Of all branches of the armed forces, few are as hazardous as the submarine service. Every day, naval submariners cram themselves into metal tubes full of explosives and complex machinery and plunge into the icy, crushing depths of the world’s oceans. As we have seen in our video Murphy’s Law in Action: the Bizarre Sinking of HMS Thetis, in such a hostile environment, even tiny mistakes can lead to disastrous consequences. As a result, many submariners never return home, remaining on “eternal patrol.” But once in a while, fortune decides to shine on the “silent service.” In 1939, the same year as the HMS Thetis disaster, an American submarine also sank accidentally during acceptance trials. However, thanks to a combination of luck, quick action, and cutting-edge technology, a large number of her crew were successfully saved from a watery grave. This is the story of the incredible rescue of USS Squalus.

Author: Gilles Messier
Host: Daven Hiskey
Producers: Daven Hiskey and Alexis DeStout