Take Her Deep: A Submarine Against Japan in World War II

While I didn't serve on Submarines in WWII I did work on them at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in the mid 50s as a young Ltjg. I experienced test dives in a WWII Fleet boat and later models up through the ALBACORE (AGSS569), the experimental first modern high speed submarine. I got to work and talk to Chiefs and Officers who had experienced combat in WWII including depth charging. This book brings all those experiences to life in an easy to read well written book. Even if you have no experience with Submarines this book will give you an accurate view into life aboard a WWII submarine in action. Better than any fictional novel on the subject - this is real, an easy and fast moving read that you will enjoy.

I've read TAKE HER DEEP! three times. I knew after I read it the first time I wanted it in my personal Library. Galatin is not your typical dry military author; his book is well written and easy for a non-nyphyte Navy person to understand. This book should have been turned into a movie, without embellishments. HALIBUT's adventures under Galatin's command were all one could ask for in a movie, and make for a great book to read. Hard to put down once you start reading it. Worth adding to one's personal Library. The book keeps you on the edge of your seat for most of it's length.

If you like WWII non-fiction, this is about as good as it gets. Well written, historically accurate, and full of little known facts about submarine life.

This work doesn't challenge "Run Silent, Run Deep" as the classic of submarine warfare even though Commander Beach writes the book's foreward, but it makes a good attempt. Cdr. Gallantin deserves five stars not only for his account of battle but also for all the other contemporary background information he provides about U.S. submarines in general, about Navy personnel (both officers and enlisted men), about submarine customs, about submarine tracking equipment, submariners' family life as well as onboard life, and so on. For those readers interested in World War II submarine action, this is a very good book, probably the best currently in print. The only problem I had was the size of the book, which is one of those economy pocketbooks which snaps shut on you if you loosen your grip, and also makes you stretch the tight book open to read to the end of lines on the left page; I would have much preferred reading it in a larger format, say a softbound 6x9" on quality paper. But, despite all this, the Commander wrote a good story backed up by some post-war analysis/information which fortunately is now declassified and available to Gallantin and other World War II authors.

I could never comprehend what my father had experienced while serving on the USS Halibut, although I have seen the many movies and read the books that attempt to portray that era. Captain Pete has brought to life details the others have missed. The sights and smells, the emotions, the sounds and the silences, the waiting and then the frustrations with faulty torpedoes, the terror of depth charges, the silent running, and at last, the jubilation of hits became my own as I read this fascinating account of a WWII sub and her crew. I honor my father and his shipmates for their steadfastness and valor in the face of such an experience. Thank you, Captain Pete, for sharing the underwater war and for bringing back your heavily damaged boat safely and honorably.