The Navy Loses a "Good'un"

[OneManGang]

Rear Admiral Eugene Fluckey passed away on the 29th of June after a long bout with Alzheimer's Disease.

EagleSpeak: Sunday Ship History: A Hero Passes - Rear Adm. Eugene Fluckey

Who was Gene Fluckey?

Behind that smiling exterior beat the heart of one of the finest naval warriors this nation has ever produced.

Gene Fluckey held the Medal of Honor, FOUR Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and "a host of of other unit and campaign awards."

Fluckey commanded the submarine USS Barb (SS-220) during World War II. The Barb was credited with sinking 29 ships under Fluckey's command along with numerous smaller craft ... and a train.

CITATION:
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy, Commanding U.S.S. Barb. Place and date: Along coast of China, 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 5 October 1913, Washington, D.C. Other Navy award: Navy Cross with 3 Gold Stars. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Barb during her 11th war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2-hour night battle on 8 January, Comdr. Fluckey, in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 25 January, located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of Nankuan Chiang (Mamkwan Harbor). Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour's run at full speed through the uncharted, mined, and rock-obstructed waters, he bravely ordered, "Battle station--torpedoes!" In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen, and riding in 5 fathoms (30 feet) of water, he launched the Barb's last forward torpedoes at 3,000-yard range. Quickly bringing the ship's stern tubes to bear, he turned loose 4 more torpedoes into the enemy, obtaining 8 direct hits on 6 of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics. Clearing the treacherous area at high speed, he brought the Barb through to safety and 4 days later sank a large Japanese freighter to complete a record of heroic combat achievement, reflecting the highest credit upon Comdr. Fluckey, his gallant officers and men, and the U.S. Naval Service.

Fluckey would (in defiance of Navy standing orders) cause the officers' shower to be filled with cases of beer before going out on a war patrol. After a successful sinking, he would order, "Splice the Main Brace!" and a can of cold beer was issued to every man in the crew. Once, when pinned down under a Japanese formation, Fluckey ordered the mess mates to put beer in the cooler. The message was clear, "Boys, we're not only going to get out of this, we are going to make them pay for their efforts."
His crew believed in him and he returned their confidence five-fold.

In his final war patrol report as commanding officer of USS Barb, he had this to say about his crew: "What wordy praise can one give such men as these; men who ... follow unhesitatingly when in the vicinity of minefields so long as there is the possibility of targets ... Men who flinch not with the fathometer ticking off two fathoms beneath the keel ... Men who will fight to the last bullet and then start throwing the empty shell cases. These are submariners."

In one of the wildest missions of the war, on Barb's final patrol, Fluckey pioneered the use of submarines in Special Operations when he maneuvered to within 950 yards (about 1/3 mile) of the Japanese coast and lauched two small boats carrying eight men. They paddled ashore to a point where a railroad line ran close to shore. Once ashore the raiders placed a charge with a pressure-sensitive fuse under the track and snuck back to their boats. They had gone only a short distance when a Japanese ammo train rounded the bend. The charge went off and sent the train tumbling and its cargo exploding. Barb had conducted the ONLY successful special operation conducted against mainland Japan during the war.

On this same patrol, Barb made use of another unique weapon system. Before she departed, she was fitted with an Army multiple rocket launcher with a suitable supply of rockets. Fluckey used these rockets to bombard shore targets in and near Japanese ports.

Fluckey was aggessive, but never carelessly so. Every attack, no matter how audacious, was planned and designed to cause maximum damage to the enemy while leaving the boat a way out. This is born out by what Fluckey often said was his greatest achievement during the war: NOT ONE of Barb's crew was killed or wounded despite some of the most hair-raising engagements with the Japanese.

You have to think that, given the choice between a return visit by Godzilla and having Fluckey and the Barb operating off shore, the Japanese would say, "Bring on the Lizard!"

Barb's Battle Flag

Fluckey stayed in the Navy after the war and held a variety of commands before retiring in 1972 as a Rear Admiral.

In 1992 Fluckey published his memoirs titled Thunder Below!. If I were limited to only ten books out of my collection, his would be one.

BRAVO ZULU! Admiral, and we'll Splice the Main Brace in honor of you and all the brave men of the Barb.

 

[vader]

Excellent post. Thanks for sharing.