Escape from the Deep
The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and her Courageous Crew
By Alex Kershaw
* 288 pages
* Pictures
* Publisher: Da Capo Press
* ISBN-13: 978-0306815195



I could sum up the story a of WW II submarine the USS Tang by saying it gets sunk by its own torpedoes a few survive the sinking. The survivors are then captured by the Japanese and then held as POW for the rest of the war and then released. However, I would be doing a gross injustice to the memory of the crewman of the USS Tang.

The story of Escape from the Deep is very engrossing and I felt I have come to know the crew of the USS Tang and experience its sinking. There is chapter in the book that tells how some of the crewmen escaped to the surface. I can imagine I was in the Pacific Ocean and seeing a fellow crewman starting to drown and there is nothing I could do to save him. I am sure that memory haunted the survivors to their end of their lives.
The Tang was sunk by its own torpedo which was fired out of its tube and turned in a circle and struck her when was on the surface. Lieutenant Commander Kane was blown over board with some other sailors. The rest of the crew was still in the submarine as it was sinking from the destructive hit of the torpedo.


The Japanese did not treat submariners well in fact they were considered special prisoners and the American Red Cross was not notified of their capture. The wives and families of the crew of USS Tang were notified that all were presumed Missing in Action. The Japanese made sure that the crew was told this in the hopes they could break the sailors. One person who helped the crew survived the barbaric and heinous treatment that the Japanese inflicted them in captivity was a Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington. He was the famous commander of the Black Sheep squadron and also was a Japanese prisoner

It took me awhile to read the book because when you read about the horrific treatment on the crew was inflicted by the Japanese it made me angry. I have toured a sister ship , USS Ling now docked in Hackensack, NJ and can attest to the cramp quarters and can only wonder how any one managed to escape from 180 feet below the surface. I have come to appreciate the Silent Service and their selfless service to the United States. I highly recommend this book.

MAJ (ret) Eric Shuler NJARNG

If you like Submarine books and or story's you'll like this one. You can't put it down once you start reading it. I read O'Kane's own book, " Clear the Bridge " and this book isn't like his. O'Kane's book was very good but in the end you wonder how did some of his crew escape from the Sub, well now you'll find out. What people do or act under pressure is an answer we would all like to know at some point in our lives.

Amazing, factual account of the sailors that manned the famous WW2 American Submarine, Tang, that was sunk by it's own torpedo. This is great reading for all ages. I have personally met Mr. Floyd Caverly, one of the Hero survivors, who happens to be a member of my American Legion Post, here in Sheridan, Oregon.

Paul Wines was 24 years old when he died on the Tang, October 25, 1944. He was Student Council President at Ridgewood High School, an award winning musician and an honors graduate from what is now Carnegie Mellon. The loss of the talents and potential of this young man - and countless others like him - underscores the heartbreak of war. He and his family were from my hometown and he is remembered with 112 other 20th century service casualties every Memorial Day. I wrote a biography on him but never lost interest in his life or in the circumstances which caused his premature death. "Escape from the Deep" evoked admiration and sadness but brought me insights, but never an understanding, of what happened to the crew of the Tang.
I don't think any of us can truly understand what dying - or facing death - in a foundering submarine is like. Imagine knowing there are people outside your house trying to get in. Imagine no moon, 2:00 in the morning; suddenly, all the lights go out and you can't see your hand in front of your face. You're completely disoriented. Then you feel something enveloping you and you have nowhere to go. No escape, no way out. It must be a horrible way to die - knowing you are facing imminent death but not being able to do anything about it. Such is death in a submarine.
But in a unique set of circumstances, nine of the Tang's crew did survive to provide first hand accounts of their unlikely escape from the deep. Alex Kershaw's book is a page turner. Expertly researched and beautifully written, the chapters are neatly divided by patrol, mission, incident, captivity and then freedom so slow readers like me can put it down for a couple of days and then pick it up without feeling as though we've lost momentum. But I quickly picked it back up. It reads like fiction mainly because of the first hand reports of survivors. Read it with the same intensity with which you watched the fictional Poseidon Adventure but with the knowledge that it is non-fiction, that it really happened to real people. Then you will have a modicum of understanding of what facing death - and in the case of some, beating death - is like. Paul Wines was not available for an interview. God only knows what he would have reported.

