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.

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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.