The Submarine Commander Pocket Manual 1939–1945

Submarine commanders in WWII dealt with both enormous risk and responsibility; charged with sinking enemy shipping whilst avoiding detection, they had to correctly locate and identify enemy craft, getting close enough to strike whilst attempting to safeguard the lives of their crew. It was a deadly game; the Germans lost over 600 U-boats during the war, and one in five submariners in the US Navy were killed, the highest proportion of any of the services. The Submarine Commander Pocket Manual gives a fascinating insight into life beneath the waves, and what was required to operate a submarine, from diving and surfacing to attack strategies and evading detection. From training manuals to combat reports and first-hand accounts, this volume has collated documents, diagrams and photos from American, British and German archives to demonstrate both the fascinating technical and tactical aspects of running a submarine, and the calm nerves needed to outwit your opponent and live to fight another day in the war at sea.