An interesting book, well-written, with a compelling sense of drama. Certainly not on the level of An Army at Dawn--obviously it tells a smaller story. I would like to have gotten more background on the boat and the crew, particularly some of the main "characters." But for a short read (three days) I enjoyed it very much.

Despite the good writing I can give this book only 1 star because I know of untruths presented as truths about my brother Lt.(j.g.) John Heubeck. This book is not supposed to be fiction.

A whole little story was built around my brother that was pure fiction. When I know the facts about my brother (and a little research could have shown the author the truth), I have to wonder what other fiction there is in this "non-fiction" book.

Alex Kershaw tells the gripping story of The Tang, a World War II submarine, and its brave crew in a book titled Escape From the Deep. After sinking thirteen Japanese ships during a mission, the final torpedo launched circles back to The Tang and sinks it, killing most of the crew. The nine survivors out of the crew of 87, including Captain Richard O'Kane, are taken to a prisoner of war camp where they are isolated, tortured and starved. All 87 members of the crew of The Tang went through hell after they became the most successful combat submarine of the war. Kershaw tells this story with respect and intensity. Most readers will find this to be a gripping tale of heroism.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)

This is well written about the mission of the "silent force" in the mid 1940"s. It is remarkable and sad at the same time.. Escape From The Deep is a very interesting history lesson
of our military
And we think we have challenges in our lives.

Fantastic book. If you haven't read "Clear the Bridge", read that first as this book fills in the details which CTB barely mentions after the Tang is sunk.

I had the pleasure of meeting Admiral O'Kane on two different occasions and I'm sure he'd be very proud of this book.

If you like excitement and lean prose, I wager you'll enjoy Escape from the Deep.

In October 1944, the U.S. Navy submarine TANG, already famous as the most effective attack sub in the Pacific theater, was sunk by one of its own malfunctioning torpedoes. Nine of the crew managed to miraculously escape, only to find themselves captured, starved and horrifically brutalized by the Japanese. Drawing from interviews and personal accounts of many of these survivors, author Alex Kershaw dramatically captures their story. This book is a riveting look into the dangerous and deadly world of the submarine in combat. It is yet another tragic portrayal of often-ignored Japanese evils before and during the war. And finally, above all, it is a very difficult book to put down.

Once again I find myself in awe of my father's generation and the high price they paid to fight what truly needed fighting. There is much to be learned from these stories and these people.

Thanks for bringing us this story.

A very factual yet exciting account of the exploits of the submarine the USS Tang and the aftermath of its demise during 1944 in the South-Pacific. These men are another perfect example of what Tom Brokaw calls the Greatest Generation.

Alex Kershaw's "Escape from the Deep: A Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew" is a very good account of the USS Tang's last patrol in the Pacific during World War II, her sinking, and the survival of a handful of crew members. This is a well-written account and tells a very good story.

During a very successful patrol, the Tang was sunk by one of her own torpedoes. A few crewmembers escaped immediately, but she quickly sank in almost 200 feet of water. A handful of other crewmembers escaped from the submerged sub, the first such escape in history. The nine survivors were picked up by the Japanese and spent the last months of the war in captivity. Kershaw tells this story in a very easy-to-read and interesting narrative, and this is a much better book than his "The Longest Winter." However, like "The Longest Winter," the book doesn't quite live up to its loft title, because it is only about one incident with the Tang.

Kershaw does an excellent job bringing the story, and more importantly, the men in it, to life. This is an interesting book and anyone interested World War II or submarines would certainly enjoy it.

