[Stardust]

In 1973 an Italian submarine named Enrique Tazzoli was sold for a paltry
$100,000 as scrap metal. The submarine, given to the Italian Navy in 1953
was actually an incredible veteran of World War II service with a heritage
that never should have passed so unnoticed into the graveyards of the metal
recyclers.
The U.S.S. Barb was a pioneer, paving the way for the first submarine
launched missiles and flying a battle flag unlike that of any other ship. In
addition to the Medal of Honor ribbon at the top of the flag identifying the
heroism of its captain, Commander Eugene "Lucky" Fluckey, the bottom border
of the flag bore the image of a Japanese locomotive. The U.S.S. Barb was
indeed, the submarine that "SANK A TRAIN".

July 18, 1945 Patience Bay, off the coast of Karafuto, Japan.
It was after 4 A.M. and Commander Fluckey rubbed his eyes as he peered over
the map spread before him. It was the twelfth war patrol of the Barb, the
fifth under Commander Fluckey.

Commander Fluckey smiled as he remembered that patrol. "Lucky" Fluckey they
called him. On January 8th the Barb had emerged victorious from a running
two-hour night battle after sinking a large enemy ammunition ship. Two weeks
later in Mamkwan Harbor he found the "mother-lode" ...more than 30 enemy
ships. In only 5 fathoms (30 feet) of water his crew had unleashed the sub's
forward torpedoes, then turned and fired four from the stern. As he pushed
the Barb to the full limit of its speed through the dangerous waters in a
daring withdrawal to the open sea, he recorded eight direct hits on six
enemy ships.

What could possibly be left for the Commander to accomplish who, just three
months earlier had been in Washington, DC to receive the Medal of Honor?
He smiled to himself as he looked again at the map showing the rail line
that ran along the enemy coastline. Now his crew was buzzing excitedly about
bagging a train.

The rail line itself wouldn't be a problem. A shore patrol could go ashore
under cover of darkness to plant the explosives.. .one of the sub's 55-pound
scuttling charges. But this early morning Lucky Fluckey and his officers
were puzzling over how they could blow not only the rails, but also one of
the frequent trains that shuttled supplies to equip the Japanese war
machine. But no matter how crazy the idea might have sounded, the Barb's
skipper would not risk the lives of his men. Thus the problem... how to
detonate the charge at the moment the train passed, without endangering the
life of a shore party. PROBLEM?

Solutions! If you don't look for them, you'll never find them. And even
then, sometimes they arrive in the most unusual fashion. Cruising slowly
beneath the surface to evade the enemy plane now circling overhead, the
monotony is broken with an exciting new idea. Instead of having a crewman on
shore to trigger explosives to blow both rail and a passing train, why not
let the train BLOW ITSELF up. Billy Hatfield was excitedly explaining how he
had cracked nuts on the railroad tracks as a kid, placing the nuts between
two ties so the sagging of the rail under the weight of a train would break
them open. "Just like cracking walnuts," he explained. "To complete the
circuit (detonating the 55-pound charge) we hook in a micro switch
....between two ties. We don't set it off, the TRAIN does." Not only did
Hatfield have the plan, he wanted to be part of the volunteer shore party.

The solution found, there was no shortage of volunteers, all that was needed
was the proper weather...a little cloud cover to darken the moon for the
mission ashore. Lucky Fluckey established his own criteria for the volunteer
party:
...No married men would be included, except for Hatfield,
...The party would include members from each department,
...The opportunity would be split between regular Navy and Navy Reserve
sailors,
...At least half of the men had to have been Boy Scouts, experienced in how
to handle themselves in medical emergencies and in the woods.
FINALLY, "Lucky" Fluckey would lead the saboteurs himself.

When the names of the 8 selected sailors was announced it was greeted with a
mixture of excitement and disappointment. Among the disappointed was
Commander Fluckey who surrendered his opportunity at the insistence of his
officers that "as commander he belonged with the Barb," coupled with the
threat from one that "I swear I'll send a message to ComSubPac if you
attempt this (joining the shore party himself)." Even a Japanese POW being
held on the Barb wanted to go, promising not to try to escape.

In the meantime, there would be no more harassment of Japanese shipping or
shore operations by the Barb until the train mission had been accomplished.
The crew would "lay low", prepare their equipment, train, and wait for the
weather.

