- 6 weeks ago
The Two Davids and Goliath. Fri, Jul 5, 1957. Darter and Dace during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dyker, retired.
00:29The silent service now brings you the true story of the submarine's daughter in Dace,
00:36a wolf pack team which made history at the Battle of Lady Gulf.
00:40We call it the Two Davids and Goliath because a twist of fate pitted these two small submarines against an entire Japanese fleet.
00:50And one of the two skippers was, in fact, named David.
00:59This is Commander David H. McClinton, skipper of the USS Garter and boss of the two submarine wolf pack.
01:10He hails from Marquette, Michigan.
01:12And this is his teammate, Commander B.D. Claggett, Baltimore, Maryland, skipper of the USS Dace.
01:19It is September, 1944.
01:26Tonight, these two close friends are keeping a prearranged rendezvous in the Celebes Sea, north of Barneo.
01:32I guess you remember Chief Turner?
01:39Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure do. New London, wasn't it?
01:42That's right, sir.
01:43How's everything been going, Chief?
01:44It's been going okay, sir.
01:51Our orders are to patrol the dangerous ground.
01:53Here, off the Palawan passage.
01:55Yeah. Is this a new chart?
01:58Captured fairly recently.
02:00Got an extra one for you.
02:02Thanks.
02:03I hope it's more accurate than the one I had the last time I was up there.
02:06Lucky I didn't wind up on a reef.
02:08Of course, I guess if I did, you'd pull me off.
02:11I'm not so sure I wouldn't leave you there at that.
02:14What?
02:15I said I might leave you there.
02:16You mean that?
02:17I sure do.
02:19It meant the lives of hundreds of our other men a Japanese might cost us if we got away.
02:23And don't you forget it.
02:25All right.
02:26Okay, Dave.
02:27I'll do the same.
02:29Let's just hope it doesn't happen.
02:31Now, here's what I figure we're up against.
02:34MacArthur's due to land somewhere in the Philippines most any day now.
02:36Yeah.
02:37The enemy's bound to be expecting it.
02:38Their fleet's gonna have to go all out.
02:40Pull something really big.
02:41Yeah.
02:45Something big was building up all right
02:47as the daughter and Dates continued nodding towards their patrol area.
02:52The Japanese high command faced with certain defeat if MacArthur's forces recaptured the Philippines
02:58for deciding to shoot the whole works to smash our amphibious landings.
03:03The show-go plan for all-out defense of the Philippines was activated.
03:07Show is the Japanese word meaning conquer.
03:10The main body of the Japanese fleet under Admiral Kurita was ordered north from Singapore.
03:23The fast carriers under Admiral Ozawa were ordered south from Japan.
03:27The third naval force under Admiral Shima steamed from Formosa.
03:37All three enemy prongs were converging on the Philippines prepared to strike any beachhead.
03:42Such large-scale movements did not pass unobserved by the underwater eyes of our fleet.
03:48The Pesugo under commander T.L. Wogan made the first contact on Ozawa's force as it speeded south from Japan.
03:56Other reports filtered into Admiral Nimitz on Guam.
03:59The enemy plan began to assume a predictable pattern.
04:04Carriers of the United States 3rd Fleet under Admiral Full Halsey.
04:08And the 7th Fleet under Admiral Kincaid prepared to secure and defend the beachhead.
04:13This, then, was the big picture.
04:19But to the crews of the daughter and the dace scouting the treacherous waters off Palawan, cut off from the outside world,
04:27the picture was one of monotony.
04:31Endless days of constant scanning.
04:36Empty seas.
04:38Constant surface and periscope watch.
04:40Waiting.
04:43Waiting for the tip of a mast or a smudge of smoke on the horizon.
04:47A radar blimp.
04:50Waiting.
04:52Killing time off duty.
04:54Eighty-five men imprisoned in a steel cigar.
04:57Counting the days till the return to home port and shore leave in Australia.
05:03At midnight before the morning of October 21st, the executive officer of the dace,
05:07Lieutenant Commander Ben Benitez, hailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, came up to the conning tower to relieve Commander Claggett.
05:14Good morning, Captain.
05:16Good morning. Thanks.
05:17Any excitement?
05:19No, nothing.
05:21Gets a little tiresome.
05:24Glad it's almost over.
05:26Still think we'll be heading home in a couple of days?
05:29Could be.
05:30Of course, the last word I got from Dave McClenick, he had a hunch they may change our orders.