Even if you're not a history or military buff, This is a must read if you want to really understand the term 'heroes'.
The Tang's Commander and the other surviving crewmembers not only revealed their bravery by escaping the sunken sub, but also while suffering at the hands of the Japanese as POW's. The story of these men make you proud to be an American.
God Bless those that did not survive.

I listened to a review of this book on CSPAN2. I purchased it as a Christmas present for my friend who was a Chief in Submarines during the Vietnam War and afterwards. I read a little bit prior to mailing; it was very interesting.

Scotty loved the book. He related to some of it, found it exciting especially appreciating that is is a non-fiction book.

.

I enjoyed every word, line, and paragraph. I love this kind of book but it must be written by a natural writer which Alex Kershaw certainly is.
An incredible story, normally people who read books about submarines of WWII read from the german point of view (me among those), it was good to read the story of an american sub in the pacific war.
I have read other stories of american subs like the Scorpion, the Squalus, etc but not like this one.

Trully recomended to submarine and WWII History readers

As a former submariner, I was very pleased with this book. A fine job of bringing a WWII true story back to the current generation of readers.

As an old submariner, I give the true story thumbs up for the
men who gave their lives to protect the citizens of the United
States of America. They will always be remembered in our hearts and
minds. They were heroes of the world war 2 submarine navy.
We lost fifty plus Submarines in that war. Bless the men who
maned the controls and helped make the difference of the outcome.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift. Received the book on time. It has several pictures of the crew. Looking through the book, I started reading, read through the first chapter. It was very good. Had to make myself quit reading though because its kinda rude to read a book when its a gift for someone else. Will have to borrow the book back to continue reading or order myself a copy.

a story of courage and survival that proves that truth isstanger than fiction. these men were true patriots. the author was able to bring them and their plight alive and real for the reader.

This is not a book made great by the writing. Rather, this book is great because the author didn't get in the way of this epic story. No US submarine sunk more enemy tonnage than the Tang and whether any US sub sunk as many enemy ships is debatable. Dick O'Kane, the Tang's skipper, literally jumps out of the pages as America's foremost sub warrior. Anyone uncertain about what it means to be aggressive, go into harm's way and do all one can to serve one's country will find answers in this book.

This is a very good book that tells a great story. It is engrossing and draws the reader in from the beginning by painting a compelling portrait of the USS Tang in general and of the U.S. Submarine service specifically. They are portrayed as the miracle workers of their age.

Still the book comes up short in several areas. We don't learn as much about the Tang's patrols before the final patrol. If we learned more about the other patrol the book would have been much more compelling. We are also rushed through the crew's time in the POW camps in Japan. These do a disservice to what could be an amazing book. But rest assured, the book is very much worth the read!

As the son of a career sailor who served on submarines (USS Baya, SS-318, USS Menhaden, SS-377, and USS Segundo, SS-398) from the late 40's until his retirement in 1963, some of my earliest memories are of going to work with him and eating ice cream in the galley when the sub was in port. I also attended several dependents day cruises on the Menhaden and loved and respected the crew.

With that background when I saw Escape from the Deep by Alex Kershaw and realized what the book was about I had to read it. Life on a diesel electric boat was truly hardship duty. Though the crews ate well, they still managed to lose weight while on patrol, a fact that says it all about the stress under which they served.

The history of the USS Tang can't be matched by many other submarines in the PTO. Her skipper, Dick O'Kane was considered to be one of the best submarine skippers around, and his list of successes can't be matched by many of his contemporaries. It was on a war patrol that the Tang experienced one of submariner's greatest fears; a run-a-way torpedo that circled back and struck the submarine a death blow. Only nine of the crew managed to escape. They were picked up and finished the war as POW's of the Japanese.

Alex Kershaw's telling of the story of the USS Tang is an historical account of one of America's most successful submarines, with one of America's best trained crews, led by one of Americas best skippers. Having read the Bedford Boys I was already familiar with Kershaw's attention to detail in his storytelling and the quality of his research. However, he surpasses himself with Escape from the Deep.