July 22, 1945 (Patience Bay, Off the coast of Karafuto , Japan )
Patience Bay was wearing thin the patience of Commander Fluckey and his
innovative crew. Everything was ready. In the four days the saboteurs had
anxiously watched the skies for cloud cover, the inventive crew of the Barb
had built their micro switch. When the need was posed for a pick and shovel
to bury the explosive charge and batteries, the Barb's engineers had cut up
steel plates in the lower flats of an engine room, then bent and welded them
to create the needed tools. The only things beyond their control were the
weather....and time. Only five days remained in the Barb's patrol.

Anxiously watching the skies, Commander Fluckey noticed plumes of cirrus
clouds, then white stratus capping the mountain peaks ashore. A cloud cover
was building to hide the three-quarters moon. This would be the night.

MIDNIGHT, July 23, 1945
The Barb had crept within 950 yards of the shoreline. If it was somehow seen
from the shore it would probably be mistaken for a schooner or Japanese
patrol boat. No one would suspect an American submarine so close to shore or
in such shallow water. Slowly the small boats were lowered to the water and
the 8 saboteurs began paddling toward the enemy beach. Twenty-five minutes
later they pulled the boats ashore and walked on the surface of the Japanese
homeland.

Stumbling through noisy waist-high grasses, crossing a highway and then into
a 4-foot drainage ditch, the saboteurs made their way to the railroad
tracks. Three men were posted as guards, Markuson assigned to examine a
nearby water tower. The Barb's auxiliary man climbed the ladder, then
stopped in shock as he realized it was an enemy lookout tower....an OCCUPIED
tower. Fortunately the Japanese sentry was peacefully sleeping and Markuson
was able to quietly withdraw and warn his raiding party.

The news from Markuson caused the men digging the placement for the
explosive charge to continue their work more slowly and quietly. Twenty
minutes later the holes had been dug and the explosives and batteries hidden
beneath fresh soil.

During planning for the mission the saboteurs had been told that, with the
explosives in place, all would retreat a safe distance while Hatfield made
the final connection. If the sailor who had once cracked walnuts on the
railroad tracks slipped during this final, dangerous procedure, his would be
the only life lost. On this night it was the only order the saboteurs
refused to obey, all of them peering anxiously over Hatfield's shoulder to
make sure he did it right. The men had come too far to be disappointed by a
switch failure.

1:32 A.M.
Watching from the deck of the Barb, Commander Fluckey allowed himself a sigh
of relief as he noticed the flashlight signal from the beach announcing the
departure of the shore party. He had skillfully, and daringly, guided the
Barb within 600 yards of the enemy beach. There was less than 6 feet of
water beneath the sub's keel, but Fluckey wanted to be close in case trouble
arose and a daring rescue of his saboteurs became necessary.

1:45 A.M.
The two boats carrying his saboteurs were only halfway back to the Barb when
the sub's machine gunner yelled, "CAPTAIN! Another train coming up the
tracks!" The Commander grabbed a megaphone and yelled through the night,
"Paddle like the devil!", knowing full well that they wouldn't reach the
Barb before the train hit the micro switch.

1:47 A.M.
The darkness was shattered by brilliant light and the roar of the explosion.
The boilers of the locomotive blew, shattered pieces of the engine blowing
200 feet into the air. Behind it the cars began to accordion into each
other, bursting into flame and adding to the magnificent fireworks display.
Five minutes later the saboteurs were lifted to the deck by their exuberant
comrades as the Barb turned to slip back to safer waters. Moving at only two
knots, it would be a while before the Barb was into waters deep enough to
allow it to submerge. It was a moment to savor, the culmination of teamwork,
ingenuity and daring by the Commander and all his crew. "Lucky" Fluckey's
voice came over the intercom. "All hands below deck not absolutely needed to
maneuver the ship have permission to come topside." He didn't have to repeat
the invitation. Hatches sprang open as the proud sailors of the Barb
gathered on her decks to proudly watch the distant fireworks display. The
Barb had "sunk" a Japanese TRAIN!

On August 2, 1945 the Barb arrived at Midway, her twelfth war patrol
concluded. Meanwhile United States military commanders had pondered the
prospect of an armed assault on the Japanese homeland. Military tacticians
estimated such an invasion would cost more than a million American
casualties. Instead of such a costly armed offensive to end the war, on
August 6th the B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped a single atomic bomb on the
city of Hiroshima , Japan . A second such bomb, unleashed 4 days later
on Nagasaki , Japan , caused Japan to agree to surrender terms on
August 15th. On September 2, 1945 in Tokyo Harbor the documents ending
the war in the Pacific were signed.

[bigben]

Sorry but that was too much to read lol