The Terrible Hours by Peter Maas

The Terrible Hours by Peter Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of the most daring submarine rescue in history. In May 1939 of the coast of New Hampshire the USS Squalus conducts what was suppose to be a routine dive but something terrible happens and they end up at the bottom of the ocean in about 250 feet below the ice cold Atlantic. Alt the survivors can do is wait for rescue. As the story unfolds we learn about the legendary "Swede" Momsen and his diving bell he helped create after other tragic Submarine mishaps. It's a harrowing ordeal as they fight the elements above and below the water to rescue the remaining cold and wearing thirty-three sailors awaiting to see the sun again.

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Cape Cod Attacked!

On this day in 1918 Cape Cod came under attack from a German submarine. Off the coast of Nauset Beach in Orleans U-156 attacked the tugboat "Perth Amboy" and four wooden barges. With a combination of fire from the deck gun and torpedoes the tugboat was sunk and barges and town of Orleans came under fire also. The nearby Chatham Naval Air Station was alerted and joined foray to thwart the German attack. Unfortunately they were dropping duds or completely missed there mark. All 32 merchant sailors, including the tugboat Captain's wife and child, were saved. It was the first attack on the continental United States from a foreign power since the Mexican War in 1846. The U-156 then left to continue it's mission elsewhere.

Book - The Death of the USS Thresher

The Death of the USS Thresher by Norman Polmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the tragic story of the USS Thresher loss on April 10,1963 with 129 personnel on board 222 miles off the coast of Cape Cod Massachusetts at a depth of 8400 feet. This is a hard look at at the chain of events and speculation of what may have happened. If you are interested in learning more about this event this is the best place to start.

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