Dramatic, suspenseful, and emotionally charged, Escape from the Deep is a must read for anyone interested in the war in the Pacific and with submarine warfare specifically.

American submariners suffered the highest casualty rate of any military specialty in WWII. Fully 25% of serving crews were lost while on patrol. Escape from the Deep is an excellent statement about the submariner's courage and sacrifice.

I highly recommend.

Peace always

This an unbelievably well-written book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and I couldn't help wondering what I would have done if I were thrust into a similar circumstance. Calling these guys the Greatest Generation is uttering an understatement.

By the fall of 1944, the USS Tang, commanded by Commander Richard O'Kane, had compiled a war record of astronomical proportions. O'Kane's sub had sunk more tonnage, rescued more downed aviators, and successfully completed more surface attacks than any other American submarine. O'Kane had also been decorated numerous times with countless medals for bravery. However, the Tang still had one more mission left, and this one promised to be even more dangerous than the others.

O"Kane and his crew were ordered to sail to the Formosa Strait to intercept Japanese convoys operating there. But, on their way to the assigned area, the Tang ran into a terrible typhoon with extremely high winds and seas. Although the sub survived the typhoon, the men seemed to sense that this mission was shaping up to be very dangerous.

Arriving on station, the Tang quickly made her presence known by sinking several enemy ships. The sub had expended twenty three of the twenty four torpedoes allocated to her. All that was left was to fire the final torpedo into a wounded enemy vessel and head back to San Francisco. As soon as the final torpedo left its tube, the men began to celebrate. Unfortunately, the last torpedo proved to be the only one that failed to operate correctly. The torpedo malfunctioned, turned back on a circular course, and struck the Tang with such force that half the crew was killed instantly. Commander O'Kane was thrown into the water. The sub was mortally wounded, but the bow stayed afloat in the shallow water due to the air inside. Despite this, the men still alive inside the sub appeared to be hopelessly trapped.

Some of the men managed to escape from the 180-foot depth by using Momsen lung breathing devices. These allowed the men to ascend to the surface without suffering the bends. Nine men out of a crew of eighty-nine survived. The ordeal was just beginning for them, though. Soon, the survivors were picked up by a Japanese patrol boat. Due to the nature of the sub's attacks on Japanese shipping, the Japanese refused to consider the men of the Tang to be POWs, instead classifying them as special prisoners of Japan. No record of the men's survival was passed on to the Red Cross, so their families had no way of knowing the men were alive.

For the next several months, the men were routinely beaten, starved, and humiliated by the Japanese. They became extremely sick and lost lots of weight. Despite this terrible treatment, the men managed to survive until the end of the war.

Despite surviving captivity, the men faced other challenges upon returning home. Some of the men's wives had remarried after learning that the Tang was lost. Others faced constant flashbacks and dreams of being in captivity. Despite these setbacks, the men returned to mostly productive lives and had regular reunions.

This is an excellent book. Author Alex Kershaw does a fine job of describing the life of Commander Richard O'Kane and the USS Tang. O'Kane was a relentless commander who always sought to destroy as much enemy shipping as possible. He accomplished this feat with flying colors, as the Tang was responsible for the destruction of more enemy shipping than any other American submarine. The book is divided neatly into several sections, each dealing with a different aspect of the story. This division makes the book easy to follow.

I give this fine book my highest recommendation; it is a must-read for fans of submarine stories.

I have the privilege of being the friend of the son of one of the men who served on the USS Tang, and through him I learned of this book that includes considerable mention of his father. This personal aspect amplified the impact of the book for me, but even without this I could not have read the book and not been humbled by reading this true story of those who served. In these troubling times when irreverence and disrespect are rampant on virtually every front, "Escape from the Deep" is a welcomed and refreshing look at men who knew honor.