05:34Well, he is hoping he's wrong.
05:36Who, Dave?
05:38I wouldn't bet against him.
05:39For eleven years, he's never been wrong in my book. Not on any count.
05:43Well, it's all yours, Ben.
05:44Scare up some action.
05:46We're going to beg something soon, we won't go home.
05:48Message from the doctor. It's urgent.
05:50Sergeant.
05:56Intercept fast enemy ships proceeding on northeasterly course.
06:00Notice it said fast ships. That could be a task force.
06:04All ahead, pull. Course 3-2-5.
06:07Hands are all ahead, pull. Course 3-2-5.
06:12Meanwhile, the darner, making her top speed of 19 knots, was trailing the enemy force,
06:18tracking its zig-zag evasive action, falling slowly behind.
06:23But Dave McClenick was sending vital messages, up the head to the date, many miles to the northern.
06:29Here was a perfect wolf pack double play, in which McClenick directed his teammate,
06:34taught an interception point four and a half hours in advance to the Japanese force.
06:39In effect, it was a forward pass.
06:43How we doing, Ben?
06:44Right on schedule, Captain.
06:45Left the intercept point for the dawn attack at 4-30.
06:48Right on the nose.
06:49You hope.
06:51Yes, sir. I admit, I'd feel better about our position if I had some star sights.
06:54Well, you're not going to get any tonight either, still overcast.
06:57Well, the darner's falling further behind the Japanese, but she's feeding us all the dope we need.
07:01Just gave us the Japanese zig-zag plan.
07:03Good, good.
07:04If we don't make interception, it won't be the darter's fault.
07:07That's a chance of a lifetime, all right.
07:09Dawn, 0-4-30.
07:19The sea around the base was empty.
07:23The minutes passed.
07:254-55.
07:28Nothing in sight.
07:29Nothing in sight.
07:335-15.
07:41Still no sign of the enemy.
07:42Captain, radio, message from darter.
07:52Enemy change course to west at dawn.
07:57Very well, radio.
07:59Tell them we'll continue the search to the westward.
08:01Aye, aye, sir.
08:02Continuing search to westward.
08:04Well, there you are, Ben.
08:05They just outmaneuvered us with that last turn.
08:07I'm glad it wasn't me.
08:09Played for a while there, I'd left it.
08:10I'd left it.
08:11No, no, you made good your point of interception.
08:13Didn't run into any reefs.
08:14Well, it's a wonder.
08:15Missed a couple of them by a very thin blonde hair.
08:18Yeah.
08:21Glad we were lucky about something.
08:23Well, I think you better break out the charts for the trip home.
08:27I want to check on the oil, fuel and provisions.
08:29We're pretty low.
08:30Aye, aye, sir.
08:31Too bad we have to miss the show.
08:33But at least the darter's been able to report the contact and warn Bull Halsey.
08:36Yeah, it's better than nothing.
08:37At least we know they're on the move.
08:38We'll give it another hour, then secure the search.
08:41Aye, aye, sir.
08:42That night, the darter and Dace held a rendezvous to coordinate their plans for the return voyage.
08:59They might as well have saved themselves the trouble.
09:01It's a radar contact from Donner.
09:06Maximum range.
09:07They say it could be ships or rain.
09:08Probably a rain squall or no-breeder operator.
09:11Let's take a look at the scope.
09:19I've identified the contact, Captain.
09:20And it isn't rain, it's ships.
09:22Lots of them.
09:23How many do you make it?
09:24At least thirty.
09:25Beautiful.
09:26Beautiful picture.
09:27That could be the main body of the Japanese Task Force.
09:29Ben, get confirmation to darter and step on it.
09:31Aye, aye, sir.
09:35Over in the darter, Dave McLennick immediately set the wheels in motion.
09:39Including the waking up of his encoding officer, who had just started to dream of home.
09:43Hey, officer, will ya?
09:44I'm off watch.
09:45No, it's me, Harry.
09:46McLennick.
09:47Oh, yes, sir.
09:48Get your pencil.
09:51Encode this and send it to Halsey and Kincaid right away.
09:54Large force.
09:56Course zero four zero.
09:58Speed twenty knots.
09:59Aye, aye, sir.
10:03Meanwhile, the Dace stood by, eagerly awaiting instructions.
10:06They weren't long in coming.
10:08Radio message from darter.
10:10Close the enemy.
10:11Call ahead, pull.
10:13Call ahead, pull.
10:14Station the tracking party.
