, with a new name: the Sailfish.

Four years later, on patrol during the darkest days of the Pacific War, the Sailfish’s radarman picks up the tell-tale signs of a Japanese convoy, known by U.S. intelligence to include aircraft carriers, the most formidable of all enemy ships. Never before has an American submarine taken down a carrier—much less in the middle of a typhoon. Immediately, the crewmen swing into action, embarking on a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as this once-dead boat evades enemy cruisers to stalk closer and closer to their prized target. Little do they know that aboard the Japanese carrier are survivors of an attack on the USS Sculpin, the very boat that saved the Squalis-turned-Sailfish back in ’39.

Author Stephen L. Moore takes readers inside the nine-hour duel, narrating the action aboard both the Sailfish and the doomed carrier, where the American POWs fight against all odds to save their own lives before the ship goes down. Employing a wealth of new information, including long-lost survivors' accounts, fresh interviews with the last of the sub's crew, and official patrol reports, Strike of the Sailfish is the thrilling story of this strange chapter of naval history.

©2023 Stephen L. Moore (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Even non-military buffs will enjoy spending time with two U.S. Navy crews during World War II.... [Moore] creates a gripping, extremely detailed account of submarines’ operation, personalities, and attacks.... Moore’s capable history is fast-paced and gripping. Entertaining World War II naval history by an old hand."—Kirkus

"Moore’s narrative aptly weaves together the stories of the two fatefully connected vessels and their crews, highlighting the bond between wartime comrades and the details of daily life in the submarines’ cramped quarters. This is a treat for WWII history buffs."—Publishers Weekly

“In Strike of the Sailfish, historian Stephen L. Moore has resurrected one of the most dramatic stories of World War II—the loss of the submarine Squalus and its recovery and rebirth as the Sailfish. He then interweaves the incredible wartime account of the Sailfish with the Sculpin, the latter of which played a pivotal role in the original rescue of the stricken vessel. The end result is a masterful tale, a nail-biter of a narrative that will leave readers turning pages long after they should have turned out the light!"—James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Black Snow and Rampage

Great history!!

What an amazing view into World War II Pacific Submarine Warfare! Thanks Dillion and Moore!

Strike of the Ssilfish

I liked the story of the U.S.S. Squalus to Sailfish and what true service / sacrifice is from the crew experiences.
it's unfortunate that the day is rapidly approaching when hearing these stories from the greatest generation will happen only in recordings. So many unbelievable (yet true) experiences have not (or likely will) be captured for the historical record.