These submariners were true pioneers in many ways. Operations while under attack and previously untried escape techniques from a disabled submarine pushed them into extraordinarily dangerous uncharted territory. Additionally, when they served they did not know what the outcome of the war would be, and neither did their families. Germany and Japan were winning in those first years of the war. The times were perilous. We need to be reminded of this history and take nothing for granted.

The USS Tang was an aggressive attack submarine commanded by a determined and focused captain and a crew that rapidly became a formidable team. This story of first their operations and later the capture and imprisonment of the few survivors after the sub's sinking makes these men's lives and the lives those who never escaped real to the reader. Inasmuch as it is possible, you begin to try to imagine what it would be like if you were in those circumstances, and you know that it would take everything you have and then much more to endure. This is about courage, honor, guts, agony, and victory.

You come away from this book with a great appreciation for all those who sacrifice so much to try to ensure a future for the generations to come. These are the kinds of people who deserve our great thanks and respect. This book goes a long way to achieve this recognition. It is very easy to read, does not embellish at all, and simply is powerful. Alex Kershaw has done these men and us a service by telling this story.

I really enjoyed this book. It talks about the trials these men went through before the Tang sank, after it sunk, their imprisonment and when they came home. Another home run for Alex.

Alex Kershaw did a very compelling job on this book. My name is Bruce Keller and one of the survivors of the Tang,Floyd Caverly, is my uncle.The book, Escape from the Deep, is very informative as the the happenings that went on aboard the boat after it went down.I know that Alex did a lot of research when writting it.When I heard of the book I got one as soon as I could and had a hard time putting it down until I read it cover to cover. Then went back a read it again.

Being that I have a connection to one of the survivors, it was rather emotional at times in reading it. I would have to put the book down and compose myself to continue. Floyd Caverly, Unk as we call him has maitained quite a sense of humour in spite of all the hardship that him and the other survivors endured.

I would like to thank Alex for writting this book to tell the story of these brave men and what they did for this country and the world.

Thank you
Bruce Keller

Review: Escape From the Deep
Author: Alex Kershaw
Details: Hardback, 270 pages, by Da Capo Press, 2008, ISBN 9780306815195
Current retail: [...]

Premise: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine (USS Tang), her struggles after being hit by its own torpedo and the survivors and their interment as POWs.

Some of this story will be familiar to readers of Richard O'Kane's book, Clear the Bridge! O'Kane was CO, Medal of Honor winner, and one of the survivors of the accident. But this author has taken the story to new levels with interviews in the past of the survivors. It makes a much better learning experience and I found the descriptions of the escape from the escape trunk much more vivid and real. Only 62 pages were devoted to the buildup prior to the circular run of the Mk 14. A large portion was given to the escape and capture, then the interment and finally the post life accounts of the survivors. Clear the Bridge had none of those life stories.

The pictures were great and certainly most were never before seen photos from the families. The reunion pictures from 88 and 91 showed most to be in very good health with only O'Kane being a little older than the rest although he didn't pass until 1994. The book portrays him as near death upon their rescue at war's end. I'd never see an aerial view of the submarine dock at Midway and the picture of the emaciated POWs will stick in my mind. The most vivid was Clad Decker (one of the Wahoo survivors) photo being taken with a group of POWs at War's end. Thanks to the author for those pictures.

From the beginning when that Congressman in 1943 mentioned to the press that the Japanese were setting their torpedoes too shallow to closing when O'Kane's daughter tells us that he lived with guilt because he did not go down with this ship (he was on the bridge when the torpedo struck) the book was a superb read and of vast historical importance. One bit of the story that wasn't discussed was the trials after the war of the Japanese commanders of the camps and their superiors.

This book is a must for all serious WWII submarine collectors, historians, and enthusiasts. I rate it a 4 of 5, only because I didn't want it to end and wanted more and because only Fluckey's book Thunder Below, Blair's U-Boat War, and Blair's Silent Victory get a 5 of 5. I appreciate the author's work and his research and only wish others would use it as an example.

