I bought this book seeing the Positive 5 star reviews and I am glad I did.
What a Great Read, I finished this book today. I was impressed at how Cdr. Flukey worked with his men.
The enlisted men of the Barb were first rate and the fact he was an officer and Captain of the boat need not matter. Some Captains of a boat separate themselves from the enlisted men which hinders relationships and productivity.
With this respect, every patrol was sucessful. The Barbs 11th overall and Cdr Flukeys 4th was the best.

He then pleaded with his superior officers to have one more go on the Barb which made it his 5th and final, The War was in its final stages and I was amused at, instead of war, he seemed to be having a blast literally!!
No problems, only solutions.......

Great Book Great Sub.......God Bless All who served!!

No doubt about it, this is the absolute BEST American submarine account out there that I have read. Usually I tell folks if you want an exciting submarine warfare book you need to read the German stuff, but now I finally have an American account to recommend. This guy had b$^ls that clanked and knew when and how to push things to the brink. Get it, read it, you will LOVE it!!!

I consider this the best written and most enjoyable book I have read on submarine's in the Pacific in WWII.

A great account of the exploits of the Barb and her gallant crew. The skipper, Gene Fluckey, was one of the most daring of US submarine captains. I loved this book!!

One of the most compelling reads ever. Of course you have to be into submarines, but if you are, this is riveting reading. The story of the highest enemy tonnage sunk by a single submarine in history. A daring commander, Eugene Flukey safely leads his boat into shallow waters and inflicts cataclysmic damage to Japanese ships at anchor. He puts men ashore and blows up enemy train. The first to use missles against the enemy, and extremely successfully. If you are Navy, war history, like submarines, or like Tom Clancy type novels, this is for you. It's not a novel. Flukey painstakingly researched this to ensure maximum factual accuracy eclipsing Clancy's stories, because this is true. Buy it, you no like it, send me nasty e-Mail, I shut up!

There are few books that actually make you look for reasons to stop what you are doing and go back and read, this is one of them. This is a grand read. Enjoy, Bill Hayes

Nice to get a definitive sub story, based on the logs and experiences of a premier submariner. Required reading for anyone hooked on the Silent Service.

Firing torpedoes from 100 yards out? Going where no boats had gone before, always in harm's way. God Bless Adm. Fluckey and his courageous crew. An incredible read! And may Adm. Fluckey rest in peace, who passed away on June 28, 2007, at the age of 93.

One of the best submarine stories you will ever read. At one time, Steven Speilberg had options on it for a movie. Hopefully some day it will still be made. I use to correspond with Adm. Fluckey, and he was one of the nicest people that I ever encountered. The profits from his book went into a fund so that he could have unique reunions with his crew, such as down the Miss. on a riverboat, etc. Read and enjoy!

Outstanding true story!!! Where are the Hollywood producers...this would make a great movie. Fluckley is by far a captain among captains. "Splice the main brace". Enjoy!!!

Admiral Fluckey's tale of the exploits of the USS Barb during WW2 is exciting from beginning to end. There are no long descriptive paragraphs but the reader gets a clear picture of the action. Fluckey neither brags nor offers any false modesty but tells the story as it happens. But he frequently tells how competent and brave he feels his crew was. This is a story that once started is almost impossible to set aside.

This is the best WW2 submarine patrol account that I have read...I have the utmost respect for Adm. Fluckey's daring accomplishments and bravery in the Pacific as the Captain of the USS Barb. I could not put this book down!

Gene Fluckey recounts his missions aboard the USS "Barb" during World War II. Each Mission is very exciting and made me want to pull out my old copy of Sid Meier's "Silent Service" and go hunting Carriers and Oilers in the waters of S.E. Asia. I'm glad the Germans didn't think of his idea of welding a rocket launcher onto the Sub to send Nebelwerfers flying inshore. It might have changed the history of Operation Drumbeat.

The commandos he sent ashore to run sabotage missions reads like something out of a Hollywood Movie.

I'm surprised that Hollywood has not made the book into a film or that the History Channel hasn't snap it up for one of its programs. Fluckey's book is well written and keeps the reader interested. He presents the sense of danger and claustrophobia aboard the sub in a way that puts the Reader aboard with the crew.

I would reccomend the book for anyone with an interest in history and submarines.

Gene Fluckey recounts his missions aboard the USS "Barb" during World War II. Each Mission is very exciting and made me want to pull out my old copy of Sid Meier's "Silent Service" and go hunting Carriers and Oilers in the waters of S.E. Asia. I'm glad the Germans didn't think of his idea of welding a rocket launcher onto the Sub to send Nebelwerfers flying inshore. It might have changed the history of Operation Drumbeat.

The commandos he sent ashore to run sabotage missions reads like something out of a Hollywood Movie.

I'm surprised that Hollywood has not made the book into a film or that the History Channel hasn't snap it up for one of its programs. Fluckey's book is well written and keeps the reader interested. He presents the sense of danger and claustrophobia aboard the sub in a way that puts the Reader aboard with the crew.

I would reccomend the book for anyone with an interest in history and submarines.

For any fan of American history this is a must. Professional writing all the way. Fact-filled and exciting, I couldn't hardly put this one down, and no I do not know the author.

As an ex-destroyer sailor who spent many hours in the Combat Information Center hunting subs, I can tell you that this was the most fascinating book that I have read about WWII submarine patrols.

Eugene B. Fluckey, the Navy's most decorated serviceman tells a riveting and fascinating story about some serious work in the Pacific. In the telling, you begin to see the work of an effective leader and why the USS Barb's patrols were used in training other submariners. I am a slow reader but I finished this book in record time.