10:15Station the tracking party.
10:16Station the tracking party.
10:19Oh, no.
10:20Not now.
10:21What is this, a game?
10:22Afraid not, sir.
10:23She's cocked out on me again.
10:25Well, how serious is it?
10:26Well, it's a major repair.
10:27It may take quite a while.
10:30Well, fix that somehow.
10:31Every minute counts.
10:33This is fine.
10:34Just fine.
10:35This patrol.
10:36I guess we should have stood in port.
10:44While the radar operator worked frantically, the Dace continued at full speed, checking with the data for changes in Japanese course and speed.
10:52Running the calculated risk of ramming one of those uncharted reefs of shoals in abundance throughout the dangerous ground.
10:59Well, I'm about ready to try her.
11:06A five-hour job done in an hour and a half.
11:09I hope it works.
11:15Boy, oh boy, we're set.
11:16Good work.
11:17Well done.
11:18Good work.
11:19They look like big ships.
11:20Maybe battleships or large cruisers.
11:22Twenty-five?
11:24Thirty?
11:25Thirty?
11:26Thirty-two ships.
11:27Good, good.
11:28Ben, blow the ballast tanks dry.
11:29Get her just as high on the water as you can.
11:31Tell the engine room one every fraction of speed they can give me.
11:33Aye, aye, sir.
11:34Put a low pressure blow on all main ballast tanks.
11:37Aye, aye, sir.
11:39The radar was gaining attack position.
11:44Well, men, here's Stitch.
11:46In half an hour, at dawn, we're going to attack the whole doggone Japanese fleet.
11:51Hey, how about that?
11:53The enemy force is steaming in two columns.
11:55We're deployed well ahead of them and laying for them.
11:57The dace will hit them from one side, and we'll wallop them from the other.
12:00Between us, we can't miss.
12:06Zero out.
12:08The dotter and the dace drop below the surface to periscope depth
12:14and lay in wait for the fattest submarine target of all time.
12:24Battle stations.
12:36Turner, I have a hunch that order was wasted.
12:38Every man's been at battle stations for ten minutes, Captain.
12:44Aboard the dace, as in the darter, tension mounted unbearably as the minutes passed.
12:49Depth charges.
12:56Depth charges.
12:57Depth charges.
12:58Depth charges.
13:06Depth charges, my eye.
13:07Those are darters' torpedoes.
13:08She's getting her licks into the Japanese fleet.
13:10Just like the 4th of July.
13:11A cruiser's burn.
13:12The Japanese are milling around in circles, firing all over the place.
13:13What a show.
13:14What a show.
13:15What a show.
13:16All right.
13:17Here they come.
13:18Stand by for setup.
13:19Bearing.
13:20Mark.
13:21Two, eight, six.
13:22Range.
13:23Cruiser.
13:24Mark.
13:252300 yards.
13:26Down scope.
13:27Angle on the bow.
13:2810-4.
13:29Angle on the bow.
13:3010-4.
13:31All right.
13:32Here they come.
13:33Stand by for setup.
13:34Bearing.
13:35Mark.
13:36Two, eight, six.
13:37Range.
13:38Cruiser.
13:39Mark.
13:402300 yards.
13:41Down scope.
13:42Angle on the bow.
13:4310-4.
13:44Angle on the bow.
13:4510-4.
13:46Angle on the bow.
13:4710-4.
13:56Now the success or failure of the Dacia's torpedoes rested largely on the fire control party.
14:02Ranges, bearings, and angles on the bow had to be converted quickly and accurately into
14:07enemy courses and speeds.
14:08Make great of the forward torpedo tubes.
14:10We'll fire six torpedoes.
14:11Let the first two ships go by.
14:13Third one looks like a heavy cruiser.
14:15All right, Captain.
14:16These crew noises are getting louder, Captain.
14:22Final bearing.
14:24Mark.
14:25Zero, three, one.
14:29Set.
14:30Fire.
14:31Fire one.
14:32Fire two.
14:39One.
14:43Two.
14:44Three.
14:45Four.
14:46Down scope.
14:47Anchor down.
14:48All ahead.
14:49Pull.
14:50All ahead.
14:51Pull.
14:52Four hits out of six fired.
14:53That's not bad.
14:54I think we'd better get out of here.
14:55Later that day, having been successful in shaking off the destroyers, the two Davids came up to the surface for a breather.
15:09The executive of the Darder, Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Suave of Brooklyn, New York.
15:10The executive of the Darder, Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Suave of Brooklyn, New York.
15:11The commander's secretary of the Darder, Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Suave of New York.
15:12The commander's commander of the Darder, Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Suave of Brooklyn, New York.
15:13Later that day, having been successful in shaking off the destroyers, the two Davids
15:21came up to the surface for a breather.
15:26The executive of the Darna, Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Suave of Brooklyn, New York, is
15:39joined by McLintock on the bridge.
15:41Commence Reload.
15:46It's about time you got some sleep, isn't it?
15:48Sleep? What sleep? I've forgotten.
15:51You had some. Let me see. About 60 hours ago?
15:56Then we're about even.
15:58I hope we can find that damaged cruiser.
16:01She was lying dead in the water. Probably just where we left her.
16:05Too good to pass up. Let's go back and see if we can finish her off before dark.
16:09Order days to join up. Aye aye, sir.
16:13The weary crews of the two Davids returned to the area of the morning's action and submerged.
16:18They found what they were hoping for.
16:28And something they weren't hoping.
16:30Two aggressive acting destroyers.
16:33They found what they were hoping for.
16:37She's an Otago-class cruiser, all right?
16:39She's definitely stopped and there's not much chance of her getting away.
16:42Yeah.
16:43It'll be hard to get at her in daylight with the company she's keeping.
16:46I'm afraid that's out, Ernie.
16:48We'll get on a partial battery charge this afternoon and try a submerged night attack.
16:52Advise the days.
16:53Aye aye, sir.
16:54As the wolf pack stalked its prey, trying to evade the destroyers,
17:00the enemy cruiser suddenly got underway, flipping from the scene at six knots.
17:05She's not going to get away from me now.
17:10I'm going to try and end her round to the west.
17:12Go ahead, fool.
17:13Captain, we'll be going through the worst part of the shoals at full speed.
17:16It's going to be murder.
17:17You just give us the best navigation you can.
17:19This is a calculated risk.
17:20Left, full runner.
17:22Advise the days and tell her to attack when ready.
17:24Right.
17:25The Darder and Dace, ignoring the hazards of running aground,
17:33maneuvered in headlong chase to elude the destroyers and close on their target.
17:42At seven minutes past midnight, Commander Claggett was finally closing into attack position
17:47when there came a dispatch from the Darder, pregnant with meaning.
17:51Darder's aground.
17:52She's what?
17:53That's all it said. Just three words.
17:55We are aground.
17:56Then they're ready to a quick middle of message.
17:57Take the leg.
18:02That's a tough one, all right.
18:04Yeah.
18:06Yeah, either way, I'm wrong.
18:07If I leave Dave McLennick parked on that reef,
18:09the Japanese will spot him as soon as it's daylight and blow him to pieces.
18:13If I stop to help him, the Japanese heavy cruiser gets clear away.
18:16That's the bind, all right.
18:18But one torpedo will probably finish it, too.
18:21According to the book, my job is to go after the cruiser.
18:24That's the only reason we're out here.
18:25What do you think McLennick would do in our place?
18:27I don't think. I know darn well what he'd do.
18:29He'd go after the cruiser.
18:30What makes you so sure?
18:32We talked about it once.
18:33Anyway, his radio's out. We can't reach him.
18:37We can't reach him.
18:40Captain speaking.
18:41The cruiser's picked up to 7 o'clock, Captain.
18:45Okay, okay. Keep tracking her. No further orders.
18:50One thing is sure.
18:52We've got to do one thing or the other. Fast.
18:55You don't make this kind of decision fast.
18:57Sorry, Captain.
18:59If Dave wasn't such a close, personal friend of mine, it'd be a lot easier.
19:03I'd know then my judgment wasn't being swayed.
19:05There just isn't any right answer.
19:07Unless we forget about the cruiser.
19:09Chances are she's out for the rest of the war anyway.
19:12No, no. How can you be sure?
19:14We'll just have to keep after her.
19:17Let's go back to the bridge.
19:19Blasted escorts, they sure know their business.
19:33Can't get close enough for a shot.
19:35Well, try a different approach.
19:39Battle stations! Battle stations!
19:44Just in case we get an opening.
19:46Hey, wait a minute. Hold everything.
19:48Not the moon coming out, Luke.
19:50Maybe get a little light on her.
19:54Hey, I can see the cruiser.
20:00I can see her real good.
20:02Ben, she's damaged. Hopelessly damaged.
20:06I think we can call the whole thing off.
20:08Suppose maybe we can get in one torpedo before we pull out?
20:11Just wasted torpedo. She's too far out of range.
20:14Besides, there's no question about it, Ben.
20:17She's out for the rest of the war.
20:22It's time we did something about our own guys.
20:24Give me a course back to the darter.
20:26Aye, aye, sir.
20:27Commander Claggett hurried to the rescue of the darter,
20:36faced with a job that had to be finished by daylight or else.
20:39There she was, fast aground.
20:42And with a high tide going out, it looked hopeless.
20:46The dace moved up warily to the reed, as close as she dared.
20:52A bow line was thrown and secured to the darter.
20:57Commander McClinnock reluctantly decided to abandon ship.
21:10But first code books and secret papers were assembled to be destroyed.
21:14Vital gear was demolished.
21:16Chief Turner performed the final rite,
21:21setting a timed demolition charge to prevent the darter from falling intact in enemy hands.
21:26The slow transfer of 85 men began.
21:31The slow transfer of 85 men began.
22:01It was a tedious job, with only two six-man rubber lifeboats available.
22:11David McClinnock was the last man to come aboard the dace at 4 a.m.
22:23What didn't you keep after the cruiser?
22:25Well, I saw the damage. She'll never fight again.
22:28I don't buy that. It's only an educated guess. Give me a better reason.
22:34The main reason, to my best judgment, is an attack was impossible.
22:38We tried, we tried repeatedly. We couldn't get past a destroyer's screen.
22:42I'll buy the second answer, but not the first.
22:46Got any coffee on this bucket of bolts?
22:51Well, Dane, in the past two days we've accomplished a primary mission,
22:54to give timely warning.
22:55Sunk two cruisers and knocked out a third in the process.
22:59Boy, I feel right now, I'd trade the whole thing to have my ship back.
23:05So, we lost a sub. But you saved the crew.
23:09No court-marshal?
23:11I don't think they'll hang you.
23:15Well, I... I saved this much.
23:17Hey, that's...
23:21That's heavy enough to sink us along with the visiting firemen.
23:26Anyway, welcome aboard.
23:28It's gonna be a little cozy, though, with 160 of us.
23:30You won't hear me complaining, Clagg.
23:33Before we get to Australia, we'll be down to mushroom soup and peanut butter sandwich.
23:37Sounds delicious.
23:39Oh, uh, incidentally, our demolition charge is set for 445.
23:43Oh.
23:45Yeah, I think we'd better clear the immediate vicinity.
23:48Ben, set a course for home.
23:50Aye, aye, sir.
23:51And so, on a note of disaster in the teeth of great triumph, this wolf pack tea ended one of the unforgettable submarine patrols of World War II.
24:08I'll be back in a moment with our special guest.
24:11Now, I would like to introduce you to the two Davids in real life.
24:20Captain David H. McLintock and Captain Bladen D. Clagg.
24:25The two skippers, who, as you know, fired the first shots at the decisive battle of Lady Gulf.
24:31Well, Dave, it must have been a satisfaction to learn you'd sunk the Jap Admiral's flagship right out from under him.
24:36Yes, I heard he floundered around in the water for quite a spell before they fished him out. It was Admiral Corita.
24:43And I hear it had a sort of reverse effect on his morale.
24:47I'm sure it didn't help any.
24:49And incidentally, Clagg, I agree with your exec.
24:52I think you made the right decision.
24:54Congratulations to you both.
24:58Be with us when the silent service reenacts another thrilling submarine story.
25:02I think you're down and on the fly.
25:08Through the deep blue hunter in the ocean.
25:12We'll control the ocean's wide.
25:16From down, down, underneath the sea.
25:20Safe and cold will pass the word.
25:24In the future's yet to meet.
25:25That we'll stay, as long as there's a submarine there underneath the sea.
25:38So wait for dive and take her down.
25:42Down, down, down, underneath the ocean.
25:45There was man who'll fight for now.
25:50In the deep blue, underneath the sea.
25:54And it was like a double the dam and longer际.
25:55You were able to quit with his try.
25:57The sea.
25:59And near the sea.
26:00dokład economic day.
26:02We knew everything would come to rest.
26:04In the very dark and confused sky.
26:06Yeah, after all that man of course tried.
26:09The wind had begun to flight!
26:11There was a thousand times when the flood awed and washed us.
26:15The sea.
26:17Nag radio.
26:18Marcusände and many bad languages.
26:20شteyt again.
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