Ron Martini
SS 339 and SSBN 599 in the 60's

I have often heard it said that no subject in history (with the possible exception of Jesus) has received as much attention in the written word as the Second World War. Even today, more than sixty years after it drew to a close, the war continues to fascinate. We still see a constant stream of books, movies and video games drawing upon that worldwide conflict. This makes good sense, I suppose. With countless millions involved in the war in one way or another, and with each person having a story to tell, we will never lack for interesting tales. Like so many others, I never tire of reading these stories.

Escape from the Deep tells the tale of one of the U.S. Navy's most successful submaries--the Tang. The book was recommended by Dr. Al Mohler in a list he prepared to recommend books for dads and this is where I learned of it. Even in the final months of 1944, the Tang had achieved infamy, having sunk more enemy ships, rescued more downed airmen, and pulled off more daring surface attacks than any other submarine in the Pacific war. But on her fifth patrol, one that took the crew to the Formosa Straight, disaster struck. Near the end of what would have been her most successful patrol yet, the Tang was struck by her own torpedo, killing half of the crew and sinking the submarine in 180 feet of water. Some men were blown clear of the boat and struggled to survive in the water; others went down with the ship and sought to escape from the ocean floor. The handful who survived were captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of the war facing the brutal conditions of prison camps.

Here is a quote from the book that Dr. Mohler provided in his brief review:

After the last man had exited, he would bang on the trunk--the signal for the escape door to be closed by a lever from inside the torpedo room. Then the seawater would be allowed to drain into the bilges and another four men would take their place in the escape trunk. Unfortunately, because of the Japanese patrol boats above, banging on the trunk placed the men in a terrible double bind. The only way they could communicate with the men waiting their turn was by banging, and yet the sound was bound to give away the Tang's position to the enemy at some point. It seemed that they were doomed if they didn't and doomed if they did.

Escape from the Deep is a fast-moving account and one that just about anyone can read and enjoy. With only 220 pages of text and written in a popular style, any reader with even a passing fancy in the Second World War is bound to enjoy it. It comes highly recommended!

There is an old adage that states: 'if it ain't broken, don't fix it'. Sage advice for author/historian Alex Kershaw who has again turned out another 'page-turner' with his recent DaCapo Press release, "Escape From the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew". While a great many artists struggle to find their muse Kershaw has certainly found his. One could even say that Kershaw's books have a certain 'formula'. For instance, compare his previous Longest Winter and his current book "Escape From the Deep": First, both books have at their heart a story about a small group of soldiers who achieved something remarkable in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Second, units at the heart of both books received considerable after action accolade in terms of individual and unit citations (although in the former case this took many years). Lastly, the overall story in both books can be broken roughly into three parts: 1) combat action; 2) captivity; and 3) after war life. In these, as well as Kershaw's other books (e.g., The Bedford Boys and The Few), what makes these works popular and enjoyable reads is the human story that Kershaw so expertly captures.

"Escape From the Deep" is a book that anyone can read quickly because the reader will not want to put it down. The basic story revolves around the USS Tang, one of the most celebrated submarines to operate in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, and her crew. During her fifth and final combat tour the Tang sank a large tonnage of Japanese shipping (>100,000 tons) in just 14 days (10 Oct-24 Oct 1944) before she was sunk in the Formosa Strait by one of her own torpedoes, an errant final shot of her illustrious career. What makes her story compelling is not simply what she accomplished in battle, but how nine of her crew managed to escape the near certain death of downed submariners, their capture and ultimate survival in captivity on the notorious POW camp, the 'Torture Farm'. As he has done in his previous books, but even more so here, Kershaw presents the coldness and brutality of mechanized warfare while capturing the humanity that is essential to appreciate the impact the Second World War had on shaping our modern world. Kershaw is a master of conveying the human element of war; few authors come close to his abilities to engage the reader to empathize with the combatants. Readers will not only get to know each of the nine men (and a few of the unfortunates who did not survive the war) central to the story, but feel personally connected to each. "Escape From the Deep" is an engaging story that anyone with even a passing interest in WWII will enjoy. Five stars!!

