SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG Forum

General Boards => Submarine Related Chatter => Topic started by: JTheotonio on September 01, 2008, 05:38:01 PM

Title: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: JTheotonio on September 01, 2008, 05:38:01 PM
http://www.pdfz.com/submarine_war_patrols.html

I found this from a news feed - anyone every heard of this one?
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: Darrin on September 01, 2008, 06:33:42 PM
Nope but it sounds like a good read, I do have a book that is something along that line callled "submarine stories" which was written by Paul Stillwell and he uses actual accounts from diesel submariners on life onboard both at a time of war and during peace time throughout the history of diesel boats until the final diesel boat was decommissioned. I picked that book up earlier this year from the PX and found it to be a great read.

Darrin
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: Lance Dean on September 01, 2008, 07:53:46 PM
<snip>

Clarified below.
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: JTheotonio on September 01, 2008, 10:05:48 PM
I just smell something funny about this - not enough information and I can not tell what he is selling (video or PDF). 
Is this buyer beware?
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: emeacho on September 02, 2008, 01:16:11 PM
This topic was kicked around on Rontini's site a lot.  Seems to me that this was a fundraiser for some sub organization, but I won't swear to it.  John Clean, who is a regular on Rontini, will be able to tell you.
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: JTheotonio on September 02, 2008, 01:25:19 PM
thanks - I'll check there
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: RichSheff on September 02, 2008, 10:31:12 PM
Hi all, Richard Sheffield here, I wrote the book that you have been talking about, 40 Greatest WW2 Submarine War Patrols (http://www.pdfz.com/submarine_war_patrols.html). You seemed curious so I thought I'd give you a little background :)

I wrote two books about ww2 submarine simulation games back the late 80's, when MicroProse's Silent Service was all the rage. At the time I could find very little that had been published about actual tactics and strategies used by the U.S. captains during the war. So I traveled up to D.C. to the Naval History Museum and a week reading through the actual, hand-typed patrol reports to try and figure out what they were thinking and doing. Plotting approaches, range, speed, angle, everything. Once I had a good idea of the basics, I came home and tried them in the simulation and they worked like gangbusters. So that was basically the first book. Mostly about tactics and strategy. I had permission from the O'Kane family to republish a chapter from his book, as well as permission to use some text and photos from Roscoe's Submarine Operations book. That one sold OK, and the readers wanted more. So I bought 50 microfilm reels of patrol reports from the Navy, and based on those, I picked the most impressive and exciting reports and explained them in layman's terms.

The books went out of print for years but every now and then I'd get a request for them. So last year I combined the two books, took out all the game-related info, and other's content, and republished them as sort of a primer on ww2 submarine tactics and descriptions of how those tactics were used during the most impressive war patrols.

So nothing fishy here, or under the table. I'm not republishing anyone else's material. Just 250 pages of stories and tactics (like how the Silversides wound up back in Pearl Harbor after her patrol "with a torpedo with warhead attached dangling from a bow tube, a fuel leak, an air leak, an explosion in the generator, and Cream of Wheat® in the main induction." I had fun putting it together so I hope it's fun to read. Glad to answer questions if you have them :)

Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: Lance Dean on September 02, 2008, 10:37:56 PM
Well cool then Rich.  My apologies for thinking otherwise.  I think I had a copy of that old MicroProse game somewhere...

Welcome to the forum too.
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: MWALLEN on September 02, 2008, 11:40:54 PM
Yeah Lance...you are such a trouble maker   :D

Hey Rich - welcome aboard.

Mark A. (not to be confused with Mark S. - both of us at the Batfish).  He's taller and I'm better looking   :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: JTheotonio on September 03, 2008, 05:50:31 AM
Thanks Rich - this clears up the myster. You'll pick up a lot of interesting stuff here - welcome!
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: Mark Sarsfield on September 03, 2008, 08:55:29 AM
Hi, Rich.  (Thanks, Mark   :))

Silent Service was my first introduction to the WWII sub force at the ripe age of 13.  I thought they did a decent job giving the history behind the boats and explaining some of the scenarios that were recreated into single missions.  I've had just about every sub game out there and I think Silent Hunter 4 has probably outdone them all in most aspects, but mostly due to the modding community.

Anyway, welcome aboard.
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: MWALLEN on September 03, 2008, 09:19:54 AM
Quote
You'll pick up a lot of interesting stuff here

And there is medicine for most of it   :D ;D :o
Title: Re: Does anyone know of this video and data
Post by: Rick on September 03, 2008, 12:35:48 PM
Mark A. (not to be confused with Mark S. - both of us at the Batfish).  He's taller and I'm better looking   :coolsmiley:

Auditions for the Mr Batfish pagent are now open. ..... :2funny: