| Title | : | Undersea Warrior: The World War II Story of Mush Morton and the USS Wahoo |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | First published November 1, 2011 |
Among submariners in World War II, Dudley "Mush" Morton stood out as a warrior without peer. At the helm of the USS Wahoo he completely changed the way the sea war was fought in the Pacific. He would relentlessly attack the Japanese at every opportunity, going through his supply of torpedoes in record time on every patrol. In only nine months, he racked up an astounding list of achievements, including being the first American skipper to wipe out an entire enemy convoy single-handedly.
Here, for the first time, is the life and legend of a heroic, dynamic, and ultimately divisive submarine commander who fought the war on his own terms, and refused to do so any other way.
Undersea Warrior: The World War II Story of Mush Morton and the USS Wahoo Reviews
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Mush Morton , never heard of him until Janruary . This guy was insane , the good insane, the brave insane, the kind of insane that mesmerizies people and causes them fight to the death for you .
He was a hero in the true sense of what a hero is . He set the trend in submarine warfare aganist Japan , this one guy in my opinon contributed more than any one single man during WW2 towards ending it .
Read This Book -
“Undersea Warrior” by Don Keith, published by Caliber.
Category – Military/World War II
This book is about the “Silent Service”, and the exploits of a daring Naval Officer and his submarine, the USS Wahoo.
The Japanese bombing at Pearl Harbor awakened a sleeping giant, until this time submarines were used mostly for coastal patrol and reconnaissance; they very seldom actively engaged the enemy.
After Pearl Harbor a young and brash naval officer, Dudley “Mush” Morton changed the entire role of the submarine service. He and his crew actively took on the enemy and were responsible for some of the more daring exploits during World War II. Mush was the first to use a “head to head” shot, firing a torpedo at a ship coming directly at his sub. He was adamant in his condemnation of faulty torpedoes, and several times thought he had ended his naval career due to his outspoken criticism.
Mush also had a deep hatred for the enemy. He was considered a criminal by some of his colleagues when after sinking a Japanese ship, instead of picking up survivors, he ordered them shot. This led to some thinking that he was a madman.
Even with all the controversy surrounding him, he was loved by his crew and all of his officers went on to stellar careers in the submarine service. One of his officers, Dick O’Kane, led the most successful patrol of World War II.
Mush is remembered at the Naval Academy and several other Naval Installations by having buildings named after him. He single handedly changed the way of submarine warfare in the Pacific.
A fascinating book, especially for those who served in the Armed Forces, but even more so for those who served and serve aboard submarines. -
It's now October 10, 2018. I read this book back in August of 2015 (guess that was before I was really using GoodReads?) Here's the brief review I wrote on Amazon back then:
"A very readable account of Mush Mortan and the USS Wahoo. The author did not at all attempt to sugar coat Captain Mortan's action in going after what he perceived to be Japanese soldiers escaping one of the ships he had just sent to the bottom. Unfortunately, some of those "Japanese soldiers" were actually prisoners of war being moved for use as slave labor. In today's world, many would look at Captain Mortan as a war criminal for this incident. Personally, I have mixed emotions on this, especially asI have a Merchant Marine background But taken in the context of what was going on in WW2???"
When I wrote that review I was forgetting about the Peleus affair.
A German U-Boat commander and several of his officers were tried and executed for machine-gunning survivors of the freighter Peleus.
A novel I'd read back in high school, and then actually re-read in 2014 was based on the Peleus affair. It was "An Operational Necessity" by Gwyn Griffin. I don't recall the title, but I've also read a non-fiction book on it. -
Fairly comprehensive overview of the career of one the more famous United States' submarine "aces" from World War 2.
The most interesting question the book left me with (and let me be clear, the author does not overtly advance this question) is this- Was Mush Morton's successes due more to his near fanatical "kill the sonza bitches" tactics, or the skill of the men who served under him in the attack party and who would go on to become successful skippers- Dick O'Kane, George Grider, etc. Again- not a question that is actively kicked around in the book, but one that I began to mull over as the book came to a close.
Overall, a very enoyable and quick read. -
An excellent book; well-written, good documentation and sources, little to no speculation. The only concern I had with it is that it doesn't seem to know exactly what it is. It's not a biography of CMDR Morton, and it's not a history of the USS Wahoo. A wide variety of problems are brought up - but no resolution is given (certainly that's because, in some cases, there was no resolution).
I'm glad he included information on the search (and the finding) of the Wahoo; good closure and very meaningful. Once again, however, he only lightly touches on the details. -
Great topic, poorly written. This is the story of WWII submarine officers and operations, with a good sub-plot (sorry for the pun) about innovative thinkers overcoming institutional conservatism. But the author uses juvenile language ("...the sonarman listened furiously") and often fills in gaps with his own speculation. And he does not appear to understand submarines.
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A great story filled with adventure and history. This is one of those books you are happy to have discovered hiding on your bookshelf. Definitely an exciting read for anyone that is interested in history, especially about submarine warfare in the Pacific theater during World War 2.
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Great book about the one of most successful submarine aces in history. A lot of techniques in submarine warfare were developed by Mush Morton. A must read for all brothers of the phin
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A Submariner’s Tale - Required Professional Reading
I have always lived in awe and solemn respect for the men who served on WWII era submarines. There service and sacrifice is right up there with those veterans who stormed ashore on D-day.
As a modern nuclear submarine driver, I lived and served during the Cold War years. I have read many fine books on WWII submarines escapades and this one is one of the best. It is for both layman and expert. I’m sure you will enjoy it too! -
I was glued to this and failed to notice...
This book is a true page Turner. My wife got stuck in the chicken coop and I was mesmerized and failed to notice. That is the power of a good book, well written and easy to get in the moment with the subjects the author presents. -
Great story about a man I have heard about for years but never really understood what he did
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Great Story of a WWII War Hero
Excellent narration of a submarine commander in World War 2. Mush Morton is properly memorialized in these pages. Good book! -
Hero’s are hard to find and Mush was a true hero. “Damn the torpedoes”
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I really enjoyed this book because of the personal stories it had in it. And it wasn't just a war story. It was the story of "Mush" Morton and how he forever changed the way submarines fought. Had a good background on Morton and how he became a submarine commander. Also included what happened after the war, something that I love to read in these type of books.
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Great read! Enjoyed this page turner on Mush Morton and the USS Wahoo. What an extraordinary man, crew, and boat. Highly recommend this book.
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Darned good bio of a WWII hero.
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Good Bio on a controversial but legendary submarine skipper.