What a Story, Once you start reading this book you won't be able to put it down, Every page keeps your head buried in the book til you conclude it. The Unbelievable Story of Tangs 9 survivors who managed to secure there own lives from Tangs Last and Errant torpedo.
The Book puts you deep in the action as if you could actually imagine being in the shoes of these brave sailors.
I dropped my head many of times while reading in my own moment of Silence to the men that did not survive the Tang disaster.
The Courage and fight of these fine men cannot be duplicated!!
Read this book and many other fine Submarine books offered bt Amazon!!
Remember tho, Diesel Boats Rule

The book caught my eye while I was shopping and decided to buy it. I started to read it when I got home and the next thing I know I was finished with it the vary next day. It was a page turner from the vary first page to the last page.

Excellent Read. The author is able to place the reader on board the submarine, and you experience the the events right along with the crew. Warning: I wasn't able to put the book down once I started.

Alex Kershaw's tale of the tragic end of the USS Tang and her crew is a most read for all generations.
Kershaw captures feelings and terror of men hunting men in an iron tube underwater.
He uses first person interviews along with other sources to weave a compelling story.
Kershaw fills in the background of supporting people and events without going "off in the weeds."
The book is a compelling read that I had to do in one sitting.

The U.S.S. Tang and its skipper, Dick O'Kane, were a legend in their time. A protege of the equally renowned Mush Morton, O'Kane blazed a trail at the helm of SS-306, sinking some 93,000 tons of Japanese shipping in five cruises and earning Tang two Presidential Unit Citations. Himself awarded the Medal of Honor, O'Kane was one of only nine survivors when Tang was accidentally destroyed by its own malfunctioning torpedo. Tang's exciting story is told in fine fashion in this latest book by BEDFORD BOYS' author Alex Kershaw.

SS-306 and its skipper have been the subject of several previous books, including one by O'Kane himself. So, when I picked up ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP, my initial thought was "What, another book on the Tang?" However, after sampling the first few pages, I was hooked yet again. Kershaw is a fine writer and this book is one great read.

About two-thirds of the book is given over to Tang's sinking and the subsequent ordeal of the surviving crew. Kershaw's recounting of the desperate efforts to survive by the Tang crewmen already in the water and others trapped onboard the sunken sub are downright harrowing. Though O'Kane and eight others were pulled from the water by the Japanese, their subsequent imprisonment was equally horrendous.

ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP will get to you. Reading of the final moments in the forward torpedo room as some men escape the doomed submarine while others lay back to await death will touch your heart. What I found especially poignant was a reminsicence from O'Kane's daughter. In his final years O'Kane suffered from Alzheimer's. On walks along the beach with his daughter, the sound of foghorns would suddenly transform the man cited as "the bravest of the brave." He would try and pull his daughter toward the water, calling out "We have to go...We have to go save them."

A wonderful tribute to some of America's finest, ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP gets my highest recommendation.

"Reads like a movie"

Alex Kershaw's earlier books are all page turners, but Escape from the Deep takes Kershaw's considerable narrative skills to a new level. This gripping true account of the sinking of the WWII submarine Tang and the subsequent desperate--and mostly futile--efforts of the trapped crew to escape death at 180 feet underwater is so intense and involving that a reader cannot help but be a part of that crew. Description of submarine life and the emotional and psychological experiences of the crew members during and after the sinking is particularly involving, and Kershaw's signature short background vignettes of seamen and officers serves his purpose especially well in this book, making survival or death particularly poignant. Irony abounds, and Kershaw nails it without hammering it to death. Personal ethics, survival, mental toughness, fate, luck--they're all out there, and Kershaw's story brings them home in spades.

Escape from the Deep is another Kershaw tribute to a group of true American heroes, written to appeal not only to WWII aficionados but also to a generation of readers too young to remember the sacrifices of their forbears.

It's also a great read that feels like a movie.