Even though my experiences made the terminology a bit easier to understand, I think most readers will be able to move beyond some of the lingo and feel the excitement of the moments presented in this book.

Some may use the word reckless to describe Fluckey's tactics but nonetheless The USS Barb's patrols did revolutionize subwarfare. I found the book slightly repetitive and the author's non-stop optimism and compliments of his crew to be a little unreal. Surely somebody made a mistake once in a while! That said, this is an important book that doesn't gloss over the battles and the Barb was involved in plenty. I am sure this is required reading in Groton.

This book is the firsthand account of the World War II submarine, USS Barb, written by the skipper recollecting his 15 months of command. It is a fascinating account detailing the audacious exploits of his ship and crew. You are not going to find any plot twists and intrigue popular among fictional seagoing stories, but the book is filled with the details of real life characters and their bold and exemplary accomplishments. As I read this book I had to remind myself that this was a true story and these people were real.

Fluckey's narrative is interlaced with other perspectives of the same incidents including the Japanese describing their reception of the business end of the USS Barb. The description of the crew members that paddled to shore to place a scuttling charge under the tracks to blow up a train was one of the most compelling sequences I have read. It was filled with light humor and suspense. This would have made extraordinary fiction if it had not actually occurred. The Japanese account of the incident included a report that some people thought they saw a man in a trench coat smoking a cigarette under a dock. When I read this I thought that they had been reading too many spy novels.

Eugene B. Fluckey writes for his readers, filling the pages with fine points from all angles making the sequence of events appear to unfold as I am sure they actually did. He includes his personal feelings towards the crew, his boat and how his experiences shaped his life. There are many firsthand accounts of historical events, but few are captured so eloquently and thoughtfully as they are in this book.

This is the finest submarine-related book I've ever read. It details the war patrols of the USS Barb in magnificent detail, including supporting details from the captain's journal, an illegal journal kept by a torpedoman on the crew, radio transmissions and interviews with Japanese captains the Barb faced in combat. The writing is taut and gripping, and the action that is described is unbelievable. If you want to read about real-life heroes doing amazing things in terrible conditions, this book is the one. This is one of the most moving books of heroism I've ever read. It makes me proud to be an American, and proud to be a veteran.

This is one of the most Historically accurate and realistic History Books I have ever read. As a Service member on the USS Ohio (SSBN 726) you can really appreciate what these guys went through on the boats they had back in WWII. Thanks for sharing your stories with us Adm. Fluckey!

I have just completed reading "Thunder Below" and "Clear the Bridge" back to back and being an ex-submariner the contrasts between the two commanding officers is remarkable. I couldn't put Thunder Below down until it was finished. Adm. Fluckey was a commanding officer every sailor dreams of serving under. I just missed serving under him when he was COMSUBPAC in 1966. The combination of the patrol reports and the illegal diary along with remembered conversations puts the reader in the middle of the action. The exploits of the Barb and her crew contains the ingredients of a great movie, and I understand Steven Spielberg has purchased the rights. This review is more of a salute to the Barb and her crew than a book review, and Adm. Fluckeys writing style is to be creditied. Thanks Admiral for a great book.

Written by the Barb's skipper, Rear Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey, recounting the Barb's 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th War Patrols. From the beggining to the end Fluckey's writing style grips you. This was the first Submarine novel that I have read and after reading his book I feel like I could talk the talk, but only Fluckey could walk the walk. His tactics were well thought and he wasn't afraid of testing new technologies, which is what the 12th (his Graduation) Patrol was all about. He added some great maps at the beginning of each chapter that give the reader a picture of where he is and where he sinks ships. The appendixes have great bare facts about the Patrols, the Barb's crew and a copy of the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). You won't be sorry for buying this book; after you read it I think you would agree, the story of the Barb, her skipper and her couragious crew NEEDS to be made into a movie!

This is my favorite military history book! And the only submarine book that I can read from cover to cover. I've tried others but they just don't seem as captivating. I first read this book in 1996 and I've read it at least 8 times since then. I'm amazed by the story telling ability of Admiral Fluckey. The story is exciting but still conveys the dangers of being in a sub, especially during wartime. And Admiral Fluckey seems to be a truly modest man because instead of making a big deal out of his own achievments, he makes a simple statement of the crew's achievements. He writes well and the story definitely keeps a readers attention. A must read for everyone.

I hope that someone does make a movie out of this book! It would make an awesome movie!

As a fan of Dick O'Kane and submariner novels of all historical periods I have not read a tale as enjoyable as this one, a definite top pick on my shelf.

As a NROTC midshipman, I confess to a certain bias. This book was a great read. Full of adventure, excitement, and good old-fashion story-telling, Adm. Flucky takes us through the 5 war patrols of the U.S.S. Barb with him in command. From his baptism of fire during his first patrol in command to the first ever launching of rockets by a submarine, his stories fill you with awe and make you wonder if they could be possibly true. I can say I was lucky enough to get a personalized copy from the author and will cherish it as I begin a career in the US Navy.

I bought this book from Amazon after reading the reviews here -- a big thank you to all you reviewers! Adm. Fluckey does a terrific job of recreating the tension and detailing the actions of his wonderful ship and crew; unlike more static narratives, this one comes alive with the voices of these heroes. Adm. Fluckey deserves special praise for the detailed research he did as well, tracking down even the Japanese radio messages to help illuminate his amazing story. A must-read!

This is the best first person account of submarine operations in the Pacific I have read to date. Adm. Fluckey does a great job of taking the reader through each of the patrols and how the Barb truly does revolutionize submarine tactics as well as strategies. If you own just one book on the Silent Service operating in the Pacific, then but this book.