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2007-07-01 -Obits-
CNO Statement on Passing of Retired Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey
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Posted by JAB 2007-07-01 01:15|| || Front Page|| [4 views ]  Top

#1 "Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea."
Posted by GORT 2007-07-01 06:17||   2007-07-01 06:17|| Front Page Top

#2 From Wikipedia:

On 27 April 1943, Commander Fluckey assumed command of Barb (SS-220).

As commanding officer of Barb, he established himself as one of the greatest submarine skippers, credited with the most tonnage sunk by a U.S. skipper during World War II: 17 ships including a carrier, cruiser, and frigate. In one of the stranger incidents in the war, Fluckey sent a landing party ashore to set demolition charges on a coastal railway line, which destroyed a 16-car train. This was the sole landing by U.S. military forces on the Japanese home islands during World War II. . . .

During his famous eleventh patrol, he continued to revolutionize submarine warfare, inventing the night convoy attack from astern by joining the flank escort line. He attacked two convoys at anchor 26 miles inside the 20 fathom (37 m) curve on the China coast, totaling more than 30 ships. With two frigates pursuing, Barb set a then-world speed record for a submarine of 23.5 knots (44 km/h) using 150% overload. For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, Fluckey received the Medal of Honor. Barb received the Presidential Unit Citation for the eighth–eleventh patrols and the Navy Unit Commendation for the twelfth patrol. . . .

Of what was he most proud? "Though the tally shows more shells, bombs, and depth charges fired at Barb, no one received the Purple Heart and Barb came back alive, eager, and ready to fight again."
Posted by Mike 2007-07-01 08:06||   2007-07-01 08:06|| Front Page Top

#3 With two frigates pursuing, Barb set a then-world speed record for a submarine of 23.5 knots (44 km/h) using 150% overload.

bet that was exciting - LOL!
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2007-07-01 08:19||   2007-07-01 08:19|| Front Page Top

#4 How blessed is the country that produces men like this!
Posted by trailing wife 2007-07-01 08:32||   2007-07-01 08:32|| Front Page Top

#5 Iirc, Captain Fluckey's rampage up the Japanese coast also included shelling attacks against against dock facilities and seaside factories and the first use of surface-to-surface rockets from a submarine. According to The Rocket by David Baker, the latter were the standard 4.5" type often fired from converted landing craft to soften up beach defenses. Barb had been rigged with a multiple launcher on the foredeck.
Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2007-07-01 08:39||   2007-07-01 08:39|| Front Page Top

#6 Not to worry Frank the Gatos were designed for 218% and 1800 fteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... ahhahsdfahhasdfahasdf
Posted by Shipman 2007-07-01 11:05||   2007-07-01 11:05|| Front Page Top

#7 29.3 sunk. Must have winged a catamoran.
Posted by Super Hose 2007-07-01 11:34||   2007-07-01 11:34|| Front Page Top

#8  he was credited with sinking 29.3 enemy ships

I agree, just how the hell do you sink .3 of a ship?
Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-07-01 11:38||   2007-07-01 11:38|| Front Page Top

#9 it's that metric system.... :-)


tons tonnes, you know?
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2007-07-01 11:57||   2007-07-01 11:57|| Front Page Top

#10 .3? May have been a combined assault on a Jap ship w/another U.S. Sub or American vessel(s).

God Bless this man. What a true hero.

Posted by Broadhead6 2007-07-01 11:57||   2007-07-01 11:57|| Front Page Top

#11 Winged one, and the others finished it off? OK I'll buy that, just sounds really odd.
Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-07-01 12:01||   2007-07-01 12:01|| Front Page Top

#12 just how the hell do you sink .3 of a ship?

2/3 were afloat after the hit? ;-)
Posted by twobyfour 2007-07-01 12:01||   2007-07-01 12:01|| Front Page Top

#13 I had the good fortune to be assigned to the Naval Academy as an instructor in Plebe skinny,or chemistry to civilians when Gene Fluckey was a Capt and head of the Dept. I only met him on one or two occasions , buthe was a smiling relaxed skipper who could not have been nicer to everyoneincluding young Jg s.They did not mention that Fluckeys CMH was for going into Tokyo harbor andsinking a ship inside the harbor , then siting on the bottom for several days while depth charges went off everywhere.I humbly thank the parents of such men
Posted by john e morrissey">john e morrissey  2007-07-01 12:13|| NEVERINDOUBT]">[NEVERINDOUBT]  2007-07-01 12:13|| Front Page Top

#14 One source states that one of the scuttling charges aboard the Barb was the explosive device used to destroy the 16-car RR train.
Posted by mrp 2007-07-01 14:48||   2007-07-01 14:48|| Front Page Top

#15 thx John M - interesting info - RB reaches far and wide!
Posted by Frank G">Frank G  2007-07-01 15:03||   2007-07-01 15:03|| Front Page Top

#16 SHARK WEEK meets FLEET WEEK
Posted by RD 2007-07-01 17:26||   2007-07-01 17:26|| Front Page Top

#17 Yesterday Gen. Robin Olds was laid to rest at the Air Force Academy. We were having a unit reunion at the Academy at the same time. There were fly-bys by F-4s, P-51s, and even a Mig-17. I hope people like Admiral Fluckey and Gen. Olds are never forgotten, and that the traditions they inspired continue as long as the US exists.
Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot  2007-07-01 18:51|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]  2007-07-01 18:51|| Front Page Top

23:57 Mike N.
23:56 Grumenk Philalzabod0723
23:56 Zenster
23:50 twobyfour
23:46 Sherry
23:39 Zenster
23:33 Broadhead6
23:24 Zenster
23:18 Zenster
23:08 twobyfour
23:07  KBK
23:07 trailing wife
23:06 gromgoru
23:03 Broadhead6
22:56 Broadhead6
22:55 gromgoru
22:51 twobyfour
22:49 trailing wife
22:46 trailing wife
22:46 3dc
22:45 twobyfour
22:40 Barbara Skolaut
22:40 twobyfour
22:37 gromgoru









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